- What are the feeds that chickens eat?
Chickens eat a lot of different things but a few are given below
- Agathi Leaves
- Azolla
- Amaranthus Leaves (Greens)
- Dried Fish (Finely grinded)
- Kudirai Masal Leaves
- Leaves (Tender Ones)
- Maize
- Millets (Cumbu etc)
- Oil Cakes (Groundnut etc)
- Paddy
- Passi (in Tamil)
- Rice (Broken Ones)
- Sea Shell (Finely grinded)
- Seeds (any)
- Sorghum
- Subabul Leaves
- Termites
- Wheat Flour
- Worms
- Vegetable Wastes etc
- How many times to feed in a day?
- Chickens to be provided feed twice a day (morning and evening)
- How many times to provide them with water in a day?
- Chickens to be provided water twice a day (morning and evening)
- 1 Gram feed intake requires 2.5 Milli Litres of water
- 100 chickens require 30-35 Litres/day
- How much to feed?
- Chickens eat 6-7 kgs concentrate in their entire life
- When does the chickens be allowed to graze?
- The pregnant chickens should be allowed to graze in the afternoon period only
- What is the % of expenses that goes towards feed?
- 60% of the expenses goes towards feeding the chickens
- What is the average Male:Female ratio?
- 1 (M):10 (F) is the average ratio
- What is the lifetime of a chicken?
- Chickens live up to 15 years
- What is the right age for buying a chicken?
- Chickens of 5-7 months is the right age for buying for reproduction
- Buy chickens as well as the cock from various places to have diversification
- When does the chickens start laying eggs?
- Chickens will start laying eggs after 26 weeks of age
- How much eggs does a chicken lay in a clutch (continuously)?
- A chicken lays up to 15 eggs in a clutch
- When does the chicken lay the eggs?
- Normally, the chickens lays the eggs in the morning period
- Where does the chickens brood?
- Normally, chickens feel safe to brood in a dark place
- How to identify the dates of the laid eggs?
- The only way to identify the dates of the eggs is to put the days in the eggs using a marker
- How many eggs can a chicken brood at a time?
- 9-11 eggs can be kept for brooding at a time
- Which eggs are to kept for brooding?
- The last laid eggs (9-11) are good for brooding
- Within how many days, the eggs has to be kept for brooding?
- Within 10 days of laying the eggs, the eggs need to be kept for brooding
- How to keep the eggs until the brooding time?
- A pot with a little bit of salt in it will keep the eggs in good condition for 10 days
- How many eggs are laid in a year?
- On an average, 70-80 eggs are laid in a year
- How long does it take for a new chicken to get familiar/used to the new environment?
- A chicken take 4-5 days to get familiar/used to the environment meaning they will remember the new home
- How to help the chickens in brooding?
- A round shaped circle containing sand with a little bit of ash, charcoal, a iron piece and 3 pieces of dry chillies should be kept for brooding
- On top of the sand, paddy straw can be placed for comfort
- Charcoal will absorb the moisture
- Dry chillies will keep the place free from ants, insects etc
- Iron piece will absorb lightning
- How long does it take for the chicks to emerge out of the eggs?
- Chicks emerge out of the eggs in 21 days
- How to take care of the chicks in the initial period?
- Chicks to be kept in the cages until they can fly a little bit
- A little bit of turmeric to be added in the water for 1 week for providing the chicks
- What is the average weight of a fully grown chicken?
- Chickens attain 1.5 kgs of weight in 5-6 months
- What other poultry goes well with chickens?
- Turkey and Guinea Fowl goes well with chickens
- It is said that they eat small insects including small snakes
- When to retire the chickens?
- After 27 months, the laying capacity of the female chickens will reduce and hence the chickens can be retired
- The male chickens (cock) is retired after one year and new one to be replaced
- What are the indigenous breed varieties of chickens of India?
- What is the ratio of chickens to be maintained?
- 60-80% of laying chickens is needed at any point of time
- What to sell?
- Eggs that are not kept for reproducing can be sold
- One day old chickens can be sold after proper vaccination
- Male Chickens (Cocks) need to be kept to the average required as they tend to fight within them
- Chickens of 5-7 months of age can be sold (when it attains 1 kg and above)
- Chickens beyond their laying capacity (after 27 months) can be sold
- When to sell?
- Should plan to grow in such a manner to sell them during religious festivals like Deepavali, Bakrid etc as it will fetch handsome returns for mass selling. Otherwise, they can be sold even daily
- What basis to sell?
- Eggs can be sold at double the market rate for white eggs in retail
- Chickens to be sold on Live Weight basis for meat purposes for better returns
- Chickens to be sold at 3/4 of market rate
- If the market rate is 400 Rs, the farmer can sell at 300 Rs leaving a margin of 33.33% to the buyer
- Chickens to be sold on Live Weight basis for growing purposes on par with the market rate or even 25% above the market rate
- How much space is required for chickens?
- Chickens require 1-2 Sq Ft of space
- What are the diseases that occur commonly in chickens?
- Fasting in a week improve the immunity in the chickens against diseases
- Country Chickens are hardly animals and are mostly disease resistant. Still diseases can attack the chickens and they need to be managed by providing the proper medicines
- What are the vaccination schedule?
Age | Disease | Vaccine | Route |
1 day | Marek’s | HVT vaccine | I/M |
5-7 days | RD | Lasota/F | Occulonasal |
10-14 days | IBD | IBD Live | Drinking water |
24-28 days | IBD | IBD Live | Drinking water |
8th week | RD | R2B/RDVK | S/C |
16-18 week | RD | Killed/Live | S/C |
- What the main enemies of the chickens?
- Birds (mainly Vulture)
- Cats
- Rats
- Mongoose
- Snakes
Source: agricultureforeverybody.blogspot.com/
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