Healthy Chicks, Nutritious Feeds…
BROILER MANAGEMENT GUIDE
The objective of broiler management is to achieve heavy birds with uniform weights. The first two
weeks in a broiler’s life are critical and require attention.
CHICK MANAGEMENT BEFORE BIRDS ARRIVE.
●Houses, surrounding areas and all equipment should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before
arrival.
●Litter should be evenly spread to a depth of 8-10cm.Uneven litter can restrict access to feed and
water.
●Heat the brooder one hour before chicks arrive.
●For the best results, chicks should be delivered to the farm as soon as possible, and fed immediately.
Chicks should NEVER be transported in the boot of a car. They should be placed on a car seat, with
adequate ventilation.
●Spacing should be 10 birds per meter squared(10/m2).Avoid over crowding of birds.
CHICK MANAGEMENT UPON ARRIVAL.
●Chicks should be removed from the box immediately. The longer they remain in boxes, the greater the
potential for dehydration. This will result in mortality and reduced growth.
●For the first seven days, provide 23 hours of light to help the chicks to adapt to their new environment
and encourage feeding.
●Give the birds feed and water immediately after they arrive at the farm,and add vitamins to the water
immediately.
●Arrange drinkers and feeders to enable the chicks to reach the feed and water easily.
Temperature
Buy a thermometer,and place it at the height of the chicks away from the heat source.
Record daily temperatures.Normal chick temperature should be between 40-41 oC.A simple way of
determining the chick temperature is by placing the feet of the chick against your cheek or neck. The
chicks feet should feel warm, if the chicks feet are cold,increase the temperatures in the brooder.
The brooder temperatures are very important and should always be closely monitored. (Refer to chart
below)
Healthy Chicks, Nutritious Feeds…
Chick behaviour is the best indicator of correct brooding temperature. How are the chicks spread out in
the brooding area?
Lighting Programme
AGE(DAYS)
0-7
Chicks between 100-160g
22
23
24
5 Days before Slaughter/Sale
4 Days before Slaughter/Sale
3 Days before Slaughter/Sale
2 Days before Slaughter/Sale
1 Days before Slaughter/Sale
HOURS(DARK)
0
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Always weigh birds at 7,14,21,28& 35 Days.
Water
A big change in water consumption should always be investigated because it could indicate a water
leak,feed issue or disease.A drop in water consumption is always the first indicator of a flock
problem.Always maintain 4 drinkers per 100 birds,and ensure that the water is always cool and clean
and available for 24 hours a day.Inadequate water supply will result in reduced growth rate
Feeds
Feed should be placed on a clean egg trays, sack, or news paper for first 7 days so that it can be found
easily. Gradually introduce them to feeders.Ratio should be 4 Trays per 100 chicks.These should cover
50% of the brooding area.For regular feeders should be 3 feeders per 100 birds.Feed should be kept in a
place free of water, sunlight and rodents/rats.Wet or moldy feed should never be fed to birds. Check a
sample of birds 8 hours after arrival, and repeat after 24 hours to see that the birds have fed well. Check
a sample of about 30-40 birds in different parts of the poultry house. Feel the crop gently. In chicks that
have fed well, the crop will be full, soft and rounded. After 8 hours of delivery, 80% should have full
crops at 24 hours after delivery 95-100% should have full crops.
FEEDS.
CHICK STARTER
Healthy Chicks, Nutritious Feeds…
●Give 0.5 kg per bird of crumbles/pellets for 2 weeks.
GROWER
●Give 1.5 kg per bird of grower pellets for 2 weeks.
FINISHER
●Give 1.5kg per bird of finisher pellets for last 2 week. However, most birds fed on pellets are depleted
at 5 weeks.
BROILER FEED USAGE GUIDE.
