Bird breeding techniques are constantly being updated. They are being developed to meet the increased demand for affordable, high quality chicken products. Breeding specialists are intensively developing new breeds, improving performance, endurance and weight gain. If we define the productivity of feathered meat breeds as the ratio of feed resources to the growth of 1 kilogram of meat, then broiler chickens rightfully deserve the palm in this direction.
If we approach this breed from a scientific point of view, breeding experts claim that there is no broiler variety of chickens. It is more correct to call them crosses - a term that implies a mosaic of different chicken breeds. This mixture absorbed everything best qualities, characteristic of purebred breeds, and got rid of unproductive, negative aspects.
The origin of the word “broiler” goes back to the English “broil”, which means “to fry over a fire”. This concept is associated with young animals deliberately raised for meat. According to established standards, broiler chicks must gain weight up to 2.5 kg in 50 days, after which they are sent for slaughter.
Breeding birds of this variety can be divided into 2 important areas:
- egg production;
- meat precocity.
Young hens are slaughtered for meat, and mature laying hens are allowed to grow exclusively for further production of offspring.
Young laying hens - broiler cross
Main qualities of broiler chickens
Until breeders began to create new breeds, improving the characteristics of any traits, poultry farmers were engaged in keeping birds of three leading directions. Some specimens of these varieties have demonstrated excellent egg production, rapid weight gain, or early sexual maturity. It was these specimens that became the genetic basis for breeding productive crosses.
They were designed to be kept in specially equipped facilities with an automatically controlled artificial habitat. On farms of this kind it is possible to control the breeding process using food, heat and lighting conditions.
Poultry farmers who own small farmlands also raise broilers. In the yards of domestic poultry farmers you can find such popular meat breeds as Cochin, Langshan, Brahma, Faverolles, Cornish and Ameraucana.
Attractive characteristics of such crosses:
- large carcass sizes: weight of a mature laying hen - 4.5 kg, rooster - 5.5 kg;
- neat, horizontally oriented body;
- calm character;
- well-developed hen instinct;
- rapid weight gain.
The best broiler crosses and their distinctive features
Work to improve the qualities of the breed and breed crosses with a more attractive set of characteristics does not stop to this day.
Some of the most popular varieties today are Smena, Ross-308, Cobb-500, Broiler-m, Broiler-61 and Gibro-6.
Change
This type of chicken is one of the most popular. It was created by crossing two breeds: Broiler-6 and Gibro-6.
Distinctive features:
- average egg production - 140 eggs per year;
- weight of one egg - 60 g;
- daily weight gain - 40 g;
- high growth rate;
- high viability;
- good quality meat and eggs.
Such a positive set positive characteristics can serve as the best letter of recommendation for birds of this breed. However, you should not let your guard down: in the first days of the chicks’ birth, it is very important to carefully monitor the temperature conditions of their contents. It is advisable that it be several degrees higher than the outside temperature.
Ross-308
The birds grow so quickly that they can be slaughtered as early as 6 weeks, since their weight by this period reaches from 1.6 to 2.5 kg.
Broiler cross species: Ross - 308
Some poultry keepers are put off by the pale whitish color of this breed, but you should not judge its representatives solely by their clothes.
Distinctive features:
- good gain of muscle mass;
- daily weight gain - 60 g;
- high productivity of laying hens;
- chicks are highly resilient;
- high egg production - 185 eggs per year;
One of characteristic features is the short stature of birds. There are no significant flaws in this variety.
Cobb-500
This breed is one of the most famous in farming circles. The color of chicken plumage is pale yellow, and this color scheme is not due to a diet based on pigmented feed. In 6 weeks, the weight of the bird reaches 2.5 kg - it is during this period that they are recommended to be slaughtered.
Broiler cross species: Cobb – 500
Distinctive features:
- rapid rate of weight gain;
- intensive growth;
- low cost of meat;
- good feed conversion;
- large, muscular legs;
- well developed chest;
- high survival rate.
No significant deficiencies were observed in chickens of this variety. In order to increase their productivity, it is necessary to adhere to a carefully balanced diet, especially in 1 month of life.
Broiler-m
The variety was obtained by crossing birds small size- Mini-chickens in the female line and synthetic - Red Yerevan, in the male line. Due to the fact that the birds have a small build, it is possible to increase the frequency of their placement per square meter, and they are absolutely unpretentious in care.
The first offspring of a Broiler hen are given at the age of five months.
Distinctive features:
- small build;
- high productivity of eggs and meat;
- good egg production - 162 eggs per year;
- the average weight of one egg is 65 g;
- The weight of the female reaches 2.5 kg;
- rooster weight - 3 kg;
- phlegmatic character.
This breed is universal, suitable for breeding on both small and large farms.
Broiler-61
This species is classified as a four-line meat bird, resulting from the combination of two varieties of Cornish birds on the paternal side and two varieties of Plymouthrock on the maternal side.
Representatives of this breed demonstrate a successful combination of high productivity and minimal costs for maintenance and nutrition: to obtain 1 kg of live weight, they consume only 2 kg of mixtures. Over the course of 7 weeks, the bird gains approximately 1.7 kg.
