6 smart tips to increase the body weight of your broiler chicken

Posted by: Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years, 5 months ago/ (51 comments)

So, recently people have been asking questions like how to make broiler grow faster, how to increase broiler weight, how to make a homemade broiler booster, etc, Obviously, the reason for all these questions is because the season of Christmas is approaching, and people want to impress their customers or for personal admiration. However, whatever the reason may be, you deserve to get the best out of your investment. Worry no more, you just got lucky.

Also read: Layer vs. Broiler: Which One Should You Choose?

So, in this post, I am going to share with you 6 smart ways to increase the body weight of your broiler chicken for optimal profitability. 

I pledge to you, if you follow these 6 smart tips diligently, your broiler will attain that desired weight every customer craves for in their farms.

How to increase broiler weight 

Here, are the 6 smart tips that will teach how to increase broiler weight that will give you colleagues a dropped jaw.

Tip 1- Take advantage of the 7-day weight

This is the most crucial of all the 6 tips

You may, or may not have heard about the concept ‘ 7-day weight’. So, let us see what Dr. Annsofie Wahlstrom (a Nutritionist Cobb-Europe Ltd) have to say,

To get the full potential out of broiler chickens the target weight at 7 days of age must be reached. As work with the Cobb500 broiler has shown, brooding is a vital period for good overall results. Achieving good 7-day live weight will improve performance parameters such as final live weight and feed conversion as well as maintain low overall mortality.

 The most reviling thing about this is that during the first 7 days 80% of the energy is used for growth and only 20% for maintenance, indicating the importance of this period in the chicken's life.

The broiler chickens can also add a live weight of 4.25 times at the 7-day, which is according to the management guides is approximately 40g – 180g. That is a whole lot of weight to achieve within a short time.

And from the data gathered, showed that good 7-day weight is positively correlated with high final body weight. That is if you provide the necessary conditions to achieve this 7-day weight, definitely the final body weight will be high as well.

Proper feeding with plenty of water is needed to achieve the 7-day weight

Let me restate the main point here, a whole 80% of energy is used for growth for the first 7 days of life, did that sink into your head? The reverse is the case as broiler chickens age.

This is why it is not advisable to keep broilers beyond 7 weeks because at this stage much of the energy is used for maintenance and not growth.

So, what must I do to achieve this 7-day weight? The same simple thing you have been doing, just that you have to do it diligently right, they are;

  • For the first weeks, feed baby chicks a starter feed with 23 % protein. At 4 to 8 weeks, feed a grower feed with 19 percent protein.

  • Keep feeders full at all times when starting baby chicks (you can sprinkle some on the paper beddings for easy access), until they learn to eat.

  • They must have plenty of fresh water every day. During very hot weather you can add an ice block to cool their body temperature.

          Plenty of water is very necessary if you what your broiler chickens to grow fast and have weight. If baby chicks cannot find their water,            gently place their beaks in the water.

 Also read:  9 Best Poultry feeds in Nigeria With their Prices for Optimal Birds' Growth

Tip-2: Sort the broiler chicken according to body size and weight

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

 

Sorting chickens will give room for uniformity growth

Here, you have to sort the flock based on their size and weight, 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 plenty of feed and water.

A bullied chicken will always stay on a perch alone during feeding to avoid being picked on by the bigger ones. It can only manage to feed with fear when the bigger ones are eating, So, ensure you are observant of this behavior.

Also, read  8 Things I wish I’d known About Poultry farming. Don't neglect No 7

Tip-3: Formulate and feed your broiler chickens with a fattening ration

Cracked whole grains can do magic to broilers weight

You can also increase the weight and sizes of your broiler chicken by formulating a special feed ration know as a fattening ration. This fattening ration is just a supplement containing cracked corn, whole wheat soy, and groundnut cake or soybeans.

These items will help pack on the weight. This is a common way to increase broiler weight. But don’t overdo this, or else your broiler will have poor welfare and overweight issues.

Also read: 8 Best poultry feeds in Nigeria with their prices for optimal birds' growth  

Tip-4: Use broiler growth booster or promoter

Use organic booster for heavy breast meat

Growth booster is not what I fancy, and most of them are mostly synthetic and can be harmful to chickens' and humans health.

However, if you must use it, make sure you seek the advice of your veterinarian, or rather make use of an organic broiler growth booster.

You can as well get a recipe for your homemade broiler booster and prepare it, it is safer if you know what you are giving your broiler chicken.

Tip-5Avoid 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 the 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 8 mistakes you must avoid if you want to succeed in poultry farming

Tip-6: Source your broiler chicks from a reputable hatchery

Sourcing your broiler chicks from a reputable hatchery comes with a lot of advantages.

Chicks from a reputable hatchery will do well when every other condition is kept, and they are free from vertical diseases. But when the chicks are from a poor hatchery, there will be a lot of problems that are beyond your control.

Source your day-old chicks from a reputable hatchery

For example, If the stock parents do not possess the necessary traits for fast growth /height, definitely you don’t expect your chicks to grow fast and tall, no matter how much feed you give to them.

