Scientific chicken farming: small investment, small scale, big income
Chicken farming is one of the livestock-rearing activities commonly undertaken by people in both urban and rural areas across our country at the present stage. This livestock-rearing activity has the characteristics of requiring a relatively small amount of investment, being small in scale, and yielding relatively quick results. In recent years, the number of chicken farmers in our country has been constantly increasing, and the number of chickens raised has also been rising rapidly. However, because many farmers do not have an adequate grasp of chicken-farming techniques, many mistaken views about chicken farming still persist. Therefore, it is necessary for us to gradually raise people's level of scientific chicken-farming management so as to ensure the healthy development of the chicken-farming industry; this is also one of the most urgent primary responsibilities of farmers.
I. Common optional chicken-farming methods
1. The plastic greenhouse method of chicken farming
Raising chickens in plastic greenhouses is a chicken-farming method with relatively low investment but relatively high returns, and it is very much worth promoting and applying among novice chicken farmers and those whose economic conditions are not so good. The advantage of this chicken-farming method is that materials are relatively easy to obtain: ordinary agricultural film can be used as the main material for the plastic greenhouse chicken house, while materials such as bamboo and straw curtains are also used. These materials are relatively easy to obtain, can be built whenever needed, and construction is simple, saving time and labor, and achieving the effect of combining farming and livestock raising. Moreover, chicken farming can also fertilize the fields while reducing environmental pollution. In addition, because the plastic greenhouse is also transparent, it can receive sunlight, which helps raise the survival rate of the chickens.
2. Using natural areas such as hillsides to raise chickens
Our country is vast in territory and rich in resources, and many places have natural green-fodder areas such as grassland, woodland, orchards and barren beaches. These areas also contain many insects and other animal-based feeds, which are very favorable for free-range chicken raising. The hillside chicken-farming method has the advantage of relatively good isolation conditions, which can reduce the occurrence of chicken diseases and give a relatively high survival rate, while also requiring relatively little investment. This chicken-farming method not only lowers the cost of raising chickens, but the chickens raised also have the advantages of a distinctive flavor and delicious taste, and are welcomed by consumers.
3. The cage method of chicken farming. Besides plastic greenhouse chicken farming and hillside chicken farming, there is another method suitable for raising chickens in large numbers, namely the cage method of chicken farming. Commonly used chicken cages can be further divided into four types: brooding, growing, meat-type broiler, and laying hen cages. The cage method of chicken farming has the characteristic of a relatively high stocking density, and its raising conditions are more convenient for manual control, which can ensure the laying rate of laying hens and also ensure the weight-gain rate of broilers. Comparatively speaking, this chicken-farming method consumes less feed and saves space and bedding, and is welcomed by chicken farmers and producers.
II. Preliminary preparation for scientific chicken farming
1. Draw up a good production plan for the chicken farm
Before raising chickens, first make a detailed production plan according to the scale and nature of the chicken farm. A practical and feasible annual production plan can help with the coordinated arrangement of all chicken-farming work, including drawing up a flock turnover plan, an egg production plan, and also feed production and supply plans. When making the plan, data such as the types and quantities of feed that can be produced and that need to be purchased should be recorded separately, and attention should be paid to making the plan adapt to seasonal changes. In addition, a product sales plan should also be made, which includes various factors such as breeding eggs, breeding chicks, table eggs and manure, and a health and epidemic prevention plan, a labor plan, and the accounting of various daily consumptions should also be included in the plan.
2. Selection of chicken breeds
At present, judging from the national situation, the degree of improved breeding of chickens is already quite high, so when choosing breeds to raise, this should be decided according to market demand. When purchasing chicks, one should buy from breeding chicken farms with relatively high levels of science and technology and management. These farms have better epidemic prevention measures, and the quality of the chicks is therefore relatively high, so the chicks bought back will not have too many diseases, and the purpose of saving raw materials can also be achieved. In addition, good breeding chicken farms all have good after-sales service, which removes many worries.
3. Chicken feed selection and feeding management
The preparation of chicken feed is the foundation of the chicken-farming industry, and feed expenditure accounts for more than half of the cost of raising chickens. Feed of good quality and moderate price should be selected for feeding. When selecting chicken feed, suitable feed should be selected or prepared strictly according to the different growth and development stages of the chickens. At the chick stage, full-price pelleted feed can be selected, and about ten days before the chickens are ready for market, fattening chicken feed can be selected; doing so can improve the meat quality of the chickens and increase their body weight, thereby achieving the purpose of raising chicken-farming benefits. When using feed, pay attention to observing traits such as the color and smell of the feed. If caking,dampness, mold and other abnormal phenomena occur, use should be stopped immediately to avoid causing huge losses. In the process of raising chickens, raising the chicks well is a particularly key link. The brooding house and utensils should be thoroughly disinfected, and the temperature inside the house should be strictly controlled, determined specifically by seasonal changes. A small amount of glucose can be added to the chickens' first drinking water, and finally attention should also be paid to methods such as the hygiene of the chicken-raising environment and ventilation.
III. Methods and measures for improving scientific chicken-farming techniques
1. Raise awareness of scientific chicken farming and learn chicken-farming techniques
As farmers, one must first recognize the rearing policy of giving priority to prevention. Farmers who are just starting to raise chickens should understand the basic knowledge of scientific management and epidemic disease prevention, including density, ventilation, lighting time, preparation of chicken feed, and formulation of epidemic disease immunization programs, so as to improve the quality of farmers and their ability to learn techniques. Besides having scientific guidance, farmers should also strengthen their learning, read books, periodicals and newspapers on scientific farming and farming information, apply the theoretical knowledge they have learned to production practice, and then constantly explore and summarize, ultimately improving their farming skills and making their farming business better and better.
2. Do a good job of hygiene in the rearing environment and improve the quality of adult chickens
The environment for raising chickens and the hygiene of the chicken house should be managed well: regular cleaning and scheduled removal of chicken manure should be done, and strict disinfection measures should also be carried out in the chicken house, so as to reduce as much as possible the concentration of toxic gases such as ammonia and carbon dioxide in the chicken house. Before the chickens are brought in, disinfection can be carried out by spraying with medication, so that the chicken house is in a sterile state and diseases caused by contamination of the chicken house are reduced. In addition, attention should be paid to ventilation; while strengthening ventilation, the insulation measures of the chicken house should not be neglected either, so that the temperature is suitable. Of course, if the temperature of the brooding room is too high, it will also cause the relative humidity in the house before brooding to be relatively low, and the chickens are then susceptible to respiratory tract diseases.
3. Prevent chicken diseases and do a good job of daily health care
The prevention and treatment of chicken diseases is especially important for chicken farmers. Many chicken diseases are easily transmitted and highly harmful, so the epidemic prevention and health care work for chickens must be done thoroughly. The causes of chicken diseases may be improper feed formulation, excessively high or low temperatures, or trauma, and may also be caused by excessive medication or inhalation of harmful gases. The prevention and management of chicken epidemic diseases should be done well: usually pay more attention to observing the production status of the flock, and keep good records of the flock's feed intake, drinking, feces, and the various states of the chickens; through analysis and organization of the records, discover problems in time and take corresponding measures. For highly harmful epidemic diseases, effective vaccines should be used to carry out preventive inoculation for other flocks according to the development of the disease.
Therefore, in summary, only by mastering scientific and professional chicken-farming techniques can one raise chickens well.