Broiler - 61
Distinctive features:
- chicken survival rate - 98%;
- high weight gain;
- average egg production;
- excellent quality meat.
One of the disadvantages of this variety is the slow maturation of the musculoskeletal system of chickens. In addition, when the chicks reach 5 weeks, they should be limited in food, which does not contribute to rapid weight gain.
Gibro-6
Cornish and Plymouthrock took part in the creation of this breed, as in the case of Broiler-61. The birds are distinguished by thick, good plumage.
Distinctive features:
- daily gain is 30 g, in rare situations it can reach 80 g;
- good growth rate;
- low egg production - 160 eggs in 1 year and 5 weeks;
- calm character;
- excellent survivability;
- decent quality meat.
Among the small errors of the breed, one can note a rather specific feeding regime for chickens.
Where to start breeding broilers?
The main task of a farmer raising meat chickens is to obtain large volumes of meat. Accordingly, the solution to this particular issue should be based on the food schedule, menu, conditions of detention and the presence of appropriate equipment in the premises.
Chicken coop
First, you should make sure that the room in which the birds will be is equipped with high-quality ventilation. Fresh air will save birds from many diseases. You also need to adhere to sanitary and hygienic rules. Daily cleaning of the poultry house, its regular disinfection, which you can read about, cleaning of drinkers and feeders are the main components of a healthy flock. Don’t forget to change dirty bedding on time and try to make sure that birds lay eggs in nests and not on the floor.
Do not place containers of water directly on the bedding: water will spill and contribute to the development of harmful microbes and bacteria in a damp environment.
Rules for selecting parent stock
The key to successful bird breeding is right choice parent stock. This concept means the selection of the required number of females and roosters, which will further increase the herd. In accordance with the laws of evolution, it is impossible to obtain healthy young animals from old or overly lethargic laying hens. Accordingly, you should choose exclusively strong and young birds.
The ideal ratio of females to males should be 11:1. It is not recommended to reduce or increase this proportion, since even small deviations from the accepted standard can negatively affect the reproduction process.
Before hens begin laying, the flock should be vaccinated to protect it from possible infectious diseases. Unfortunately, diseases of this kind are spreading rapidly and can lead to 100% mortality. In order to protect chickens from all kinds of diseases from the first days, you can read the article where you will find all the necessary information.
Specifics of feeding broiler chickens
The genetic peculiarity of this breed is manifested in rapid growth and weight gain. For example, when the chicks are 8 weeks old, it is desirable that they weigh 1.5 kg. Because of this, care should be taken to ensure that the chickens are fed enough good, nutritious food. A nutritious diet should accompany babies from the first days: the sooner they receive nutritious food, the faster they will turn into well-fed chickens.
Components of a competent approach to feeding broiler chickens:
- The diet should be varied and balanced, and the birds must be fed strictly at certain times;
- To achieve 100% results, each chick must be provided with a sufficient amount of food (they will like a mix of whipped cream and yolk. A chick at the age of 1 day should be given 3 or 4 such beakers to saturate the body);
- The number of chickens should be carefully monitored: if it is noticed that some babies are not able to peck on their own, they should be helped and fed with a pipette;
- You can strengthen the vital resources of children by treating them on the same day with one drop of the Trivit vitamin solution.
Feeding chickens up to 3 weeks of age
At this stage, it is especially important to monitor the contents of the feeders of young birds, as described in the table below.
| Age | Diet |
|---|---|
| 0 - 9 days | easily digestible protein: boiled eggs, milk and cottage cheese; crushed shells; corn grits; crushed wheat. |
| 10 - 14 days | Vitamin-grain mixture consisting of: Corn grits – 50%; |
| 15 - 19 days | grated carrots; finely chopped greens; well-cooked meat; chalk; gravel; crushed shell shell; bone flour. |
| 20 - before slaughter | Feeding regimen for adult birds |
To help your chickens grow faster, you should keep their feeders full. For the first 10 days after birth, the chicks are given food every 2 hours, i.e. about 8 times during daylight hours. The intervals between feedings for older individuals can increase to 6 hours, but no more.
Feeding broilers according to the “prestart - start - fattening - finish” scheme
This scheme was developed for intensive fattening of chickens, which will allow them to quickly gain the required weight. Adhering to this rule, you should remember the ratio of feed and liquid for broiler chicken breeds: 1: 1.7.
The peculiarity of this scheme is that it links a certain type of feed to the corresponding period of chicken development.
Feeding system table: “prestart - start - fattening - finish”
| Prestart | Start | Fattening | Finish | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (days) | 0 -5 | 6 -18 | 19 -37 | 38 - 42 |
| Gain (g) | 15 | 33 | 54 | 56 |
| Feed rate (g) | 15 - 21 | 25 - 89 | 93 - 128 | 160 - 169 |
The saturation and structure of birds' food directly depend on the physiological characteristics of the chickens' body. For example, on the ability of the intestines to digest this or that type of food. The age of the bird is also of great importance.
