What to feed chickens from the first days of life
In order for birds to grow strong and healthy, you need to know the intricacies of growing them. How to feed chickens from the first days of life? We will analyze the physiological characteristics of young chickens, and also suggest the optimal diet for them at different stages of maturation.
How to feed chickens from the first days of life
Nutrition Basics
Many beginners are faced with the problem when tough babies suddenly start to get sick and die. Any wrong food intake is instantly reflected in the general condition of the crumbs. In the process of keeping, it is necessary to be careful with both day-old children and three-week-old adolescents.
When chicks are born, they still do not know how to eat. A small supply of nutrients is stored in the stomach sac, which will last for several hours. After the chickens are dry, offer them food immediately. If you watch the video, you can see that after the first grain is swallowed, the pecking instinct is firmly preserved in the brain.
For full development, babies need high-quality fresh food with a set of all the necessary microelements. The missing food instantly strikes the digestive system of young animals and a massive death begins. They recommend not to save money and purchase proven products.
It is important to comply with all sanitary and hygienic standards in feeding places. Professionals prefer to choose special feedersthat do not allow a bird with paws to climb inside. Always remove uneaten residues before the next procedure.
It is advised to closely monitor the condition of all young animals. When weak or "sad" chicks appear, they are removed and raised outside the herd. If the patient does not want to eat on his own, then the procedure is carried out by force. The video shows how softened food with vitamins is injected into the beak using a pipette or a small syringe without a needle.
Features of growing egg breeds
Caring for and feeding the chicks of ordinary chickens does not require large financial costs. At home, you can easily grow young animals both from incubator, and from under the quota. The whole process is broken down into several important stages.
Newborn
The faster the chick begins to peck, the better its digestive system will develop. Prolonged lack of food leads to a lack of nutrients, which contributes to developmental disabilities. A little small corn grits are poured into a flat feeder or on the bottom of the "nursery".
A few years ago, poultry farmers used a hard-boiled egg to feed newborns. In the first hours, crushed yolk was given, and a little later - white. But modern veterinarians oppose this menu. Such a diet does not exert the necessary load on the stomach, therefore, the correct formation of muscles does not occur. After being transferred to coarse grain, the young develop a digestive upset.
In addition, feeding the yolk promotes the reproduction of unhealthy microflora in small chickens. The middle of the egg is very fatty, which negatively affects the general condition of the babies. Excess protein impairs the absorption of B vitamins.
Daily allowance
What should be fed to chickens from the first days? During this period, experts are allowed to diversify the diet. Now you can give:
- cereals (barley, corn, wheat);
- semolina;
- ground oatmeal flakes;
- millet.
It must be remembered that daily feeding crumbs pass every 2 hours. Often, babies eat only the grains they like, and scatter the rest. It is advised not to mix different types of cereals and give them separately.
Water is one of the most important elements, without which full development is impossible. Chickens love to climb into the drinker with their paws, so you need to monitor the cleanliness and freshness of the boiled liquid. If the livestock has diarrhea, then it is better to replace the drink with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Up to a week
Cereals alone are not enough for healthy development. Other products are gradually being introduced. Veterinarians recommend using cottage cheese, which is an excellent natural source of calcium and nitrogen. At first, it is mixed with the usual food: if there are no digestive disorders, then it can be used without additives.
From three days of age, it is allowed to drink liquid kefir, yogurt or whey. These foods contain beneficial probiotics and form a healthy microflora in the stomach. The young are happy to eat delicious food.
It is important to remember that milk should not be given to chicks: it causes diarrhea and sticks together the plumage.
In the first days of life, a varied menu must be provided. On the third day, it is allowed to give fresh herbs at home:
- dandelion;
- nettle;
- clover;
- plantain.
The leaves are slightly dried, and then cut into small pieces. From the fifth day, it is recommended to include onion feathers in the diet. The product not only supplies vitamins to the body, but also has a preventive effect on the stomach and protects against digestive infections.
Finely grated solid vegetables are gradually introduced into the diet:
- carrot;
- beets;
- pumpkin.
During this period, do not forget about vitamin preparations A, D, E and complexes containing yeast. It is important that the young are well fed, therefore, the goiter of each chick is checked. On the first day of life, you can start giving natural proteins: earthworms and boiled fish.
It is also important to remember the rules of hygiene. After each feeding with lactic acid products, the dishes are thoroughly washed and scalded with boiling water. The water and dry food containers are cleaned daily.
Older than a week
How to feed matured chickens at home? Keeping seven-day young has some differences. During this period of life, activity increases, and rapid growth is observed. The digestive system gets stronger and you don't have to worry about unexpected stomach upset after adding new ingredients.
Ten-day-old babies are given mixed rations consisting of an equal amount of cereals. Do not forget about greens and dairy products. Be sure to use veterinary drugs with vitamins and minerals.
For mature chicks, feed frequency is reduced by up to 4 or 5 times. Now we need to increase the portions and make sure that the youngsters eat everything. Hungry individuals must be manually fed.
