Boiled water for broilers. Broiler chickens - growing at home

There are two ways to raise broiler chickens: intensive and extensive. The intensive method involves keeping chickens on deep litter in close quarters - 1 square meter. 1 meter accommodates 12 heads. With cage housing it is even denser - 25 chickens per 1 square meter. meter They are fed with complete feed industrial production. With this kind of maintenance, a bird at 60 days has a meat yield of 1.5-2 kg, but it is dense and not very tasty. Its cost is high.

With extensive broiler rearing, chickens gain marketable mass in 3-4 months, the meat has excellent taste, and material costs relatively small. This will require a warm, dry room, a sufficient amount of feed and patience.

Raising broilers at home

If you took chickens in the spring, you will have to keep them in the house, the babies need warmth, at least 32-35˚C. At one month of age, 18-20˚C is enough for them. Take two large cardboard boxes and connect them with glue, double-sided tape or a stapler. Cut a hole in the adjacent walls to create a “two-room dwelling.” One half will have a kitchen, the other a bedroom. For 1 sq. m place 13-15 chickens. When crowded, they develop poorly and are easily affected by various infections.

Use newspapers, sawdust, or bran as bedding. Change the litter regularly, every 2-3 days. For the first two weeks, chickens should have light around the clock, then reduce daylight hours to 16 hours. To strengthen the immune system, give the chicks trivit (tetravit) - 1 drop every three days for 2-3 weeks.

Drink vitamin B12 daily; dilute one ampoule in a liter of water for 50 animals. To prevent diarrhea, give broilers water lightly tinted with potassium permanganate or dilute chloramphenicol in it (1 tablet per liter of water). Do this for 1-1.5 months - broilers can have diarrhea at any age. They react to changes in diet, changes in weather, and dirty bedding and dishes. For normal operation Chickens should always have shell and chalk in their stomachs (can be replaced with red clay). It is not advisable to feed chickens up to two weeks of age with raw water; it is better to make decoctions from onion peels, chamomile, and rose hips.

Grown-up chickens are kept in pens or cages, with a stocking density of 4-6 birds per 1 square meter. m. During the day, provide the broilers with free range, if this is not possible, then let them out for a walk for 1.5-2 hours. Of primary importance for the conservation of livestock and good growth birds have food.

What to feed broilers

Feed broiler chickens up to five days with starter feed or a mixture of millet, corn and barley grits, and a hard-boiled egg. From the age of five, give wet mash: add cottage cheese, yogurt, cooked fish and meat waste, finely chopped dandelion greens, onions, and nettles into the grain mixture. Add grated carrots or pumpkin. Feed the egg along with the shell.

At two weeks of age, give crushed wheat steamed with boiling water. Mix bone and fish meal into the mixture. Give mash in small portions, but often. In the evening feeding, give only dry food. At three weeks of age, add boiled potatoes and bread to the mash. For good development For broilers, the first month of life is important. If at this time the birds received high-quality feed in sufficient quantities, then there will be no problems with the further growth of the chickens.

At one month of age, chickens are given both crushed grains of wheat, corn, barley, peas, oats, and whole grains, 50% of which can be sprouted. They also readily eat steamed grain. As food additives Food waste, grass, beet and cabbage leaves are suitable. Broiler chickens need to be fed in plenty; the feeders should never be empty.

Chickens meat direction characterized by fast growth rates, heavy weight and excellent pulp for cooking. Proper care guarantees rapid growth of the body up to several kilograms. It is possible to slaughter a chicken for cooking as early as the second month of growing. The bird's chest is rounded, the thigh has received a distinct muscular organization, which gives the chicken a fleshy appearance. In this way, full-fledged chickens are raised during the summer season.

Raising chickens

When is the best time to buy a brood for feeding? It is recommended to purchase individuals from experienced breeders involved in raising chicks for sale.

Attention! There are no universal birds that can quickly gain weight and lay eggs constantly; beware of scammers. The hen reaches maturity only after six months of life and is characterized by a sinewy body. She is fed with a different type of feed.

It is recommended to buy chicks in the first days of life. The first 10 days require social incubation conditions for the body. If a breeder acquires a newborn chick, the owner will be able to immediately control the nutrition and maintenance conditions, and make the most of the chicken’s resource. Some experts suggest starting a purchase within ten days if you are a beginning farmer. Choose individuals with bright, clear eyes, mobile and active.

Principles of raising broiler poultry

The owner can use an intensive or extensive option for keeping chicken on his farm. With intensive rearing, young individuals are purchased every 3 months without interruption, without seasonal restrictions.

In the second option, broiler chickens are purchased in the spring and fattened to an acceptable size. During the summer, all individuals are slaughtered and cultivation is stopped for the cold season.