Interdependence of chicken age and feed structure
The number of daily feedings depends on the age of the birds. In the first two phases, the young generation intensively gains body weight. During this period of time, the muscle corset and musculoskeletal system are formed, accordingly, the number of meals should be greatest.
The relationship between the age of the bird and the number of meals
If, in addition to the listed products that form the basis of the chicken diet, you plan to expand the list, you should be careful with fish. It should only be fresh: any stale product will cause stomach upset in birds. Broiler breeds are not friendly with beets either. As a rule, it causes diarrhea, which can last for quite a long period of time and even provoke painful sensations.
Video - Do-it-yourself feed for broilers
Conclusion
With high-quality feeding, proper care and proper maintenance, even at home, you can achieve good results, because broiler birds have excellent growth rates and excellent carcass taste. Chicks at the age of 1 month easily reach a weight of up to 700 g, and adults - 2 kg and even more.
Breeding broiler chickens will provide your family with tasty meat, and can also bring good income from the sale of this product. Taking this into account, everything more people try themselves as poultry farmers. Considering that this breed of bird is distinguished by its unpretentiousness in food and living conditions, breeding it at home is quite simple.
Even in a small dacha or suburban area, you can set up a good business for breeding broiler chickens. How to do this, and for what important points It is worth paying attention, we will look at it in this article.
Broiler chickens are meat birds. It is characterized by a horizontal position of the body and short legs and wings. As already mentioned, this breed is not picky about living conditions. If the area used allows you to place a large number of chickens on the site, then their breeding can be done on the floor. If this is not possible, then you can keep broilers in cages.
It is worth noting the advantages of this bird:
- Impressive weight. It can reach about 5 kilograms.
- Fast weight gain. 1.5 months after the bird pecks at the shell, it can be sent for slaughter. It is not worth keeping individuals for more than the specified period; this will not increase their weight, but the taste of the meat may suffer.
- Not picky, calm.
As for the disadvantages, one can highlight one, but a significant one - low egg production.
Therefore, it is necessary to monitor how adults lay eggs. This should be done in order to select several laying hens that will lay eggs for further breeding of the bird.
Choosing chickens
Where to start breeding broilers? From buying chickens. It is recommended to take both chickens and roosters. This will make it possible to subsequently obtain eggs from which chickens will be hatched.
The place of purchase and the age of broiler chickens need to be given attention. Buying young animals from the hands of an unknown person is not the most the best option. It is better to contact breeders or poultry farms.
It is advisable to take chicks at the age of 10 days from birth. During this period, they became a little stronger and the likelihood of their illness and death was reduced compared to earlier chickens. If you purchased a bird that was born less than 10 days ago, special conditions for its maintenance may be required.
A novice poultry farmer needs to understand that when buying chickens, you need to understand the purpose of raising them - to obtain meat or eggs. After all, there are no universal broilers that can produce both. 
What chickens are recommended to buy:
- Active.
- Mobile.
- With sparkling eyes.
- With a soft, non-bloated belly.
- With uniform plumage.
- With wings pressed to the body.
- With good response to sound. You can check it by knocking on the box.
To determine the sexual characteristics of a bird, just spread the wing and study it. Roosters have feathers of mostly the same length, while chickens have feathers of different lengths.
Features of cultivation
Breeding broilers at home for beginners is possible using two methods:
- Extensive.
- Intense.
Let's figure out what their differences are. In the first case, raising chickens at home is carried out seasonally. Young animals are purchased in the spring and sent to slaughter by mid-summer. In winter, the bird does not breed.
In the second case, the bird is bred all year round. Young animals are purchased every three months. Poultry is sent for slaughter 1.5–2.5 months after purchase.
If you skip this time, you may face the fact that feed costs will be increased, but this will not affect the weight of the individuals.
If you plan to breed broilers in your country house, you need to evaluate the available area for keeping the birds. Taking into account this area, birds can be bred in two ways:
- Outdoor breeding.
- Cell breeding.
Outdoor breeding
For floor breeding of broilers, more space is needed than for cage breeding. They can be placed in a small building. If you plan to raise poultry all year round, you need to take care of insulating this room. You can use heating devices.
Rules for keeping poultry outdoors that must be followed:
- The floor in the poultry house must be covered with a layer of lime. A 10-centimeter layer of sawdust is laid on top of it - this material absorbs moisture well and is quite economical.
- For day-old chicks, the house must be illuminated 24 hours a day.
- The room must have good ventilation.
- For the first 2 weeks of a bird’s life, the house must have an appropriate temperature – no less than +26 and no more than +33 degrees.
- Birds that have grown up to one month of age are kept in the house at a temperature of +18 to +20 degrees.
- The humidity level in the chick room is maintained at 65–70%.
The bird is very sensitive to changes in temperature, especially if we are talking about sudden changes. Therefore, its indicators need constant monitoring. More attention should be paid to this point in winter, when the temperature environment low. 
