How to raise free-range chickens for high economic efficiency

(Baonghean.vn) - Raising free-range chickens is not difficult, but to bring about economic efficiency, farmers must learn and study techniques to apply in practical household farming.

Treatment of livestock cages

The size of the coop is about 1.5m high, 2.5m long, 2m wide and must have a door for the chickens to go in and out of the rain. The coop floor must be solidly treated, easy to implement disinfection measures, and clean the coop. The floor should have a slight slope to easily drain water, avoiding damp conditions that cause disease.

The larger the coop area, the better, because the airy space helps the chickens grow quickly; for chicks, the coop density is about 10 - 12 chickens/m2; for broilers, about 5 - 6 chickens/m2.

Chicken coops must have a sewer system to treat waste and wastewater; a sewer line can be dug along the corridor of the coop or an underground system can be built in the coop; the coop must be cleaned and disinfected before raising chickens.

Stockyard

You should choose an open space with hard soil and trees to provide shade for the chickens. There should be green grass inside as a natural food source during the raising process. If possible, you should build a temporary shelter to hang additional feeders and waterers for the chickens.

The grazing area must have a large area so that the chickens can search for food and exercise; the minimum area is from 0.5 - 1m2/chicken. If the land is large, the coop should be arranged in the center and 2 grazing areas on both sides for the best results.

The grazing area must be flat, well-drained, free of stagnant water and trash; periodically clean up fallen feathers in the grazing area.

Surrounding fence is made of wire mesh or B40 steel mesh, bamboo fence... to ensure safety, to prevent wild animals from entering or stray chickens.

How to choose chicken breed

To create delicious, quality chicken breeds, the selection of breeds must be very careful; choose chicken breeds with clear origins and reliable addresses.

Characteristics of standard chicks include straight, steady legs, unbent toes; agile behavior; wide, alert eyes; eager to run and jump; tail and wings close to the body; large, sturdy beak, not bent, 2 closed beaks; diligent in eating and digging the soil...

How to feed and water chickens

- Stage from 1 - 21 days old:Use 1-21 day old chick feed. Because chicks eat little but often, the feed should be spread thinly and evenly on a tray with a thickness of 1cm; repeat feeding every 3-4 hours. Note that when feeding the next time, the remaining food should be discarded to ensure hygiene for the flock.

In the first 2 weeks, use a 1.5 - 2.0 liter trough; in the following weeks, use a 1.5 - 2.0 liter trough; the drinking trough must be placed 1 - 3cm higher than the floor of the cage, placed alternately with the feeding tray, cleaned daily and the water changed 2 - 3 times/day.

- Stage from 21 - 42 days old:Use 21 - 42 day old chicken feed, can mix in rice and green vegetables to increase nutrition for chicken.

During the broiler stage, the feeder must be hung with a rope so that the mouth of the feeder is as high as the chicken's back. The feeder density is about 30 - 40 chickens/trough; feed the chickens about 3 - 4 times/day.

During this period, drinking troughs should be 4 - 8 liters in capacity, with the trough 4 - 5 cm higher than the ground; the trough should hold 100 pigs/trough; the trough should be cleaned daily.

- Broiler stage:The amount of food is doubled compared to before, adding protein and many green vegetables for strong bones and heavy weight chickens.

The amount of water in this stage also needs to be increased, always ensure that the drinking trough has enough water; it is necessary to monitor the environmental temperature to prevent the chickens from getting too hot, and add water so that the chickens do not grow slowly.

Free range chicken care techniques

Free range chickens are easily exposed to external factors, so they easily get sick in bad climate conditions. The best way to get chickens used to the environment is to only let them out for 2 hours/day in the first 5 weeks, then gradually increase to 30 minutes to 1 hour for about 10 days, then they can be let out freely.

Always keep an eye on your chickens to monitor their health.

Cleaning chicken coops and equipment

The barn must always be kept clean and hygienic. The surrounding area must be cleared of bushes and the barn must not be wet, moldy or have standing water.

Use disinfectants in livestock areas as directed by your veterinarian.

Periodically turn and add bedding to ensure the necessary thickness and keep the bedding dry and fluffy.

Feeding and drinking troughs must be cleaned and disinfected daily.

Ngoc Anh

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