Ran out of baby chick food

diet in the first days of life, chicken feed norms

The diet of chickens, especially small ones, is different from the diet of adult chickens. Many breeders who raise chickens in the household are interested in how and what to feed the chicks so that they develop properly. For healthy growth, chickens require a balanced diet in sufficient quantities. The composition of the products depends on the direction and age of the chicks.

Content:

1. What does healthy chicks eat?
2. General rules for formulating rations
3. What to feed chickens?
4. General rules for feeding
5. Feed for chickens of various ages
6. Feeding frequency
7. Feeding Features
8. Farmer's Councils

What does a healthy chicken diet consist of?

Sources of proteins, vitamins, micro and macro elements are products of plant and animal origin, as well as substances synthesized in the laboratory. For the production of finished formulations in the factory, only high-quality proven raw materials are used. In feed for laying hens and broilers are introduced:

It is quite difficult to independently calculate the proportions and mix the components thoroughly without the appropriate equipment.

General dietary guidelines

The terms of growing meat breeds are 1.5-2 months, laying hens - up to six months. During this time, the bird should gain weight of 2.5-3 kg. To accelerate the growth of muscle mass in broilers, it is recommended to use specialized feed. It fully meets the needs of the bird in proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. The composition and consumption of feed should be appropriate for the age of the chicks. nine0013

At 1-2 weeks of life, the foundation of the skeleton is laid in chickens, muscle mass increases at an average pace. At this time, it is necessary to introduce a sufficient amount of proteins, fiber, and mineral components into their diet.

In the growth phase, chickens are gaining weight intensively. They need as many amino acids and proteins as possible, which act as a building material for cells, as well as complex carbohydrates. The dose of vitamins and minerals received with food is increased. nine0013

At the finishing stage, the amount of carbohydrates is reduced so that the broilers gain more muscle mass, and not fat. At this stage, it is important to prevent weight loss. For these purposes, finishing compound feed is introduced into the diet.

What to feed chickens?

Cereals form the basis of the diet.

Corn	One of the most useful and nutritious ingredients. Corn is the leader among grains in terms of protein content, while it contains less fiber than other cereals. The product is easily digested and well absorbed. nine0006
oats	Source of many amino acids. It is considered a dietary product, but contains a lot of fiber. In large quantities, it causes blockage of the intestines, so its share in the composition of the feed does not exceed 20%. Oats are given in a purified form, completely removing the film from the grains. The size of the fraction depends on the age of the bird. Sifted oatmeal is usually added to prestarter formulations.
Wheat nine0087	Contains a large amount of vitamin E, B. Feed wheat is usually used in bird feed. The percentage can be up to 30%.
Rye	It is a source of a number of useful proteins, but contains too much mucus, which negatively affects the digestive system of chickens. It is added to some feeds in small quantities.
Barley nine0087	Practically not inferior to oats in useful properties, but also contains a lot of fiber. It is introduced into the composition only in a purified and sifted form.
Buckwheat	Despite the fact that the product contains components useful for poultry, it is rarely used. Basically, it is added to granulated feed, because. in loose form, chickens do not peck it.
Bran nine0087	Products of processing grain crops are introduced to increase the caloric content of the diet. By themselves, they have no nutritional value, so they are rarely used.

Peeled vegetables are used as succulent feed.

Protein components provide the daily requirement for amino acids. Protein sources are also rich in vitamins and minerals. They can be of plant and animal origin. Amino acids are well absorbed by the body. Animal proteins are obtained from various types of flour:

• fish. This product makes up to 8% of the diet, but is not used in broiler feed so that the meat does not have a specific smell; nine0016
• bone. In terms of the amount of proteins, it is not inferior to cereals, and at the same time it is rich in fats (11%) and vitamins A and E. It is given to chickens from a month old;
• blood. The product is rich in essential amino acids, but in high concentrations it provokes indigestion. Its share in the diet should not exceed 4%;
• pen. This component is used as an available protein source to balance the feed composition. It is added in small amounts (up to 2%). nine0016

Dairy products are also a source of well-digestible animal protein: cottage cheese or whey. Their inclusion in feed mixtures for laying hens increases the egg production and fertility of chickens.

Legumes are richest in vegetable proteins:

• soy in terms of percentage and qualitative composition of proteins and amino acids is practically not inferior to products of animal origin, it also contains vitamins and minerals; nine0016
• peas also provide protein requirements for poultry, although to a lesser extent; chickens do not eat it well because of the specific smell and taste, therefore, no more than 10% is introduced into the feed;
• soybean and sunflower meal and cake are an inexpensive, highly digestible source of amino acids. In compositions for adult chickens, their share is 15-17%, for chickens and young animals - 10%.

General feeding rules

If the chicks do not eat the feed given to them often, then its rate should be reduced. If, on the contrary, the food is eaten quickly, then it is desirable to increase its volume. nine0013

Feed for chickens of various ages

PC-2	Designed for chicks under 7 weeks old. It is produced in the form of finely ground grains, designed for an insufficiently unformed digestive system, easily digestible, contains all the useful trace elements.
PC-3	Balanced mix for young animals 8-20 weeks old. Promotes rapid growth and proper formation of the reproductive system. It is produced in the form of grains with medium-sized fractions. nine0006
PC-5	Designed for broiler chickens from 2 weeks to 1 month of age. It consists of a complex of easily digestible components that stimulate a set of muscle mass.
PC-6	It has similar characteristics, but is designed for broilers older than a month.

