Writer: Robert Burns, 903-834-6191, rd-burns@tamu.edu
FORT WORTH – A small-scale poultry production seminar set in Fort Worth on April 30 is designed mainly for those who want to take control of their own food.
“We’ve been getting a lot of phone calls from people who want to grow their own food — who want to be sure where their food is coming from,” said Ken Johnson, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for agriculture and natural resources in Tarrant County.
For those living in an urban area like Fort Worth, poultry is a much better fit than larger livestock, Johnson said. Also, zoning laws within the city allow poultry under some limitations.
“In Fort Worth, you can have both hens and roosters, with the numbers dependent upon lot size,” he said. “They have to be at least 50 feet away from a home and must be in a coop. Other cities in the county have various regulations, allowing poultry to some degree.”
Though the course is designed mainly for those who want to raise chickens for their own meat and eggs, it is also suitable for any who are considering starting a small-scale commercial operation, he said.
Registration for the seminar is $10 per person and includes lunch. The seminar will be held at Russell Hall, 5710 Jacksboro Highway, Fort Worth. Sign-in will begin at 8 a.m., and the course should end by 3:30 p.m. Registration must be done by April 24 to ensure accurate meal planning.
To register or for more information, contact Sonia Benavides at 817-884-1946 or smbenavides@ag.tamu.edu .
The instructors will be Dr. Greg Archer, Dr. Craig Coufal and Dr. Morgan Farnell, all AgriLife Extension poultry specialists from College Station, along with Dr. Sonja Swiger, AgriLIfe Extension livestock/veterinary entomology specialist, Stephenville.
Topics will include:
–Poultry Breeds – Selection, Production Characteristics.
–Poultry Nutrition and Feeding.
–Housing – Considerations of End Product.
–Table Egg Production.
–Fertile Egg Management and Hatching.
–Sale of Live Poultry, Eggs and Meat.
–External Parasites/Insects – ID and Control.
–Internal Parasites/Disease – ID and Control.
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