50
70
Chicks Chicks
80
Chicks
100
Chicks
200
Chicks
400
Chicks
500
Chicks
1000
Chicks
Chick
25 kgs 35kgs
40
50kgs
100kgs 200kgs 250kgs 500kgs
Starter.)0.5kgs/chick
kegs
14 days or 2 weeks
Grower 1.5kg/Bird
75kgs 105kgs 120kgs 150kgs 300kgs 600kgs 750kgs 1,500kgs
for 14 days or 2
weeks
Finisher 1.5kgs/Bird 75kgs 105kgs 120kgs 150kgs 300kgs 600kgs 750kgs 1,500kgs
for 14 days
Please note that the above computations are subject to change for finisher. The usage will be less for
finisher if birds are off layed at 5 weeks.
BENEFITS OF PELLETS COMPARED TO MASH
PELLETS
You need 3.5kgs to grow a bird from day old to
depletion.
There isn’t any feed wastage. When a pellet falls
on the floor, it is still eaten.
Birds sell in 5 weeks with uniform weights.
Each chicken consumes all the required nutrients
in one pellet. This explains why all the birds are
sold at once weighing uniformly.
MASH
You need 7-8kg to grow a bird from day old to
depletion.
There is feed wastage. When mash falls on the
floor, it mixes in litter and hence wasted.
Birds sell in 7-8 weeks with no uniformity.
Each Bird doesn’t consume all the required
nutrients because mash isn’t evenly mixed. This
explains why birds are not sold at the same time.
Healthy Chicks, Nutritious Feeds…
Each bird usually weighs differently.
COSTING FOR 100 DAY OLD BROILERS FEEDING ON PELLETS COMPARED TO MASH.
BIRDS FED ON PELLETS
Starter: Each kg is 2,000/=,&Each bird consumes
0.5kgs for 2 weeks,times 100 Birds=50kgs*2,000/=
gives you 100,000/=
BIRDS FED ON MASH
It takes 8 bags of 70kgs to feed 100 birds from day
old to depletion when maize prices are low.Each
kg of feeding is usually 1,200/= per kg.
Grower:Each kg is 1,850/=,& Each bird consumes
1.5kgs for 2 weeks, times 100 Birds=
150kgs*1,850/=gives you 277,500/=
GOOD TIMES: 8Bags*70kgs= 560kgs*1,200/= gives
you 672,000/=
Finisher:Each kg is 1,750/=& Each bird consumes
1.5kgs for 2 weeks times 100 birds=
150kgs*1,750/= gives you 262,500/=
The total Expenditure onfeeds is640,000/=
In times when maize is high, feed is usually poor
quality and it requires 9 bags to feed those same
100 birds.
BAD TIMES: 9 bags*70kgs= 630kgs*1,200/= gives
you 756,000/=
There is a saving of between 32,000/= to
116,000/= for every 100 birds by using pellets.
VACCINATION PROGRAM
AGE
1 DAY
1 week
11 DAYS
16-18 DAYS
DISEASE VACCINATED
New castle disease
New castle disease
Gumboro disease
Coccidiosis.
19 Days
25 DAYS
New castle, Infectious Bronchitis
Combined& Gumboro.
Coccidiosis
28 Days
New Castle disease
METHOD OF ADMINISTRATION
Already vaccinated
Drop in eyes/ Mix in Water
Drop in eyes or nose
Give Amprolium in Water for 3
days.
Drop in eyes.
Give Amprolium in Water for 3
days
Drop in eyes/Mix in Water
 On vaccination day, tap water should be mixed with skimmed milk. Mix 50mls of skimmed milk
to 1 liter of Water.If using powdered skim milk, mix 2.5g (2 tea spoons) per liter of water. Don’t
use full fat milk or semi skimmed milk. (Skim milk is sold in supermarkets).
 Water vaccinations should be drank within 1-2 hours of administration/mixing. Turn off the
water source for one hour before administering the vaccine.
 Come with a flask with ice.
 A day for collection of vaccines is as follows; Monday and Thursdays at 09:30 am.-02:00pm.
Healthy Chicks, Nutritious Feeds…
 Tuesday and Friday at 08;30am.-02:00pm
 De-worm at 16 Days.
 Keep the chicken house clean