How to Start Poultry Farm /Complete Method of Broiler Chicks Beginning Process

Broiler
It is a bird of about 8 weeks of age of either sex (straight-run chicks) with an average body weight of 1.5 to 2.0 kg with a flexible breast bone cartilage, pliable and tender meat.


Floor space, feeder space and waterer space
The floor space requirement of broilers varies depending on their body weight at the time of marketing, housing systems, marketing age and ambient temperature. The feeder and waterer space also varies depending on the environmental temperature and health condition of the birds. The following is the approximate floor, feeder and waterer space requirement for broilers.

Age

Floor space/ bird

Feeder space/ bird

Waterer space / bird

Up to 18 days

450 cm2
(0.5 sq.ft.)

3 cm

1.5 cm

From 19 days to 42 days

1000 cm2 (1.1 sq.ft.)

6-7 cm

3 cm



Brooding and rearing of broilers
It is similar to that for egg-type chicks.


Cage rearing of broilers
Broilers can also be reared on cages. Broiler cages are similar to that of grower cages. To prevent the breast blisters, the bottom of the cage may be coated with some plastic materials. The floor space requirement in cages is 50% of the floor space needed in deep-litter. The relative advantages and disadvantages of cage rearing of broilers are,


Advantages

Higher density of rearing possible
Easy to catch the birds at market time and hence reduces bruising
No expenditure on litter
No incidences of coccidiosis
Reduced cannibalism
Cleaning and disinfection easier
Better growth and feed efficiency
Disadvantages

Higher incidences of breast-blisters which increases carcass condemnations
Higher incidences of crooked keel
Wing bones will be more brittle which will be a disadvantage for the processor also.
Birds are not having access to the unidentified growth factors in deep-litter system.
Cleaning faecal-trays is not labour friendly.
High initial investment on cages.
Birds will be uncomfortable especially during summer
Feeding
Generally, three types of feed are offered to broilers from day-old to marketing.
0-2 Weeks – Broiler Pre-starter mash / crumble
3-4 Weeks – Broiler Starter mash
5-6 Weeks – Broiler Finisher mash


Lighting
In open sided broiler houses, the most commonly recommended lighting programme is 24 hours light during brooding period, followed by 23 hours light and one hour darkness per day, until marketing. This one hour darkness is to train the birds to acclimatize for darkness, in case of power failure, which may cause panic and trampling.