What is a Broiler Chicken?

What exactly is a broiler chicken?

Is it a particular breed of chicken or a group of birds?

Well, you are about to find out about this and many more facts about the broiler chicken in this article.

Usually, when you want to start a poultry farming business, you need to choose between producing eggs and producing meat.

If you choose to produce eggs, then you will need to get good egg-laying chickens which are known as layers or layer chickens.

Otherwise, you will need to get chickens that produce much flesh and gain a lot of weight in a very short time.

Such types of chickens that are excellent in meat production are what we refer to as broiler chickens.

In this article, you will learn more about the broiler chicken and the different types of broiler chickens that you can start with.

Also, you find answers to some of the frequently asked questions about the broiler chickens.

So, if you are ready to get the full gist about broiler chickens, then sit tight and continue reading this guide.

Let’s get started!

What is a broiler chicken?

A broiler is a chicken is a type of chicken that you grow specifically for the purpose of producing meat. 

Some breeds of commercial broilers reach slaughter weight as early as four weeks old.

Also, there are other breeds of broiler chickens that may take up to 14 weeks to reach slaughter weight.

A typical characteristic of broiler chickens is the fact that their feathers and skin are white. 

What are the types of broiler chickens?

There are several types of broiler chicken breeds.

Here are some of the common ones.

1. Red Ranger Broiler:

Due to its high disease resistance, the Red Ranger Broiler is one of the most profitable broilers to raise. 

Due to their slow growth, Red Ranger broiler chickens produce excellent white and dark meat yields with a tender texture and a delicious flavour. 

In addition to its dark red plumage, the Red Ranger Broiler has bright yellow shanks, beaks, and skin.

The Red Broiler grows faster than the Cornish Cross.

2. Rosambro Broilers:

This breed of broiler chicken is medium-sized. 

You can grow them for about 8-10 weeks before selling or slaughtering them.

Even so, they grow faster than red broilers. 

The meat of Rosambro broilers is very delicious. 

They have excellent conformation, plump, tender breast meat, and good skin texture.

2. Cornish Broilers:

The Cornish broilers are also known as Cornish Rock chickens. 

They have white feathers and yellow skin.

Cornish broiler chickens are by far the fastest-growing broiler breed. 

It only takes about 6 weeks for the Cornish broiler chickens to reach slaughter weight.

This fast growth rate gives the Cornish broilers an edge over other chickens breeds. 

3. Grinphield Marshall:

A Grinphield Marshall Broiler chick typically grows to “table size” in about 6-8 weeks. 

The Marshall breed of broiler is known for its large size and disease resistance. 

This breed’s rapid growth makes it ideal for smallscale commercial broiler chicken farmers. 

You can sell them off in about six to eight weeks, depending on management quality. 

In ideal conditions, the Marshall breed is said to outperform all other chicken breeds.

4. Moyer’S Broiler Or Cornish Giants:

By 6 weeks, this chicken breed weighs over 4 lbs and roaster weight is 8-10 lbs. 

Roaster chicks have excellent conformation, plump, tender breast meat, and smooth skin.

6. Ross 308:

Ross 308 is a crossbreed known for its reliability. 

It has fast growth, good feed efficiency, and good performance. 

The Ross 308 should be sold or slaughtered between six and nine weeks. 

The chickens can now weigh up to two kilograms if well fed. 

The Ross 308 is said to have more muscle mass than other broilers, with large white breasts and strong legs formed early. 

They have fair skin. 

In addition to high performance, broiler chicken can meet a wide range of requirements.

These include high egg production, high hatchability and high disease resistance. 

No wonder Ross is the global poultry industry’s preferred breed.

7. K-22 Moyer (Also Called Red Broilers)

The meat of the Moyer’s K-22 breed is loved by many. 

Moyer’s K-22 meat is lean, low in fat, and tender. 

However, they take longer than other breeds to reach table size (5 pounds in 8-10 weeks). 

They are ideal for pastured poultry farmers. 

The Moyer’s K-22 chicken has excellent conformation, plump, tender breast meat, and good skin texture. 

It’s also very disease-proof.

8. Ruby Broilers

This breed also matures slower than others. 

Its main advantage is disease resistance, making it ideal for outdoor production. 