All types of feed can be divided into three groups: nine0013

According to the form of release, the compositions are of 2 types.

Feeding frequency

The first time chickens are fed on the same day they are born. Then, until the age of 7 days, the chicks of meat breeds are fed 6-8 times a day, from the 2nd week of life - 6 times, from the 3rd - 4 times a day, by the age of one month, chickens are fed three times a day. Chicks of egg breeds up to 1.5 weeks are fed 5-6 times a day, and by the month they are gradually transferred to 3 meals a day. nine0013

When choosing a mixture, it is recommended to give preference to complete formulations. However, if the breeder has enough of his own food, you can limit yourself to concentrated additives to enrich it. Such compositions are marked with the QC marking. Concentrates for meat and egg-bearing breeds solve different problems:

It is unacceptable to use concentrates as the main feed, since an excess of nutrients is no less harmful than their deficiency. BVMB is introduced into the composition of the mash, taking into account the age of the chickens.

Feeding Features

1st day of life	Feeding of chickens of egg breeds begins immediately after they dry out. The first food for newborn chickens should be a hard-boiled egg. It is cut as small as possible so that the chicks can swallow small crumbs and roll it in semolina to prevent pieces from sticking to the paws and fluff. In the brooder where they are, they put a drinker with clean, boiled and cooled water. Newly hatched chicks are also fed boiled eggs under the brood hen. nine0006
2nd day	On the 2nd day, the chicks are already given a mash of eggs and homemade low-fat fresh cottage cheese (the ratio of ingredients is 1 to 1). The formula for feeding day-old chicks should be fresh and fed every 3 hours.
1 Week	From the 3rd day, chickens are fed with a more varied mixture of cottage cheese, boiled eggs, crumbly porridge from corn, oat or wheat chips (the share of cereals should be 65%). Finely chopped greens and boiled red carrots grated on a fine grater are added to them. You can give germinated grain or grass flour at the rate of 2-3 g per chicken per day. More than 5 g of such flour cannot be fed due to the high content of fiber in it. Separately, a little skimmed milk or yogurt is poured into the container; it is better not to add them to the mixers. Twice a week, a few crystals of potassium permanganate are added to the water so that it becomes slightly pink. Keep it in drinkers for no more than 0.5 hours, and then replace it with clean water. This protects chickens from stomach diseases. You can feed the chicks with special industrial compound feed for chickens from the first days of life. It is made up of products that are easily absorbed by the body of small chickens and fully satisfy all their needs. nine0006
2-4 weeks	From 1.5 weeks of life, a little sunflower or soybean meal (3-4% of the total food volume), chalk or shells, bone meal (5-7% of the feed amount or 2-3 g per 1 chick). Particles of top dressing should not be more than 1-2 mm. Very fine gravel or sand washed in water is placed in a separate container. After 10 days, eggs are removed from the diet, but other components are introduced, for example, root crops (boiled potatoes, etc.). Salt, rice, rye, wheat bran (up to 10%), herbal flour (6-10%) are introduced into the menu of two-week-old chickens. From 3 weeks old, chicks gradually begin to accustom themselves to whole grains. nine0006
1 month	At this age, the young are already quite strong, they can spend time walking, where they independently find greenery, seeds of various plants, worms and beetles. If the birds are in a closed aviary and cannot pluck the grass, then they need to be given it along with grain and vegetables. In general, the share of green grass in the diet of one-month-old young animals should be about 1/3 part, no less. Grain can be given both ground and whole: the birds are already able to peck it. It can be anything: wheat, barley, corn, oats, etc. At this age, legumes can also be fed: peas, chickpeas, small beans, etc. In addition to grain products, you can feed root crops, fresh or boiled, to monthly chickens, vegetables from the garden and their tops, kitchen waste of both plant and animal origin, bran, meal and cake, compound feed. From mineral additives - bone and fish meal, chalk or lime, shell rock, salt. In addition to food, young animals should always have clean water in drinking bowls and pebbles that the bird needs for normal digestion. nine0006

Chickens of meat breeds differ from egg breeds in that they need more complete proteins and vitamin substances, so their diet should be tailored to this feature. Therefore, it is necessary to give more protein food, such as legumes (grains and green mass), meat and bone and fish meal, fresh kitchen waste. It should also be borne in mind that they eat more, so they need to be fed more often, especially in the first days of life.

Farmer's councils

When changing nutrition, the sensitivity of chickens to changes in composition should be taken into account. For this reason, birds should be transferred to a different diet gradually, over 3-5 days, daily adding new food to the usual food, gradually increasing its amount.

There should always be fresh water in the drinker, in which a little potassium permanganate is diluted - so much so that the liquid does not turn pink.

