Rules for a successful broiler farming

I know you want your broiler farming to succeed. Efficient broiler farming in Nigeria, however, is only achievable if you follow other inevitable laws. Every business has rules and broiler farming is no exception.

I’m not going to waste your time in this article before sharing some rules which successful broiler farmers always obey. Did you read that correctly? I mean, if you’re going to have to succeed as a broiler farmer, you need to follow those rules.

• Feed your broilers well

All who have been doing broiler farming for some time in Nigeria would agree with me when I say broilers are egg machines.

Such genetically engineered chickens have the trait of being hardwired to develop very quickly and reach market weight as early as 6 weeks. In fact, if you’ve been doing broiler farming for a while, you can almost notice the difference in size and weight within 12 hours. That is, you’ll see they have grown when you leave them in the morning and come back in the evening. That’s what they are again-meat-making devices.

They must not be starving to get the best out of your broiler chickens and help them improve their growth potential. One research suggests that when broilers starve for up to 6 hours, they tend to ‘eat up themselves’ that is break down body fat.

Give as much feed as your birds can consume. It’s what they’re turning into meat, after all. But their feeding is covered by a clause, and that is discussed in the next item.

• Broilers don’t like Heat

You and I may have ways to escape from the impact of extreme heat, but when you expose them to unnecessary heat, there’s almost nothing broilers can do. That is why consideration of the heat factor is important when considering the type of housing to be used. You have to do everything you can to keep them always cool. This includes a high roof, ample space, cool water, and eating less during hot days.

If you see them panting during hot days, it is best not to feed your broilers for the meal. Giving them food just adds to the heat stress that is killing them already.

• Do Less Brooding in Broiler Farming

If you plan to brood for four weeks then you don’t plan broilers. Maybe the layers and the cockerels. Due to the mechanical action of eating and the cycle of feeding metabolism, broilers generate a lot of heat which makes supplementary heat almost unnecessary. Except in cold regions and on cold days, even in their first week, broilers don’t require additional heat during a sunny day.

If you keep giving your broilers additional heat, you can begin to notice sudden death from the third week. Remember broilers do not like heat.

• With your vaccine schedule, you can’t be rigid

Though broiler chickens typically come with a hatchery vaccination schedule; typically you get the schedule when buying in large quantities and directly from the hatchery, broiler farming is one of the businesses that need flexibility, and you can’t afford to be rigid.

Broiler vaccination schedule should serve as a broiler farmer’s guide. It’s meant to show him when to vaccinate and which vaccine he’s going to be using per time.

It is important to note, though, that if administered unwisely, vaccinations can be deadly.

You’re not vaccinating sick birds, it is said, but some farmers seem to forget that fact. They rush to meet the timetable for their vaccination. You might want your broilers vaccinated on day 21, for example. If, on day 20, you notice coccidia among the flock, though, you have to wait. Do not vaccinate the birds until you have coccidiosis treatment with them. Keep in mind-Vaccines will only work for you if your chickens are healthy.

• Plan according to your target weight

Some people begin broiler farming in Nigeria without having a proper plan about the birds’ target weight and the length of time it takes to reach the weight. Usually raising broilers longer than the necessary time would lead to a loss on the farmer’s part.

If you target festive periods such as Easter and Christmas, do not start earlier than needed. Depending on your feed formula, you should work towards achieving a weight of around 2.5-3.5 kg within 6-9 weeks. Putting your hands on an outstanding recipe for the feed will help you gain an impressive weight in a short time.

Holding your birds until 12 weeks is a waste of time and money. Evite this, if possible.

Conclusion

Broiler farming in Nigeria is a very lucrative business if you do it as you should, and in order to succeed as a broiler farmer, you must obey the rules mentioned above. I wish you a wonderful experience in agriculture.