Common Mistakes in Chicken Farming and Detailed Solutions

Analysis suggests that the reason some chicken farmers cannot make money or find it hard to grow their operations is mainly that certain mistakes in the farming process hinder their own development. In this regard, a reporter interviewed Associate Professor Li Yunfu, a livestock expert at Yangling Vocational and Technical College. Professor Li revealed the mistakes currently existing in farmers' chicken farming and proposed solutions.

Existing Mistakes

1. Blind introduction of breeds. Blindly pursuing new breeds without considering local natural conditions, rearing conditions and market demand, or only seeking a cheap price while ignoring the quality of the chicks, will all reduce rearing results.

2. Trying to prevent chicken diseases through a single unchanging immunization program, or giving chickens medicine for a long time.

3. Feed formulas are either kept unchanged or changed at random.

4. Failing to grasp farming patterns well: when seeing others stop raising chickens, one dares not raise them either; when seeing others make money, one starts expanding the flock again.

Solutions

First, some farmers who fail to raise chickens well always look for reasons in the breed, but do not look for gaps in their own management and feeding, fantasizing that changing breeds will achieve high yields and good returns. In fact, every breed has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, some breeds tolerate rough feed and are not strict about feed requirements; some breeds have good disease resistance and are easy to raise. To decide farmers' choice of breed, the main things to look at are the local rearing level and the management conditions that can be achieved.

Second, giving chickens medicine for a long time causes waste of medicine, makes pathogenic bacteria in the chickens' bodies develop drug resistance, and also damages the chickens' kidneys. Blind use of medicine when chickens are sick delays treatment. Because of the uncertainty of epidemics, one cannot choose an unchanging drug for disease prevention. Farmers generally attach importance to vaccinating chickens, but pay little attention to chicken coop hygiene, leaving hidden dangers for the spread of disease. Therefore, before bringing in new chicks, the chicken coop should be thoroughly disinfected once.

Third, different breeds of chickens use different feed formulas, and chickens at different growth stages also differ in feed formulas, so the same feed cannot be used for a long time; do not abuse feed additives. If feed additives are added arbitrarily, it not only increases rearing costs but also destroys the balance of various nutrients in the feed; changing feed requires a transition period. If feed is changed suddenly, it easily causes stress reactions in chickens and may even cause death.

Finally, grasp farming patterns and market patterns well. When choosing a breed to raise, it should be determined according to the person, the place and the market.