Broiler chickens are reared for meat consumption, and they consume a lot of feed.
Feeding is the most important factor in the management of broiler chickens.
Both broiler starter and finisher feed formulations must be rich in quality ingredients as it affects their weight and meat quality.
In fact, the largest proportion of the money spent on raising broilers is due to feed costs.
Broiler Feeding Regimen
The following feeding regimen is recommended when raising broilers.
- Broiler chicks (0 -5 weeks) = Broiler starter feed should be offered
- Broiler chickens (6-9 weeks) = Broiler finisher feeds
- Broiler chickens (10 weeks onwards) = Broiler finisher feed
- Pullets (6 -20 weeks) = Growers mash
- Pullets (up to 5% egg production) = Growers mash
- Pullets = Layers mash
This is just a guideline on what to feed broiler chickens from a day old to maturity.
Now to broiler feed formulation, let’s assume you want to raise 100 broiler chickens for five months.
Feed intake and body weight
|
AGE IN WEEK |
BROILER CHICKEN B. Weight Feed intake Both in gram |
PULLETS B. Weight Feed intake Both in gram |
|
0 |
40 0 |
35 0 |
|
1 |
125 110 |
54 50 |
|
2 |
300 245 |
75 70 |
|
3 |
510 365 |
115 120 |
|
4 |
780 495 |
150 135 |
|
5 |
1100 600 |
200 180 |
|
6 |
1450 790 |
250 190 |
|
7 |
1810 864 |
300 250 |
|
8 |
|
2150 1030 |
340 270 |
|
|
9 |
2500 1170 |
380 300 |
|
10 |
– – |
435 320 |
|
11 |
– – |
600 360 |
|
12 |
– – |
650 400 |
|
13 |
– – |
730 450 |
|
14 |
– – |
845 490 |
|
15 |
– – |
920 510 |
|
16 |
– – |
1025 520 |
|
17 |
– – |
1125 530 |
|
18 |
– – |
1220 570 |
|
19 |
– – |
1280 600 |
|
20 |
– – |
1345 650 |
|
21 |
– – |
1400 680 |
|
22 |
– – |
1470 700 |
|
TOTAL |
5669 |
8345 |
Analysis of the Above Table
The figure in the table above will be used to determine how much feed will be required by a certain number of birds for a period.
A. 100 broiler chicks up to 4 weeks
Feed consumed (110+245+365+495)*100=121500g = 121.5kg bags of feeds
= 121.5/25=4.86 bags
B. 100 pullets´ chickens up to 4 weeks
Feed consumed = 50+70+120+135*100=37500g=37.5g of feed consumed
A bag of feed measures 25 kg.
Therefore, to know the numbers of bags that will be needed to feed the chicks = 37.5/25 = 1.5bags
Note: Feed is always sold in 25kg bags.
How to make Broiler Feed
There are different formulas that can be used to formulate feeds for broilers.
The most popular ration formulas are below
- Pearson’s square method,
- Algebraic method,
- Trial and errors method
Example of Pearson’s square method
To make the 27 percent crude protein catfish food, we mix 17/35.8 of rice bran with 18.8/35.8 soybean meal.
- Rice bran 17/35.8 = 47.5%
- Soybean meal 18.8/35.8 = 52.5%
So to make 100kg of this broiler feed, we must mix 47.5kg of rice bran with 52.5kg of soybean meal.
Example 1.
Broiler formulated starter feed for one tonne.
The broiler starter feed ingredients are carbohydrates, protein, minerals, and vitamins as listed under the Item column.
Broilers starter (Hybrid)
|
S/N |
ITEMS |
QTY (Kg) |
|
1 |
Maize |
400.00 |
|
2 |
Maize Offal |
130.00 |
|
3 |
GNC |
200.00 |
|
4 |
Soya beans |
60.00 |
|
5 |
L/S |
90.00 |
|
6 |
Bone Meal |
30.00 |
|
7 |
Star Premix |
1.25 |
|
8 |
Salt |
3.00 |
|
9 |
Lysine |
1.50 |
|
10 |
Meth |
1.00 |
|
11 |
W/O |
100.00 |
|
12 |
PKC |
90.00 |
|
13 |
Chlorine |
1.0 |
|
14 |
TOTAL |
Broiler Starter Feed formulation formula
Now that you know the formula for making broiler feed, let’s discuss the broiler starter feed preparation.
Formulas for broiler starter from 0 to 6 weeks 1000kg= 1 tonne
|
MATERIALS |
KG |
|
Maize |
440 |
|
GNC |
273 |
|
Soya beans |
230 |
|
Limestone |
30 |
|
Bone Meal |
22 |
|
Premix |
2.5 |
|
Salt |
3 |
|
Lysine |
2 |
|
Meth |
The above broiler starter feed formulation formula is helpful only if you want to make 40 bags of feed, which is one tonne of feed.
Broiler Finisher Feed formulation
Formulas for broiler finisher from 0 to 6 weeks, 1000kg – one tonne
|
MATERIALS |
KG |
|
Maize |
570 |
|
GNC |
180 |
|
Soya beans |
190 |
|
Limestone |
20 |
|
Bone Meal |
30 |
|
Premix |
2.5 |
|
Salt |
4 |
|
Lysine |
1.5 |
|
Meth |
1.5 |
The above formula is for 40 bags of feeds, that is, one tonne of feed