Attention! Raising young animals for more than 70 days is economically unprofitable. The bird begins to consume a lot of feed, but does not give the necessary weight gain.

Arranging an aviary for raising chicks

For proper conditions it is necessary to organize the following characteristics premises:

1. For one square meter, 1 kilogram of quicklime should be applied to the floor.
2. The top of the lime is covered with a 10 cm layer of sawdust.
3. Day-old chicks must be kept in constant lighting.
4. After a month of life, the temperature can be reduced to 20 °C. It is important that the thermometer does not fall below 19 degrees Celsius throughout the entire growing period.
5. In the first stages of life, 24-hour high temperature must be observed environment within 25-33 °C.
6. It is necessary to consider a proper ventilation system to prevent the development of the disease.
7. The humidity inside the enclosure should be adjusted to 65% for young animals and up to 70% at a later stage.

Contents in specialized cages

In this option, 20 individuals can grow in the area of ​​one standard cage. When using such modules, you can significantly save space on the farm by installing structures on top of each other in several tiers.

As in the previous case of the service area, proper ventilation and temperature conditions are necessary. In this case, the temperature of the thermometer should be 35 °C, since the birds are deprived of the opportunity to move and choose a place convenient for themselves.

There is no need to use bedding for the cage. Instead, the structure must be systematically cleaned and disinfected.

Attention! Sanitary and epidemiological stations welcome keeping chickens in cages as the safest option for consumer health.

Effective feeding of broiler representatives

Of full importance is the issue of organizing competent nutrition for the brood. Directly dependent is the question of the speed and volume of muscle mass growth of the chicken, the softness of the product and other properties. In the first days of development, the broiler consumes pre-start feed, but over time the feed changes, and the question of how to raise the chick becomes relevant again.

Organizing chicken feeding

For effective and fruitful feeding of chickens, it is necessary to provide fattening according to the pre-start, start, fatten-finish scheme using compound feed as the basis of the diet. The main condition is clean water, constantly available at a temperature of 18-22 ° C.

For each type of feed, an appropriate dosage is required for growth in accordance with the age of the chicken.

Criterion	Pre-start	Start	Fattening	Finish
Broiler age	Up to 5 days	Six to eighteen days	From nineteen to thirty-seven days.	The thirty-eighth day - until the forty-second.
Growth	15 grams	33 grams	54 grams	56 grams
Dosage	15-21 grams	24-85 grams	90-125 grams	155-170 grams

Feeding frequency

The frequency of feeding is adjusted based on the age of the broilers. During the prestart phase, the backbone of the individual is created and the body needs the maximum dose of complementary foods.

1. The first 7 days – 8 meals a day.
2. 7-14 days – 6 feedings a day.
3. third week - 4 feedings a day.
4. 4 weeks before slaughter - two meals a day, the first feeding in the morning, the second in the evening.

Feeding a newborn chick

Organizing catering from the first day is a guarantee of the success of the entire enterprise. From the first hours, chicks need carbohydrate and protein foods. Grain mash copes well with such an order. It is also possible to add grated egg. The inclusion of mineral bait and vitamin supplements is welcome.

Important! Breeders may mistakenly recommend including a boiled egg in the diet. Such products are not suitable for the broiler's stomach. At the genetic level, the bird is adapted to dry nutrition.

Experimenting with food can cause problems with the gastrointestinal tract and lead to fatal outcome. The bird should be immediately transferred to dry rations.

Feeding a week's brood

Starting from the second week, individuals rapidly gain weight. In this regard, the need for feed is only growing. All organs and structures are actively being formed. There should always be fresh food in the feeder. The protein and calcium necessary for birds can be supplied in the form of milk and curd mass. All dairy products must be mixed with feed until they reach a semi-dry consistency. Chopped greens can be added to a nutritious diet.

Nettle leaves and grass are ideal. The greens are either mixed or served in a separate feeder. IN cold period the inclusion may take the form of grass meal. No more than 5 g of flour per individual is needed in food with a high percentage of poorly digestible fiber. Green grass can be used in an amount of 20% of the weight of all consumed products. At the end of the first week, the breeder can add pureed boiled carrots (5 g per individual) to the mixture for nutrition.

To increase resistance to infectious diseases, it is recommended to add Baytril, a specialized product, to the water.

Nutrition for two-week-old chicks

When the age of 2 weeks has been overcome, it is recommended to include boiled meat products. Compound feed continues to serve as the basis. It is recommended to add chopped shell. During this period, it is necessary to give the bird a medicine for coccidiosis - Bayox (0.5 g per 1 liter of water). Three days before taking the product, chickens should receive a vitamin B supplement.