To prevent chickens from getting sick and to avoid problems with growth, the layer of sawdust in winter can be made twice as thick, and the poultry house itself can be equipped with heating devices. It should have drinking bowls and feeders.
Cell breeding
The advantage of keeping young animals in cages is the savings on bedding materials. Since this bird is inactive, it easily gets used to limited space. Therefore, the cells do not need to be made too large. One square meter can accommodate 18 chickens or 9 adults.
When raising poultry in cages, it is necessary to adhere to the recommended temperature regime - from 34 to 35 degrees. Ventilation must be provided in cages. In all other respects, the requirements for cage breeding of broilers do not differ from floor keeping.
Breeding broilers in an incubator
Breeding broiler chickens at home is also possible by laying eggs in an incubator. This will reduce the cost of purchasing young animals.
In order for the offspring to be healthy, it is necessary to choose the right eggs to put into the incubator chamber. To do this, it is recommended to take them from chickens whose age does not exceed 2 years and does not suffer from infectious diseases. It should be noted that sexual maturity of this type of poultry occurs no earlier than 7–8 months of age.
Requirements for eggs for incubation:
- The average size. If you take small eggs, then there is a high probability that the young ones will not be distinguished by their large weight and size. In the case of large eggs, you may encounter damage and cracks in the shell. This happens because the shells of large eggs are not strong enough.
- Correct form.
- Same weight.
- Uniform color.
No more than 3 days should pass before the eggs are removed from under the hen and placed in the incubation chamber.
All this time, the eggs are stored in a cool, dark place. The incubation period lasts 21 days.
Despite the fact that female broilers are weak layers of eggs, they are good brood hens. Therefore, they can quite cope with hatching offspring. Only in this case the number of chicks hatched will be significantly less than in the case of an incubator. 
Features of feeding
After the chicks hatch, they need proper nutrition. It can ensure their rapid growth and weight gain. With proper nutrition, after 1.5 months the bird can be sent to slaughter.
What should be the nutrition of broilers bred for meat, depending on their age:
- Days 1-3 – protein. The menu should include dairy products, cottage cheese and boiled eggs. Chickens can be given both white and yolk.
- Day 4 – greens. We dilute the diet depending on the time of year. In summer it can be crushed nettle (up to 20% of all food per day). In winter, an alternative to fresh grass will be sprouted grain (10–15% of the total diet) or grass flour (no more than 5 grams per day).
- Day 5 – minerals are introduced. It can be shell rock or limestone, chalk. The daily intake of minerals per individual is no more than 3 grams. The bird can be given an unpeeled, crushed boiled egg.
- Day 15 – the diet is diluted with carrots and meat. During this period, you can give millet, oatmeal, corn, and wheat grits. 60% of the diet is grain.
- 3 weeks - the poultry is prepared with wet mash from products that were introduced into the diet earlier. Wet and dry food alternate. If from day 15 60% of the broiler diet consisted of grain, now this norm is reduced by 20% and replaced by boiled potatoes.
- 1 month and older - the diet is enriched with herbs to the maximum, while protein consumption is reduced to a minimum.
In addition to following the correct diet, it is important to know how many times a day you need to feed animals:
- 8 times a day - in the first week.
- 6 times a day – from the second week.
- 4 times a day – from the third week.
- 2 times (morning and evening) - from a month.
Water for poultry is no less important than proper nutrition.
Until the chickens reach 2 weeks of age, it is advisable to boil the water or pour a weak decoction of rose hips and chamomile into the drinking bowls.
You need to monitor not only the purity of the water, but also its temperature. It should not be higher than 30 degrees. Otherwise, broilers will refuse it. This can cause dehydration, which requires special treatment. The bird should drink at least 40 milliliters of water per day.
Common Mistakes
When we start doing something new, we always want to protect ourselves from mistakes. This also applies to broiler breeding. After all, if you eliminate all kinds of mistakes at the very beginning, you will be able to avoid illness and death of the bird and speed up the process of its growth.
What you need to know about broiler breeding:
- When keeping poultry on the floor, it is better to install drinkers and feeders in a specially designated place (you can fill a small area of the poultry house with concrete). After all, if you install a drinking bowl and feeder directly in a place where there is a layer of flooring, it will get wet. This will lead to the development of mold or mildew.
- During outdoor breeding, the litter is changed frequently. In the case of caged poultry, the cages are regularly cleaned of droppings. In both cases, the premises are disinfected. This will help prevent the development of infectious diseases.
- The birds' diet should be varied and appropriate to their age. Thanks to this, they will get sick less, grow faster and produce healthy meat.
- The bird needs to be fed at the same time. For chicks less than two weeks old, they should be fed in a lighted house.
- It is necessary to vaccinate poultry, especially in cases where at least one bird exhibits symptoms of an infectious disease.
Diseases
Broiler chickens begin to get sick if they are not fed or cared for properly. This issue should not be ignored. At the first signs of a particular disease, you need to seek help from a specialist. If this is not done, you may lose all your broilers.
What diseases can broilers suffer from:
- Helminths in the intestines (heteracidosis). The development of this disease can be prevented by paying due attention to the cleanliness of the poultry house.
