G81-538 Brooding and Rearing the Home Meat Flock

This NebGuide discusses raising chickens for meat. The objective of owning and raising a home flock should be to satisfy needs other than income production. For example, many people prefer fryer-type chickens of heavier weights to the lighter weight ranges available in many stores. Product freshness is the objective of some home flock owners; others are interested in the small flock in much the same way that some people are interested in a garden. A well-managed home flock can be a good source of fresh poultry meat. However, home flock producers should not plan to raise more birds than their family, friends or neighbors can use either live or dressed