The age of 3 weeks is marked by replacing the starter feed with finishing feed. The amount of food also increases. Meat should be regularly replaced with fish. Meat and bone meal and liver are suitable. You can add peanut or sunflower cake and potatoes to the feed. Greens can be varied with Chinese cabbage, lettuce, and ground dandelion.

Nutrition after a month

From day 36 until final slaughter for meat, food is transferred to finishing feed. One individual absorbs an average of 1200 grams of product up to 42 days.

Composition and differences of feed

The main difference between the starter and growth feed and the finish feed is the greater amount of protein. At the final stage, the chicken needs more metabolic energy, which increases the proportion of carbohydrates in the composition.

Feeding with compound feed at home must be used with strict dosage. Each age has its own specialized food option. It is necessary to weigh the individual to adjust the dose of feed.

In order for the carcass to reach its maximum size, the breeder will spend about 4 kg of nutritious feed. At the beginning the food consists of 35 grams. In a two-week period, the chick already consumes 100 grams of the product. Later, it is correct to increase this mass to 150 g. It is recommended to release the chicks outside, where they can also be fed.

Starter feed ingredients:

• corn – up to 44% of weight;
• sunflower meal – 15%;
• flour from meat ingredients – no more than 6%;
• sprouted barley – up to 20%;
• flour of vegetable ingredients – 2.5%;
• feed yeast – 5%;
• dry return - up to 4%;
• premix: salt, chalk, nutritional supplements up to 5%.

Starter “Best Mix”. It has the appearance of kibble and has a low feed conversion rate. Contains soybean meal. The granulated “Broiler” and the “Shebekinsky feed” series also stand out. The last option is produced in accordance with the GOST standard.

In addition to its composition, the compound feed differs in structure:

If you have the equipment to create granules, you can produce compound feed at home. If desired, you can mix the ingredients with others. in an accessible way. First, corn and cereals are mixed, after which chalk, bone meal, yeast and other inclusions are added.

Feed proportions for fattening:

• corn – 48%;
• cake – 18%;
• wheat –10%;
• animal flour – 7%;
• barley groats – 6%;
• broiler fat, chalk 1% each;
• protein-vitamin-mineral supplements -10%.

In a “finish” type mash, corn will be 45%, wheat (13%), meal up to 18%. Nutritional yeast and fats represent 3 percent by weight. Chalk is placed at 1 percent. It is recommended to increase the inclusion of peas to 4%. The BVMD, as in the previous version, is 10%.

Broiler breeds

Broilers have various crosses obtained through selective breeding. The conditions for keeping the breeds have some differences. Meat products made from such raw materials are characterized by high dietary properties.

Among Russian farmers, the COBB 500 crosses are popular, as well as ROSS-38, Broilers - 61. It is best to buy chickens for breeding at hatcheries. The brood appears under professional supervision without frequent manifestations of disease.

Signs of viable individuals:

1. Activity, high appetite.
2. Reaction to sounds.
3. Wings pressed to the body.
4. Soft belly.
5. Uniform coverage of down over the body.

Attention! In the case of COBB 500, the chicken has a larger belly and a more rounded shape. Also, the paws and beak are distinguished by a bluish color tint.

If the breeder takes proper care and knows all the features, he will be able to produce great product for your own table or economic activity.

Broilers are a breed of chicken that has gained immense popularity among both large manufacturers meat products, and from owners of private farmsteads. And this is not surprising, because crosses grow very quickly and after 1.5–2.5 months their slaughter weight reaches two or more kg.

The process of raising broilers is significantly different from keeping laying hens, and therefore requires special attention.

Features of broiler breeding

So, you have decided to start raising broiler chickens. Where to begin? First of all it is necessary choose the right chicks.

Raising chickens at home as a business. Experienced poultry farmers do not recommend purchasing day-old chicks, since at this age they do not tolerate transportation well.

It is quite difficult for them to adapt to new conditions, and the stress received during the move can negatively affect the health of the children and even lead to their death.

The optimal age for purchasing chicks is 10 days. When choosing chickens you should pay attention on appearance and activity of young animals- it is better to refuse to buy sedentary birds with a dull look, unkempt, with sparse plumage.

Light and temperature conditions in boxes or cages

Newly hatched chicks are very sensitive to cold, so the temperature in the room where they are kept should not be less than 30 degrees.

If to maintain thermal regime UV lamps or heaters are used, the temperature must be set at 34–35 degrees, gradually reducing it by one degree every 2 days.

In the first 1.5–2 weeks of life, chicks need 24/7 lighting, which will allow them to eat more often and, therefore, gain weight faster. Subsequently, daylight hours are reduced to 15–16 hours. Alternating light and darkness is beneficial for reared young animals.

