Broiler is a meat breed of birds in the household of farmers. The most popular hybrids are:

  • Cobb-500,
  • Cobb-700,
  • Ross-308,
  • Ross-708
  • Cross Hubbard.

The broiler reaches its maximum weight after 3 months. For this reason, the breeder weighs the chickens daily, controls their weight and calorie content. So you can correct the shortcomings in growth and come closer to the norm. The broiler growth chart will help control weight gain.

Home care rules

Broiler chicks require more care than regular hens. A warm house and a clear daylight regime are important. The room is washed and whitewashed, drinkers and feeders are installed, lighting and heating are provided, a thermometer is installed. A sawdust blanket is placed on the floor. The first 2 weeks should be provided with round-the-clock lighting and a temperature of + 30 degrees. In the future, reduce the temperature by 2 degrees per week to +22 ° C. When broilers are 1 month old, the daylight hours should be 14 hours, the lights are turned off for 10 hours.

1 m2 there should be no more than 13 heads. If there are more livestock, you should equip the barn with cages.

On a note... The floor in the chicken coop must always be dry and clean. Humidity can make a bird sick.

There are 2 ways of growing:

  • Intensive. Young animals are acquired throughout the year every 4 months.
  • Extensive. The classic way is when the bird is purchased in spring and summer and raised until the fall season.

Chickens are in the poultry house

Chickens are kept in the poultry house, do not walk and use special feed.

Important!Broilers are not grown for more than 70 days. This age is characterized by a slowdown in growth, which means that the feed will not pay off.

The diet of small chickens includes millet, semolina, boiled eggs, barley and oats. In this case, most of the grain should be. 3-day-old chicks can be fed chopped herbs, grains and eggs 8 times a day. From day 20, you can add boiled potatoes, bone meal and chalk, frequency - 4 times a day. Vitamins can be purchased at specialized stores. After a month, it is enough to give solid food. It is important that chicks always have clean, warm drinking water. In the second month, protein is removed from the diet, and the volume of the grass increases.

To prevent problems with the digestive system, chickens should be given a solution of potassium permanganate. Fine gravel will also help.

House Tips

Before settling in chicks, the room should be disinfected. Fleas and ticks are a real problem for farmers. The preventive procedure is carried out once a year, regardless of the presence of parasites. For these purposes, you can use lime. The maximum effect is obtained by treating the chicken coop with formalin. It is important to use a special protective suit and gloves.

Attention! The substance is dangerous to birds and people. Protect the human respiratory system and keep chicks out of the room for several days until it is ventilated.

The coop should be equipped with removable perches and pallets. This will simplify the cleaning process. High humidity in the room should not be allowed. The ideal option is to install a ventilation system.

An oil heater can be used to provide the desired temperature. You should not save on it, more expensive models will last longer. An excellent replacement is an infrared lamp. It will both heat and light the house. Lamps are used with blue and red streams.

The lighting shouldn't be too bright. Dimmed soft light is the best option for chicks.

The diet should contain compound feed from proven manufacturers of good quality. The composition should contain minerals, vitamins and protein. This will help the growing body develop at a normal pace.

For prevention, you should buy vitamins, antibiotics and parasite remedies and add them to the food of the chicks according to the instructions. Vaccinations will help against serious infectious diseases.

Chicken vitamins

Determining the age of the chick by external signs

The age of the chicks can be determined by the places where the fluff appears:

  • A week-old chick is characterized by wings that reach the tail.
  • By the 12th day, feathers appear on the shoulders.
  • After a week, they will cover the breast and goiter.
  • By the third week of life - knees, back, feathers on the tail will also appear.

How do monthly broiler chickens look like: from 4 to 5 weeks they molt, then 10 flight feathers grow on each wing.

At 6 weeks, the head and lower body are covered with feathers.

At 4 months, the broiler will be fully fledged and shed in spring and autumn.

4 months broiler

Broiler weight by day: table

To control the growth of chicks, you should weigh them every day and keep a weight gain chart. During the first month, up to 80% of the energy goes into growth, the rest - to maintain the vital functions of the body. The daily weight gain is at least 60 g. How much does a broiler normally weigh in 1 month? Table:

DayMass, in g.
040–45
150–60
265–80
385–95
4100–115
5120–135
6140–165
7170–190
8200–220
9230–250
10260–280
11300–325
12345–370
13380–420
14440–460
15485–520
16540–565
17580–630
18650–690
19720–750
20780–820
21850–890
22920–970
231000–1030
241070–1100
251150–1200
261230–1270
271300–1350
281400–1450
291480–1500
301550–1580

It is important to know not only how much a broiler should weigh in 1 month, but also the weight throughout the entire growing period. You can refer to the diagram.