- Arthritis is a disease that affects the condition of the bird’s joints. She begins to move less and is in a sitting position most of the time.
- Ascites - its development can be triggered by poor nutrition, in particular, the lack of greens in the diet. Fat begins to accumulate in the bird's abdomen and it becomes difficult for it to walk.
- Stomach upset.
- Pseudoplague - a bird can become infected with it by eating infected eggshells. Having identified this disease, the infected individual must be removed from the general flock, and the poultry house must be disinfected.
- Poisoning – occurs due to the bird consuming low-quality or stale food.
Breeding broilers is a profitable business, but it requires attention and effort. If you follow the recommendations given in this article, it will definitely be successful.
Speaking of broilers, we mean meat-oriented chickens, characterized by high growth rates, large sizes and excellent meat suitable for frying.
An increasing number of poultry farmers are interested in how to organize the raising, care and feeding of broiler chickens. And this is not at all surprising.
In just 7–8 weeks, the bird grows to 1.5–2.5 kg, which, with the right approach, during the warm season, even in a small farm, allows you to raise 1–2 batches of chickens.
Features of raising broiler chickens
In order for broiler and cross breed chickens to live up to their purpose, they need competent care and a carefully selected diet. If the bird is not used for procreation, then raising broiler chickens at home usually takes no longer than 70 days. Then the bird’s body weight gain physiologically decreases, but feed consumption remains at the same level, which means that the benefit from such a livestock drops sharply.
The focus of the poultry farmer when raising broiler chickens is the care and feeding of the bird. Both must be established from the first day of the chicks’ stay on the farm, since delay often becomes the cause, if not death, of weakening, stunted growth and sickness of the livestock.
In homestead farming, broilers are housed in poultry houses on deep litter or cage housing is used.
In the first case, the broiler room must be protected from external weather factors, and the floors must be warm and dry. It is most convenient to use sawdust as bedding, which is well dried beforehand. You can also take other materials that ensure constant dryness, cleanliness and looseness of the floor covering.
Before placing chicks:
- clean, disinfect and dry the poultry house;
- the floor is covered with a layer of slaked lime at the rate of 0.5–1.0 kg per square meter;
- sawdust is poured on top in a layer of up to 10 cm;
- create conditions to maintain air humidity at 60–65%;
- provide constant ventilation of the room;
- maintain air temperature at 26 °C;
- provide round-the-clock lighting for day-old chicks.
With this method of raising broiler chickens, there should be no more than 12–18 birds per meter of area. 
While broilers are small and their own thermoregulation is imperfect, they need an increased air temperature of about 26–33 °C. After 20 days, the air in the poultry house can be cooled to 18–19 °C. At the same time, it is important to ensure that the bird is comfortable, otherwise both too cold and too warm air negatively affects the growth and well-being of the chicks. Neglecting the rules for keeping poultry risks becoming familiar with the symptoms of diseases in broiler chickens and treating poorly growing flocks.
Growing in cages, especially multi-tiered ones, can significantly save the area of the poultry house, simplify its hygienic treatment and control the feeding of the chicks. At the same time, the temperature and humidity conditions, as well as the average daily norms of feed consumption are similar to those kept on the litter.
The rearing, care and feeding of broiler chickens is greatly influenced by the lighting of the cages or poultry house. During daylight hours, the bird actively feeds and moves. The darker the room, the more sluggish the growth of the chicks.
Therefore, within 14 days from the moment of birth, round-the-clock lighting is provided for the chicks, and then they gradually switch to a natural regime.
Feeding broiler chickens at home
However, it is not enough to create suitable conditions for chickens and provide them with the proper amount of feed. To quickly produce large, well-fed birds, it is important to choose a balanced, age-appropriate diet.
What to feed broiler chickens? This question is most relevant for all beginners and experienced poultry farmers who have not previously encountered raising such birds. Homestead farms often practice using home-made wet and dry food.
During the first weeks of the chicks’ stay in the yard, they are fed wet mash based on boiled eggs, millet, crushed oats and wheat, which makes up a little more than half of the total amount of food consumed. From 3 weeks of age, boiled milk is introduced into the menu, replacing no more than a fifth of the grains.
We must not forget about protein feeds, which contribute to the active growth of muscle and bone mass. For this purpose, the bird is given cottage cheese, yogurt, skimmed milk and other dairy products. From 10 days of age, fish and meat and bone meal become the source of animal protein. These products should first be given 5–7 grams per day per head, and then the consumption should be doubled.
Feeding broiler chickens at home involves the use of protein-rich plant products, including sunflower seed cake, all kinds of meal, and crushed legume seeds.
From three days of age, green feed is required for broiler chickens. In spring and summer, this is juicy grass, tops of garden crops, chopped 3–5 grams per chicken. During the cold period, when there are not enough fresh herbs, no more than 2–5 grams of grass flour and barley sprouts or other grains are introduced into the diet.
An excess of grass meal in the feed can cause diarrhea in broiler chickens, the treatment of which requires mandatory menu adjustments, the use of antibiotics and other drugs.