How to raise broilers at home

Broilers are raised in two ways: floor and cage. The second option is more convenient, since broilers are not afraid of cramped spaces and, unlike ordinary chickens, they do not need more space.

The cell area can be different, on one square meter are placed 8–10 adults or 17–18 chicks.

Since broiler chickens do not need space for walking, the closed method of rearing does not in any way affect their growth and weight gain and even contributes to this to some extent.

In addition, with a large number of birds, closed housing has such an important advantage as the ability to limit access to different groups chicks. If a young animal suddenly gets sick, the area of ​​spread of the disease will be limited only to this cell.

During the cold period, cages with chicks are placed in a warm, well-ventilated area, in the summer they can be installed directly on the street under a canopy, covering the houses for children from the scorching sun and bad weather.

Experienced poultry farmers do not recommend using cages that are too large - maximum 35 goals, and prefer to raise broilers in the warm season (spring - summer), since during this period the costs of heating the premises are significantly lower.

However, broiler chickens are also suitable for year-round cultivation, it is only necessary to create favorable conditions. The disadvantage of cage housing is that this method requires more financial investment than pen-based housing. Among the advantages are the following:

• compactness (does not require much space);
• ease of maintenance.

Cages for raising chickens can be purchased from specialty store or make it yourself, thus minimizing your costs. Floor contents include soft and deep litter. For this, sawdust, shavings, straw or crushed hay are used.

Important! It is necessary to constantly monitor the cleanliness of the litter and its humidity, which should not exceed 25%. In a room intended for raising young animals, it is installed artificial lighting, and the lamps should be located directly above the feeders.

In the first days of life of the chicks, it is advisable to use large white or red lamps, as the birds grow, you can gradually switch to ordinary ones - 100 W. This method of raising broilers has the following differences from the previous one:

1. Does not require large financial investments, because in order to place the bird population in a barn, you simply need to fence off part of the room with collapsible sections made of mesh wire, equip it with drinkers and feeders - and the housing for the birds is ready.
2. The number of chicks in the pen is at least 10 individuals.

Flaws:

• More space is required per head.
• increased attention to the level of humidity is necessary, that is, the floor must always remain dry, which involves frequent changes of bedding.

Feeding broilers at home

Immediately after the young animals arrive home, the chickens must be given boiled water with sugar (in the proportion of 1 liter/1 tsp), and then given a boiled egg.

Adequate feeding is an important component of successfully raising broilers at home, so care should be taken to prepare an appropriate diet for chickens.

In the first week of life, babies are fed special fortified feed and a wet mash, to which a boiled egg, cake and crumbly millet porridge boiled in water are added (without salt). For drinking, it is better to use a decoction of pine needles and onion peels, as well as skimmed milk.

Drinkers and feeders are placed in the second box. Necessary install drinking bowls, and not lids and saucers, as many inexperienced poultry farmers do. This is very important: if any chicken accidentally gets wet, it can kill it.

One and a half week old birds for feeding include fish in the diet. Any fish waste or blue whiting will do for this. The fish must be boiled and then passed through a meat grinder without removing the bones. The ground product is added to feed and fed to the chicks. There should always be food in the feeders, however, care must be taken that it does not turn sour.

It is better to feed babies little by little: when they eat, add the next portion. Feeders should always be clean, they should be cleaned daily washed with manganese solution. During feeding, it is necessary to monitor the condition of each bird: whether all the chickens are approaching the feeder, whether they have enough food.

If possible, young animals should be provided green feed(chopped nettle, greens), which are introduced into the chicks’ diet gradually. Cottage cheese is also a good addition.

From one week of age, broilers should add vitamins to food. For good digestion, they give crushed shells, sand, chalk, which should be present in the chicks’ diet at all times.

Important! To successfully raise chickens at home, it is necessary from the first day of life of the chicks dig and solder their special means that prevent the development of various infections. Such drugs can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy, where they will tell you in detail how to use them correctly.

How to raise chickens at home: basic recommendations

There are several rules, following which you can raise healthy and large birds in order to obtain high-quality and tasty meat in the future.

This treatment makes it possible to raise strong and healthy birds, which at the age of 4–5 months can reach a weight of 4–5 kg (cockerels) and 3–4 kg (hens).

Transfer of young animals to the chicken coop

So, the time has come to transfer the young bird population to a permanent place of residence, that is, to a chicken coop. Breeding broiler chickens involves regularly maintaining cleanliness in the premises.

The chicken coop needs to be carefully clean and whiten lime. The floor is sprinkled with sawdust, which is added from time to time. The waste products of the bird (excrement) are mixed with sawdust - this causes debate and promotes the release of heat, resulting in the formation of warm litter.

