Steps for raising broiler chickens

Reception of chicks

Let's start now with the first steps to produce good chicken free from any defects, easy to market live or supply to slaughterhouses without sorting or excluding weak or sick birds that cause us losses - God forbid - or reduce our profits. In order to reach our goal of producing high-quality chicken, we must pay full attention to the following points:

Broiler chickens

Complete hygiene and disinfection of the wards and tools used by following a disinfection program without compromising the vital security measures.

1- Cover the floor with a layer of fine wheat straw or sawdust - sawdust is preferred because it is more capable of absorbing moisture than wheat straw with a suitable thickness (5 cm in summer and 10 cm in winter).

2 - A part of the ward space (about 20% of the total area) is allocated and closed with a thick curtain to prevent heat leakage or exposure of the chicks to a cold air stream. The used heater is also stacked inverted watering cans and floor feeders in regular longitudinal lines, alternately. A waterer and feeder are allocated for every 50 chick. Then we start to warm the place well before the arrival of the chicks, up to 24 hours, to ensure that the temperature reaches 33-34 degrees Celsius. Watering cans filled with water are prepared in the brooding place, a few hours before the arrival of the chicks, so that they gain heat in the house and the chicks drink warm water.

3- The starter feed is placed in the troughs one hour before the arrival of the chicks. And beware of filling the troughs to the brim, because this leads to an increase in the loss of feed as a result of scattering (scattering) the chicks for the feed outside the trough. Also, because the feed does not remain in the feeder for a long time, with the high temperature, which affects its contents. Therefore, it is preferable to feed in small quantities at frequent intervals, taking care not to starve the chicks, even for a small period.

4 - With the passage of simple days and due to the rapid growth rate of the chicks, we will notice the start of crowding in the incubation place, and here it is necessary to increase the space allocated for chicks to prevent crowding, which causes many problems. And so every few days, according to the observed growth rate, until we reach the total area of the amber.

The chicks must be constantly passed through for care and observation.

During the passage, the following should be observed:

1- Clean the mattress, dry it and change the necessary ones.

2- The purity of the amber atmosphere and the absence of the smell of any gases, especially the ammonia gas resulting from the decomposition of glaucoma. In such a case, the place must be ventilated to the appropriate extent to expel gases, purify the ward atmosphere, and prevent diseases.

3- Availability of water and clean watering cans.

4- Availability of balanced fodder and not wasting it.

5 - Adjust the temperature (33 C) with a gradual decrease of 3 degrees every week during the breeding period. It is possible to know the temperature from the condition of the chicks themselves, and despite the presence of a thermometer, we must note the following:

A - When the chicks diverge in a corner with a loud sound. This is evidence of a cold air current that we must know its source and avoid.

B - When the chicks gather under the heaters with a loud sound. This is evidence of a decrease in temperature, and here it must be increased.

C - When the chicks are distributed and spread well throughout the place designated for them, they eat and drink without making loud noises. This is evidence that the temperature is correct.

6- As soon as the chicks are able to reach the suspended automatic feeders, as well as the suspended feeders, the inverted feeders, as well as the ground feeders, are removed after a maximum period of 10 days.

Broiler breeding period

The period of chicken rearing ranges from 35-42 days from the moment of receiving the one-day-old chicks until the production of an average chicken weighing between 2,000 and 2,500 kg. Depending on the type and quality of forage progeny . It is noted here that the term chicken breeding was chosen to clarify and consolidate the concept of care and breeding, so a clean place and fresh air should be provided, as well as water and appropriate food, etc. The training period can be divided into two periods:

1 - The first period: 21 days from the date of receiving the chicks, the age of one day until the age of 21 days (it is called the incubation period).

2 - The second period: from the age of 22 until the end of the cycle. Unfortunately, this period - and despite its shortness - is considered the most problematic and the most difficult in work, as a result of the increase in the size of the chicks, and with the passage of a few days, crowding begins in the ward. And with crowding and increasing volume, troubles begin and problems increase. To avoid these problems, the following must be followed:

1 - Commitment to limit the number of birds in the hangar by allocating 10 chickens per square meter of the hangar area. Example: a hangar of 500 square meters needs 500 * 10 = 5000 chickens, and another 500 chickens can be added to compensate for the deceased and the sorting. This avoids overcrowding in old age. Note that overcrowding leads to heterogeneity of birds, the emergence of weak birds and the rapid spread of diseases.

2 - Providing balanced fodder from a reliable source over a period of 24 hours without any starvation, as well as water from a pure source. Unbalanced feed or starvation leads to an increase in the conversion factor and thus an increase in cost.

3 - Allocating a hanging waterer (automatic) for every 80 chickens and a feeder for every 40 chickens.

4- Taking care of the cleanliness and dryness of the mattress every day. And work daily to remove the moisturizing parts and change them with a new mattress, while mixing it with the old one to improve its ability to absorb moisture.

5 - Adjust window openings or curtains that allow fresh air to enter and prevent cold air currents from entering the chicken directly. Here we have an explanatory pause in some detail, because this point is the problem of the problems in the open wards and the greatest cause of all the troubles of educators. We know that all the excretions of birds (glaucoma) accumulate with them inside the amber from the beginning of the cycle until the end of it, which leads to the accumulation of huge amounts of glaucoma near the end of the cycle, which decomposes continuously, producing ammonia gas. The accumulation of this gas inside the house and the birds inhaling it leads to inflammation of the eye membranes and the mucous membranes lining the respiratory system of the bird, which leads to chronic respiratory diseases - one of the most widespread diseases of chickens - which leads to a high mortality rate, loss of weight of birds and a large percentage of emaciation, and may prolong its treatment or disposal. And the losses are double. Poor production losses due to the production of a meager proportion of chickens, as well as the high rate of hypocrites, in addition to the losses of treatment costs. Therefore, we must follow the following in ventilating the amber and purifying its atmosphere from this gas and other harmful gases.

In the event of an increase in the speed of the cold wind (a strong rush of air), the openings are reduced from the side facing the wind and increased from the opposite side. Because with the increase in its speed, the amount impulsive from the limited opening can expel harmful gases. The lower the wind speed, the wider the opening, and the larger the opening, the smaller its width, and so on. It is a stressful process and requires conscience from the farm workers if the owner is not present. It also requires awareness and some experience from the workers. This is how in the winter, but in the summer, the windows must be left open from all sides, taking into account the night period.

6- Passing constantly to adjust the ventilation and encourage the birds to eat the feed by shaking the troughs to fill the trough dish without any waste of the feed.

7 - Preventing entry to the wards for non-employees, while following routine disinfection methods before entering the ward.

8 - Approximately 3.5 kg of feed is allocated to each bird, according to the average target for the produced chickens.

9 - Make a daily record to record the age, the deceased and the veterinary transactions.

10- After selling the chickens, the mattress is removed and the house is washed thoroughly with soap and water using a spray meter to remove any organic materials, and it is disinfected and closed.