BROILERS PRODUCTION GUIDE
Table of Contents
Forward 3
Introduction 4
Site Selection, Housing 5
Equipment Requirement 6
Drinkers 6
Feeders 6
Heating Equipment 6
Feeding Paper 7
Thermometers 7
Brooding Management and Illustrations 7
Feeds and Feeding Management in Broiler Chickens Production 9
Table 1: Feed Guide for Broiler 10
Table 2: Feeding Guide for Broiler Chickens 12
Litter Management 14
Health Management In Broiler Chicken 14
Medication and Vaccination 15
Table 3: Medication and Vaccination Prototype for Broiler Chickens 15
Rules of Thumb For Effective Vaccination 16
Bio- Security Issues in Broiler Production 17
Objectives of Bio-security 18
Tips for Successful Bio-Security 20
Products And Marketing 20
Records Keeping In Poultry Production And Management 21
Cost Benefit Analysis 23
Costs 23
Profit. 25
Forward
This guide refers to the entire husbandry practices/processes involved in
raising broiler birds from a day-old chick to achieving the primary production
purpose or that help achieve and maximize production target and efficiency.
Good management practices are essential, and they include siting and
housing construction, purchase of equipment and installations, purchase and
stocking of birds, brooding, feed and feeding, water utilization, litter and
health.
Introduction
Broiler Chicken farming requires a high level of expertise, understanding and
commitment to be successful. While it is important to emphasize the need
for excellent flock stockmanship at all times, something that comes with
experience and aptitude, adopting the correct techniques and equipment
will set a firm foundation for success. This manual offers the best advice on
broiler husbandry and management for farmers. It's eLengo belief that the
stated techniques and practices should be adopted as part of a broiler
management programme if optimum performance is consistently to be
attained. This manual is not exhaustive, and we will update it as and when
new methods and equipment are discovered.
Site Selection, Housing
Consideration must be given to site selection and housing to achieve good
growth and optimal health of birds and a profitable venture for the farmer.
● The broiler house (pen) should be sited on well-drained soil. The
waterlogged areas should be avoided.
● The pen should not be sited very close to major roads to prevent
disturbances from traffic.
● It is essential to ensure that the land area is sufficient for the
establishment and, possibly, expansion.
● Where possible, the farm could be sited in a relatively quiet but easily
accessible location, not too far from sources of inputs and market
outlets.
● The farm should be situated where there is a regular supply of good
water. Also, as much as possible, poultry pens should be some distance
from human living areas.
Housing is a function dependent on the size of the production (rearing)
system, purpose and financial strength of the farmer. The deep litter housing
type is most suitable for broiler production as it helps prevent leg problems.
In addition, housing should protect the birds from harsh environmental
conditions and social vices. They should be built with East-West orientation
(i.e. the length faces the North-South direction).
Equipment Requirement
The correct equipment must be used at all times. Inferior, substandard or
improvised (basins and trays) will always result in variable performances and
ultimately large financial loss. Therefore, we recommend the following
equipment.
Drinkers
● Chick Fonts
● Be plastic-made of approximately 5-litre capacity.
● One font per 100 chicks maximum
● Automatic Broiler Bell drinkers
● 1 Auto Bell drinker per 80 chicks maximum
Feeders
● Chick trays
● Plastic and 15-inch diameter
● 1 per 100 chicks maximum.
● Tube feeders
● Quality pressed design: see Kenchics recommended supplier
(please note cheaper tube feeders have variable feed width and depth, giving
low growth rates, poor (Feed Conversation Ratios)FCR's and financial loss) 1
per 50 broilers maximum.
Heating Equipment
Gas
● Gas is the preferred method of heating (efficient, controllable and
environmentally correct)
● One gas brooder per 1000 chicks (depending on size)
Charcoal reconstituted charcoal dust
● 18-inch charcoal jikos 1 per 750 chicks.
Plastic Polythene sheet
● For sealing house during brooding from inside.
Feeding Paper
Kraft or Brown paper
● Use one with correct thickness that it will degrade after the 3rd day.
Gunny bags
● Ensure at least 40% of the brooding floor area is covered for feeding in
the first three days.
Thermometers
● 1 per 3000 chicks.
Brooding Management and Illustrations
The poultry house and all equipment should be thoroughly cleaned and
washed to rid them of all visible dirt and disinfected and dried a few days
before the arrival of birds. The floor should be covered with dried litter
material, preferably wood shaven to a depth of about 5cm, while the brooding
area should be well covered to prevent drought and heat loss.
Adequate warmth in the first 10-14days is critical in the life of chicks.
Therefore, the need to provide additional heat for maintenance and rapid
growth and development. The chicks at day old have just been hatched from
the eggs and do not have enough feather cover to conserve body heat and
fluid. Hence, they need gentle acclimatization in their new environment.