Pre-feeders rinse with manganese solution and dry well. The walking pen should also be clean. Birds need to have free access to containers with sand, shells and ash for bathing, which will help them avoid flea infestation.

The handle of the feeder must be rotating, otherwise the chicks will begin to use it as a perch, and in this case, excrement will end up in the food.

Barn needed equip with perches However, they should not be high, as broilers may accidentally fall and injure themselves.

Often the most large birds sit on their paws. This may be caused vitamin deficiency and minerals (especially calcium). Place such a chicken separately and provide it with an increased amount of vitamins. However, in any case, such a bird will not rise to its feet, since broilers quickly twist the joints of their limbs.

Keeping broilers at home

There are the following rules for keeping adults:

When constantly raising and maintaining broilers, it is necessary to periodically disinfect cells. As a rule, disinfection is carried out after the slaughter of the first batch of birds, but before the placement of the second.

Breeding broilers at home as a business

If you plan to seriously engage in breeding broilers for meat and organize your own business, you need to prepare the following equipment:

You can incubate eggs at home, and this business will not require large expenses. The market offers a huge range of home incubators, so anyone can start such a business, subject to prior study of special literature regarding the features of the incubation process.

Otherwise, the rules for raising and keeping broilers are no different from raising poultry in a private backyard. In fact, raising a population of poultry is not that difficult.

Of course, you will have to put in some effort, but it is worth it. After all, for a short time you can get several tens of kilograms of quality meat, providing them for the whole family or in the same period make good money from the sale of home products.

Attention, TODAY only!

Broiler - hybrid domestic chicken, which was developed by crossing several breeds. Crosses differ from ordinary birds in their early maturity. Due to early slaughter, broilers do not live to begin laying eggs.

In the list of others characteristic features highlight:

• large sizes (roosters - up to 6 kg, chickens - 4-5 kg);
• wings and legs are short;
• intensive weight gain;
• weak activity;
• high need for food.

REFERENCE! Unlike domestic chickens, broilers are raised primarily in cages. This growing technology maintains high productivity indicators. A minimum of movement and bright light are the main conditions for the health and growth of individuals.

A prerequisite for proper maintenance is good ventilation and cleanliness, since broilers move little, and dampness provokes dangerous diseases in them.

A few words about breeds

Contrary to the prevailing stereotype, the broiler is not a breed, but a subspecies. Every year, breeders work to develop new highly productive breeds. For this purpose, the largest, most resilient and healthy birds are selected. Behind Last year 3 breeds were bred.

1. COBB-500. These crosses reach the minimum slaughter weight in 6 weeks (weighs 2-2.5 kg). Features: yellow skin, disease resistance, high survival rates. Chickens have large paws and a wide chest.
2. ROSS-308. The breed is distinguished by its incredible growth: in a day the chicken gains 40-60 g. The meat is paler than that of COBBs, but the breast is wider and meatier.
3. ROSS-708– leader in the list of new breeds. The young already weigh 2.5 kg at 1 month. The skin color has a yellowish tint.

How to choose the right eggs?

One of the important components of raising crosses is the choice of high-quality eggs for incubation. Experienced farmers advise buying eggs from a medium-sized laying hen, her age should not exceed 2 years (the optimal age is 8-10 months). The hatching egg has correct form, uniform shade and medium weight. It is advisable to select eggs of the same size - this guarantees the simultaneous appearance of chicks.

You cannot take large eggs for placing in the incubator - they have a thin shell in which small cracks can form. And through the slightest damage, infection easily penetrates into the egg (to the embryo).

Eggs can be stored for no longer than 3 days before placing them in the incubator. A longer period increases the risk of developing various abnormalities in the health of young animals. It is better for novice poultry farmers to buy day-old chicks rather than eggs - this will save time, money and effort on breeding them on their own.

Nutrition

Raising individuals for meat requires strict compliance with the feeding scheme, selection of a balanced diet and adherence to daylight hours. During the period of weight gain, crosses require increased nutrition. Fattening should begin from the first days of a chicken's life. Young animals can be given millet and boiled eggs; from the fourth day of life, greens and mash can be introduced. Adult birds are fed with compound feed, food waste, and mineral supplements.

Chick care

When choosing chickens, it is better to choose individuals that are already 10 days old. Day-old crosses are more difficult to tolerate transportation and take a long time to adapt to new conditions.

Age from zero days

The first thing the chicks should receive after hatching is a few sips of sweet water. Dilute 1 tsp in 1 liter of warm water. sugar and feed the chickens. Then you should give them a portion of boiled egg. The basis of the diet in the first 5 days is low-fat cottage cheese, a mixture of feed and eggs. Potassium permanganate crystals should be added to drinking water. Separately, 2 times during this period the chicks need to be given water solution glucose.

