Broiler breeding processes in poultry farming
Time : 2020-05-07

Basic information

Chicks that arrive on the broiler farm have to come from somewhere, and the answer is the hatchery. But where does the hatchery get the eggs needed to hatch a chick? That’s where broiler breeder farms come in. Broiler breeder farms, which are operated by broiler hatching egg farmers, raise female (hens) and male (roosters) birds who are the parents of broiler chickens. These hens and roosters mate to produce fertilized eggs (not the same as the table eggs we eat), which are sold to broiler hatcheries for incubation

Broiler breeding processes in poultry farming


Breeding stages

There are two stages in a broiler breeders’ life rearing and breeding. Farmers have separate barns called pullet barns, where the chicks are raised until they are ready to be transferred to the breeding barns. A pullet is the technical term for a young female chicken before she starts to lay eggs. During the rearing stage, males and females are raised separately because of their different growth rates and nutritional requirements. Later on, the females and males will be moved into the breeding barn

Hens begin laying eggs at approximately 26 weeks of age. They will lay between 145 and 150 eggs before the end of their expected lay period approximately 35 to 40 weeks later. Broiler breeder farms have automated egg gathering systems where the eggs gently roll from the nest box onto a conveyor belt to an egg gathering station. Broiler hatching eggs are collected several times a day and only high quality ones are sent to the hatchery to be hatched into broiler chicks. The hatchery picks up the hatching eggs from the broiler breeder farm one or more times per week

When they arrive from the hatching egg farm, eggs are placed in incubators where they are kept warm and automatically turned gently at regular intervals. Eggs hatch around the 21 day mark. The incubators, or hatchers, are then opened to reveal thousands of chicks who have pecked their way out of their shells. The remainder of the yolk sac, that fed the growing chick during incubation, has now been absorbed into the chick’s body and provides it with adequate nourishment for the first 72 hours of life

Fertilized eggs are not like the ones you get at the grocery store. The grocery store eggs are unfertilized and come from hens raised specifically to lay eggs for human consumption. Fertilized eggs that hatch into chicks raised for meat production are called broiler hatching eggs, and they are fertilized naturally with the male (rooster) mounting the female (hen). At the hatchery, the chicks can be vaccinated to protect them from common poultry diseases, just like we are vaccinated as babies against common human diseases. It is really important that the chicks are kept warm and protected from any drafts as they are readied for transport. They are carefully placed in clean and disinfected crates, free of any sharp edges that might injure them. Once in the crate and on the clean, climate-controlled transport truck, they are ready for the journey to their new home: a barn where they will be raised for about 35 days until they become broiler chickens ready for market


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Breeding management

Management is the process of dealing with or controlling things or people with the aim of getting substantial results. Achieving good bird, barn and gut health requires operational excellence and attention to detail. A combination of quality nutrition, veterinary guidance, and increased consideration of barn and bird management will help to ensure birds have the best possible chance to perform at their maximum potentials

A broiler bird is defined as a domesticated birds that is rearing for the purpose of meat production either commercially or small scale in the countryside area. Now, it is being the most significant sector for employment throughout the world due to it is convenient, easy doing, establish just beside the house & low investment for small scale farmers. Hence, it is being popular for rural people. But, it has the prerequisite before settling up the business, otherwise, it would become the face lots of loss in this business. Broiler is a bird of about 8 weeks of age of either sex (straight run chicks) with an average body weight of 1.5 to 2.0 kg with a flexible breast bone cartilage, pliable and tender meat


Management processes

1. Biosecurity 

Well defined biosecurity practices throughout broiler production (pre during and post placement) are crucial to successful poultry production. Effective biosecurity can aid hygiene, vermin and insect control on farm and help to limit disease transmission within and between barns

2. Downtime between flocks

Adequate downtime of at least 14 days with appropriate cleaning and disinfection measures between flock placements helps to reduce transmission of disease between flocks and allows time to prepare for the next flock

3. Pre placement preparation

Pre placement preparation is needed before the new flock arrives to help prevent losses during brooding and the rest of grow out. Checkpoints to keep in mind: heaters, floor temperature, temperature and relative humidity probes, ventilation, drinkers, feeders

4. Coccidiosis prevention

Coccidiosis is a disease caused by a microscopic intestinal parasite. This parasite can have an impact on intestinal integrity and may predispose birds to other intestinal problems

5. Brooding management

With today’s improved genetic capabilities and the fast growth of birds, more time is being spent during the critical brooding phase. As a result, ensuring a good start in poultry production can have a significant impact on the future health and performance of the birds. The brooding period is an important time for intestinal growth and the development of a balanced microflora