To prevent digestive problems, broilers are given:
- every other day, drink a pink solution of potassium permanganate;
- fine gravel with a diameter of no more than 5 mm, which activates the intestines and improves the digestion of grains and other feeds for broiler chickens.
From 5 days, the bird is given crushed shells, but not sand, and chalk at the rate of 2–3 grams per chick. Mineral feed and gravel are not mixed with other components of the diet and are poured into separate containers that are constantly located in the poultry house.
There should be clean water at room temperature in the house at all times. To prevent the development of pathogenic flora and the development of intestinal and other infections, dishes are regularly washed and disinfected.
For better growth and as a preventive measure, at the first symptoms and treatment of diseases in broiler chickens, vitamin supplements are given to young chickens. Already from the fifth day, the menu has been using oil solutions of vitamins A, D, and E, avoiding an overdose of the drugs used.
How many times a day and how to feed broiler chickens at home? The bird should not experience food shortages throughout its life. For the first 7 days, chickens should receive food at least 8 times a day, then the birds are fed every four hours. In the third week, the number of meals is increased to four, and from the age of one month, broilers are fed morning and evening.
All wet food for broiler chickens is prepared in such a way that the bird eats it within 30–40 minutes.
If the mash is kept warm longer, it is possible:
- souring of products;
- insemination with insect eggs;
- development of pathogenic microflora.
All these factors most often cause diarrhea in broiler chickens, the treatment of which weakens the livestock and reduces growth rates.
Use of feed for broiler chickens
To intensify weight gain, today they use ready-made and homemade feed that fully meets the physiological needs of the bird. This diet gives especially good results in the first four weeks. 
Ready-made feed for broiler chickens varies in particle size and composition. Most often they resort to a three-stage feed system, which is designed for all ages of chickens from birth to slaughter.
Although such mixtures are more expensive than homemade mash, they significantly improve the performance of a growing flock, simplify the care of broiler chickens, their rearing and feeding, as well as monitoring food consumption.
At the initial stage, compound feed helps strengthen the immune system, creating all the prerequisites for good health and rapid growth of the bird. For this purpose, the amount of mineral supplements in the diet is increased, the diet is based on easily arranged components.
During active growth, compound feed for broiler chickens is a source of protein, calcium, vitamins and fats, which ensure rapid bone growth and muscle mass. Before slaughter, finishing mixtures are used to increase fatness.
Raising broiler chickens in cages - video
Hello, dear readers! Today we will touch upon a very interesting, and most importantly, relevant topic for many farmers. What are the best breeds of broiler chickens? and chickens are of interest to experienced poultry farmers and beginners who have just begun to get acquainted with the intricacies and nuances of keeping birds.
See drive equipment for poultry farms on the Technodrive PC website page. What types of broilers exist in this direction, what are their characteristics and what are the secrets of successful cultivation? We'll talk about all this today. Photos and videos are attached.
Short description.
First, you should consider what a broiler is and how it differs from other representatives of the chicken world. So, broiler literally means “to fry over a fire.” We are talking about representatives of the animal world that are raised purely for the purpose of producing meat.
To obtain this type, representatives of various breeds are used, and as a result of crossing, an individual is obtained.
Not only chickens can be broilers. Today, breeders have managed to breed rabbits, ducks, geese, and guinea fowl that are capable of gaining weight in the shortest possible time. But, the most popular are chickens from this direction. Let's consider what breeds it is represented by.
Broilers cannot be purebred - they are crosses obtained through selection. In subsequent generations, it will not be possible to obtain offspring from such a bird that have the original characteristics. Therefore, each new batch of young animals is bred through hybridization, and this is a complex and labor-intensive process. Let's consider the best representatives of this direction.
Broiler chickens of the Cornish breed
A well-known English variety, which was originally planned as a fighting variety. The breeders put a lot of work into breeding a real fighter, with the appropriate physique and character.
But, as a result of breeding work, at one stage it was discovered that there were no characteristics typical for fighters, and they were left and included in the standard as broiler meat. These quokkas are often also called gherkins.
The credit for breeding the Cornish belongs to a scientist named Gilbert. He used Malay and English fighters for his purposes.
Paradoxically, with each generation, the chickens turned out to be less and less like fighters, but they acquired a characteristic characteristic of their type - the ability to quickly gain weight.
Here's a short description.
- The minimum age for slaughter is 2 months, because by this time they have time to grow to 2000 grams. Maximum weight can be achieved closer to 5-6 months, and it is about 4 kg.
- By outward appearance, Cornish is a typical fighter. Powerful, widely spaced and long legs. The body is rectangular in shape, with drawn muscle relief, a wide chest, back and abdomen.
- Independent breeding is possible, since the brooding instinct is developed in high level. The chickens are strong, although they take a long time to fledge.
- In comparison with other representatives of this trend, they also lay well - about 140 eggs per year, 55-60 grams each.
