The undoubted advantage of hybrid breeds is that they can be grown even by novice farmers. Caring for broilers at home is quite simple. The birds are unpretentious, well acclimated in different regions. The main thing is to properly prepare the poultry house for the settlement of young chickens, disinfect the room and think about how the chickens will be kept – in cages or on the floor.

Methods of maintenance

Chicks should be purchased from proven breeders, directly at the poultry factory. It is necessary to refuse to buy livestock from an unknown seller. Before buying, it is recommended to ask for documents for such activities, to check licenses. It is also better to buy week-old chickens, rather than day-old ones. Day-old chicks tolerate a change in environment worse, they are still very susceptible to the negative impact of the external environment. On the way, even if it is short, they can get sick, for example, from a draft.

You can keep broilers all year round or only in the summer season. The first method is called intensive – when raising chickens does not stop. This is characteristic of large poultry farms.

The second method is called extensive. In this case, livestock is bought only for one season. Chicks are chosen in the spring and grow until mid-summer. When chickens gain the required weight, they are sent to slaughter, plucked and processed for meat. This option is suitable for periodic, but not permanent earnings. With any breeding option, the question of how to properly care for broilers at home remains a primary concern for owners.

Broiler care at home

In cages

The cage option for growing broiler chickens is the choice of most farmers. Keeping birds in cages is convenient, practical and economical. With this breeding method, broilers gain weight faster, as they lack any physical activity.

Movement of chickens is strictly limited, they move only in the direction of the feeder from the drinker and back. At the same time, farmers should not worry – chickens do not need a walk at all. Hybrids were specially bred with such characteristics and such a character that they were calm and not particularly inquisitive. Movement is not an integral part of the life of chickens. They feel good without active movements.

To keep birds in cages, you need to prepare these birdhouses in advance. A cage is purchased at the rate of 1 square meter per 10-15 individuals. If the area is smaller or there are more birds, conflicts between chickens are inevitable. The farmer should think not only about the benefit for himself, but also about the well-being of the broilers. If they are cramped in the cage, they will start to show aggression, fight, peck their neighbors or pluck their feathers.

The other extreme is panic among chickens. Due to the lack of free space, hens can become hysterical, start clucking, screaming, fighting against the wire. As a result – receiving mutilations and injuries, disturbance of the psyche of birds. This cannot be allowed, because poor health affects the health of chickens and the rate of weight gain.

Advantages of home cage cultivation:

  • rapid weight gain;
  • the ability to accurately calculate the number of cages and chickens to keep;
  • saving space in the chicken coop;
  • ease of care;
  • cages are convenient to transport (sometimes there is such a need).

With cage keeping, there is no need for bedding. As a result, the risk of infection of broilers with disease-causing bacteria is reduced. It is known that mold, fungus and various kinds of infections spread in bedding. This is due to the fact that in a loose environment, where there is moisture, bird excrement and food residues, bacteria start faster and multiply at a crazy speed. As a result, the disease can affect not just one hen, but the entire flock.

Importantly! The use of cages protects the aviary owner from such disasters. But still, do not forget to regularly clean cages and disinfect feeders and drinkers, especially before settling in new young.

If it is planned to breed more than 15 chickens, then several cages will be needed. In this case, they can be placed in tiers – one above the other. The main thing here is to correctly adjust the temperature in the room. It is important that the birds on all tiers feel comfortable.

The mistake of inexperienced farmers is that they do not follow this point. It turns out that the upper tiers suffer from excessive heat, while the birds below freeze from lack of heat. It should be remembered that chickens do not have the opportunity to get closer to the heater or move away from it. That is why it is so important to monitor that the heat spreads evenly.

Importantly! Broiler cages should always have free access to feeders and feeders. If this is not taken into account, the chickens will gain weight longer. Bowls with food and containers with water should be located so that each bird in the cage can easily reach them.

Broiler care at home

Floor maintenance

The floor method of maintenance is less ecological and more expensive both in terms of time and finances. However, it is also quite often used in chicken coops. Wood sawdust is usually used as litter. Before buying, you should check that the sawdust is small in size, without large fragments. Otherwise, the chickens may mistake the fractions for feed and swallow them.

Features of floor keeping of broilers:

  • presence of litter;
  • constant monitoring of cleanliness in the premises;
  • daily litter change;
  • chickens move freely around the room;
  • it is not possible to accurately calculate the number of birds to keep.

Note! The floor method is more suitable for those who have no more than 15 individuals in their household. This is an excellent option for small private farms. If you plan to raise chickens continuously, without interruption, then it is better to turn to cage keeping.

