How We Raise Chickens On the Ranch🐓

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May 30, 2022

Raising Pastured Chickens 🐓🌾

This year is the first year we have ever raised the chickens on our ranch. There were two main reasons for that: We didn't have enough manpower to raise them, and then we were concerned that our climate here on the ranch was too variable to raise chickens.

We decided to give it a try this year since we hired a new team member, and he was willing to do the daily chores while Brian built the infrastructure and oversaw the management of the chickens.

Brooder Stage

The first step to raising the chickens is receiving them through the USPS mail and starting them in the brooder.

When we first get the chicks, they need to be at 90 degrees for the first several weeks of their life until they develop their down feathers and can handle daily temperature swings.

The brooder is just a big car-port with a large Ohio brooder with heat lamps underneath that the chicks can go under and get warm. They walk outside the brooder to get feed and water.

Once they are four weeks old, they no longer need the heat source, have enough feathers and are ready for outdoor life.

Moving Onto Pasture

The week we move the chicks (teenagers) out onto pasture, we watch the forecast to pick the best day to move them out. That transition outside can be quite a shock on their system, so we want it to be as warm and nice of weather as possible before making a move-out.

We gather the teenage chicks into crates and quickly move them out into their new mobile chicken houses.

The reason why we put them in portable houses is mainly due to predator issues. Chickens are the most defenseless animal out there, and all predators know that. We have tried cheaper methods (electric fences, lighter houses, etc.) in the past, but predators always seemed to find a way to get to the chickens. Since building these larger houses, we have had zero death loss due to predators. We also have livestock guardian dogs that roam around to keep predators at bay.

Once the chicks are nicely settled into their new home, they get moved to fresh pasture every morning. A winch system is used to move the houses. We then go in and put fresh food into their feeders. They have automatic waterers in the houses that provide live-well water.

Behind the chicken houses, they leave a fresh trail of chicken manure, the highest quality fertilizer available. In the picture below, it can be seen how quickly the grass shoots up a few days after the houses have been over the pasture!

Processing Day

Depending on the breed of chicken, they are big enough for processing anywhere from 8-12 weeks.

This first batch of chickens we did was a slightly slower growing breed, so they were ready for processing between 10-12 weeks. The easiest way to catch chickens is in the middle of the night when they sleep. Chickens have poor eye-site and is much lower stress to capture in the middle of the night. We also do this while temperatures are nice and cool to reduce the stress on the chickens.

This picture was taken about two weeks before processing the first batch of chickens.

Bringing the chickens up to the ranch this year hasn't been without many trials, but we are now confident we can raise the chickens here and are so glad to have our eyes on the whole process from start to finish..

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Full 2026: Series on The Big Grass Fire "It Starts with a Spark!"

Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Standing Together During the Big Grass Fire July 25th-27th 2026. When wildfires threaten our communities, they don’t stop to ask whose land they’re on. They move quickly, changing lives in a matter of hours. But in rural communities like ours, something else moves just as quickly—neighbors stepping up to help neighbors. As the Big Grass Fire continues to impact parts of Idaho and Oregon, Sean Cunningham of Cunningham Pastured Meats has joined countless ranchers, volunteers, firefighters, and first responders working tirelessly to support those directly affected. But, in spite of the effort to mitigate the damages, the devastation is real to life and property. While the Cunningham ranch has not been directly impacted by the fire, Sean has been spending long days assisting neighboring ranchers whose grazing lands, livestock, fences, and livelihoods have been threatened. Whether helping protect cattle, building fire lines, moving equipment, or supporting firefighting efforts wherever needed, the work reflects something deeply rooted in ranching culture: when one neighbor is hurting, everyone shows up. With but a brief reunion with Sean after his 3 days of fire service. As you can imagine, while Sean is all smiles to finally be home for some much-needed rest, tears were shed by the littles in his reunion with the family! As many of you know, Liz and Sean, while still only in their late 30s, have seven children and one on the way. To date, Liz and Sean have spent days apart, each taking on the role in their own capacity against the fires. Sean on the dozer in the field and Liz capturing the story in a digital war to garner the attention of news agencies like KTVB7, the Lt. Governor's office, the White House, electric company CEOs and others for much needed assistance and support for the communities who are now at the mercy of a rogue grass fire, The Big Grass Fire and simultaneous fires stretching thousands of acres throughout the Jordan Valley and beyond. That spirit of service and capitalizing on each person's strengths to wage the war against the fires is nothing new to ranchers. Across the West, ranchers have long been among the first to respond when wildfire strikes. Their knowledge of the land, equipment, water sources, and terrain often makes them invaluable partners alongside local, state, and federal fire crews. Many volunteer through Rangeland Fire Protection Associations, organizations that have become an essential part of wildfire response throughout Oregon and Idaho. These partnerships help firefighters respond more quickly while protecting communities, grazing lands, wildlife habitat, and homes. For ranching families, these fires aren’t simply headlines—they’re deeply personal. A single fire can erase years of stewardship, destroy fencing, eliminate forage needed to feed cattle, and disrupt generations of hard work. Yet even in the face of tremendous loss, ranchers continue helping one another because that’s simply what neighbors do. We are incredibly grateful to every firefighter, volunteer, dispatcher, law enforcement officer, ranch family, and community member working around the clock to protect lives and property. Their courage and commitment remind us that the strength of rural communities isn’t measured only by the land we steward—it’s measured by the people willing to stand together when it matters most. Please continue keeping the families directly affected by these fires in your thoughts and prayers. Recovery will take time, but our communities have always been built on resilience, compassion, and a willingness to lend a hand. As of Wednesday July 29, 2026 at 8 am the non-official update includes official agencies holding the line with the yellow circles area in the image below a wild card. With potential winds pushing north again, critical barriers may not be enough to hold the fire from encroaching on Silver City. The blue circled area on a post seen here with images is the most difficult to manage, with juniper trees, canyons, and rock formations making it difficult terrain to navigate intervention and support. See more details and images here From all of us at Cunningham Pastured Meats and Cliff’s Country Market, thank you to everyone serving on the front lines and behind the scenes. We are honored to stand alongside a community that continues to embody the very best of what it means to be neighbors helping neighbors. We continue to remain steadfast in prayer in the midst of a very active and devastating fire season.🔥Behind the Fire Line July 28 Yesterday, Sean came home long enough to grab a few hours of sleep. By sunrise, he was headed back to the fire. As the Big Grass Fire continued to spread across the rugged country surrounding Jordan Valley, every hour mattered. While air tankers and helicopters often grab the headlines, much of the work happens on the ground—behind the controls of heavy equipment. This time, Sean's office wasn't a pickup. It was a bulldozer. 🔥Farmers Wear Many Hats A donated dozer has become one of the most valuable tools on this fire, helping create what firefighters call fire lines—strips of bare ground that give crews a fighting chance to stop the flames before they race into new country. Out here, there aren't many roads. The canyons are steep. The terrain is unforgiving. So before firefighters can defend the land, someone has to build the path they'll fight from. That's where ranchers like Sean step in.🔥Dusty, Demaninding work! Many of the local Jordan Valley ranchers wear more than one hat. One day they're moving cattle. The next, they're climbing into unfamiliar heavy equipment, figuring out the controls in minutes, and working alongside firefighters to protect neighbors, livestock, wildlife, and open rangeland. It's demanding work. It's dusty. It's dangerous. And it's often done without anyone ever seeing it. Thankfully, this bulldozer has an enclosed cab with air conditioning—a welcome upgrade from many of the older machines that leave operators exposed to smoke, heat, and flying debris during long shifts.🔥Communities don't face disasters alone! One thing has become incredibly clear throughout this fire: Communities don't face disasters alone, they come together! Neighbors have donated equipment. Volunteers have stepped forward. Local ranchers have answered the call. Everyone is doing whatever they can to help. Now, we wait for the calvary to come to our assistance. My role as a digital warriror, is a continued effort to push emails to the governor's office, spread the word of our mayor of Jordan Valley as she makes herself heard on social media in a plea for help. I make posts that are intentional and tagged to the White House seeking attention to what looks to be a dangerous situation brewing in the fires that surround us. And, I share our neighboring rancher's stories as the fire consumes the land and much needed grazing property. 🔥🔥🔥 While Sean continues serving on the fire line, our team back at the Cunningham Pastured Meats continues packing every order from our warehouse at Cliff's Country Market in Caldwell, Idaho. Every order you place helps keep our family business moving while our ranch family helps serve the community. Thank you for standing with us. It means more than you know. Watch Sean's interview with KTVB news.

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How We Raise Chickens On the Ranch🐓

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