Broilers are one of the meat breeds of chickens that quickly gain weight. They are not used for breeding, as they lose their properties in future generations. Therefore, the best way to get them is to buy new individuals of the first hybrid line. But how can one not confuse broilers with their usual relatives when buying? Fortunately, there are a number of differences that will make it possible to pinpoint a broiler. We suggest you familiarize yourself with them below.
Who are broilers?
A broiler chicken is a poultry that is artificially hatched by crossing different breeds. Interestingly, the term "broiler" (English broiler from broil - "fry on fire") means early-growing species of birds that grow in a fairly short period of time - about 70 days.
Keeping a broiler for more than 2.5 months is impractical, since the bird does not grow larger than the achieved size, but at the same time continues to eat a lot. The fact is that because of the rapid growth, hybrids are quite voracious and require food every 2 hours, and the break at night should not exceed 6 hours. For full development, such broilers can be kept even in a small space, however, it must be warm and clean.
Active removal of boilers began in the 1930s, and in 1960 it became dominant. In the industrial production of such hybrids, scientists conducted genetic experiments to obtain the breed with the best characteristics. Since then, to obtain a broiler, as a rule, meat and meat and egg breeds are crossed, since subsequently this allows you to get a higher mass of chickens. It is possible to cross several lines of different breeds, among which Cornish, New Hampshire, and Brahma are especially popular.
Broilers are popular with owners of factories raising chickens for the mass sale of meat, as well as with ordinary people who want to have their own chicken farm. On the content of broilers for sale, more is written here.
External differences between broiler and ordinary chicken
Hybrids have a number of visual and physiological differences from their egg relatives. We will consider them further.
Color
Chicken broiler has a completely white color, but at a younger age - completely yellow. During the development of plumage, white feathers first appear on the tips of the wings. If the chicken has colored pigment spots on its body - black, red or brown, especially on the head, the scallop is more likely a representative of egg breeds, which include Moravian Black, Russian White and Minorca.
Meanwhile, only by color it is not possible to accurately determine the chicken belong to the broiler type, since the chicks of other breeds can also be completely yellow, and as it develops, it becomes absolute white. In this regard, it is necessary to continue further examination of the individual in order to accurately establish its species affiliation.
Body structure
According to this characteristic, the broiler can be distinguished from the age of 5-7 days from the moment of birth:
- the shape of the broiler’s body is wide and rectangular, and in layers, more oval and smooth;
- broilers have a wide chest and well-developed musculature, which is especially visible on the hips of older chickens;
- broiler legs are shorter than other breeds, but they are thicker and more stable, since they can easily withstand considerable weight;
- broiler wings are shorter than those of their congeners;
- the head of the weekly broiler looks awkwardly large in relation to the proportions of the body, but over time it will become normal, so the shape of the bird will become proportional.
Broilers are a meaty type of chickens, therefore the structure of their body is more meaty than that of individuals of egg breeds.
Gender characteristics
In broiler chickens, the sex difference is poorly visible for a rather long time, due to two factors:
- males and chickens have poorly developed combs and beards;
- birds lack decorative beautiful earrings.
The fact is that hybrids are not intended for further reproduction, therefore, during selection, gender differences were not taken into account. In chickens of egg breeds, it is much easier to establish sexual difference, since their scallops and barbs are well developed.
Weight
Broilers are focused on quick weight gain, therefore they weigh more than laying hens, and starting from the first days of life:
- The weight of the daily broiler is 45-50 g, and the chicken of egg breeds is 30-35 g. Some laying hens can weigh more than the standard. Most likely, they will grow up quite large individuals.
- On the 5th day of life, boilers significantly gain weight - their weight can exceed 100-115 g. At the same time, ordinary chickens are already significantly behind in weight - their average weight is up to 75 g.
- On the 10th day, the weight of the broiler is close to 180-200 g, and the usual chick is 110 g.
- A monthly broiler weighs about 1 kg, and an ordinary individual weighs about 280 g.
The mass of an adult broiler can reach 2-3 kg. At the same time, an ordinary layer weighs no more than 1.5 kg.
Are there any differences in behavior?
Broilers differ from ordinary chickens not only in appearance, but also in behavior. They are quite active in the search for food, as they are very voracious. Small chickens actively react to noise, moving to its source, because they believe that they will be fed. However, at other times, broilers are calm and can stay in one place for a long time.
Layers are more sociable - they often "play", run and bully each other. Unlike broilers, representatives of egg breeds can be aggressive. In this regard, they can not be kept in small rooms, but broilers will feel good even in tight spaces.
