Orchard Free-Range Chicken Farming Techniques and Mountain Pest Control Methods

With the general improvement in living standards, people's demand for meat has shifted toward pursuing flavor, wild-game taste, and a return to nature as a trend. The previously popular fast-growing large meat-type chickens raised indoors on flat floors have gradually lost market sales, and have been replaced by native chickens (commonly known as free-range chickens), which are highly favored. In recent years, our city has used orchards, mountain areas, idle fields, and barren beaches to raise chickens. Because this approach saves labor and effort, requires only extensive management, and produces meat similar to free-range chicken, the poultry products are well received by consumers, and the trend has developed rapidly. The number raised has reached 70-80% of the total number of chickens raised. Our city has vast areas of orchards, mountain areas, idle fields, and barren beaches, with abundant resources and a suitable climate. As long as scientific feeding and management are carried out diligently, developing high-quality free-range chickens and increasing farmers' income will have very broad prospects.

1. Choosing a suitable site: For free-range chicken farming, it is advisable to choose a place that is sheltered from the wind and faces the sun, with flat and high, dry terrain, convenient access to water, far from villages, conveniently accessible by transportation, with smaller tree crowns and sparsely planted fruit trees. By no means should chicken farms be densely distributed along rivers; the spacing between farms should be no less than 200 m. Taking advantage of the natural barriers of mountain areas, it is advocated to have one farm per hill.

2. Site disinfection: For a new site, spray-disinfect the brooding room with 5-10% limewater, or 1:600 Baidusha, 1:1200 Xiaoduwei, 2% caustic soda, etc.; for an old site, clean and wash the floor, and on the basis of the above methods, for more exciting content, please follow Fumu Network, use 14 g of potassium permanganate per sq m plus 28 ml of formaldehyde per sq m for sealed fumigation disinfection for 1-2 days (place drinkers, feed buckets and other utensils inside together for disinfection), then open for ventilation for 1-2 days.

3. Temperature requirements: Temperature is the key to successful brooding. Before the chicks arrive, the temperature should be adjusted half a day in advance. Generally, the brooding house temperature is controlled at: 32-33°C for 0-1 week of age, then reduced by 1-2°C each week thereafter, and only after 4 weeks of age can heating be stopped. There are two ways to observe whether the temperature is suitable: one is to look at the thermometer, and the other is to look at the condition of the flock. When the flock huddles together, stays close to the heat source, and keeps chirping, it indicates the temperature is too low; when the flock stays away from the heat source, spreads out around, and keeps breathing with the mouth open, it indicates the temperature is too high; when the flock is evenly distributed, moves freely, and is relatively quiet, it indicates the temperature is relatively suitable.

For free-range chicken farming in orchard mountain areas, the relationship between pest control and grazing must be handled correctly. Generally, there are fewer pests in orchard mountain chicken farming, but when pest control is needed, first choose pesticides with high efficiency, low toxicity, and low residue, and when spraying, try to spray as little on the ground as possible, so that even if the chickens eat insects, the possibility of poisoning is small; second, choose sunny days for pest control, so that less liquid drips onto the ground. It is best to stagger pest control and grazing times, so that the chickens contact the pesticide as little as possible, just in case.