Delays in placement into a conducive new environment (brooding area) can
lead to dehydration of chicks, resulting in early chick mortality and a reduced
growth rate. Therefore, chicks must be carefully placed and evenly distributed
near feed and water throughout the brooding area. The farmer must start the
heating system at least 2 hours before chicks are stocked and ensure that all
equipment is in good working condition.
Farmer should also monitor the chicks' behaviour and distribution relative to
the heat supply. The brooding temperature is suitable if the shank is warm.
Where a thermometer is available, 33oC is recommended. The temperature
can thereafter be reduced by 2oC every three days, depending on the season.
Under very good brooding, temperature could be reduced to 27oC by the 14th
day. It is important to note that the behaviour of the birds could be used as an
indicator of the suitability of brooding temperature, as illustrated below.
Under correct brooding temperature, the birds will be evenly distributed
within the brooding area.
Feeds and Feeding Management in Broiler Chickens
Production
Feeds for broiler chickens, other poultry, or livestock refers to materials that
provide the animal with basic nutrients such as energy, protein, vitamin, and
mineral when ingested. Feeds vary in terms of quality or quantity of the
nutrient supplied. Feed type depends on the bird's class and/or physiological
stage. Starter feed, for instance, refers to feed given to broiler chickens
between 0-4weeks of age, while finisher feed refers to feed given between
4-8 weeks.
Feed cost takes the largest share of a single item in broiler chicken
production in particular and poultry and other livestock in general. It
accounts for 65 to 75% of the total production cost. For profitable broiler
production, the conversion of feed to meat must be done efficiently and
economically. Therefore, adequate nutrition and a balanced diet are essential.
Crude protein requirement for starting broiler is 22-23%, crude fibre is 4-5%,
fat is 4-4.5%, and the metabolizable energy is 2800-3000kcal/kg. Similarly,
crude protein requirement for finishing broiler is 19 - 20%, crude fibre 5 – 6.5%,
and the metabolizable energy is 3000-3150kcal/kg.
When chickens are provided with high-quality feed in the required quantity, it
promotes body maintenance, improves production (growth and body
weight), gives energy and confers good health and vitality. Thus, maintenance
of the body is the first consideration in good feeding, and production follows
thereafter.
Two (2) feeding regimes: starter (0-4weeks) and finisher (4-8weeks) diets for
broiler production and management are considered suitable for most
farmers. However, it is important to note that broiler production has up to
four feeding regimes. They are:
● Pre-starter
● Starter
● Grower
● Finisher
The feeding regime utilized is a function of the production targets (fast
growth for quick or slow growth for later markets).
Crude
Age Protein Metabolizable
Bird Type (weeks) Feed type (%) Energy (KJ/kg)
Broiler Broiler
Starter 0-4 Starter 22-23 2,800-3,000
Broiler
Broiler
Finisher 4-8 Finisher 19-20 3,000-3,150
Table 1: Feed Guide for Broiler
Water Management
Water is very essential in broiler chicken production. Birds drink more than
the feed they consume; therefore, water should be provided in good quantity
and must be of good quality. Well or borehole water is preferred, and where it
is not available, rain or tap water could be used. Clean, fresh water should be
presented so that birds can drink with minimum effort. Water and the source
should be checked for quality regularly and treated as required. Birds should
be provided water at least thrice the quantity of feed they consume.
Tips in achieving a high Feed Efficiency in Broiler Chicken Production
1. Adequate feeding space should be provided at all times, ensuring that
about 75% of the birds can feed simultaneously.
2. Feeders should be well designed to prevent feed wastage. Feeders
should be filled to not more than ½ total capacity.
3. Feeders should be placed at the appropriate ground level or be hanged
appropriately as the case may be to avoid feed contamination and wastage.
4. Attendants should minimize feed spillage during the process of serving
feed.
5. Use the right type and size of feeder per stage to ensure that birds have
good access to consume the feed without straining.
6. Do not store feeds for too long or in damp places. Otherwise, they
become mouldy and create a problem when fed to birds.
7. Use correct stocking density (0.07m2 at starter phase; 0.09 – 0.1m2 at
finisher phase)
11. Ensure a good lighting programme; provide lighting for 6 – 8 hours in
pen.
12. Change the litter regularly. Do not allow caked litter in the pen.
Note:
If there is any need to change from one type of feed to another, it should be
done gradually for about four days.