The mass of a newborn chick is about 50 g. If it is not possible to weigh the bird, you can use such approximate data. If the chick is outwardly different from relatives of the same age, the trend will not change within 30 days. If it is much less, it means that you should not expect a strong weight gain. Conversely, a large chick will grow better than the rest.

After the first week of life, it is recommended that the chicks be weighed systematically. This period is the main indicator of future development. Normally, the weight of a healthy chick should be at least 200 g. This is the start, after which the weight gain will be significant and will grow progressively.

Advice! In order not to miss the reasons for slowing growth and have time to prevent diseases, it is necessary to outweigh the livestock every week.

It is better to see how much a broiler weighs in the first 1 month in the table. But on average for 30 days, the weight of the chicken should be at least 1.6 kg. If the bird is developing normally, the previous care can be continued. If the weight does not correspond to the norm and is below the average of 1.5-1.6 kg, the principles of maintenance should be changed. Perhaps the farmer was wrong at the beginning. In this case, it is advisable to change the feed mix and check the broilers' conditions.

At 2 months of age, the broiler normally weighs 2.7 kg. This is the result of properly organized housing and feeding. The conditions of detention and food are adequate. Universal tip: Give more fresh herbs and greens, and the diet should contain crushed potatoes with cereals. Thanks to this nutrition, chickens receive vitamins and essential minerals. It is also the prevention of vitamin deficiency.

Additional Information... To prevent protein deficiency in chicks, milk and kefir should also be included in the diet. Moreover, such products do not replace water.

From the broiler weight gain table, you can get information on the difference between females and males.

AgeThe weight. FemaleThe weight. Male
A week90 g100 g
2nd week170 g210 g
3rd week330 g410 g
Month560 g660 g
35th day820 g940 g
6th week1.06 kg1.26 kg
8th week1.57 kg1.88 kg

How to weigh chicks correctly:

  • Place the chick in a cardboard box and put on a scale, weigh one at a time.
  • Weigh at least once every 7 days.
  • Broilers should be fed after weighing.

The balance must be of high quality and accurate. The scales should not be changed. This can affect the accuracy of the data.

Reasons for underweight

Temperature... In the first days of life, the body and immunity develop. That is why it is important to keep the room warm around the clock, 24 hours. The recommended temperature is at least 30 degrees. After 2 weeks, the optimum temperature is 25 degrees above zero.

The optimum temperature is 25 degrees

Vitamin deficiency... If the diet does not match the recommended diet, the chicks may lack calcium. It affects growth, development and weight gain.

Unsystematic food intake... Broiler chicks may not gain weight due to a lack of nutrient intake. The body begins to consume internal reserves. In other words, metabolic processes slow down. You should take a closer look at each chick, perhaps additional complementary foods are required for individual individuals.

Helminthiasis, parasites... If parasites are introduced, they will slow down the development of the bird.

Answers to common questions

What is the slaughter weight of broiler chickens?

Slaughter can be carried out on day 50, less often on day 70. By this time, the net weight of the chick will be 3.7 kg. The largest ones reach 5 kg. In this case, it is important to wait for the plumage of the bird, otherwise the plucking will be more difficult and longer. As a result, there will be no feathers that are difficult to pull out, and the broiler fills so much faster. The carcass will be cleaner, without the smell of droppings. If the chicks are walking more often, there will be more muscle and meat.

Weighing broilers

What is the largest and most meat broiler breed?

Ross-308, Ross-708, Koob-500, Hubbard cross belong to meat breeds. These birds are characterized by rapid weight gain, calm disposition and high weight. Some individuals reach 5-6 kg. The only drawback is that broilers do not lay many eggs.

A specially equipped chicken coop is built for breeding chicks. What is important for development and weight gain:

  • temperature not lower than 30 degrees,
  • round-the-clock lighting in the first weeks of chicks life,
  • diet depending on age.

Under ideal conditions, chicks reach a weight of 1.6 kg in the first month, by the end of the second month, weight reaches 2.7 kg. At the time of slaughter, the broiler weighs from 3.7 to 5 kg.