Feed Formulas and Farming Techniques for Raising Quality Free-Range Chickens Under Forest Canopies

Chickens are a very familiar animal in our daily lives; they can be seen in many places such as vegetable markets and rural fields. Chicken meat is a very nourishing ingredient, and it also tastes quite delicious. It is loved by many people, which has also driven the development of the chicken farming industry. Free-range chickens are also a type of poultry, so how does their farming method differ?

How to Raise Free-Range Chickens Well

To raise free-range chickens well, you must get the “four passes” right. In farming operations, as long as you get these “four passes” right, raising free-range chickens is not difficult, and success is guaranteed. The following is for everyone's reference:

The first pass, the temperature pass. Only by providing chicks with a suitable temperature can you succeed; otherwise all your efforts will be wasted.

The second pass, the water and first feeding pass. If chicks are not given water and first feed in time, it will lead to dehydration and death, malnutrition, slow growth, and disease, causing failure.

The third pass, the ventilation pass. Providing chicks with fresh, good air is very important and is also the key to success or failure, so it must be taken very seriously.

The fourth pass, the vaccination and disease prevention pass. Develop an immunization program based on local disease prevalence to prevent outbreaks of serious infectious diseases. At the same time, do a good job of environmental sanitation, administer medications at the right time, and prevent common bacterial diseases and parasites. The above items are all linked together, and every one must be strictly controlled.

Free-Range Chicken Feed Formulas

1. Brooding period (0-4 weeks of age) free-range chicken feed formula: corn 55.5%, crude protein 19.5%, No. 4 flour 7.0%, wheat bran 3.0%, soybean meal 21.0%, fish meal 3.0%, corn gluten meal 5.0%, yeast powder 2.0%, calcium hydrogen phosphate 1.2%, limestone powder 1.0%, salt 0.3%, premix 1.0%; nutritional content: metabolizable energy 11.83 MJ/kg.

2. Growing period (5-8 weeks of age) free-range chicken feed formula: corn 58.5%, crude protein 17.4%, No. 4 flour 10.0%, wheat bran 3.0%, soybean meal 17.0%, fish meal 2.0%, corn gluten meal 4.0%, yeast powder 2.0%, calcium hydrogen phosphate 1.2%, limestone powder 1.0%, salt 0.3%, premix 1.0%; nutritional content: metabolizable energy 11.94 MJ/kg.

3. Fattening period (9 weeks of age to market) free-range chicken feed formula: corn 61%, crude protein 16.3%, No. 4 flour 10.0%, wheat bran 4.5%, soybean meal 11.0%, fish meal 1.0%, corn gluten meal 4.0%, yeast powder 2.5%, calcium hydrogen phosphate 1.2%, limestone powder 1.0%, salt 0.3%, premix 1.0%; nutritional content: metabolizable energy 12.25 MJ/kg.

Farming Techniques for Free-Range Chickens Under Forest Canopies

1. Woodland selection: The woodland should be spacious and open, with a slope of 5-30°, abundant grass, far from villages, and conveniently located for transport. For hen farming, the area should be controlled at about 40-50 birds per 700 sq m; for rooster farming, the area should be controlled at about 50-100 birds per 700 sq m.

2. Chicken coop construction: The chicken coop should be built close to the grazing area, about 200 m away. As much as possible, build 1 coop for each flock, with 1 coop close to one pasture area. The building area of the coop should be about 200 sq m, ensuring it can hold 1500-2000 chickens. Inside the coop, perches should be built. The brooding house should have a 3 m high movable prefabricated house, and the hen house should have nesting pits or nest boxes.

3. Chicken breed selection: Choose improved breeds containing 75% local chicken bloodlines. In free-range chicken farming under forest canopies, roosters are generally the main focus. If hens are to be added, the two should be raised separately; never raise roosters and hens together. The rooster farming period is about half a year, and the hen farming period is more than half a year.

4. Daily management

1. Brooding techniques

One week before the chicks arrive, clean the floor inside the brooding house, and use Baidusha or caustic soda to carry out comprehensive disinfection of the brooding house. Three hours after the chicks enter the coop, start first feeding, with feeding amounts of 6-8 times/day. After two weeks, reduce to 3 times/day, and ensure that the feed given each day can be finished.

2. Proper management

The best grazing period is from April to October, because at this time grass and insects are abundant, and they can eat enough natural feed. Supplementary feeding during the free-range period is also crucial, and the principle of “little in the morning, moderate in the evening” should be followed. That is to say, in the early stage their foraging ability is limited, so an appropriate amount of supplement should be added to the feed to help their growth. When they gradually become accustomed to free-range rearing, considering the quality of the chicken meat itself, simply providing an appropriate amount of supplementary feed is enough.

Methods for Identifying Free-Range Chickens

1. Body shape: Free-range chickens are generally smaller in body shape, with a refined appearance, narrow and compact bodies, and strong breast and leg muscles. Feed chickens have larger bodies, look clumsy, and have long legs and thick feet.

2. Comb: Adult free-range chickens have red and vivid combs, especially when about to lay eggs, when they are as red as fresh blood. The combs of feed chickens tend to be uniform in size, pale red and appear bloodless.

3. Feet: Free-range chickens love to move around and run everywhere, so their feet are very thin, basically have no meat, and the soles are rough. Feed chickens are all raised in pens, do not move around, and their feet have meat.

4. Claw tips: Free-range chickens walk around everywhere foraging, so their claw tips become worn. Feed chickens have intact claw tips that look relatively smooth and tender, and their lower legs generally have no feathers attached.

5. Skin: The skin pores of free-range chickens are relatively fine, the skin is relatively compact, and the skin is yellow. Feed chickens have coarser pores, looser skin, and skin that tends toward white.

The farming methods for free-range chickens are not very difficult. In particular, once you understand their growth habits, raising them becomes very easy and smooth. However, chickens are all highly susceptible to infectious diseases, so everyone still needs to pay extra attention to this point during the farming process.