Red broilers have a longer carcass than other broilers, with a smaller breast and larger legs. 

Slow-growing breeds are assumed to be better grown outdoors than fast-growing breeds.

How long does it take to grow a broiler chicken?

How long it takes to grow may differ from person to person and according to how they manage their birds. 

Broilers are chickens that have been specially bred for rapid growth.

As a result, it is expected that within 48 days, they are ready for consumption.

So, in a nutshell, it should take between five and nine weeks for broilers to be mature for meat.

How much does a broiler chicken weigh?

The weight of a full-grown broiler chicken differs and largely depends on how well the farmer manages the chickens. 

Does he feed them well? Does he attend to their health concerns when necessary? 

Is there enough space to make for growth? These are some of the things that determine what a broiler will weigh.

However, fully grown healthy broilers weigh about 4 pounds which is about 2kg.

Do broiler chickens lay eggs?

Broilers hens are majorly bred for meat and not for eggs. 

But however, broiler hens still lay eggs but not as must as poulet hens which are good breeds for egg production. 

A healthy broiler hen will lay between 145 and 150 eggs before the end of its expected lay period of 35 to 40 weeks.

Are broiler chickens male or female?

There are male broilers as well as female broilers. 

Usually, male birds are taller and tend to have larger, more prominent combs and wattles than females. 

So, if you see a broiler with a prominent and large comb and wattle, that broiler is almost certainly a male broiler.

The female broilers have a smaller comb and are usually fatter than the male broilers.

How much does a chicken farmer make a year?

According to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a chicken farmer’s annual salary is around $70,000. 

According to their data, chicken farmers earn a median hourly wage ranging from $16.27 to $57.47, with an average hourly wage of $33.71.

In the same vein, a report from Farmers and Field statistics says you should expect a monthly net income of around $2,000 for 300 egg-laying chickens. 

That’s if you are managing your own farm.

Instructions on how to increase the size of a broiler chicken

Consumers prefer to purchase large, healthy birds.

So, it is up to poultry farmers to devise methods of increasing the weight of their broiler chickens in the safest and natural manner possible.

To encourage your chickens to gain weight or grow more quickly, try the following:

Investing in high-quality feeders that do not spill or waste chicken feed can be more cost-effective in the long run than purchasing low-cost feeders.

1. Grouping the birds based on their body size and weight:

When you group your broilers together based on their similar body size or weight, you eliminate the problem of inequality.

The smaller broiler chickens will be able to eat without being cheated by larger birds who may try to bully them away from the feeder in this manner.

2. Ensure that they are getting enough to eat:

It is vital to provide your chickens with the nutrients they require in order for them to grow quickly and healthfully.

Choosing the best feed for your broiler chickens can be difficult because it can vary depending on their age and even their preferences.

3. Aim to avoid hot spots in feed silos:

When the warmer and more humid months of the year arrive, mold growth in the broilers’ feed silos can quickly take hold.

If there are hot spots or patches of old moldy feed stuck to the insides of the silos, mycotoxins may be produced, which deplete the nutrients in the feed.

Make a habit of cleaning and inspecting silos on a regular basis to avoid this.

It has also been shown that placing drinkers close to the feeders — but not too close — can reduce the likelihood of feed spoilage while also increasing feed efficiency.

4. Lights-on, lights-off strategy:

To ensure the best possible digestibility of your birds’ feed, use a lights-on, lights-off strategy.

It is important to use this method to ensure that your broiler chickens fully digest their feed while they are resting.

Also, ensure that they have enough time to consume a healthy amount of feed during the daytime.

If you choose to use this method, make certain that there are enough feeding spaces for all the broilers to eat at the same time.

Final words

Broiler chickens have a lot to offer. Broilers are a cheap source of protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and microminerals.

Also, white meat from broilers is high in omega-3.

In the same vein, they can help you lose weight and prevent heart disease. 

A higher level of serotonin which is known as the “feel-good” hormone in our brains has been linked to chicken.

So in a nutshell, starting a broiler farm can be quite daunting but it’s a very profitable venture. 

You can rake several thousands of dollars owning a broiler farm. You can start one today.   

Reference

• thehumaneleague.org

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