Detailed Explanation of Key Technical Points for Chick Rearing and Management

Chick Rearing:

Before chicks start eating, first give them a 4/10,000 potassium permanganate solution to drink once, for disinfection and to expel meconium and cleanse the intestinal tract. Chick start-eating refers to the first time chicks eat; feed them chick pellet feed, initially 5-6 times a day. For weaker chicks, add one feeding at night, then gradually change to 3-4 times/day.

Nutritional indicators of chick feed:

Crude protein 18-19%; energy 2900 kcal/kg; crude fiber 3-5%; crude fat 2.5%; calcium 1-1.1%; phosphorus 0.45%; methionine 0.45%; lysine 1.05%. The amount of feed for chicks should be determined according to actual feeding conditions. Chick feeding must be done at fixed times, in fixed amounts, and with fixed quality, and clean drinking water must be maintained.

Brooding temperature:

The level of temperature has a great impact on the growth and development of chicks, so the brooding temperature must be strictly controlled. The basic principle for brooding temperature is: the temperature should be higher in the early brooding period, the brooding temperature for weak chicks should be slightly higher, small-group rearing should be higher than large-group rearing, nighttime should be higher than daytime, and cloudy and rainy days should be higher than sunny days.

Brooding humidity:

If the indoor air humidity is too high, it will cause harmful microorganisms to multiply in large numbers and affect the healthy development of chicks; therefore, the humidity in the brooding room should be kept at 65-70%.

Maintain normal ventilation:

The carbon dioxide content in the brooding house should be controlled at 0.2%, and should not exceed 0.5%. The ammonia content is required to be below 10 ppm, and should not exceed 20 ppm. The H2S content is required to be 6.6 ppm, and should not exceed 15 ppm. During ventilation, strictly prevent chicks from catching cold. Before ventilation, first raise the brooding room temperature. Ventilation time is best chosen around noon, and ventilation should be carried out slowly.

Beak trimming:

The beak trimming time for chicks is generally 7-10 days of age. To prevent stress, add Vk4 (4 mg/kg) or electrolytic multivitamins to drinking water or feed one day before and after beak trimming.

Chick immunization:

To prevent the occurrence of various infectious diseases in chicks, according to the chicken immunization program provided by the breeder farm, do a good job in immunization against Marek's disease, Newcastle disease, infectious bursal disease, infectious bronchitis, laryngotracheitis and fowl pox. Chunxi