10-20 days

You can also mix crushed shells and grated carrots into the food. From the 10th day you need to get a vaccine against infectious diseases. To prevent coccidosis, Baycox (1 g per 2 liters of water) is administered into the body on the 14th day.

In the period from 10 to 14 days there is a high probability of mass mortality. For prevention, you need to take antibiotics for 4 days. A couple of drops of iodine should be added to drinking water. After finishing taking antibiotics, you need to take a break for 3 days, and then give the individuals multivitamin complexes.

Monthly chicks

At this age, young animals are transferred to granulated feed (it contains cereals, protein, amino acids). Greens are not removed from the diet.

An alternative to mixed feed is a self-prepared mixture:

1. crushed grain (wheat, barley, peas in equal quantities);
2. fish oil granules;
3. fish or bone meal;
4. a few drops of serum to moisturize.

Stir the components until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Then add chopped greens (onions, cabbage, lettuce) to the mixture. The suitable temperature in the poultry house for one-month-old chicks is 23 degrees, the duration of daylight hours is 14 hours.

45-50 day old individuals

Whole grain feeding preferred, since compound feed has a bad effect on the taste of meat. You need to pour grain into the feeders along with shells and chalk. Once every few days it is advisable to prepare porridge from small fish, herbs, wheat (infuse the ingredients for up to 3 hours). From 45 days onwards it is forbidden to give any medications to broilers.

Breeding adult broilers at home

Adults can be raised using several methods, each of which has its own nuances. Cages or specially equipped pens are most often used to keep broilers.

Cellular content

This option is optimal for breeding crosses in a small area (at the dacha, in the yard). Broilers have a phlegmatic character and thrive in tight spaces. Keeping one individual in a cage is unprofitable from the point of view of sanitary and hygienic requirements (if one individual is sick, the infection spreads to the entire herd).

The stocking density of broilers in a cage should be as follows:

• for chickens - 18 individuals per 1 sq.m.;
• adult birds - 9 birds per 1 sq.m.

It is recommended to make cages to contain 3-5 crosses. You can keep no more than 10 heads in one cage. Birds must have simultaneous access to the feeder. It needs to be attached to the front wall, the drinking bowl should be placed above the feeder. Be sure to make them removable for washing. Cages can be reused, but it is important to treat and disinfect them before placing a new batch.

In the paddock

An ordinary shed is suitable for this method, in which part of the area is fenced with a collapsible fine-mesh mesh. No more than 10 individuals should be placed in 1 pen. If the livestock is large, a separate section is made for each ten. Inside the pen is equipped with drinking bowls and feeders. It is recommended to cover the floor with a mixture of sawdust, shavings and peat. Straw should not be used as it may cause an outbreak of aspergillosis.

It makes no sense to keep a broiler for more than 2 months, since growth slows down., and the need for feed remains high. The bird consumes a lot of food, its meat becomes tasteless and tough over time.

Growing for more than 2 months is advisable only for producing offspring. For these purposes, healthy and persistent individuals should be left (2 females and 2 males).

What else is important for a beginner to know:

1. The requirements for the room are warmth, dryness, clean bedding on the floor.
2. Regular cleaning of the poultry house. Walls and ceilings must be treated with lime or special disinfectants.
3. Balanced diet and daily routine.
4. Timely vaccination.

Details about feeding

At home breeding poultry is fed with compound feed, since it contains the necessary elements for active growth. Broilers eat well wet mash with added sugar and crackers. Cross-breeds are unpretentious in food: they can be fed food waste. An important condition is the freshness of the food (the food should not turn sour in the feeder).

You can stimulate growth using a yeast mixture - mix grain with dry yeast and leave for 7 hours. To increase calorie content, add pumpkin and potatoes.

The list of products prohibited for crosses includes:

• sand;
• expired food;
• fresh bread;
• pure boiled potatoes.

REFERENCE! In order for broiler meat to acquire a yellowish tint, from the 3rd week of their life it is necessary to introduce corn into the diet (35% of the rest of the feed).

Birds need to be given clean and settled water (temperature 20-22 degrees). Birds must have access to drinking constantly. For disinfection, you can add potassium permanganate crystals to your drink.

Diseases

Due to weak immunity, cross-breeds are more susceptible to various diseases. To prevent mortality in livestock, it is important to vaccinate, monitor the cleanliness of the chicken coop, and promptly isolate lethargic and stunted individuals.