Table 2: Feeding Guide for Broiler Chickens
Body
Age (Days) Feed intake (g/bird/day) weight(g/bird)
1 20 45-55
2 22 55-95
3 24 95-135
4 26 135-175
5 28 175-215
6 30 215-255
7 32 255-295
8 34 295-335
9 36 335-385
10 38 385-425
11 40 425-465
12 42 465-505
13 44 505-545
14 46 545-585
15 48 585-625
16 50 625-665
17 52 665-705
18 54 705-745
19 54 745-785
20 56 785-825
21 58 825-865
22 60 865-905
23 62 905-945
24 64 945 - 985
25 66 985 - 1,025
26 68 1,025 - 1,045
Litter Management
Broilers are often reared in deep litter systems. Wood shavings are the
preferred bedding materials. Alternatively, maize cobs and straws could be
used. Wood shavings should be laid to about 5cm height and must be
cleaned up regularly, at least once a week. Poor litter management results in
microbial and ammonia build-up and can lead to diseases like coccidiosis and
respiratory infections. Therefore, litter management is paramount for good
health.
Health Management In Broiler Chicken
Health is wealth. The health of birds must be well managed for better profit.
Prevent disease occurrence because prevention is better than cure. Good
health management and disease prevention start with construction,
preparation of the pen; cleaning, washing and disinfection of the pen and
equipment, good chicks, appropriate litter management and bio-security. It
also involves giving appropriate medications and vaccines as recommended
by the veterinary doctor or manufacturer/service provider. Sample medication
and vaccination programme is shown in Table 5.
Medication and Vaccination
Table 3: Medication and Vaccination Prototype for Broiler
Chickens
Age Vaccine Mode of Comment/Remark
Administration
1 Intraocular (i/o) through the eye The eye is well
developed at day
old
1-5 Multivitamin + Oral Good anti-stress
Antibiotics
10 Infectious Bursal Oral Reconstituted in
Disease - (IBD) chlorine free
[Link] must
Gumboro Oral be starved of water
for about 6hours so
that the
vaccines could be
taken and finished
within a
period not
more than 30
minutes
13-16 Coccidiostat Oral For 4 days initially
17 New Castle Disease Oral As indicated in
Vaccine day 10 Vaccination
Lasota (NDV – remarks
Lasota)
Lasota (NDV – Oral
Lasota)
19-21 Coccidiostat Oral For 3 days. Repeat
as in 13-16 and 19-21
days
order fortnightly till
the birds reach
mark weight.
However, this can
be avoided if the
litters are
changed weekly
and dry bedding is
maintained.
27 IBD – Gumboro 2nd Oral As indicated in
(booster) day10 Vaccination
Dose
remarks
35 New Castle Disease Oral As indicated in
Vaccine day10 Vaccination
Lasota (NDV –
Lasota) – remarks
booster
dose
42 Dewormer Oral For one or two days
depending on type.
Please find out
from the Veterinary
Doctor. Repeat after
2weeks.
Rules of Thumb For Effective Vaccination
There are basic rules that guide the vaccination process. These include the
rules on the vaccine, bird and vaccinator (the person).
Vaccine
● The appropriate vaccine should be used for the appropriate disease
type.
● Use vaccine(s) that are locally produced where it is available.
● Use correct and equal dose for correct and equal number of birds (right
dose)
Bird
● Do not vaccinate sick birds
● Sick birds that could not be vaccinated but should be culled.
● Treat secondary disease infection before vaccination.
Vaccinator
● Use chlorine-free water (where it is available) for oral administration
otherwise, add skimmed (powdered) milk to the water.
● Maintain the cold chain from the point of purchase of vaccine till use.
● Once the vaccine has been reconstituted, there should not be a delay in
use. Reconstituted vaccines must be utilized within 30 minutes.
● Birds should be administered with anti-stress 1-2 days before
vaccination and two days after vaccination with effect from the very
moment the flock is vaccinated.
● The vial of used vaccines must be appropriately disposed off.
Bio- Security Issues in Broiler Production
The poultry farm is an integral part of so many interactions and components.
The components are the people/staff, materials, birds, environment, and other
extraneous substances outside the immediate environment, such as inputs
suppliers, products markets, and vehicles. All the components have to be well
managed through bio-security measures. Therefore, biosecurity/quarantine is
an integral part of health management in any successful broiler production
system and essential in poultry production.
It refers to those measures taken to prevent or control the introduction and
spread of infectious agents to a flock. Whether proven or not, diseases
significantly reduce birds' productivity and the profitability and long-term
financial viability of a broiler business. Biosecurity helps prevent
disease-causing organisms from establishing themselves on-farm sites,
prevent the spread of disease agents from an infected area to uninfected
locations and prevent the spread of infection within the farm.
Objectives of Bio-security
● To prevent the introduction of infectious diseases to livestock.
● To prevent the spread of disease from an infected area to an uninfected
area.
● To prevent disease spread from one farm to another.
● To enhance the profitability of the food animal business.
