6 Proven Ways to Raise Broiler Chickens for a Faster Harvest

Broiler chickens, the kind raised for meat, are easy to harvest because they grow and develop quickly. Free-range native chickens (ayam kampung) are different: they grow slowly, so their harvest comes late. Even so, there are ways to bring a broiler harvest forward. A broiler can be harvested once its growth has peaked, above all when its meat weight has reached the normal figure and it is ready to eat. So to harvest sooner, farmers have to get the most out of the birds' growth and development. Here are proven ways to raise broiler chickens for a faster harvest:

Quality Chicks

Raising broilers starts with quality chicks. The better the chicks, the higher their survival rate. The success of a poultry farm depends on the chicks that are raised. Quality chicks can be bought from large farms, or from an experienced partnership company that sells farm supplies (sapronak, short for sarana produksi peternakan).

Proper Feeding

Proper feeding is the next thing to watch when raising broilers for a faster harvest. Feed is a key to success in chicken farming. Feeding incorrectly can keep the chickens from growing and developing fully. Match the feed to the chickens' growth stage, then give enough of it in the right amount. The nutrients that help chickens grow and develop to the fullest are protein and calories, so try to provide enough of both every day.

Read also: 5 Ways to Raise Laying Hens Without a Coop, Done Right

Probiotics

The feed you give will not do its best work without probiotics. Many farmers have seen the benefits of probiotics for themselves. Probiotics given to broilers let the birds absorb their feed completely. They also improve the chickens' digestive organs. Chickens given probiotics produce less manure than those that are not.

Vitamins

Besides giving chickens a good immune system, vitamins also improve their appetite. A chicken's growth and development suffer when its appetite is unstable. Keeping the appetite up brings many benefits: the chickens avoid various diseases, become more energetic and, of course, gain weight.

Enough Drinking Water

Feed is not the only thing to watch. Drinking water matters too, because it affects how the chickens grow and develop. Chickens reach harvest faster when their bodies can absorb the nutrients in the feed, and that absorption needs enough water. Water also keeps the chickens energetic. A lack of water can leave chickens weak because their blood does not circulate well.

Vaccines

Vaccines are essential on a conventional (non-organic) broiler farm. Without them, chickens catch diseases easily, and some of those diseases cannot be cured. Prevention is better than cure.

Getting broilers to harvest faster takes the right tricks and tips. Without them, the chickens will simply be ready in their usual time. If you want a faster harvest, follow the ways to raise broiler chickens listed above, which have been proven by farmers who have long worked in the broiler business.

Read also: 4 Tips for Raising Free-Range Native Chickens the Right Way