What diseases are at risk:

1. Arthritis. Rapid weight gain causes joint problems. An additional reason for the development is poor motor activity. The symptom is “falling on your feet.” The disease can be treated with ampicillin.
2. Heteracidosis. The causative agent is intestinal helminths. You can get rid of them with Piperazine.
3. Ascites– abundance of fatty tissue in the abdomen. The reason for the development is poor nutrition. Prevention of the disease consists of increasing the percentage of fresh greens in the feed.
4. Newcastle disease(or pseudoplague). An infectious disease that can kill an entire herd in a couple of days. Individuals develop discharge from the beak, the temperature rises, and the feathers have a ruffled appearance. The disease has no cure; the only preventive measure is vaccination.
5. Marek's disease. The central system is damaged. Crosses lose coordination and experience convulsions. At risk are individuals from 3 weeks to 5 months. Prevention – vaccination (procedure effectiveness 95%).

Like a business: benefits and profits

Broilers can be slaughtered on average at 50 days (at this age the weight of the bird is 4-5 kg). A poultry farm will be profitable if there are 300 birds, but even the costs of a small farm will pay off in a year. The main condition is to search for sales channels and issue quality certificates.

Costs for a herd of 100 heads look like this:

• registration of the case – 15,000 rubles;
• chicken coop equipment – ​​50,000;
• purchase of livestock – up to 70,000.

The starting investment in the business will be at least 150,000 rubles. The cost of one carcass on the market is at least 200 rubles, and the offal can be sold for another 150. From the sale of 100 heads you can get at least 16,000 per month. Subtracting expenses and taxes, net profit for 1 month is 8,000-12,000 rubles. Serious business and high profits are possible when maintaining a herd of 600 or more individuals.

Crosses are a special subspecies poultry, which is characterized by active growth. Raising and fattening broilers is a troublesome but profitable business. Subject to the basic requirements and rules, crosses will become a source stable income. Profit will come from tasty and dietary meat and offal.

Broiler chickens compare favorably with other young animals due to their rapid growth and minimal costs for content. By 2.5 months, the broiler weighs 1.5-2 kg - it can be slaughtered. Such meat is valued higher than the meat of adult poultry because it is more nutritious and juicier. Chicken carcass is the basis of any dietary dish; doctors recommend including this meat in the diet of children and the elderly.

Broiler and regular chickens of the same age - 1 week

Raising meat-type chickens at home is not difficult; to do this, you need to know the features of caring for and feeding them, the diseases to which they are prone, symptoms and methods of treatment.

Broiler chickens

Raising broiler chickens at home begins with their purchase. Most buyers tend to buy day-old broods because they are cheaper. But day-old broilers can die - the risk of mortality is high in the first days of life. Poultry farmers recommend purchasing chicks at the age of 10 days; it is advisable to select them in industrial incubators or on farms. Pay attention to the activity and appearance of the young animals.

Healthy chicks are mobile, their fluff is uniform, their belly is soft and toned.

Each breed has its own characteristics. Healthy broilers of the popular Cobb 500 breed have bluish paws and beaks from birth, and a slightly enlarged belly is also normal for them. Healthy young birds react to noise - lightly knock on the box, and the chick will turn its head or take a step in the direction of an unfamiliar sound.

Broilers KOBB-500 are one of the fastest ripening breeds

General characteristics of broilers

The breeds “Smena”, “Loman”, “Dominant”, “Cobb 500” or “Ross 308” are ideal for growing at home. Each of these types has its own characteristics, but there are also General characteristics which they must comply with:

• Broiler chickens are larger than regular chickens.
• An adult chicken weighs 4 kg, a rooster weighs about 5 kg.
• The body of broilers is dense, knitted, with short legs and tightly pressed wings.
• Chickens have a good instinct for hatching young, although egg production is low, sometimes completely absent.
• Chickens gain weight quickly.
• Broilers have a calm character.

The best broiler chicken breeds

Methods of raising broilers

Raising broiler chickens at home is possible in two ways:

1. Extensive breeding involves purchasing young animals in the spring (less often in the summer) and feeding them until the fall. In the fall, the birds are slaughtered.
2. An intensive method of raising broilers with your own hands involves purchasing young animals every 3 months. Farmers purchase fewer heads, but do it regularly.

The growth rate of broilers is 3 times higher than that of regular chickens

Chickens can be raised on litter. This method is inexpensive, but not suitable for large livestock. The bedding for chicks should be dry and deep, ideally made from sawdust. Sawdust is loose, quickly absorbs excess moisture, preventing dampness in the breeding area, and absorbs harmful gases. Sawdust is poured onto a floor pre-treated with lime. The thickness of the litter is 8-10 centimeters. The room should have normal lighting around the clock and good ventilation.

