Season 2025 Chicken Launch Report for Customers

Harvest timing & bird size. We are in our second season on Corn and Soy Free Birds and have yet to perfect the size of this bird. They continue to be too big, limiting our ability to produce whole birds ¹   and makes breast packs too large.  

Conventional wisdom and “the book” state that the corn and soy free group of birds should live about 1 week longer and will have a higher feed consumption rate.

Additionally, the book states that the spring and fall groups could also live a week longer to hedge against colder weather.

With 2 seasons of CSF under our belt we think we have two observations to make on this score and an adjusted way ahead

Observation 1 – Providing the spring and fall group an additional week as a hedge against cold weather is not required and this practice will be discontinued for 2026. This should produce better breast packs and more whole birds.

Observation 2 – We believe Csf bird growth rate is almost equal to the Non-GMO rate. I attribute that to the feed. I believe the csf feed is as good as the non gmo feed when it comes to protein, albeit from a different source.

Way ahead:   Because we need a week between harvests for labor purposes, we will switch the csf group to a soy free finisher feed with a lower protein % (and cost) in the final week – this should produce better carcass weights and hopefully a revisit of cost point.   

Mortality in the Spring group.  To provide chicken on May 1^st , producers must start brooding in February.  Early brooding results in a high incidence rate of ascites – a liver disorder that kills the bird in about week 6. This means mortality is high in the spring group. Mortality in B1 this year was 6% in the brooder and about 21% in the field. That is 89 birds in the field phase. Beyond being disheartening for the farmer, this kind of mortality increases the cost point of the bird, making for more expensive chicken.

Discussion and decision: In 2024 we did not run a spring group and therefore did not have chicken until June. Although inconvenient for the customer, we discovered that our mortality was much better resulting in a better bottom line.

Decision: Going forward, Land basket will discontinue February brooding and will not have chicken until June vice May. This will ultimately helps us bring down cost points.

General comment on availability.

Early in the season sales are high and the inventory is depleted quickly, often disappointing customers. Customers should know that by June this levels out. Patience is required in the beginning.

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Footnote 1 - We do not like to produce whole birds heavier than 4 lbs. Beyond 4 pounds, birds are more at risk for developing a disorder called green muscle disease which is a discoloration of meat deep inside the breast. It is often not detected until it is cooked and you cut into it - and although there is nothing wrong with the meat, it is disappointing to see. This is why we do not select large birds as wholes. if it is large, it gets butchered.  

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