Broiler chickens of the Tricolor breed
Tricolors are an achievement of French breeding scientists, and in this country they know a lot about chicken meat. France is famous for the largest number of meats, which have incredibly tasty gourmet meat. And if you add dried mushrooms from ecologically clean regions, such as Altai, during cooking, then the colored broiler will certainly become the “queen” of the festive table.
Moreover, it was the French who developed many technologies for breeding and feeding early maturing birds. Despite the fact that it is a relatively young species, today its fame has spread throughout the world.
This is what makes French cloches so special.
- The body is large, fleshy, curvy, looks like an oblong barrel. The muscle relief is not as pronounced as in previous hens, but is still visible.
- The plumage is thick and lush, and what is noteworthy is that it comes in a wide variety of colors. The breed got its name because each line has its own color variant, consisting of 3 different, usually contrasting colors.
- Tricolors stand out from other birds not only because of their unique color, they can also surprise. Not every hen from the direction can produce up to 300 eggs per year!
- At poultry farms that use special rearing technologies, chicks at one month of age are almost ready for slaughter, their body weight is about 1.5 kg. They fully mature, begin laying eggs and stop growing closer to six months of age. They grow to a maximum weight of 5-5.5 kilograms.
Sasso broiler chickens
Broiler chickens, the breed of which is not very numerous, are also known thanks to French breeders who made a significant contribution to the development of this area. Another French selection, and also one that appeared relatively recently.
Let's look at the main features of a cross.
- Low stature, typical fighter build, wide body on stable large paws yellow color. White feathers and yellow skin. Moreover, this skin color will be obtained even if the chicks do not eat pigmented food.
- Ross-308, among other things, also lays quite well - it can lay up to 180 pieces in the first year of laying.
- Good carcasses are obtained from 2-month-old young ones, their weight is about 2.5 kg.
Broiler chickens of the Gibro-6 breed
In order to produce this variety, breeders used the maternal side and the aforementioned Cornish on the paternal side. Gibro-6 is good for small farms, since in addition to its meat potential, it performs well in egg laying.
- The advantage of the hybrid is that, unlike others, it has excellent health and only needs planned care. Safety among young animals is 98% if basic rearing rules are followed.
- Another plus is that they are undemanding to living conditions; they can live in cages or in a poultry house with walking. They have a good character - calm and friendly towards other residents of the owner’s yard. An ideal choice for private households.
- They don't grow as fast as others. By one and a half months they weigh 1500-1600 g.
Broiler chickens of the Smena breed
A well-known meat cross in Russia and the entire post-Soviet space. To obtain Smena, existing broiler breeds were used. The goal of the selection was to obtain a hybrid with high rates of weight gain and high survival rates. Scientists managed to instill both qualities into the resulting chicken variety.
Quite often, poultry farmers raise broiler birds in their backyards to produce tasty and nutritious meat. This enterprise is profitable, since with low feed costs, broilers are characterized by increased development energy. With proper care, the weight of the chicken reaches 1.4–1.6 kg by 2.5 months.
However, raising and fattening chickens of this species has specific features, which will be discussed in our article.
Features of raising broiler chickens
More often broilers are raised at home intensive method, in which chickens are purchased throughout the year every three to four months. They are fed complete feed or self-prepared mixtures and are not allowed to roam. Slaughter is carried out when chickens reach seventy days of age, since in the future their development slows down, and, therefore, the return on feed decreases.
Conditions for keeping chickens can be of two types:
- on deep litter;
- in a cage.
With the first method the poultry house is equipped with loose and dry bedding, which are capable of absorbing dampness and harmful gases. Most often, sawdust is used in a layer of 10 cm. Under the bedding, the floor should be sprinkled with lime (0.5–1.0 kg per 1 sq. m). Chickens need a lot of light, so the room is lit around the clock.
In the first days of growing, the temperature in the poultry house should be between 26C-33C. Then it must be gradually reduced to 18C-19C. At this temperature, chickens should live until they are four weeks old. At lower temperatures, chickens grow poorly, weaken and die.
You can heat the room using household electric heaters, which have a temperature regulator. If the birds begin to crowd around it, it means the room is not warm enough. The temperature should be lowered if the chickens lie with their heads outstretched and wings spread out. When raising broilers on litter, it is recommended to keep 1 sq. m. poultry house no more than 18 birds.
In cells air temperature should be higher, since in them the chickens do not have the opportunity to choose a warmer place. The temperature norm is determined for the upper tiers, where it should not fall below 34C. This temperature regime is especially important for day-old chicks.
When placing young animals in a cage, it should be taken into account that 0.5 sq. m. no more than 10 individuals can be grown. In this case, you will not need to change the cage until the chickens are kept.
Broiler chickens need constant fresh air, therefore it is very important to use hoods in the room where they will be kept. It is best if the hoods are equipped with a thermostat to turn on and off at right moment. This is necessary so that the chickens do not freeze.
What to feed broiler chickens?
Unlike ordinary chicken breeds, broilers need feeding with a high content of protein and vitamins. To do this, you can use special feed, of which the following are distinguished:
- Starting. This type of food is distinguished by a large amount of building material, which includes protein. It is necessary for the bird because it participates in all processes of its development and growth. Chickens should be fed this feed.
