Key Technical Points and Scientific Free-Range Methods for Raising Native Chickens

A native chicken is a local chicken breed that is free-range raised by farming households themselves and has a relatively long rearing period.

Some of the native chickens currently sold in farmers' markets are indeed local breeds, but they are raised in confinement, or their rearing period has been greatly shortened by using artificial compound feed and the like; some are broiler breeds, yet they are free-range raised by farming households themselves, have a relatively long rearing period, and grow up eating grains, vegetable leaves, small insects and so on. Neither of the above two types is a true native chicken.

According to farmers with experience in raising native chickens, a genuine native chicken can be identified by its appearance, that is, by looking at the chicken's head and feet. Generally, a free-range native chicken has a small head and a pointed beak, relatively thin legs, small, slender and pointed claws that are rough and strong, and relatively thin, smooth and taut skin. A confined chicken, by contrast, has short legs and thick, round, fleshy claws.

The following is a summary by Zhifure of scientific native chicken farming techniques, for everyone's reference only!

1. Breed Selection

The Suzhou local breed Qionglong Mountain native chicken may be chosen; its main characteristics are yellow feathers, thin but strong legs, strong disease resistance, and a plump, sturdy body, with a single chicken generally weighing 2.0-2.5 kg.

2. Site Selection

Choose dry land, sloping land or wasteland facing south, with a relatively large area of orchard, grassland or mountain land nearby to serve as a free-range site. You may build a plastic greenhouse chicken house or convert an old building into a chicken house; the shed should be high in the middle and low on both sides, 4 m wide, 2.5-3 m high in the middle, with drip eaves 1.2-1.5 m high on both sides, a thatch roof, and drainage ditches dug all around. The chicken house building area is calculated at 8-10 birds per sq m. According to the chicken density, enclose the site with a simple fence and cover it with a rainproof and sun-shading canopy; provide one feeding spot for every 30-50 chickens on the site, and use one drinker for 80 chickens.

3. Brooding

Before the chicks arrive, thoroughly wash the chicken house and its surroundings and strictly disinfect them. When the chicks are placed in the house, the temperature should be 33-35°C, then decrease by 2-3°C each week until heating is no longer needed. After the chicks enter the house, promptly provide clean warm boiled water so they quickly adapt to the new environment, reduce stress, and prevent dehydration as well as absorption of the yolk. Add 3%-5% glucose before 3 days of age. After the chicks have drunk enough water (3-5 hours after entering the house), begin feeding them, using crushed pellet feed to start them off, letting them eat freely, and taking care to "add frequently and feed little at a time."

While keeping the chicken house warm, pay attention to ventilation. From 1-30 days of age, use 24-hour lighting. After 30 days of age, reduce lighting by 1 hour per day until it transitions to natural lighting. For light intensity, use 4 watts per sq m from 1-30 days of age, then gradually reduce the light intensity, so long as the chicks can see to eat and drink.

At 0-2 weeks of age, raise 80 birds per sq m; at 2-5 weeks of age, raise 40 birds per sq m; at 6-10 weeks of age, raise 18 birds per sq m; after 11 weeks of age, raise 12-15 birds per sq m, which can be flexibly adjusted according to season and climate. Perform beak trimming at 7-8 days of age, and if necessary perform beak re-trimming at 30 days of age.

4. Free-Range Grazing of Native Chickens

Generally, grazing is chosen from early April to the end of October, when vegetation is lush and insects such as bugs and ants thrive, so the flock can consume sufficient ecological feed. In other months, a rearing method based mainly on confinement with grazing as a supplement is used. For chicks that no longer need heating, choose a sunny day with little outdoor wind and high temperature for a small area of appropriate grazing; the first time should be about 1 hour, then gradually extend the grazing time until all-day grazing. During all-day grazing, there should be forage grasses available, such as white clover, alfalfa (purple clover), rumex, chicory and even bok choy, sweet potato leaves, and so on. The grazing site should have places where the chickens can quickly take shelter from rain and sun. When first grazing, the chicks are too small and should not be put into grass taller than the chickens' backs. Breeding chickens returning to the shed at night should be appropriately supplemented with feed, mainly grains such as corn, wheat and soybean meal, at 20-30 grams per chicken. During rearing, add appropriate amounts of trace elements and multivitamins to increase the body's immunity.

5. Disease Prevention and Control

Prevention must be carried out according to the immunization program and preventive medication, mainly to prevent and control infections and poisoning by parasites, E. coli, Staphylococcus, and so on. Grazing chickens are prone to parasites, mainly coccidia, trichomonads, Leucocytozoon caulleryi, and so on. For chicks that have just begun grazing, use a decoction of bupleurum and dichroa root for drinking water as preventive deworming, and disinfect the grazing site with a 0.02% caustic soda solution.