The broiler project is a short-term project generally lasting a few weeks. They are relatively easy to handle, require a small space and are less expensive than other livestock projects. Broilers are chickens bred to grow muscle fast and to be eaten.

Housing and Temperature Control

Housing should have closable sides for weather protection and to control temperature. Consider the time of the year and the colors of the housing. Light color reflects heat and dark absorbs heat. Each bird will need 3-4 square feet of floor space after 21 days of age. One feeder per 15 birds and feeders should be round tube type with a lip hung from the ceiling and raised as chicks grow. Waterers should be plastic, hung and raised as birds grow. Plastic can easily be cleaned and sterilized daily with 10% bleach. Chick drink 10 lbs. of water to 1 lb. of feed. One waterer for 15 birds. Fine wood shaving is best if not dusty. Start with a 4” layer and add fresh as needed. Turn regularly and remove wet material. Cover the shavings with a cloth the first 5 days to prevent chicks from eating shavings. Have the housing ready at least 3 days before chicks arrive.

Heating the first seven days is critical. If chilled, chicks will not grow properly and if too warm, they may become dehydrated leading to poor growth or death. Start the heat source at least 24 hours prior to chick arrival. Set temperature in brooding area at 90-95 F. Check with a thermometer at floor level. After 7 days reduce the brooding temperature gradually by 5 degrees every 5 days until the broilers are about 4 weeks old. Electric heat lamps or gas or electric hover type brooders can be used for heat source. If using electric heat lambs use one 125-watt bulb for 25 chicks. Have it secure so it doesn’t fall in the liter, and it has adequate electrical wiring for the size of bulb used. Temperatures can be changed by simply adjusting the lamb height. Generally, 18” above liter is a good starting point. Monitor temperatures at the chick level and observe their behavior. If it is cold, they will huddle under the heat source and if it is too hot, they will move to the outer limit. Comfortable chicks will move around freely. Recommended temperatures: 0-7 days, lamp height 18”, 95 degrees F; 8-14 days, 21” lamp height, 90 degrees F; 15-21 days, lamp height 24”, 85 degrees F; 22 days -show, 27” lamp height, 80 degrees F. These are targets but, if possible, give access to additional space which is 10 degrees lower so chicks can pick their own temperature zone.

Feeding and Growing

Stimulate birds to eat. Train them to eat several times daily. There are several recommendations in the literature for feeding show broilers from university extension services, feed companies, and those with experience in raising show broilers. I will give you the basic ones I found.

Day 1-Turkey/Game bird Starter (30%) with electrolytes: 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of water for first five days. A 4’-5’ carboard circle will form a comfort ring to contain chicks, regulate temperature and keep birds near feed and water. Five feet is suitable for each 75 birds.

Day 5- Stop electrolytes, remove cloth from shaving, enlarge brooder ring.

Day 12- Introduce Turkey Starter pelletized feed.

Day 16 -Start changing over to a show broiler starter feed gradually. Give more room.

Day 17-20-Culling time. Take out the ones that are small and not growing. Cull to about half of what you started with. Give electrolytes in water for this day. Removing excess chicks allows better growth, less heat, less droppings, less smell and more space per bird. Consider separating into smaller groups.

Day 24-Transition to show broiler finisher pellet. There are suggestions to introduce grease to the ration for extra energy one time per day using 2 oz per quart of feed as a sprinkled top dressing. Use saturated animal fat, not oil. Any grease derived from an animal source. Coconut oil is also mentioned. Increase grease to 2 times daily on Day 28, three times daily on Day 32, four times daily on Day 35.

Other recommendations 10-14 days prior to a show add small amounts of broiler feed moistened with water or milk and cooking oil fed several times daily. Another is a prepared cooked corn mixture using 1.25 lb. corn gluten meal, 3.75 lb. yellow corn meal, 5 lb. broiler feed combined with 1 gallon of milk. Stir and bring to a boil and add 12 ounces of melted margarine. Another is a mixture of 12-16 ounces of corn oil with corn chops with ½ gallon of milk stirred together and allowed to soak for a while. Remove regular feed for 2-3 hours prior to feeding this mixture. When fed add hulled sunflower seed and sprinkle grits on top. If you use any of these mixtures, you want to have it eaten quickly, removed and returned to the regular ration. Another calls for slowly adding corn chops up to 1/3 of ration for the last 10-14 days before a show. The concept is that all these will add energy to improve finish or fat deposition, soundness, and contribute to luster and gloss of the plumage.

Selection

Select large heavy birds with the most breast meat. Keel bones should be straight and long. Breast shape should be rectangularly. The more a breast resembles a “U” the better. Crooked legs, wounds, broken bones can disqualify a bird. Look for breast blisters, sacs, breast buttons, calluses or scaly conditions from poor litter management. The birds selected to show as a pen must be of the same sex and as uniform or matched as possible. Make sure they are clean at shows. Recommend carrying extra birds to show just in case something happens, and you need to change a bird.

Use a safe container to transport birds to a show. A pet crate or large cardboard box with fresh bedding works well. Birds need to remain cool and comfortable. Have ice cubes in a small container during travel for a water source if travel is to be more than 2-3 hours. Keep records of what worked and didn’t work with your project so you can change and improve things each time you grow broilers.