Keeping broilers in cages: rules for growing at home, breeding

When keeping broilers in cages, it is worth taking into account many features. To raise he althy birds, it is worth maintaining optimal temperature and humidity parameters. Lighting is important. This method of keeping birds has certain pros and cons. You should definitely familiarize yourself with them before arranging a room for keeping birds.

Features, pros and cons of cage keeping of broilers

Keeping birds in this way is more profitable compared to floor breeding. This is due to the shorter duration of growth. Chickens don't need much food.

The main advantages of the technique include the following:

1. Space saving. This helps reduce electricity costs as the chicks need additional lighting, heating and ventilation.
2. Reducing feed consumption. This is due to the fact that birds do not scatter or trample on food. Reducing physical activity helps to build mass faster. This is due to the fact that energy is spent on growth, and not on physical activity.
3. Minimum contact with other birds. With this method, only birds placed in neighboring cages can contact. Thanks to this, it is possible to extinguish the foci of infection in a timely manner.
4. Easy to clean. This helps to reduce the likelihood of the spread of infectious pathologies. Chickens don't eat their own droppings or smell the ammonia.
5. Optimization of bird care. This category includes not only feeding the birds, but also performing regular veterinary check-ups.

For large productions, this method is preferred. The key benefit is the rapid increase in body weight. This allows you to reduce fattening by 1 week and significantly increase profits.

The disadvantages of the technique include the following:

• substantial costs for cages and necessary fixtures;
• the need to maintain a special climate in a room with chickens - it is important to ensure the correct temperature parameters, proper ventilation and lighting;
• need to purchase specialized feed for proper nutrition of chickens;
• risk of foot problems with impressive body weight;
• need for constant cleaning of trays;
• deterioration in taste.

When the cages are freed from chickens, disinfection is by all means performed. This helps to avoid the risk of infection in the next batch of birds.

Basic requirements for broiler cages

The cage should be comfortable to use. To save space, it is worth making a special battery for birds. The design is made multi-tiered.

Sizes

Chickens are not kept alone. They must be placed 4-7 individuals in each compartment. Can be kept per 1 sq. meter up to 10 chicks.

A lot of birds are bred on farms. In such a situation, 10-25 individuals are grown in each section. In this case, the cells are arranged in 3-4 tiers.

Accommodation

Cages are placed in a dry and warm room. It is important to ensure that there is no dampness or drafts in it. Electric lamps, heaters or other sources of heat help maintain the right temperature in winter.

In the summer, structures can be taken out into the street and placed under a canopy. In cool weather, the cages are recommended to be returned to the room again. For convenient movement of the structure, it is equipped with wheels.

Feeding

Feeding chickens is recommended quite often. This is especially important in the first days of life. At the age of 1-5 days, the chick should receive 15 grams of dry food. As you grow older, the volume should be increased. At 50-60 days, a broiler should be given 100-120 grams of dry food.

It is recommended to feed chickens 4-5 times a day. When the chicks grow up, they switch to two meals a day. This is done at the age of 1 month.

Heating, lighting and humidity

When breeding broiler chickens in the first 20 days, it is recommended to turn on the lights above the cages around the clock. When the birds grow up a little, at first the light is turned off for half an hour, then for 1 hour. Thus, the duration of daylight hours is reduced to 16 hours.

As the chickens grow, the light intensity should also be changed. For 1 square meter, you should use the following indicators:

• 4 Watt - for chicks up to 10 days old;
• 2 Watt - for 20 days old;
• 1 Watt - for chicks over 20 days old.

When keeping chicks in cage batteries, they are placed on the upper tiers, because it is warmer there. Cells should be heated with electric lamps, which are installed from above. It is also important to monitor the humidity. It should be between 50-70%.

Cage litter

Bedding is a must for growing broilers. Opinions differ on the materials used. However, experts advise using ordinary small sawdust.

Making cells with your own hands

Making a cage at home is not difficult. To do this, you should purchase materials and strictly follow the instructions.

Materials

Choosing consumables is based on the preferences and financial capabilities of the poultry farmer. To make the design more stable and wear-resistant, the materials must be of high quality. It is best to make a supporting structure of wood. Such bars are characterized by high strength and durability. In addition, they are environmentally friendly.

The side walls are made of galvanized mesh. When choosing it, it is worth focusing on high corrosion resistance. This parameter is very important due to the constant contact with bird droppings. Of no small importance is the strength of the cell connection and the parameters of their geometry. With the right choice of netting, it will be possible to avoid damage to the paws of chickens.

To assemble the structure, you will need metal rods. They provide concealed fastening. To make the cage, you will need fewer iron fasteners. This helps reduce the chance of damage to birds.

Steps

To make a cage, it is recommended to follow these steps:

1. Make a frame. For this, metal sheets are used.
2. Make the legs of the required height.
3. Fasten all the fragments with metal slats.
4. From a grid with large holes, make side walls. It is important that chickens can easily reach the feeder and drinker through the cells.
5. Make a litter tray with high sides. Put a plywood sheet on top.
6. Make feeders and drinkers. For this, metal sheets are used. You can buy ready-made fixtures in the store.

Rules of care

When growing chickens in cages, it is important to ensure normal conditions. To do this, you should buy humidity and temperature sensors and carefully monitor their parameters.

The better the conditions, the lower the risk of disease and the faster the weight gain. When raising chickens, you should consider the following rules:

1. Maintain humidity parameters at 60-70%. With a decrease in these parameters, the birds lose weight, feel thirsty, and become disheveled. High humidity makes chickens lethargic and panting.
2. Ventilation is essential. It is required to supply fresh air and cool down the temperature in summer.
3. Use composite lighting. This will help prevent rickets and beriberi. Also, a sufficient amount of light accelerates the growth of birds.
4. Maintain the correct temperature. The older the birds, the more heat they produce. For adults, a temperature of 18-20 degrees is suitable.
5. Clean up the litter in time. The smell of ammonia is harmful to birds, causing diseases. In small chicks, cleaning is carried out every 5-7 days. In adult birds, this should be done every 2-3 days.

Growing stages

Broilers are hybrids of meat breeds. They are characterized by rapid growth and rapid weight gain. When raising birds, you need to quickly achieve maximum weight gain.

Grow broilers for a maximum of 50-70 days. Subsequently, growth decreases and feed costs increase. Chickens should be bought at the age of 10 days. Up to this point, the highest mortality is observed. Feeding birds costs 50-70 days. During this period, they reach 2.3-2.5 kilograms. After that, the chickens are slaughtered.

It is worth considering that part of the livestock is selected for earlier slaughter at 35 days. For this purpose, the largest individuals are used. This frees up space and eliminates food competition.

Cage rearing of broilers is a rather laborious process that has many advantages. To get a good result, it is recommended to properly organize bird care.

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