Broilers can be grown on any garden plot that has a small utility room. It is unlikely that you will be able to earn a lot of money on growing this breed of chickens, but it is quite possible to provide yourself and your family with healthy, dietary meat.
Why broilers?
In order to raise two to three dozen broiler chickens, it is enough to have a utility room of 4-5 m² in size. For growing in winter, such a room should be insulated using, for example, mineral wool. In summer, the corral does not need additional insulation.
For raising laying hens, in addition to a corral, it is necessary to equip a place for their daily walks, in the case of broilers, additional walking is not necessary, moreover, it is not recommended. The main rule of the poultry farmer is something like this: the less the broiler moves, the faster it grows.
With high-quality and intensive nutrition, the broiler grows really quickly and already at the age of 2 months gains 3-4 kg of weight. For comparison, a laying hen at the same age weighs only 500-600 g. Regarding food costs, the broiler also benefits, since this wonderful bird requires 3-4 kg of feed per 1 kg of weight gain, while a chicken of a different breed needs 8 kg. 9 kg.
Growing features
For growing at any time of the year, poultry is usually purchased at one day old, but slightly grown chickens can also be bought. The first two weeks of life are the most important for broilers, so they need special care during this period.
Small chickens are very afraid of the cold, so they should be kept in a warm place using a cardboard box. You can heat babies with an ordinary lamp, hanging it at a distance of 25-30 cm from the box. Chickens should receive warmth around the clock.
At a very early age, broilers should be fed with crushed eggs or cottage cheese, but you can use ready-made feed - the so-called compound feed for chickens. Care should also be taken to ensure that the bird always has access to clean and fresh water.
In order to protect the livestock from possible diseases, in particular diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, at the age of 3 weeks, chickens should be watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After 3-4 weeks, this procedure must be repeated.
It is desirable to feed the grown broilers with ready-made feed. Three to four weeks before slaughter (age 2 months), crushed corn grain should be introduced into the feed, gradually increasing its dosage. A couple of weeks before slaughter, you can completely abandon compound feed and transfer the chickens to natural grain. It has been noticed that the carcass of a broiler that ate corn has a rich and appetizing yellowish tint.