It is advisable to mix common salt (up to 5 g per 1 kg of the mixture) and ground egg shells into the feed. nine0013

The main disadvantage of self-prepared mixtures is the fragility of their storage. In contrast, prepared feed can be left in the feeder for as long as the chicks need to saturate.

In our company, you purchase safe, certified mixtures with high nutritional value. Products exceed the requirements of GOSTs in quality. At your request, it is possible to develop an individual recipe for specific chicken breeds. nine0013

The MEGAMIX company cooperates with a network of dealers in Moscow and regions. You can clarify the terms of the order and delivery by phone +7 (8442) 97-97-97 or on our website.

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How to feed a broiler at home without compound feed

Growing broilers at home will provide your family with tasty and healthy chicken meat. After 40 days, young animals can reach a marketable weight of 2.2 - 2.5 kg. And this is where diet plays an important role.

Some poultry farmers prefer to use ready-made industrial feed, while others make up diets from homemade and natural products on their own and try to feed their birds exclusively with natural products. nine0077

In this article we will tell you how to grow a broiler without compound feed, what and how to feed the chicks throughout the entire fattening period.

What are the features of feeding broiler chickens

During rearing, the birds' diet will change and become more varied as they mature. Usually use three types of diets :

• from 0 to 5 days of life;
• from 6 to 30 days;
nine0015 from the age of 1 month until the moment of slaughter.

Succulent feed is very important for fattening

Feeding poultry for meat has the following features:

• a large amount of succulent feed is used in the diet;
• most of them are products that allow you to quickly gain weight;
• in order to reduce feed costs, various mixers prepared by themselves are used instead of compound feed. nine0016

We feed broilers without compound feed: diets and diets from 0 to 45 days

Throughout the growing period, in order for broilers to receive the necessary nutrients - proteins, fats, vitamins, etc. , their diet should be constantly expanded, as well as the amount of feed eaten should be increased.

Diet for 0 to 5 day old chicks

In the first days of life, chicks need to be fed every 2 hours. The amount of feed is measured at the rate of 15 grams per chicken. The diet for 10 goals will be:

• 50 grams each of cottage cheese and chopped corn mixed together;
• 1 hard-boiled egg mixed with 50 g semolina;

Additionally, you can add ground oatmeal mixed with powdered milk in a 4:1 ratio to the diet. Also, there should always be fresh water in the drinker.

Fattening from 6 days to 1 month

• When the chicks reach the age of 10 days, the amount of feed is increased to 20 g per head, from 20 days to 45 g. After that, every 10 days the amount of feed is increased by 15-20
• By the end of the first week, you can add wet mash prepared with broth or yogurt, as well as meat and fish waste, to the diet. Grated vegetables are added to the mixers - carrots, beets, chopped greens. You can use vegetable peels, except for potato peels.
• From the 10th day, boiled potatoes, grains, chopped pumpkin, zucchini are added.

Important. Mixers should be prepared immediately before feeding, and the chicks should eat them within 40-50 minutes. Then the mash must be removed. This is done so that the leftovers do not deteriorate and do not lead to indigestion. nine0013

What else is given to the birds during this period.

• Pure fermented milk products - they are useful, have a beneficial effect on digestion. They are given in the morning, and then water is poured into the drinkers.
• To protect broilers from intestinal infections, they are given a weak solution of potassium permanganate twice a week - it should be pale pink.
• From the age of one and a half weeks, mineral supplements are added to the diet, for example, crushed chalk , eggshell .
• Be sure to give grain, it must be crushed. You can mix different types - corn, soy, wheat.
• Meat and bone meal and grass meal , crushed shells .

This will be required for fattening broilers from 6 days


In the period from 15 to 30 days of life in a broiler chicken, active growth of the skeleton begins and muscles are formed. Birds are transferred to four meals a day, which should be varied and high-calorie. The average weight of a bird by the end of the first month is 1.5-2 kg. Chicks should already have a massive chest and rounded hips, resembling hemispheres. nine0013

Separate hens and roosters for better fattening results. This way you optimize feed costs and prevent overgrowing. The fact is that roosters grow more intensively - at the age of 8 weeks they weigh more than females by 20%, while the cost of forming each kg is 10% less.




Fattening from 30 to 45 days

During this period, feeding is aimed at obtaining the maximum weight gain, so that by the time of slaughter the birds are large enough. nine0077 The diet will consist of the following products:

• corn grain - 45%;
• barley - 10%;
• wheat - 16%;
• sunflower cake - up to 17%
• fish meal or meat and bone meal and fodder yeast – 5% each;
• vegetable oil - 1%.

Add to the diet of broilers from 1 month old


By one and a half months, broilers living in cages should weigh 2.5 - 3 kg, if the birds are kept on the floor, then they will reach this weight two weeks later. Growing broilers for more than 45 days is impractical, since the build-up of muscle mass in them practically stops.

Vitamins

A lack of vitamins can negatively affect the growth and productivity of broilers, so if we grow broilers without compound feed, it is recommended to add vitamins to the diet. In private farmsteads, individual complementary foods are used, in which vitamins are added to food for weakened chicks.

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