Cons of the floor method:

  • chickens gain the required body weight more slowly, because they are in constant motion;
  • it is necessary to carry out cleaning every day, otherwise harmful bacteria will grow in the litter;
  • increased requirements are placed on ventilation, heating and humidity to reduce the risk of bacterial reproduction;
  • high costs of feed and electricity to provide the chicken coop.

The advantages of the method are that such maintenance is easier to organize than cage maintenance. After all, you don’t need to choose cages, it’s enough just to build a unit for broilers. But everything related to the care of chickens is much more complicated. But if a farmer is responsible for cleanliness and loves order, then he can choose this method.

Necessary conditions

Before settling the young broilers purchased from the breeders in the chicken coop, you should prepare the premises. If this is not done, it is quite likely that the livestock will not take root. This can lead to the loss of chicks and the money spent on their purchase. There are not many necessary conditions for preparing a chicken coop before introducing chickens there. But all birders should remember these few points and follow them flawlessly.

Stages of preparing a poultry house for a new breed of broilers:

  • It is necessary to treat the premises from parasites and disease-causing bacteria. Processing is carried out using disinfectants. They can be purchased in pet stores or specialized markets.
  • The walls of the poultry house are being plastered. A layer of lime is applied on top of the plaster. This is the protection of the chicken coop against the possible germination of mold and fungus. Also, with the help of plaster, small cracks are laid through which cold air passes.
  • It is necessary to decide on the type of maintenance – it will be cell or floor cultivation. Based on the choice, organize the space of the birdhouse accordingly. Either fence off the territory of the paddock, or install tiers with cages.
  • Then adjust the temperature. It should fluctuate between 25-30 degrees of heat. If it is winter, the temperature should not fall below 18-20 oC. It is also necessary to carefully check the presence of cracks and gaps in the walls, floor, ceiling, pay special attention to the corners of the room. When cracks are detected, they must be closed with wood, concrete, cladding or insulation.
  • The next stage is ventilation. She must be present in the chicken coop. The health of the chickens will largely depend on the quality of the ventilation equipment. Ventilation will remove stagnant air and provide a constant flow of fresh air masses. Together with the air, harmful vapors and gases will be removed from the room.
  • Before settling the birds, it is necessary to adjust the lighting. The light should be bright, but not blinding, otherwise the broilers will tire quickly. Also, when purchasing lighting devices, it is necessary to decide in advance to which power sources they will be connected. It is important to calculate the power of the devices and the load on the power grid. Otherwise, there is a risk of network overload and an emergency situation.
  • Finally, if you plan to keep it on litter, you need to buy sawdust. You should also prepare the floor – wash it, treat it from mold and fungus, cover it with a layer of quicklime. Then pour wood sawdust on top.

Importantly! In the first month of a young broiler’s life, it is necessary to especially carefully monitor the cleanliness of the chicken coop. The litter should be changed every day, and disinfection should be carried out once a week. Such care measures will protect chickens from diseases and allow them to grow into healthy broilers.

Broiler care at home

Temperature

The recommended temperature for keeping broilers is about 30 oC. The thermometer mark should not fall below 18 oC. A similar risk occurs in winter, when there is frost outside. In such a season, it is necessary to connect additional heating so that the chickens do not freeze and do not get sick.

Broilers are generally quite strong in terms of health, but it must be remembered that they do not tolerate drafts. It is necessary to protect the feathered pets from the cold wind, insulate the walls of the aviary and close all the cracks found.

When housing chickens, you need to monitor the temperature almost every day. In the first week, it is necessary to set the maximum mark – 30-35 oС of heat. Then, on the second week, the temperature should be gradually lowered.

It is worth starting from the 6-7th day, lowering the temperature to 28 oC. Then, starting from the third week, the heat level should be reduced by 3 degrees until the fourth week of the chicks’ life. Thus, until the age of one month, birds should live at a temperature of 18-20 degrees Celsius.

Humidity

The humidity in the room where the chickens live should be kept at 70-80%. This is the optimal indicator, because with it the birds will feel comfortable, and disease-causing bacteria will not multiply as quickly as with a higher mark. Humidity is regulated using the ventilation system. It is she, together with the set temperature regime, that helps to adjust the required humidity in the chicken coop.

Also, a lot depends on the region where the birds are kept. In some regions, the humidity itself is increased, which contributes to the development of fungus and mold, especially if the floor method of cultivation is used. In other territories, the climate is dry, and from here another problem may appear – a lack of humidity. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account all aspects, including the territorial location of the poultry house. And based on this, build a moisture regime.