- Finishing. It is fed to an adult broiler that has reached six weeks of age. In this type of food, the amount of protein is reduced to 20%. The bird should be fed with it until slaughter.
But combos are most often used on broiler poultry farms and owners of large poultry houses. At home, to save money, they use various mash and dry grain mixtures. Table and kitchen scraps are also suitable for broiler chickens.
Of course, it is much easier to raise and feed chickens with the help of compound feed, but mash and mixtures are still more acceptable. Therefore, we will consider the second diet in detail.
Feeding day old chicks
At home properly formulated diet from the first day of a chick’s life is the key to its good development and rapid growth. From the first day, broiler babies should be given carbohydrate and protein foods. These are egg powder and regular grain mixtures, which should be the basis of the diet. Mineral supplements and a vitamin premix are added to them.
Because the broiler chickens at the genetic level They are accustomed to receiving dry food at poultry farms; at home, they should be fed dry millet five times a day. You should not give broilers a boiled egg, which many poultry farmers are used to feeding chickens of ordinary breeds. Eggs can cause diarrhea in broiler chickens, causing them to quickly die. It is recommended to water day-old birds with water with the addition of special preparations, or with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Seven day old chicks
Chicks that survived to 5–10 days are the first key to success. However, you will not have to rest further, since from the age of one week the baby should begin to develop rapidly and gain weight. Now his diet should be more varied.
From the fifth day of life, the chicken should be fed:
Pure dairy products It is not recommended to give to chickens. As a preventive measure against infections, birds should be given Triavit, adding five grams of the drug per liter of water. There should always be an additional feeder with chalk, shell or gravel in the house.
Two week old broilers
When fattening for meat, broiler chickens at the age of 14 days are still fed with compound feed and dry mixtures, dairy products and herbs. Since the stomach of a young broiler is weak, new products are introduced gradually.
Some poultry farmers practice of feeding broilers with wet mash. But this needs to be done gradually and very carefully. From the age of one week, coarsely grated pumpkin or carrots are added to the diet of young chickens. From the age of twenty days, boiled potatoes or leftover bread are added to the porridge. The result is a wet mash, into which you must remember to add chopped nettle, alfalfa and dandelion greens.
10–14 days old babies for preventive purposes, they are soldered against coccidosis Baycox drug. Dissolve 0.5 grams of medicine in one liter of water. Three days before using Baycox, chickens should be given water with vitamin B dissolved in it.
Twenty day old chicks
By three weeks of age Broilers gain muscle mass and reach the peak of their intensive growth. Therefore, their diet should be increased and diversified. The starter feed is replaced with finishing feed, the amount of protein food is increased, and products of animal origin are introduced.
Added to feed liver, meat and bone meal, boiled fish and two grams of baker's yeast. The mashes are cooked in meat broth. It should be borne in mind that fish and meat must be fresh, otherwise the young animals may die.
From the twentieth day of life, broilers can be given boiled potatoes. They prefer greens dandelion, nettle, green salad, Chinese cabbage. Peanut or sunflower cake added to the mash will become a source of vegetable protein for the birds. As a preventive measure against various diseases, it is recommended to feed birds every other day with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Nutrition of month-old chicks
The main food for one-month-old broilers should be crushed grains of oats, wheat, peas, and corn. To avoid confusion, all ingredients can be taken in equal parts and diluted with meat broth or whey. Be sure to add fish oil and cottage cheese.
When raising young chickens the diet should be rich in vitamins and nutrients. Greens from the garden are suitable for this. Broilers readily eat green onions, lettuce and beet leaves, and cabbage. For broilers older than one month, wheat and barley can be fed as pre-sprouted whole grains. Compound feed can be replaced with a finishing mixture, which should consist of the following products:
- 25% barley;
- 25% wheat;
- 20% soy;
- 20% corn;
- 10% peas;
- 5% sunflower cake.
Any age don't forget add crushed shell rock and chalk, fish meal, vitamin supplements and yeast to the food in small quantities. Broilers eagerly eat fresh food waste, pumpkin and zucchini pulp.
How to feed broilers correctly?
When raising broiler chickens, you need to know some rules for feeding them:
Very it is important to care for drinking bowls and feeders which must always be clean. Unsanitary conditions can lead to poor digestion in birds, which will slow down their growth. Therefore, when containers for food and water become dirty, they are thoroughly washed in hot water.
Broilers are practically omnivores, but it is not recommended to add the following products to their diet:
- pure vegetable oil and butter;
- jam;
- fermented foods and alcohol;
- chocolate and cocoa;
- cheeses;
- new milk;
- sausages;
- peels of melons and citrus crops.
When feeding chickens with food from your table or kitchen, you need to be careful so that the remnants of the listed products do not get into the broilers' feeders.
With proper maintenance, care and feeding of broilers, for the period May to August at home two batches of broiler chickens can be raised. At the same time, with minimal costs for food, the family will be provided with tasty dietary meat.
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