This article should begin with
the fact that raising such chickens is a rather troublesome task. It takes a lot of time and effort. There are two reasons for this. The first one is, broilers are much harder to be taken care of than representatives of other breeding areas. The second reason is, the first month of life of chickens is the most energy-consuming, since their bodies are not yet able to withstand any external threats. Therefore, our task is to protect babies from all harmful external factors and place them in the most comfortable conditions. However, optimal conditions also change as bird life cycles change.Начать данную статью,
пожалуй, следует с того, что выращивание таких цыплят довольно хлопотное занятие. Оно требует много времени и усилий. На то есть две причины.Первая: бройлеры гораздо более прихотливы в содержании, чем представители других направлений селекции.
Вторая причина: первый месяц жизни цыплят самый энергозатратный, так как их организмы еще не в состоянии противостоять никаким угрозам извне.
Поэтому наша задача оградить малышей от всех вредоносных внешних факторов и поместить их в максимально комфортные условия. Однако, оптимальные условия меняются вместе со сменой жизненных циклов птицы.Nutrition
The creation of comfortable conditions for keeping the work on the productivity of the bird is not limited, and this is only half way. The second half is providing the right balanced diet for her. The required feed for turkeys, ducklings and chickens is constantly changing. More precisely, the composition of the feed and the ratio of components to each other change. Therefore, for ease of perception, we will divide the maturation period of chicks from 1 to 5 weeks into stages.- 8-14 days,
- 14 -30 days,
- over 30 days.
Compound feed for broiler chickens from 0 to 7 days
Accommodation conditions
Due to the constant increase in consumer demand, enterprises are forced to increase the speed of production. The food industry also can’t avoid this metamorphosis. It has to use accelerated and least expensive methods. As a result, the breeding and keeping livestock system was divided into two formats: a household one (extensive) and a production one (intensive). The backyard method assumes that the bird has freedom of movement. An individual lives in a poultry house, has the opportunity to move freely around the fenced area allocated for it. This method was used by our ancestors, they kept poultry houses “at the estate”. It is still relevant up to this day. It has its pros and cons for the breeder. Pros:- the taste of meat is higher,
- meat is more elastic
- the product is considered healthier.
- maintenance of a larger territory;
- feed costs are higher than with the production method, since the bird is actively moving, therefore, it consumes more energy;
- weight gain is slower.
- higher production speed,
- less food costs,
- saving space due to close placement.
- the final product has lower palatability.
8-14 days
If you read other articles, you will notice that mostly we talk about the importance of water in the diet. It is important at any stage of life, as it is the main element for the proper functioning of the digestive system. It must be fresh, clean and always freely available. Change the water for the chicks three times a day. Drinkers should be disinfected 2 times a week. It is worth arranging them in such a way that it is convenient to drink from them, but it is not possible to climb there with your paws. So that dirt and droppings from the paws do not get into the esophagus with water and do not cause poisoning.
So, now let’s get down to the feed. Chickens need to be fed 8 times a day, with the same time interval. Serving size is about 22 grams per head. The largest part of the diet is carbohydrates, they serve as fuel for the body. Ensure the operation of all systems and organs. The second important one is protein, this is a building enzyme, it is needed for the formation of bone, muscle, and in general, cellular structure. All components must be thoroughly ground until a homogeneous mass. A fragile digestive system is not yet able to digest coarse food on its own.
Let’s have a look at the approximate diet:- finely ground corn (50%);
- ground wheat (no more than 15%);
- cake and meal (in total no more than 15%);
- liquid base: milk (backwash, low-fat whey) or broth (should be from fresh meat, then add finely grated hard-boiled eggs as an additional source of protein) in the amount of not more than 12% of the total mass;
- finely chopped barley for the remainder, but not more than 7%.
You need to prepare the mixture yourself every time. Half an hour after preparation, it begins to sour and becomes unusable.
If you don’t have time to prepare mixtures 8 times a day, you can buy ready-made turkey feed. Compound feed is great for chickens. It is finely ground and contains a large number of useful elements mixed to a homogeneous mass. This means that it will be easily digested and the components will come in equal amounts.
14 – 30 days
Starting from day 14, the nutrition system goes through some changes. The number of meals is reduced to 5 times. But the daily rate is increasing. From 25 grams, at the beginning of the second week, it goes up to 120 grams by day 30.
Corn is still the main part of the diet. But from the 15th day, sources of calcium are added, such as shell, bone meal, eggshell, chalk. Due to the natural coarse structure of these components, the maximum degree of grinding is necessary. At the same time, fresh greens can be added to the composition (during the warm period of time), like clover, alfalfa, nettle and others. But experienced poultry farmers urge everyone to be extremely careful, since sometimes the pollen of other poisonous plants can settle on the necessary plants in summer. Be careful! Especially in August during the flowering of ambrosia. A couple of days later, crushed potatoes replenishes the feed composition. It can replace up to 20% of the grain part. Following the potatoes there come other vegetables:
- grated carrots and yellow pumpkin (starting from 5 grams on a day 16, increased up to 30 grams by day 30),
- finely chopped fresh cabbage.
- only fresh waste can be given;
- be sure to grind to a floury state;
- increase the portion gradually (starting from 5 grams to 15 grams by day 30).
Important!!! When introducing new components into the diet, you should be attentive to the health of the chicks. It is advisable not to make several components on the same day. It is worth introducing one and seeing how the birds feel. It is also recommended to take care of their health in advance and prepare a solution of manganese before eating. And if there are signs of poor health, add to the water.
Important!!! At the same stage of maturation, prevention of coccidiosis is carried out. Please consult with your veterinarian about the rules and conditions of its implementation.
More than 30 days
At this stage, the growth of chicks slows down. They are transferred to the adult nutrition system, so there will be 2 meals a day and the daily norm is 180 grams. Digestion is stronger and no more grinding of cereals is required. But the need to grind other components remains. Diet:- corn (20%),
- soy (20%),
- barley (25%);
- wheat (25%);
- peas (10%).
Cereals make broiler meat tastier. Such a feeding system is maintained until the birds are ready for slaughter. This is the final diet.
That’s all, thanks for reading and for your attention.
What should be the diet of poultry:
Complete feed for poultry
More about feed for broiler chickens:
Compound feed for broiler chickens from 0 to 7 days
Rules for feeding goslings:
Compound feed for goslings