Litter keeping of chickens

Remember the rule of litter breeding: there should be no more than 18 chickens per square meter of area.

Chicks need warmth, so for the first three weeks it is necessary to maintain a constant temperature of at least +26 degrees. In the fourth week of the chicks’ life, the room temperature should be +19 degrees. Why is it important? In case of deviations from temperature regime broilers slow down their growth, weak chickens die. Typically, when raised on litter, heaters are installed in the coop. As soon as the chicks freeze, they crowd together near a heat source - this is a signal to you that the temperature is below normal.

Content temperature depending on age

Cellular content

Broiler chickens can live in cages; rearing, care and feeding in this case are somewhat different from litter farming. One standard cage can contain up to 20 chicks. The formula is simple: 50 sq. cm per bird. The density is constant and does not change throughout the entire period of broiler feeding. Young animals kept in cages are limited in movement, so they cannot choose a warm, comfortable place.

Chickens in cages also do well

It is important that all tiers have an optimal microclimate for birds - the temperature in the upper tier should be at +35 degrees.

Ventilation and lighting during cage keeping should be the same as when breeding on litter. Cage bedding is not needed, but poultry houses must be cleaned and disinfected every day.

How long to grow?

How to raise birds so that it is economically justified? Poultry farmers recommend complete feed for broiler chickens or an analogue prepared at home. It is undesirable to continue feeding broiler chickens after 70 days, because at this age the growth of the crosses stops, and feed costs remain at the same level. This is a costly business.

Features of feeding chickens from 1 to 15 days

What to feed broiler chickens in the first 3 days of life? The same as egg breed chicks - more protein. The chicken feeder should be filled with boiled eggs, oats, barley, and wheat. Grain feed makes up 60 percent of the diet. A three-day-old broiler chicken needs greens, it’s good if this is grass crushed into flour or sprouted barley. The daily norm is 4-5 grams per chick. Greens have a high fiber content, which is difficult for a weak body to digest. From the fifth day, chicks need minerals, usually crushed chalk or bone meal is used, they are added to the mash. The norm is 2-3 grams per broiler per day. Instead of flour, you can give eggs with crushed shells. At 14 days, vitamins are added to the feed for broiler chickens, vitamin B is especially useful. It is diluted in water: 0.5 liters of powder on the tip of a knife.

The first food must contain 60% protein

During the same period, you can introduce baker's yeast into the diet of young animals - the daily dose is 2 grams, add meat and fish.

It is important that fish and meat products are fresh - otherwise intestinal disease cannot be ruled out. For the same reason, chickens should not be given raw water - only boiled water.

Features of feeding chickens from day 15

From 20 days, add boiled potatoes to the food - replace a fifth of the grain with it. From this moment on, feedings alternate: once with dry feed for broilers, the second with wet mash. Starter feed for broilers is designed for chickens up to one month of age - after 30 days, birds are not so picky about the composition of the feed. From one month of age and beyond, the amount of protein should be reduced, increasing the amount of succulent feed and grass. From the 5th week, large uncrushed food is introduced into the birds’ diet.

Broiler diet by age

Feeding frequency

Feeding frequency is a stumbling block for new poultry keepers. How to feed broilers so that they gain their normal weight? Feeders for young animals should not be empty so that the birds eat to their heart's content.

Amount of feed per chicken

The drinking bowl must be filled with fresh water. Give the chickens warm water, but not more than 30 degrees:

• From days 1 to 7, the chicks are fed 8 times a day.
• From 8 to 14 days – 6 times a day.
• From 15 to 30 days – 4 times a day.
• From day 30 – 2 times a day (morning and evening feedings).

Broiler diseases

What diseases are dangerous for broiler chickens, what are their symptoms and treatment? Based on the results of many years of observations, poultry farmers have identified critical periods for broilers:

• From 1 to 5 days of life.
• From 24 to 25 days.
• From 35 to 40 days.

During these periods, birds often suffer from gastritis, enteritis and cuticulitis. The cause of the diseases is that during the specified time periods the sensitivity of the digestive organs increases in broilers. Other common diseases include: bronchopneumonia, dispersion, hypovitaminosis. The cause of illness in broiler chickens is improper care or unbalanced feed.

Sick chickens stop walking and eating

Symptoms of diseases appear immediately: birds refuse to eat, behave sluggishly, lose weight instead of gaining weight, diarrhea, and fall on their backs. Qualified treatment can only be prescribed by a veterinarian after examining the chicken and making an accurate diagnosis. Therefore, in case of any deviations from normal behavior, do not self-medicate - seek help from a specialist and strictly follow his recommendations. Self-medication can aggravate the broiler’s condition and lead to its death.