Specific measures for the good benefits of three-stage rearing of broiler chickens

    At present, free feeding and around-the-clock lighting are the rearing methods commonly used for broiler chickens. Although the feed supplied is divided into stages, feeding is not restricted, and attention is not paid to exercise and conditioning, which leads to broiler chickens in the middle and late growth stages being prone to various metabolic diseases such as ascites, sudden death syndrome, and leg disorders. To prevent disease, poultry farmers continuously add drugs to the feed, resulting in drug residues in the chickens' bodies, while also increasing rearing costs and reducing benefits. If broiler chickens are divided into three stages according to their physiological characteristics and reared differently at each stage, the results are good.

Chickens

    1. Division into three stages:

    According to the physiological characteristics of broiler chickens, newly hatched chicks have short and sparse down and a slightly low body temperature. After 4 days of age, body temperature rises, and by 10 days of age it reaches the body temperature of an adult chicken. Chicks have a small gastrointestinal volume and poor digestive capacity, but they grow quickly. Based on these physiological characteristics and growth patterns, the broiler chicken growth period can be divided into three stages: the first stage, 0-14 days of age; the second stage, 15-35 days of age; the third stage, 36 days of age to marketing.

    2. Key rearing points for each stage:

    In the first stage, chicks have just been transferred from the hatchery to the brooding room, and some broiler chickens have also undergone storage or long-distance transport, enduring the stimulation of hunger, thirst, and jolting, and are in a new environment. The key point of this stage is to let the chicks adapt to the new environment as quickly as possible, reduce stress, lower the incidence of disease, and increase growth speed. This is because the 7-day-old body weight of broiler chickens is positively correlated with marketing body weight.

    In the second stage, the chicks have basically adapted to the new environment and entered the growth period. The key point of this stage is to improve the physique of the flock, promote the formation of the chickens' body structure, promote the development of internal organs and strong, powerful legs, so that they grow quickly and develop fewer diseases in the later stage.

    In the third stage, the body structure of the broiler chickens has already formed, and their physique is strong and their metabolism is vigorous. At this time, the growth speed of broiler chickens is the fastest, and all methods should be adopted to promote feed intake and digestion and absorption in broiler chickens, reduce movement, lower physical energy consumption, and maximize feed conversion rate.

    3. Measures for each stage:

    In the first stage, for the first few days, provide high-quality drinking water such as 5% glucose + multivitamins (if necessary, add preventive drugs), and supply a complete-price feed that is small in volume and easy to digest. Use small pellet feed, feed less but more frequently, and the amount of feed occupying 1/2 or 1/3 of the trough is best. When providing light, on the first day, provide 24-hour lighting, with a light intensity of 4 watts per square meter, then gradually reduce the lighting time to transition to natural lighting.

Broiler chickens

    In the second stage, according to the growth condition of the broiler chickens, increase the feed volume and reduce the energy and protein concentration in the feed, generally by about 10%, but the vitamins, trace elements, and minerals in the feed should be supplied according to the standard or slightly above the standard. Feeding method: feed at fixed times 3 times a day. In terms of management, pay attention to exercise, such as gently driving the broiler chickens with a bamboo pole at night to increase activity and achieve the purpose of exercise. Light intensity can be appropriately increased, which is beneficial for exercise and reducing disease.

    In the third stage, use high-quality fattening feed with complete nutrition, high energy, and a suitable protein-energy ratio. When mixing the feed, attention should be paid to: ① diversifying raw materials and keeping fiber low; ② adding 3-5% animal and vegetable oils and fats; ③ using pellet feed as much as possible. The number of feedings should be increased from the original 3 times a day to 5 times, or use free feeding, keeping the trough continuously supplied with feed to satisfy the feed intake of the broiler chickens. In terms of management, under the premise of not affecting the health of the flock, reduce movement, and combine with low light intensity and long lighting time. Adjust the rearing density in a timely manner. If the density is too high, it affects feed intake and rest, causing uneven development of broiler chickens, and the air is foul, humidity is too high, environmental sanitation deteriorates, and the fattening effect is poor. Under normal circumstances, the rearing density is: 12-15 birds per square meter in winter, and 8-10 birds per square meter in summer. At the same time, attention should be paid to keeping the chicken house ventilated, with a temperature of about 18°C and a relative humidity of 55% as suitable.