The wish of every broiler farmer is to attain the expected weight of their broiler chickens in a very short time, despite that broiler chickens are bred to grow fast, some factors may hider this process. Example of such factors includes bad breed, poor nutrient, and welfare, diseases, etc. Therefore, to make your broiler chickens grow faster you have to prevent these negative factors, and with an enabling environment

Broiler Cock

By the end of this post, you should be able to grow your broiler to attain 2.5kg at week 5 (35 days) at minimum, surprised! There is no voodoo nor any synthetic booster that you will need to apply. All steps are simple, practical, and natural. I promise you, if you put these 8 steps into use, you will be left with a dropped jaw. The result will amaze you. The only problem you have with this method is that people will start asking you how you did it.

One of the advantages of your broiler growing fast is that you will market and sell your broilers faster with more profit at 5 to 6 weeks, especially to eateries and hotels. 

Now, let us look at the 8 ways you could make your broiler grow faster

1. Select the Right Breed from a Reputable Hatchery

Selecting the right breed of broiler will depend on what you want. However, we have several breeds of broiler all over the world but they are few that have to stand out. Here in Nigeria, we have 6 common breeds of broiler chickens. Each with its unique features. 

Let see the 6 best breeds of broiler chickens in Nigeria

Cornish Cross Broilers:

 If you need a fast-growing broiler, go for Cornish Cross Broiler ( also known as “Cornish Rock”). It takes about 6 to 8 weeks to attain marketable size.

 

 

• Grinphield Marshall

   

These breeds of broilers are big and tall. It takes approximately 6-8 weeks to attain “table size”

• Moyer’s K-22 ( also called Red Broilers)

It is less fatty and has a unique fragrant with an excellent texture. Although it takes a bit longer to attain ‘table size’.

• Red Broilers

This breed also takes a bit longer to grow. However, the primary advantage of these breeds is their strong resistance to diseases, which makes them suitable for free-range.

• Roaster Chicks

   ( also called Moyer’s Broiler or Cornish). These broiler chickens attain a weight of over 2kg by 6 weeks of age. They have a good skin texture with tender meat.

• Rosambro Broilers.

 

These broiler chickens belong to a medium-grow type. Nevertheless, they grow a bit faster than the red broilers. The special taste also characterizes their meat.

It is important to note that not all hatcheries are trustworthy, thus, in purchasing your desired breed ensure you do a proper background check on the intended hatchery before securing your broiler chickens. If you get a bad breed, all other efforts will be in vain, and your broiler chickens will not grow fast as expected.

Also, read:  Cost For Rearing 100 Broilers In Nigeria with The Profit Amount

 

2.Take advantage of the First 7 days

The first 7 days of a chick's life are very critical. Research has shown that  80% of its energy is focused on growth while 20% on maintenance. What this means that if you give your chick an adequate amount of feed in a favorable environment the feed conversion ratio will be very high. We can see a day-old chick triple in size within a week.

However, the reverse is the case as the chick ages. That is why it not advisable to keep your broiler chicken beyond 8 weeks because at that stage the rate of feed conversion will be very low. And as such, the farmer will incur lost

3: Avoid starving your bird and feed ad-libitum

It amazes me when I visit some poultry farm and find little or no feed on the finders, and when I ask why? He or she will tell me that (s)he is managing the feed, that no amount of feed will be enough for them-that is pure starving to broiler. My dear, broilers are bred to feed and grow very fast, that is what they are made for, to produce heavy meat within a short time, this gave rise to the term "feed ad-libitum".

Feed round the clock for optimal growth

The word ad-libitum simply means giving broilers feed round the clock and allowing them to eat as much as they can. You can only achieve this if you have constant dim light at night for your chickens for them to get an appreciable weight within a short time.

Also, read:  10 ways to sell and market your broiler chickens fast that are proven to work

 4. Maintain your chicken coop/pen

It may seem like the obvious thing to do, but yet the most neglected. Maintaining the coop include providing fresh clean water daily. Make sure the water source is kept in a cool place. Provide a safe coop with adequate lighting for them to feed properly if you want them to grow fast.

Also, conduct a periodic check on your coop for any signs of damage or any loose areas of the fencing; this will help protect your flock from predators.

Provide enough space in your pen as your chickens grow. Check for cracks where red mite can hide. The mite causes stress to chickens. A stressed chicken is prone to diseases and will not grow effectively.

Also read:  Alternative Poultry Feed Ingredients: A Solution to high feed Prices?

5.Use Natural Growth Promoters

 Since the ban of antibiotics, there has been an increase in natural growth promoters in poultry farming, and more research is still ongoing. Such natural growth promoters include garlic, cayenne pepper, bitter kola, ginger, etc. These natural herbs will not only boost the growth of your broiler chickens but will also serve as natural antibiotics against diseases.

To learn how to use these natural growth promoters, including the quantity to add to your poultry feed click here

6. Invest in Quality Feed

The issue of quality food cannot be over-emphasized. It is the second limiting step after breed selection. Secure your feed from a reputable feed manufacturer. Consider adding calcium and mineral-rich additives such as oyster shell grit to your feed for an extra treat. You can never be too sure of the feed quality you are buying, especially now feed ingredients are extremely costly.

They might cut corners to stay in business. So, to ensure your chickens get quality feed continuously, you can formulate your feed or supplement the commercial ones if you notice poor growth. I normally supplement my feed with corn, soybeans, PKC, and Blood meal at week 4 if I notice the commercial feed is not giving me what I want, and this works like magic within a week

Also, store your feed in a cool dry place. Avoid feed contamination by preventing rodent invasion. Avoid hot spots in your silos, it will cause mold growth which may lead to fungi infection.

Also read: 6 Effective Herbs Used in Poultry in Nigeria 

7 Sort the broiler chicken according to body size and weight

  Naturally, all fingers are not equal. As chicks grow you will begin to notice some differences in size, behavior, and sex. Some will be bigger, the male will develop comb and look taller than the female, and in general, some will be small. 

Here, you have to sort the flock based on their size, this is to achieve uniformity in growth among birds, which customers mostly crave for. Keep the smaller chickens in a separate pen and give them more feed with plenty of water. A bullied chicken will always stay on a perch during feeding to avoid being peck on by the bigger ones. So, ensure you are observant of this behavior

8.Keep  Your Broiler Chickens  Healthy

This is an obvious one but is worth repeating. Besides, sick broiler chickens hardly grow fast, and if they do not grow well, they will not attain their full growth potentials. Unhealthy birds do not eat as much as healthy ones, and what they eat usually goes to fighting off the disease.

In contrast, healthy broiler chickens, especially those with a healthy digestive system, will utilize nutrients and grow faster.

In essence, make sure you keep your broiler chicken healthy and put biosecurity measures into practice always.

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