2 October 2017 14:35
Broiler production uses hybrid day-old chicks with a live weight of 38–40 g. Chicks should be covered in glossy down lying close to the body, with a supple, soft, tucked-up abdomen and a healed navel. Broiler chicks are kept in a dry, warm, draft-free room with a waterproof floor sprinkled with hydrated lime. Broilers are kept on dry litter (sawdust, wood shavings, sunflower hulls or dry peat), 15–20 cm deep in winter and 5–10 cm in summer. The room air temperature is maintained by a specially installed electric heater, with a brooder guard placed around it at a distance of 50–60 cm to prevent chicks from spreading throughout the room. At 9–10 days of age, the guard around the heater is removed, increasing the available area. Allow 12–15 chicks per 1 m² of floor space. At 4 weeks of age, supplementary heating is switched on. Lighting should be provided around the clock at 1 W per 1 m² of floor space. Feeders must always contain feed. Broiler chicks are fed as much as possible while avoiding overfeeding. Clean water at 18–20 °C must always be available in the drinker. With properly organized feeding and housing, a broiler chick reaches a live weight of 1200–1700 g in 60–70 days. This rapid growth makes it possible to rear 3–4 batches of chicks in the same premises during the warm part of the year (March–October).