Lighting

If chicks are purchased only for the summer season, additional equipment for lighting the poultry house will not be needed. There will be enough natural light, because the daylight lasts quite long in the summer. If chickens are raised all year round, then the management of the farm will definitely need to purchase lighting devices – high-quality lamps and lamps. They will help to maintain the necessary length of the day – broilers need at least 14 hours, and better all 17.

It is important that the lighting is not too bright and direct. In this case, chickens will not react well to light. It will cause them stress and illness. If the chickens start to show nervousness, they don’t sleep well, they scream – this is a sure sign that they don’t like the lighting. Then the farmer needs to make it softer and calmer, more muted.

Feeders and drinkers

Feeders and drinkers must be kept clean. They should be regularly disinfected and replaced if necessary. You can buy feeders and drinkers in specialized stores. But most farmers make them themselves. To create, they use the following improvised materials:

  • unnecessary containers or basins;
  • empty plastic canisters or bottles.

On the Internet, on YouTube channels, as well as on thematic forums, you can enter a request for video lessons and tips on how to build a feeder for broiler chickens yourself. The authors of video and photo reviews tell in detail how to prepare containers for feeding chickens in a matter of minutes.

Purity

Immaculate cleanliness must be observed in the poultry house. At the initial stages of settlement of the young, if we are talking about floor maintenance, it is necessary to change the bedding every day. Disinfection can be carried out once a week, but it must be carried out. If the birds are kept in cages, cleaning should be done every 3 days.

It should be noted that chickens cause more trouble to the owners than adults. Chickens will scatter food, spill water, trample all this with their paws. Such an environment is perfect for breeding infections. If the cleaning is not carried out in time, the broiler population will become infected, sick and possibly die. Chicks are very susceptible to external factors and are more susceptible to infection than month-old chickens. The farmer must take care of the young chickens and prevent contamination of the poultry house.

So that the chickens do not feel stressed, it is recommended to carry out cleaning at the same time. It is better to do this early in the morning or in the evening, before sending the birds to sleep.

Breeding of broiler chickens

Feeding

There are several ways to feed broiler chickens, as well as grow them. Each option has its advantages and disadvantages. Owners individually choose the appropriate method, the most optimal in terms of costs and results.

Options for feeding broilers:

  • Preparing feed independently. Wheat and corn grains are used for the basis. Soy and sunflower meal are added, and bone meal is also mixed. Feed can be dry or wet. In the second case, it is recommended to warm it slightly. Together with feed, chickens are given vitamin supplements and mineral complexes. They must be drunk in order to prevent the risk of developing various diseases. Vitamins also contribute to general strengthening of immunity. Saving money is worth mentioning as a plus of this type of feeding. The minus is a long set of mass in chickens. The growing period increases from 2 weeks to a month – it all depends on what the owner feeds the chickens with.
  • Preparation of feed with the addition of BMVD (additives in the form of a mixture of proteins, minerals and vitamins). The advantages are that broilers immediately receive the necessary amount of vitamins and minerals. The farmer needs to think less about the ingredients of the feed, because he immediately pours a useful additive into it. The mixture includes many ingredients, including yeast, sunflower cake, bone meal, soybean meal, and so on. The composition is always indicated on the package, it can be easily studied. The disadvantage of this option is that inexperienced farmers cannot correctly calculate the proportion of additives and feed. It turns out that the chickens receive either too many vitamins or too little. Both have a negative impact on their growth and development.
  • Compound feed is the most popular feeding option. It already contains all the necessary additives, the farmer just needs to pour the required volume of the portion and not worry about feeding the chickens. Each age has its own combined feed, each of which has its own name. The advantages of compound feed are obvious – broilers gain weight quickly, you can clearly calculate your expenses, you don’t need to use additional food additives. The downside is the risk that if the owner starts overfeeding the chickens, they will get sick. But this is not a disadvantage of compound feed, it is rather a requirement for the attention of the farmer.

Importantly! With any method of feeding, it is necessary to remember that the diet of chickens should be diverse. Even if the birds are fed compound feed, they should be given fresh greens from time to time.

However, there is a list of foods that should never be fed to broilers:

  • boiled potatoes;
  • products of poor quality;
  • expired products;
  • sausage and smoked meats;
  • citrus fruits;
  • watermelon;
  • melon;
  • cheese;
  • chocolate and other sweets;
  • steamed milk;
  • butter;
  • alcohol.

In addition to providing broilers with food, you should also remember about water. Drinking bowls should always be filled, but the water should be changed regularly. The drink should be clean, and the water itself should be settled and preferably warm. The recommended temperature is 20 degrees. Boiling water should not be given to chickens in exactly the same way as ice water.