6. Water management

Drinking water accounts for 70 to 80 percent of the bird’s daily drinking needs Poultry will generally consume more water than feed. As a result, water is the most critical nutrient for poultry. An abundance of clean water will reduce challenges and maximize performance. Factors to consider when thinking about water management include: Quality, height, pressure, mineral content and accessibility. Cleanliness of drinker lines/regulators prior to flock placement and during production. Flushing water lines between flocks and during production

7. Feed management

Birds must have easy access to feed. Proper feeder line height corresponding to the height of the birds helps to reduce feed wastage and mixing feed with litter, and it ensures that all birds have access to feed. Adequate feed access is also achieved by following the feed line manufacturer’s recommendations for the number of birds per feed pan or line of trough feeder. Good feed quality that avoids contaminants like mycotoxins is important to ensure performance

8. Stocking density

A higher stocking density of poultry in addition to crowded housing conditions has been shown to have a negative impact on performance, causing stress to both the birds and intestinal microbiota. Lowering stocking density throughout the overall production of the birds may help to reduce challenges

9. Environmental management

General environmental management of the barn includes many components, such as temperature, relative humidity, ventilation and lighting. Understanding that these components work both separately and together can help to guide your management practices. Monitoring during times of transition: Increasing the frequency at which barns are walked and examining the activity of the flock can help with early disease detection. Daily monitoring of temperature, humidity and ventilation inside the barn as well as outside temperature is recommended. Monitoring transition times can help with understanding what is happening in the barn (e.g., from day to night, when birds are placed, during half-house brooding, feed changes

10. Flock health management

Work with your veterinarian to design a program customized for your flock’s health


System of management

1. Housing systems

Broilers can be housed on deep litter, slatted or wire floor or cages.  However, cage, slat and wire floor rearing of broilers are not as popular as litter floor rearing, due to problems like breast blisters, leg weakness and higher initial investment

2. Rearing systems

The systems of rearing refer to either single batch at a time (all in all out system) or multiple batches of brooding and rearing of broilers

3. All in all out system

Under all in all out system, the farm will have only one batch of broilers, belonging to the same hatch at any time.  Sufficient chicks will be purchased to accommodate the entire farm capacity, reared and marketed in a single lot. This system is more hygienic, lesser sub clinical infections and horizontal spreading of diseases and thereby lesser mortality rate, better growth rate and improved feed efficiency.  However, this system is not suitable for large scale farming and needs higher fixed and working capital per bird

4. Multiple batch system

The multiple batch system consists of rearing of more than one batch of chicks at any time, with a batch interval of 1 to 4 weeks. Here, the farmer is buying day old chicks and selling grown up broilers at weekly, fortnightly, once in three weeks or at monthly intervals.  The chicks are reared for five to six weeks of age, or until they attain the desired body weight and sold for table. The ideal system for India at present is having 5 to 6 batches of broilers at any time, with weekly interval between batches and “direct retail marketing”.   Here, the birds will be marketed daily, from 40 to 54 days of age, based on their body weight, heavier birds will be sold earlier; giving a chance for weaker birds to have a compensatory growth

5. Floor space, feeder space and waterer space

The floor space requirement of broilers varies depending on their body weight at the time of marketing, housing systems, marketing age and ambient temperature.  The feeder and waterer space also varies depending on the environmental temperature and health condition of the birds.  The following is the approximate floor, feeder and waterer space requirement for broilers

6. Brooding and rearing of broilers

it is similar to that for egg type chicks

7. Cage rearing of broilers

Broilers can also be reared on cages.  Broiler cages are similar to that of grower cages.  To prevent the breast blisters, the bottom of the cage may be coated with some plastic materials.  The floor space requirement in cages is 50% of the floor space needed in deep litter. The relative advantages and disadvantages of cage rearing of broilers are


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Frequently ask questions

Q: How do you breed chickens?

A: There are diverse ways to adopt in breeding birds which is not limited to practicing selective breeding. When you chose your breeding stock, you probably had a plan in mind to rear 

Q: What is the breeding cycle of a chicken?

A: Stage 1, egg fertilization. Stage 2, egg embryo. Stage 3, chick. Stage 4, pullet

Q: How do chickens lay eggs without a male?

A: Hens will lay eggs regardless of whether or not they are being kept in the company of a rooster. Your laying hen's body is naturally intended to produce an egg once every 24 to 27 hours and it will form the egg regardless of whether the egg is actively fertilized during its formation

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