Some dishonest hatchery might even mix your broilers with a cockerel, you can only find out after some weeks.

So, you must do your background research before sourcing for your broiler-day-old chicks. Ask other poultry farmers or vendors where they source their broiler chicks- It is always helpful by asking.

Watch the video here

If you find this post helpful, comment and share

 

Comments

Odame Anti Abednego 3 years, 5 months ago

Very informative.
I love every point you gave and thank you very much.

I was disappointed when you didn't give any example of the growth booster you mentioned

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years, 5 months ago

I am glad you find it helpful. Although, I don't fancy artificial growth booster, but i have included a link on homemade broiler booster.

Link | Reply

Adeshina Yakub 3 years, 5 months ago

Well done for your informative write_up. It is really very helpful. Kindly give guide on organic booster. Hope it doesn't adverse effects on human being. I will want to know about home made boosters. Thanks very much.

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years, 5 months ago

Thanks yakub. With regards to organic booster, I will do that soon.

Link | Reply

Cookey Jones Tumini-ala 3 years, 5 months ago

You are very correct and a good job well done. very informative

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years, 5 months ago

Thanks!

Link | Reply

Golden 3 years, 5 months ago

Tank u boss

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years, 5 months ago

You are welcome

Link | Reply

BRÁS DOMINGOS 3 years, 5 months ago

From ANGOLA;

Liked all details on your explanation.
Wishing to learn more from You.

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years, 5 months ago

I'm glad you like. You can subscribe to my newsletter for more quality contents.

Link | Reply

Bankole Oloye 3 years, 5 months ago

Thanks a so much for this piece

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years, 5 months ago

You are welcome Bankole

Link | Reply

Comment awaiting approval 3 years, 5 months ago

Comment awaiting approval 3 years, 5 months ago

Cordray Ngosa 3 years, 5 months ago

Many thanks for your educative article

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years, 5 months ago

You are welcome

Link | Reply

ade 3 years, 5 months ago

your was concise and detailed

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years, 5 months ago

Thanks Ade

Link | Reply

Emmyreal2 3 years, 5 months ago

Nice write-up

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years, 5 months ago

Thanks

Link | Reply

Olushola Feyisina 3 years, 5 months ago

Very useful information. Thanks a lot.

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years, 5 months ago

Is alright Olushola, I am glad you like it.

Link | Reply

Ojo Abike 3 years, 5 months ago

Thanks for sharing

Link | Reply

Comment awaiting approval 3 years, 5 months ago

Princess Raheem eyebeekay ibk 3 years, 5 months ago

Thank you for all this information sir.please what is your Facebook name? I want to learn more and sir can I use this natural booster on cocrel and noiler

Link | Reply

Comment awaiting approval 3 years, 5 months ago

Ogungbade kazeem 3 years, 4 months ago

Thank u so much for the lecture
Could u please give us Rich and avoidable broiler starter, grower and finisher formula I mean very rich formulae that can stand with Company feeds I don't want to mention names thank you

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years, 4 months ago

You're welcome Kazeem. I'm working on that ok.

Link | Reply

Muhammad jagana 3 years, 4 months ago

Can you tell me some thing about it

Link | Reply

Muhammad jagana 3 years, 4 months ago

How can I get it

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years, 4 months ago

I will send the info to your email

Link | Reply

Ramat Lamidi 3 years, 4 months ago

Very informative. Thanks

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years, 4 months ago

You are welcome Lamidi

Link | Reply

Olaide Ojieh 3 years, 2 months ago

Very informative. Thank you so much

Link | Reply

Osa Darlington 3 years ago

Thank you for your help very informative write up.

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years ago

I am glad you find it helpful.

Link | Reply

Prince Salau Olaoluwa 3 years ago

The information given was so meaningful.
Thanks and God bless.

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years ago

You are welcome Prince

Link | Reply

Peace 3 years ago

Awesome guide, very informative. I am impressed, now I can manage and raise Broilers with heavy weight.

Thank you

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 3 years ago

You are welcome Peace

Link | Reply

Comment awaiting approval 2 years, 11 months ago

Emmanuel 2 years, 8 months ago

Thank you for the offer

Link | Reply

Comment awaiting approval 2 years, 5 months ago

Olaniyi Ogunleye 2 years, 5 months ago

Very interesting and educating. Thank you

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 2 years, 5 months ago

Thank you Olaniyi

Link | Reply

Joseph 2 years, 2 months ago

Sorry that I'm asking this here..
Those growth and weight gaining herbs/vegetables or spice should they be mix together?

Link | Reply

Samuel Ezenwankwo 2 years, 2 months ago

Yes, you can, but not all combinations go well together. So, I rather prefer you to use them separately. Thanks.

Link | Reply

Comment awaiting approval 1 year, 4 months ago

Comment awaiting approval 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Comment awaiting approval 7 months, 2 weeks ago

Comment awaiting approval 6 months, 4 weeks ago

New Comment

required

required (not published)

optional

required


Subscribe to my newsletter