What Are the Prospects for Free-Range Chicken Farming? 2017 Market Analysis
Free-range chicken is also called native chicken, stupid chicken, etc. It differs from caged broiler chickens, and among them the "hillside free-range native chicken" is the best. It is a traditional livestock breed in our country. A few years ago, due to weaknesses of the native chicken itself, such as slow growth, small size, and low egg production, it was gradually replaced by superior foreign breeds, and the number raised dropped greatly. But in recent years, with changes in people's consumption level and consumption concepts, the consumption of native chicken has gradually increased, and it has become a new hot spot in rural farming. Below, let us take a look at the prospects for native chicken farming in 2017.
Market Prospects for Native Chicken
Authentic native chicken sells very well on the market. Because broiler chickens lack exercise during the farming process, their meat is soft, and during feeding, antibiotics, hormones, and other drugs are added to the feed, so chicken products contain drug residues, and people who eat them are contaminated by drug residues. With changes in people's consumption concepts and tastes, the consumption of broiler chicken will gradually decrease. Native chicken, however, is mainly raised in a free-range way during the farming process, feeding on various grains in the natural environment, with a large amount of exercise, no pollution, tender meat, good taste, and rich nutrition. It is deeply welcomed by people, and the product is in short supply on the market.
Native Chicken Farming Costs
The cost of raising native chicken is very low. One native chicken needs only about 4 yuan in costs per year. The main reasons are, first, low investment in chicks. When rural farmers buy chicks, they mainly use the credit method. In spring they "buy on credit" the chicks, and pay when the native chickens are fully grown in autumn, and each chick costs only about 1.5 yuan. The investment in chicks is small, and every household can raise them. Second, low feed consumption. Chickens are mostly raised in a free-range way, and in spring, summer, and autumn the flock mainly forages for insects and grass seeds in fields and mountain forests, commonly called "foraging wild" in rural areas. Farmers only need to feed a small amount of concentrated feed in the evening. Compared with raising broiler chickens, this can save more than 2/3 of the feed, greatly reducing feeding costs.
Native Chicken Farming Profits
Income from native chicken is fairly considerable. At present, the market price of native chicken is 14 yuan/kg, and 1 chicken can bring in 18 yuan in income. After deducting costs, one chicken yields a net profit of 14 yuan. If a farmer raises 200 chickens a year, without affecting other production, they can obtain a net income of 2,800 yuan. At the same time, because native chicken eggs are rich in nutrition, taste good, and are pollution-free, they are also very popular. They sell for 1 yuan each on the market, and calculating at 150 eggs per chicken per year, this can bring in another 150 yuan.
Note: In the process of raising native chicken, attention should be paid to the prevention and treatment of chicken diseases, especially the prevention of Newcastle disease. Newcastle disease is a highly virulent infectious disease that seriously harms chicken flocks, commonly called "chicken plague" in rural areas. After native chickens are infected, they often die without any obvious symptoms, with a mortality rate of more than 90%. Prevention is the only way to control Newcastle disease. Generally, at 7 days of age, use Newcastle disease strain II vaccine for eye dropping and nasal dropping, at 28-30 days of age inject strain I vaccine intramuscularly, and afterward inject strain I vaccine intramuscularly once every six months. This can significantly reduce the incidence of Newcastle disease, reduce losses, and improve farming benefits.