Type of placement and stocking density of broiler chickens for floor keeping at home
Floor keeping of poultry is used for its cultivation both in a private backyard and on an industrial scale. The economic efficiency of this technique is lower than that of cells. But she also has significant advantages, thanks to which she is popular. The stocking density of broiler chickens for floor housing depends on whether the house has a fan.
Also, this indicator is influenced by other factors that a novice poultry breeder should familiarize with.
Advantages and disadvantages of floor broiler housing
The floor keeping of broilers has a number of advantages, among which it should be noted:
- chickens grow and develop in conditions that are as close to natural as possible;
- the skeleton and muscles of the bird develop well, the risk of injury is reduced;
- while walking around the corral, chickens find pasture for themselves, which serves as a source of additional nutrition;
- the bird develops high immunity and metabolism is normalized;
- the movements of chickens are not limited, thanks to which they find acceptable places for eating and resting, they are not so tormented by the heat and lack of air;
- reduced cash costs for the purchase of additional equipment and inventory.
Meanwhile, this technology of growing broilers is not without certain disadvantages:
- irrational use of the premises, as a result of which the amount of meat products received from each square meter of the allotted area is reduced;
- maintenance of the premises is almost impossible to mechanize;
- the process of maintaining the necessary sanitary and hygienic conditions becomes more complicated;
- you need to constantly change and dispose of the litter;
- part of the energy from the feed consumed is spent on movement, and not on weight gain.
Method variations
There are several varieties of the method of floor keeping of broilers in a poultry house, which have the peculiarities of feeding, maintaining sanitary and hygienic standards and other necessary parameters of life.
Regular chicken coop without automatic water and feed supply with an attached walk
This method of keeping broilers cannot be used if farms want to receive meat throughout the year. It is used when raising a small number of chickens (up to a hundred individuals) during the warm season.An important requirement in this case is the availability of high quality feed.
Operations for feeding, cleaning the premises, drinking and cleaning in this case are carried out exclusively by hand. The owner will need a certain amount of time to complete such procedures.
Walk-free method with deep bedding
This method of keeping broilers will require the preparation of a chicken coop with a thick layer of bedding made from natural materials. If, along the way, we build an automatic system for distributing food and water, as well as equip a ventilation system, then a large livestock can be accommodated - up to 1000 individuals. The bird can be raised all year round.
Application of mesh floors
The construction of this type of chicken coop provides for a number of activities. At a height of 0.5 m from the floor, stands are installed, on top of which frames are laid and a fine mesh is pulled. The size of the frames is 1.5 x 2 m. On request, pallets can be installed under the net, in which broiler droppings will accumulate. When keeping, there is no contact between the bird and the droppings, which improves sanitary conditions. The collected manure is used as fertilizer or sold for additional profit.
How to organize a floor system at home
The most efficient and reliable method of keeping broilers on an industrial scale and in private households is the floor system. Organizing it yourself will not be difficult.
Training
Before settling broilers in a chicken coop, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work, which consists in:
- cleaning the room;
- washing floors and walls;
- treatment with disinfectants;
- whitewashing with slaked lime.
You also need to take care of maintaining a comfortable temperature regime in the room. In winter, the room must be warmed up, and thoroughly ventilated in summer.
Immediately before the broilers move in, feeders, drinkers are installed, and lighting is organized.
Litter
The correct laying and selection of bedding ensures warmth and comfort in the chicken coop. It is made exclusively from natural materials:
- straw;
- sunflower seed husk;
- sawdust;
- hay.
You can mix several types of bedding. Its thickness may vary depending on the season. In summer, 8-9 cm is enough, and in winter up to 20 cm of material is laid. High-quality litter remains dry and loose all the time, its thickness is no more than 35 cm.
Equipment
First of all, lighting and ventilation devices are installed in the chicken coop. For ease of maintenance, the lamps are hung just above the person's head. Due to the installation of windows, money is saved on lighting, they will also serve as a source of additional ventilation. Broilers feel more comfortable in these conditions. At the same time, from the inside, the windows are covered with a metal mesh to prevent the flight of a bird or the entry of wild animals into it.
To prevent water from spilling out and wetting the litter, you should install vacuum or trough drinking bowls with special trays. The type of feeder installed depends on the type of feed that you plan to feed the broilers with. When using mash, preference is given to shallow plastic or metal trays.
For broiler rearing, it is useful to acquire devices such as a hygrometer and thermometer to be able to control the level of temperature and humidity in the air.
Walking
Not far from the chicken coop, a site will be equipped where broilers will be daily walked. The fence is built from a chain-link mesh with a mesh size of no more than 1.5 cm. It is also necessary to build canopies under which the bird will hide from the sun. Drinkers and feeders are placed around the perimeter of the pen.Equipped ash baths prevent the appearance of parasites and diseases in broilers.
Type of placement and stocking density of broilers
Experts recommend placing 40 birds on each square meter of the area. This stocking density is considered the most effective. Optimum density without installing additional ventilation means - 15 individuals per 1 m2, and with ventilation - 25 broilers per 1 m2.
In households that raise broilers for meat, they use the type of planting without a partition, which allows placing the maximum possible number of chickens in the allotted area. At poultry farms, the area is divided into separate sections, and a central passage between them is organized.
