Poultry is an important source of protein, patronized by most people, irrespective of their religious backgrounds.
Poultry species commonly raised for commercial purposes in Ghana are fowls/chicken, categorized as broilers and layers for meat and egg production respectively.
What is broiler production?
Broilers are birds kept specifically for meat. They are fast-growing and mature between 6 and 8 weeks.
Management of Broilers
Commercial broiler production is commonly managed under an intensive system. The preferred housing for broiler production is deep litter.
Read also: Detailed guide to Layer Production from the experts
Floor Space Requirement for Birds.
| Broiler | Age in weeks | Ft.sq/bird | m.sq/bird | Birds/m.sq |
| Starter | 0-4 | 0.6 | 0.06 | 17.8 |
| Finisher | 5-12 | 1.25 | 0.11 | 9.1 |
Waterer space (water trough)
Chicks require 1.3-1.5cm/chick (0.5-0.6inches) of trough space. As chicks grow, that is from 4 weeks, space must be increased to 2cm/bird (0.8inches) of trough space.
Feeder space (feed trough)
Chicks require 5cm (2inches)/chick of trough space. As chicks grow, space must be increased to 7.6cm. (3 inches) of trough space per bird.
How to prepare for chicks
Chicks are brooded for a period of 2-3 weeks in a hygienic environment to avoid infections.
Steps to follow
- Clean and disinfect the brooder house 1-2 weeks before birds arrive.
- Wash and disinfect water/feed troughs and brooder guard.
- Clean and remove weeds and debris outside the house.
How to receive chicks
- The floor of the house must be covered with wood shavings 3 days before the chicks arrive.
- Place a brooder guard around the source of heat a few hours before the chicks arrive.
- The house must be preheated at a temperature of 31o-33oc (90o-95oF) about 3–4 hours before the chicks arrive (gas or electric brooders are recommended). This should be reduced gradually to 21oc by 3 weeks of age. Two 150-watt incandescent bulbs are recommended for a floor space of 4.95 sqm (53.28 sqft.) suspended at 0.3 m (1 ft) from the floor level.
- Fill waterers with clean water and place them in the house 3-4 hours before the chicks arrive.
- Provide feed on flat pans about 1 or 2 hours after the chicks have taken some water.
Raising of birds
Birds are transferred from the brooder house to the growing house/pen at 2-3 weeks of age. Read more on how to prevent mortality during brooding of day-old chicks.
Read Also: 14 Deadly Chicken Diseases That Can Destroy Your Poultry Investment
Feeding Regime
There are two types of feed for broilers; broilers starter from day old to 4 weeks and broilers finisher.
Sample feed for starters & finishers
| Ingredient | Kg S.F | Kg S.F | Kg S.F | Kg S.F | Kg S.F | Kg F | Kg F |
| Maize | 60 | 50 | 60 | 54 | 60 | 40 | 58.5 |
| Fish meal | 19 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 16.3 | 20 | 22 |
| Brewer’s spent grain | 12 | 12 | – | – | 12.4 | 11 | – |
| Wheat bran | – | – | 15 | 10 | – | 13 | 8 |
| Rice bran | 8 | 7 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Oyster shell | 0.3 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 2.0 | – | 1 | 0.5 |
| Vitamin premix | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Salt | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Total | 100 | 90 | 96 | 86 | 89.5 | 86 | 90 |
S- Starter diet.
F- Finisher diet.
Feeding should be ad-lib (feed without limit).
Biosecurity measures in broiler production
Wash troughs with clean water and detergent daily. Provide a foot bath with disinfectant at the doorstep.
The poultry house and feed storage area should be kept free of rodents and wild birds. There should be good aeration and light in all poultry houses.
Avoid wet litter conditions as this promotes the growth of infectious diseases.
Read also: Importance of Farm Records Keeping
Vaccination Regime
| Vaccination | Age |
| 1st Newcastle disease | 2nd week |
| Gumboro disease | 3rd week |
| Fowlpox | 4th week |
| 2nd Newcastle disease | 6th week |
If you encounter any challenges, please contact your district livestock/veterinary officer.
Reference: http://mofa.gov.gh
