Broiler Farming

Day old chicks  should be placed in the brooder at a density of  30 chicks per square metre in summer, and 33 chicks per metre during the winter season.  As the chicks grow and develop,  open up the brooding space from seven days. The density should continue to decrease until one achieves 10 birds per square metre  at 5 weeks or at slaughter age.

Order  your day-old chicks from the following registered  day old chicks hatchers and suppliers:

Masvingo chicks,

Hukuru chicks,

Supa chicks,

Henn chicks and 

Hi-bred chicks 

Use your God-given five natural senses to “talk” to the delicate, fluffy, little chicks from the first day.  This helps to make brooding easy and ensures good stockmanship practice.

• hearing: – listen to the birds vocalization, breathing, and respiratory sounds.
• taste:- water and feed quality should be fresh. 
• feel:- crop fill assessment, vent and feather condition, air movement across your skin. is there a draft?. What does the temperature of the house feel like?
• sight:- observe chick or bird distribution in the house. the number of birds feeding or drinking. dusty in the air and litter quality. 
• smell:- keep notice of smells such as ammonia, stuffy air? 

Follow the hatchery broiler vaccination program as a biosecurity management tool to prevent and control disease outbreaks.

FeedMix Three phase broiler feeding regime from day 1 to day 35 

• Choose quality  broiler feed from FeedMix stockfeeds. 
• Give the birds the correct  amounts of feed on a daily basis.    
• Feeding is on ad libitum or free choice basis at  each stage of growth. 
• Proper brooding management of temperature, ventilation, litter, water, lighting, hygiene, and cleaning and disinfection of the drinkers and feeders is essential always.
• Height of the feeders and drinkers should be monitored and adjusted at every week  during the cycle to avoid contamination of feed and water.
• contaminated drinking water and feed cause disease such as coccidiosis.  

Daily production records. 

• batch number.
• mortality rate (day and night).
• average daily gain.
• average feeding rate.
• number of feed bags used.
• Feed Conversion Ratio(FCR).

Weekly production records 

• 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 day cumulative mortality rates and average weekly weight gain. 
• slaughter weights, ,   
• weekly gain,
• PEF etc. 

The commercial broiler business can achieve 6 to 7 cycles per calendar year.

• Remove manure from the poultry house immediately after harvesting broiler birds.
• Dispose off manure 3km away from the poultry house.
• Dry clean the poultry house starting from the roof down to the floor.
• Remove cob webs, dusty particles, caked manure on sills, mesh wire feed and water line. 
• Sweep the manure and all dirty particles from the house. 
• Plug in the hole to keep the chemicals inside.
• Follow manufacturer’s instructions to dilute the chemicals. 
• Use pressurized running water to damp the floors, walls and the roof. 
• Apply the detergent and leave for 30  to 45 minutes before scrubbing. 
• Scrub the house from top to bottom and concentrate more on the floor. 
• Rinse with clean pressurized water until all the dirty is cleaned.  
• Apply the disinfectant and leave-in for at least 2 weeks. 
• Rest the house for a minimum of 14 days before the next batch.
• Clean, wash and disinfect within 3 days.  

• Boundary fence to enclose the poultry house(s).
• Wash rooms for bathing, demarcate dirty and clean areas to avoid contamination.  
• Wheel bath and foot baths on all entry points 
• Hand sanitizers on all entry points. 
• Logbook to record visitors’ history. 
• Protective clothing ( overalls, gumboots, hat, gloves).
• Houses put under lock and key. 
• Manure disposal management.

• Farm gate sales for live birds.
• Dressed birds to maintain a cold chain to the market.
• Hotels.
• Restaurants. 
• Institutions.