Differences between popular types of broilers
Specialists often say that there are different types of broilers. As a rule, they mean different breeds, that is, crosses - the results of crossing. To successfully distinguish broilers from ordinary chickens, it is worthwhile to become more familiar with the characteristics of popular crosses that are distinguished by the highest productivity. These include:
- COBB-500. Hydride of Czech origin, the peculiarity of which is a bright yellow skin tone. As a characteristic feature of the cross we can note the wide brisket and powerful, but short legs. Chicken of this breed is quite resistant to diseases of various etiologies, including viral, which compares favorably with its relatives. Such a broiler chicken is rapidly gaining mass - upon reaching 6 weeks the individual already weighs 2.5 kg and is already suitable for slaughter.
- ROSS-708. It is a relatively new cross, which is currently the leader in terms of early maturity - chickens of this breed can reach impressive size and weigh about 2.5 kg already at the age of 4-5 weeks. The skin of these birds has a bright yellow color, but often these birds do not have time to reach the age when their skin begins to turn yellow.
- Broiler 61. These crosses gain weight more slowly than their relatives - at the age of 1.5 months they weigh about 1.8 kg. Meanwhile, these broiler chickens have their advantages. First of all, they are resistant to diseases, have a high survival rate and good egg production. The meat of these chickens has excellent taste, so it is considered a delicacy.
- GIBRO-6. This hybrid is bred by crossing two breeds - Plymouth Rock white and Cornish. It does not have the highest egg production rate - it brings up to 160 eggs in 40 days. Weight gain in chickens of this breed is at the same level as in the Broiler-61 cross described above, however, they boast a calm disposition and resistance to viral diseases. In birds of this breed, not only skin, but also subcutaneous fat has a yellowish color.
broiler KOBB-500
broiler ROSS-708
broiler broiler-61
GIBRO-6 broiler
Regardless of the particular species, it is worth remembering that broilers do not breed at home, as their next generations significantly lose their "meat" qualities.
Rules for choosing chickens when buying
Experienced breeders recommend taking eggs or chickens in the early days of their lives in order to monitor their diet from the very beginning and get high-quality meat at the exit. In this case, the purchase of chicks itself requires a careful approach to a number of nuances, which we will deal with later.
When to buy?
Birds can be raised at any time of the year, especially if there is a hatchery and poultry station. If it is planned to keep the chickens at home, then it is better to buy them in the warm season, so as not to face the problem of their heating.
Spring is the best season to buy broilers. At this time, they gain good weight, getting all the necessary minerals and vitamins with fresh grass. Their warm spring sun positively affects their development. It is better to take livestock from March to April in order to get tasty and dietary chicken meat by autumn. If there is a room for their maintenance, then the purchase can be made in May.
Green food for a large number of chickens is easier to harvest using a grass grinder. How to build it yourself - is described here.
Place of purchase
Having decided on the timing, you must choose a place of purchase. Here are the most popular options:
- On the market. The plus is that chickens can be purchased near the house, however, the positive aspects end there. Getting birds from hand, you cannot be sure that this is a broiler, because often there is no way to confirm their “pedigree”. In addition, when buying chicks on the market, their conditions and getting the right vaccinations are questionable.
- At the poultry farm. Buying birds at the poultry farm, you can guaranteedly get the claimed breed, but you can not be sure of their state of health. There are frequent cases where rejected and weak chicks are sold at the poultry farm, although at a rather attractive cost.
- At the hatchery. It is guaranteed to sell chicks of the claimed breed, whose health is beyond doubt. The fact is that at such stations they pay great attention to the care of young animals. The disadvantage of this option is that chickens are limited and can be pre-reserved.
Regardless of the place of purchase, it is worth further checking with the seller whether the chickens received the necessary vaccinations.
How to recognize?
The broiler chicken can be precisely determined by the following parameters:
- the color of the feathers is absolutely yellow, without spots;
- the breast is wide and the head is excessively large;
- the legs are shorter and thicker than other chickens;
- paws and beak have a grayish tint;
- the scallop is small, and the catkins are missing.
You should also pay attention to the fact that the chicken visually looked “taut” - its skin should not hang down anywhere. There should be no blood or droplets on the skin and feathers. Such a chick looks healthy and without external flaws.
To check the behavior of the broiler chicken, you can gently tap on the box - active and healthy individuals immediately go to the side of the sound source in the hope of receiving food.
If you want to grow meat chickens in order to get diet meat in a few months, you need to pay due attention to buying healthy and strong broilers - hybrids obtained by crossing several breeds. Given their differences from ordinary chickens, even an inexperienced breeder can purchase a suitable breed with high productivity rates.