Indigenous chickens do not have desirable genetic characteristics
compared to commercial breeds. They take longer to mature, have poor food
conversion ratio, do not lay a lot of eggs among others. However, there are
areas where the indigenous chickens have certain strong points.
They generally have better resistance to diseases, produce
nutritious and sweet tasting poultry products and the meat is often tender with
more muscles than fat. However, the time and long-term cost for rearing
indigenous chickens may not justify doing this on a commercial scale. Still,
there ways to improve the system so as to make the most of your indigenous
chickens ensuring they put on weight fast and offer better yields. Let’s look
at some of the ways in which you can make your indigenous chickens grow faster
and produce more.
How to Make
Indigenous Chickens Grow Fast
1. Feed High
Protein Food
While chicken needs a lot of carbs to meet their energy needs and
make them put on weight, a high protein diet can help your indigenous chickens
grow faster. Animal by-products are generally some of the best quality protein
sources for your chickens. You can also supply them with some plant protein.
However, if your chickens are not supposed to mature faster, don’t try to force
it. Let them go through their natural cycle based on the chicken’s genetic
potential. Early maturation for indigenous chickens can bring with it its own
sets of complications such as prolapse and egg binding.
2. Proper
Feeding
Indigenous chickens are often left to their own devices to forage
for their own food but small interventions in the feeding can make a huge
difference. For example, instead of letting the chickens to fully forage on the
pasture, you can supplement their diet with high quality formulated feed such
as starter mash, growers mash, layers mash etc.
3. Vaccinate
While indigenous chickens are hardy, you should still vaccinate them
against deadly diseases such as the Newcastle disease to boost their chances of
surviving an outbreak. Follow the proper vaccination schedule as recommended by
the Ministry of Agriculture or your trusted local veterinarian.
4. Proper
Housing and Biosecurity
Reduce losses due to temperature extremes, overcrowding or predation
by building a proper chicken house that will comfortably accommodate your
flock. You should also observe the highest standards when it comes to hygiene
and sanitation.
5. Selective
Breeding or Proper Breed Selection
Go for indigenous chickens with good characteristics such as early
maturity, prolific layers and excellent resistance to disease. Bring outside
cockerel often to prevent inbreeding. You can also do cockerel exchange
programs to reduce inbreeding which has an impact on the productivity of your chickens.
6. Provide Enough
Water
Water is highly essential for the health and vitality of your
chickens. Freshwater supply also has a positive impact on the feed intake. Make
sure you provide enough drinkers in the poultry house to allow all chickens to
drink comfortably without overcrowding or injuries.
This is where we will be ending our discussion for today. Remember to share your comments views and opinions.
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