Sorry for the long absence! We are very busy with our construction right now and that has taken all our time! We did rewrite our web site and invite you all to look at it: http://eco-ranch.com

I just received this question from a very nice follower in Uganda who has been discussing poultry with me and I wanted to share my answer. I am positive this is the way to mitigate against most poultry disease! Here is the question & answer:

"Poultry in Uganda is so challenging mostly when it comes to feeding them and even diseases that attracts the birds how do you overcome those challenges on your ranch???"

Eco-Ranch.us

Mar 1st, 8:19am

We don't have issues with disease. I don't hear of others having any either..... I have a theory for that.

Of course most hatcheries and production operations not only vaccinate, but use large amounts of antibiotics and precautions against disease. Chickens will LIVE in tight, cramped quarters on poor quality feed, but they won't THRIVE under these conditions. My theory is that the tight quarters, lack of natural light and normal air flow, weakens the birds.

I mean it weakens all the birds physical systems, but it also weakens their emotional systems as well. This weakness of mind & body allows diseases that may pass unnoticed, to take hold and roar through a flock, killing when it would not have been noticed in a wild flock. However, in Asia, semi-wild birds suffer from disease, most notably HPIA. I attribute that to poor diet that also weakens the birds.

Simply because laying hens will lay on a 16% protein diet, does not mean they are in excellent health. When I was in the commercial egg business, we rotated out hens out at 18 months. These 18 month old birds were listless and had little meat & ZERO fat on their bodies. If not for the antibiotics, they would have been susceptible to rampant disease.

By contrast, my flock, at 20-28% protein, lays eggs (except during the molt) for years, many dying naturally at 5-6 years of age AFTER laying eggs the entire time. When I do slaughter an old hen, she has muscle meat and loads of fat in the abdominal cavity and around the liver. To us, THAT is a healthy bird. Too many flocks are very thin with no fat to protect them if they contact a disease and lose their appetite for a while. This allows the disease to progress into something deadly!

So, my bottom line is this: spend the money on feed, NOT antibiotics, or "cost savings". You will have less disease, better quality meat & eggs, longer, healthier lifespans and much less work! Remember though, that sunshine, fresh air and SPACE TO ROAM is an equally important factor. This is not conducive to the way people have been raising birds these last decades, but I feel it is the correct way!