Components of Livestock Farms that contribute to Diseases
spread/Transmission
● Livestock
● Other animals
● People
● Equipment
● Vehicles
● Air
● Water Supply
Livestock
• Transfer of birds from farm to farm
• Dead bird disposal
Other Animals
• Wild birds/ducks
• Feral and domestic animals and pets
• Insects
• Rodents – rats/mice
• Domestic birds
People
• Contractors, maintenance personnel, neighbours, servicemen, friends.
• Disease can be transmitted by, for example, hands, boots, clothing, and
dirty hair.
Equipment
• Feeders
• Waterers
• Hauling crates/coops
Vehicles
• Up and off-loading (roundabout/utility) vehicles come onto the farm
with microbe loads tyres of the vehicles are microbes loaded.
• Low cleanliness of the farm vehicles.
• Poor regular disinfection of farm vehicles.
Air
● Transmission as an aerosol or dust.
Water Supply
● Surface water attracts waterfowl, birds ingest contaminated water.
Important Considerations for Bio-Security and Success Tips
Location, layout of farm, disease status of the district, proximity to other farms
with avian species and interface with the processor interplay in farm
localization and disease management and control. Others include pick-ups,
servicemen, day-old chicks and feed deliveries.
Tips for Successful Bio-Security
Farm Layout
Farm Layout is an essential consideration in the poultry business. It helps on
plan and move activities, loading and off-loading of products, farm
administration and operations, and more importantly, structural and
operation bio-security for disease management and control.
Therefore, the entire farm must be well planned (good farm layout) to reduce
stress on handlers and birds.
And the pens would be constructed with good orientation (East-West).
Products And Marketing
Poultry production targets two primary poultry products (meat and egg).
However, with the modern production system, many other products could be
derived and are referred to as secondary or derived products. These include
manure, feather, slaughterhouse waste, and empty sacks where commercial
feeds are used. These products collectively and individually generate basic or
additional income for the farmer depending on production targets.
For example, broilers are reared purposely for their meat. They are sold in live
bird markets and other channels or to other processing units and various
consumers in various forms and sizes such as dressed, cut parts and organs,
e.g. gizzard. Where additional techniques are employed manure,
feather, and slaughter house waste amongst others are converted into
organic fertilizer for crop production.
Broiler Products and Marketing
Broiler chickens may be sold whole or retailed in choice cuts. Some
customers prefer tender meat; some prefer cured meat. Customers' taste
(market targeted) is important when producing broilers and the market
should be satisfied. For example, most restaurants want soft meat and small
cuts, e.g. cut-4, while open markets mostly want whole chicken or cut parts
but not so soft. Some customers prefer the wings, shanks, head and neck. All
the customers should be well catered for.
Records Keeping In Poultry Production And Management
Records Keeping and Good Observations
Accurate records of activities must be kept. This helps to identify problem
areas. Records also help to measure performance. In big farms, records could
be used to seek funds from banks. Records of feed intake, growth, mortality
and overall performance should be adequately kept. An example of
production and performance record/chart is given below.
Examples of Records Kept in Poultry Farms
Cost Benefit Analysis
Costs
1. Brooding Chick
Unit Price Total
No Item Unit Quantity (USD) Price(USD)
1. Day old chicks pieces 500 1.05 525
2. Cardboards pieces 15 5.5 82.5
3. Brooder lamps pieces 10 7.5 75
4. Brooding jikos Pieces 5 1.5 75
5. Chicks feeders pieces 20 3.5 70
6. Chicks drinkers Pieces 20 3.5 70
TOTAL 897.5
2. Feeds
AGE FEED AMOUNT/70 KG COST TOTAL
(WEEKS) TYPE BAG (USD) COST(USD)
starter
0-3 Weeks mash 10 bags 32 320
Finisher
4-6 Weeks mash 30 bags 31 930
TOTAL 1250
3. OTHER EQUIPMENT
UNIT TOTAL
EQUIPMENT QUANTITY PRICE(USD) AMOUNT(USD)
Round Feeders 20 6 12,0
Round drinkers 20 6 120
Saw dust and n/paper – – 50
TOTAL 290
GRAND TOTAL
NO. ITEM COST(USD)
1. BROODING CHICKS 897.5
2. FEEDS 1250
3. OTHER EQUIPMENT 290
4. BOOSTERS 65
5. MISC. 150
TOTAL 2,552.5
Note: These are costs incurred by starters.
Profit.
1 broiler bird Sold = $5
Therefore 500 birds = $2,500
=$2,500 - $2,552.5
= -$552.5
For continuing farmers only cost of feed, chicks and labour will be incurred.
This equals $525 +$1,250 +$150 =$1,925
Profit
2,500-1,925 = $575