Some owners add a weak solution of potassium permanganate, a decoction of chamomile or rosehip to the water. Such additives contribute to the normalization and strengthening of digestion. But the main thing is not to overdo it with the dose, so that the decoctions do not cause the exact opposite effect.

Types of fodder

As mentioned above, a specific type of compound feed is prescribed for each age of chicks. In the first two weeks of life, chickens are given starter feed. Starting from 15 days and up to one month of age, birds are bought compound feed with one of the proposed names:

  • Growth;
  • Fattening;
  • Grover.

And, finally, after reaching the age of one month, older individuals are fed with the Finish mixture. It is given up to the moment when broilers are sent to slaughter.

Those who prepare feed themselves should know the rules of cooking mixtures. The following products can serve as a basis:

  • fresh greens (in summer);
  • sprouted grains (in winter);
  • peeled vegetables (raw carrots, beets, potatoes).

The mixture should be served to the birds immediately after cooking. After 1-2 hours, you should check whether all the chickens have eaten. If there are food residues, they should be cleaned from the feeder. Harmful bacteria can develop in the wet mixture, which will eventually cause poisoning of the chickens.

In order to enrich the mixture with useful vitamins and minerals, it is necessary to add crushed eggshell, shell, meat and bone or fish meal, as well as bran to the mixture. You can mix food in plain water or in meat or fish broth. Another option is to cook the mixture on whey. So the chickens will get the necessary portion of protein and calcium.

Feeding norms

The young must be fed strictly in accordance with the norms. Then the broilers will gain the necessary weight in the right time, and they will not have deviations in one direction or another.

The rules of eating and the number of portions depending on the age of the chick:

  • 1-7 days – 8 servings daily;
  • 8-14 days – 6 servings daily;
  • 15-30 days – 4 portions daily;
  • after 30 days and before slaughter – 2 times a day.

Birds should be fed at the same time so that they develop a daily routine. Do not increase or decrease the indicated number of servings. This can cause health problems. If you overfeed chickens, they will get fat, but their meat will not be of the required quality. If the required amount of feed is not given, the birds will grow slowly.

Breeding of broiler chickens

Diseases and prevention

Hybrid breeds are distinguished by strong immunity. Breeders have worked for a long time to ensure that broilers are unpretentious in care and do not require increased attention to their health. If you follow the recommendations and tips for keeping broiler chickens, diseases will bypass them.

The main rules of disease prevention:

  • Keep the birdhouse clean. Change the bedding and clean the cages, disinfect drinking bowls and feeders.
  • Give the young to drink a vitamin-mineral complex. This must be done in the first two weeks of the birds’ life.
  • If a disease is detected in any bird, immediately remove it from the chicken coop, call a veterinarian and check the health of other individuals.

Broilers do not have any special diseases. What they can get sick with is common to all domestic birds. Below is a list of the most common ailments to be aware of:

  • Poisoning – occurs as an appropriate reaction to feeding stale and low-quality products, or ingredients from the prohibited list.
  • Ascites is, in other words, obesity. Investigation of incorrect dosage of feed. At the first signs, the number of portions should be reduced to the recommended rate.
  • Arthritis is a characteristic disease of chickens kept in cages. If the cage area is incorrectly calculated, the birds will not be able to move at all. As a result, their leg muscles completely atrophy, which will lead to death. If the chickens are cramped, you need to buy additional cages and plant them. It is worth following the calculation of one square meter for 10-15 individuals.
  • Salmonellosis is an upset stomach. Caused by bad food or infection. To avoid salmonellosis, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the cages, as well as disinfect drinking bowls and feeders, so that unwanted bacteria do not multiply on their surfaces.
  • Heterakidosis, or worms. Prevention is the same as for salmonellosis and poisoning – check the quality of the chickens’ food and disinfect the chicken coop.

Importantly! How to treat sick individuals is decided by the veterinarian after the examination. It is better not to experiment on your own, so as not to harm broilers with incorrect treatment.

A separate item is drafts. Perhaps this is the only thing that broilers are very afraid of. Chickens do not tolerate cold and drafts, therefore, before settling the young in the poultry house, all cracks, even the smallest ones, must be closed.

Broiler chickens are domestic birds with minimal maintenance requirements. That is why their cultivation is so popular among poultry farmers. But it is also worth remembering that ducks and even turkeys can be broilers, so you should not limit yourself to chickens alone. The main thing is to choose a favorite breed and follow simple tips for its maintenance. The costs of buying broiler chickens and caring for them will pay off in just 2 months. It is from this age that birds can be sent to slaughter and processed for meat.

Caring for broilers at home