Monthly
At 4 weeks old, chicks need to walk more. During this period, they get food themselves, getting all the important trace elements. Begin to gradually add coarse grains. Wet mash with bone meal and food waste perfectly saturate and give strength to the body for active action.
After 2 weeks, whole grains are recommended. Separate containers with fine gravel and sand are installed next to the feeders. To prevent chickens from eating eggs in the future, experts do not advise giving broken shells.It is better to give preference to ground shells.
Chickens after 3 months can already enter industrial compound feed into the menu. The mixture contains all trace elements and nutrients necessary for young animals. At the same time, do not forget about wet mash, fresh herbs and vegetables.
Features of feeding meat breeds
Broilers' diet is quite different from the menu for layers, so it is important to know the intricacies of keeping young stock. Chicks gain weight quickly and can weigh at least 1.5 kg at 2 months. There are 2 feeding methods.
Intensive
It is used in large farms and allows you to grow meat chickens all year round. The livestock is kept in cages from one day old to the moment of slaughter. Individuals are limited in movement, tightly placed in pens.
It is important for broilers to maintain a constant indoor temperature (18 to 20 ° C) and high humidity (at least 65%). In the first week, the lighting works around the clock, and then gradually decreases. Such conditions of detention increase metabolism, so the bird constantly eats, increasing its mass.
From day old, broiler chickens are fed exclusively with industrial "starter" mixtures for meat breeds. They are high in protein, which is responsible for muscle building.
After the third week, they switch to the next type of menu - "growth". The "finishing" ration begins to be given from one month of age to slaughter. Both varieties contain a huge amount of nutrients, as a result of which the young grow quickly. Poultry needs to consume a lot of liquid on industrial feed.
Extensive
If there are no funds to purchase expensive professional mixtures, then this technique will do. Keeping broilers at home is a little more difficult than keeping broilers from regular egg breeds. Chickens are very sensitive to food quality and changes.
In the early days, the content of the babies is completely the same. Starting from 5 days, 3 g of herbal flour are added to the food. After a week, fish waste is given, as well as vegetable cake. It is important to remember that protein is very important for crumbs of beef breeds.
On the twelfth day, broilers are transferred to a higher calorie content. Now you can offer fermented milk products, and replace 15% of the grain with boiled potatoes. Grated vegetables and herbs are combined with mineral and vitamin preparations.
After a month, protein foods are reduced to a minimum, giving preference to nutritious carbohydrates. After 4 weeks, the young should weigh about 3 kg. If the grooming was done correctly, then hormone supplements will not be needed for broiler growth.
Features of feeding ducklings
If you need a breed for meat, then it is better to take musky chicks: they grow quickly and gain weight, and caring for them practically does not differ from keeping chickens. The process can be broken down into several age stages.
Newborn
On farms, such babies are often taken out under a hen. On the first day, the ducklings are immediately fed. For this, a crushed egg is offered. If the crumbs do not react to food, then it is recommended to sprinkle it on the back. Nature has made it so that only moving food attracts attention.
On the first day, do not forget about water. Indoor chicks have a greater need for fluid than other species. It is advised to use a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Don't want to drink yourself? Then you need to knock on the container with your finger and dip the beak into the drinker. Show three individuals, and the rest will immediately "get down to business."
It is necessary to monitor the cleanliness of dishes and be sure to wash them before serving. They monitor the state of the young. If someone is "sad" or eats badly, they isolate him and force-feed him.
Daily allowance
These days, you can gradually expand your diet by introducing new foods and vitamin concentrates. Indoor chicks begin to feed porridge with yogurt. They continue to add finely chopped boiled eggs and introduce them to low-fat cottage cheese. It is allowed to gradually knead cereal flour from any cereal:
- oats;
- corn;
- barley.
For children with waterfowl, the following must be available:
- sand;
- fine gravel;
- crushed seashells.
The elements not only saturate the body with important minerals, but also help grind food in the stomach. In order to avoid digestive problems, in the early days of the musk ducklings continue to drink water with manganese. Remember to wash the dishes thoroughly after each meal.
After 3 weeks
Juicy foods are now allowed. Finely chopped nettle, cabbage will expand the usual menu. Be sure to add vitamin concentrates or fish fat.
These days, Indo-girls are great at eating boiled grated potatoes. Professionals replace 15% of the total diet with them. On the 40th day, children are taught to eat whole grains. First, it is introduced in a small amount into the mash, and then left as the last feeding before bedtime.
By the way, Indo-girls require special care. Waterfowl chicks must have tanks for swimming, otherwise all livestock will start splashing in the drinkers, staining the liquid. At the age of 55 days, the most fattened specimens are already slaughtered.
Knowing the needs of young Indo-duck, you don't have to worry about health problems. Our recommendations will help you choose the best option for both chickens and ducklings. Now raising poultry poultry will not be difficult.