Chicken Production

1. Main Practices in Chicken Production

Key practices for successful chicken rearing include:

• Proper Housing
• Proper Feeding
• Parasite and Disease Control
• Breeding

2. Breeds of Chickens

Chicken breeds in Malawi are broadly classified into Local and Exotic, differing in growth rate, disease resistance, mature size, and plumage.

• Local Breeds:
  • Examples: Chapazga, Chalinda, Yakuda, Yoyera, Yankhanga.
     
  • Characteristics: Low yielding, often broody, hardy, reared for subsistence in village systems, small bodies, slow growth, not specifically adapted (implied from being “local” yet noted as not “adapted to local conditions” in the text, suggesting a distinction from optimized exotic breeds).
• Exotic Breeds:
  • Origin: Temperate regions (e.g., Canada).
  • Examples: White Leghorn, Black Leghorn, Anacona, Minocras, Exchequer, Light Sussex, Cornish White, Cornish Dark, Jersey Black Giant, Rhode Island Red, Black Australorps, New Hampshire Red.
  • Characteristics: Faster growth, good broilers, heavier, good layers, mature early.
• Hybrids:
  • Definition: Birds produced by cross-breeding two different pure breeds to suit specific management conditions.
     
  • Examples: Thorn Ber 404 & 704, Hayline Stock, Shavers, Sterling, Ross, Super White, Brown Eggers, Kigwaru Queen, Issa Brown.

Differences between Local and Exotic Chickens:

3. Housing Requirements of Chickens

Importance of a Chicken House:

• Protects chickens from adverse weather and predators.
• Protects chickens from theft.

Qualities of a Good Chicken House:

• Roomy (adequate space).
• Well-ventilated.
• Well-drained.
• Easy to clean.
• Well-thatched.
• Clean and dry.
• Well-lighted.
• Strong and secure.
• Warm in cold months, cool in hot months.

4. Constructing a Chicken House

Materials for Construction: Bricks, timber, bamboo, thatching grass, nails, ropes, cement, sand, gravel, soil, wire mesh, iron sheets.

Types of Chicken Houses:

• Deep Litter House:
  • Description: Birds are confined in a large house with an absorbent litter-covered floor. Includes feeders, waterers, laying nests.
  • Advantages: High stocking rate, low labor, fast manure accumulation, easy egg collection.
  • Disadvantages: Difficult to attend to individual birds, common cannibalism and egg eating, easy spread of diseases/parasites.
• Battery Cage:
  • Description: Birds are confined in individual cages or compartments, ideal for layers.
  • Advantages: Very high stocking ratio, easy record keeping for each bird, high individual bird performance (limited movement), controlled cannibalism/egg eating, clean eggs, minimizes broodiness.
  • Disadvantages: High initial capital, high management levels, not suitable for breeders/broilers, cages can be uncomfortable/bruise birds.
• Traditional House:
  • Description: Chickens are kept in a room at night and released during the day to forage for food and water (farmer supplements).
  • Advantages: Cheap, local feeds/water, not labor intensive.
  • Disadvantages (as listed for traditional house): Diseases and parasites attack chickens, easy predator attacks, difficult record keeping.

5. Feeding Broilers

Broilers: Chicks raised for meat production, typically sold at 8 weeks.

Broiler Feed Types (by stage):

• Day old to 4 weeks: Broiler Starter
   
• 4 – 6 weeks: Grower’s Mash
• 6 – 8 weeks: Broiler Finisher
   

General Feeding Guidelines for Broilers:

• Clean feed and water regularly to prevent disease.
• Add oxy-vit (antibiotics and vitamins) to water for disease prevention.
   
• Do not overfill troughs to prevent waste.
• Avoid placing feeds on plastic papers to prevent contamination.
• Raise feed troughs for 3-8 week old chicks so they eat while standing.
• Sell broilers at 8 weeks to avoid excessive feed costs.

6. Feeding Layers

Layers: Chickens raised solely for egg production; they do not brood, and eggs are typically unfertilized.

Layer Feed Types (by age):

• Day old to 5 weeks: Chick Starter
• 6 – 20 weeks (Growers/Pullets): Grower’s Mash / Pullet Grower (115g/day, 16-17% crude protein). Supplement with grains and green vegetables. Introduce soluble grit (oyster shell) at 20 weeks. Provide clean water.
• Over 20 weeks: Layers’ Mash (14-16% crude protein). Provide clean water, grains, green vegetables, and sand particles (for digestion).