Poultry farming and specifically chicken rearing is a common business among people living in the countryside. They prefer this business because it provides a reasonable income either through selling the eggs or selling mature chickens. Other than evaluating the market for your final products, a farmer has to consider the method to use in rearing the chickens. This method will depend on the space available, and the type of chicken you need to rear. In this article, we will discuss the common methods for rearing chicken.
- Free-range
In this method, the chicken cooped together in a cage. They have space to roam around and can be allowed to move outside in search of food and pasture.
- Deep litter system.
This system dictates that chickens stay indoors all the time. They are provided with a large structure where they can move freely inside it. The farmer provides food and water inside the structure.
- Pasture –Raised.
In this system, chickens are enjoying fresh air and food outside. Famers may decide to have chicken in a large cage and keep moving them across the farm where pasture is saturated in his farm.
The farmer supplements the birds will grain, then they go in search of worms and food remains around the farm. Papa Earth pasture-raised chicken are raised from outdoors and fed with natural food, without antibiotics
- Raised with antibiotics.
A farmer may opt to rear chickens for sale within the shortest time possible. A formula is used to grow them within the shortest time possible and in a small space. The antibiotic helps the chickens gain weight within the shortest way possible and grow rapidly. The rate at which the chicken grow always make them crowded in the space provided. The chickens are said to break their legs since their bones can withstand the weight of their body.
- Antibiotic-free.
They are read the same as the ones raised in antibiotics. The only difference is the farmer stops giving this chicken’s antibiotic, for 10-15 days before slaughter of the chicken. This helps them get rid of the antibiotics in their bodies.
- Battery system.
Each chicken on the farm is kept in its cage. In front of the cage is where food and water are placed so that the chicken can feed on them. This system isolates each chicken so that they don’t spread diseases in case of an outbreak.