Raising Free Range Chicken

As per Dr. Erwin Cruz, free range chicken farming started in 1997 here in the Philippines.  It started as a hobby for
some and eventually progressed into a full commercial endeavor.  Free range poultry meat is steadily gaining a
following because of its more natural delicious taste and health benefits.  Since chicken growers still prefer to grow
the commercial chicken found in supermarkets and markets, it is best to go into business now and be ahead of the
pack.

The heart of free range chicken farming is choosing the right quality of day old chicks.  This means that the chicks
should come from parents that were raised the same way, that is, free range too.  For those about to venture into
business, it is best to follow these tips:

1.  Start small to minimize losses.  Fifty to one hundred heads would be ideal for a start up.

2.  Have a ready market.  Since free range chickens cost double than the ordinary dressed chicken, it is best to know
the market.

3.  Have a veterinarian who is well-versed in free range chicken farming for proper guidance.

If commercial chickens are harvested between 28 to 32 days,  the ideal harvest age for free range ones is 60 days.
At that age, the chicken weighs 1.6 kilos and 1.1 kilos when dressed.  If commercial chicken growers can have eight
to nine cycles per year, free range farmers can only have four to five a year.  Chicks up to age 21 days are housed in
brooding houses where they are given feeds, herbal supplements and artificial light.  On day 22 up to harvest time of
60 days, they are transferred to the ranging area enclosed by a fishnet to graze.  Even if they are allowed to graze,
feeds are still given for a high meat recovery and quality.

How much capital is needed to start with one hundred heads?  According to Dr. Cruz, the initial cash outlay is
P20,965 broken down as follows:

Housing and equipment P8,660

Operating Costs 12,305

The amount does not include the land used for the farm, at least 500 square meters in size.

On the revenue side, the chicken can be sold at P130 per kilo at farm gate prices.  To illustrate:
   
       100 heads x 97% livability = 97 heads x 1.6 kilos live weight = 155.20 kilos

       155.20 kilos x P130/kilo = P20,175

Housing and equipment costs of P8,660 will be amortized within one year which is equivalent to 5 cycles or grows.

       P8,660/5 = P1,732 amortization per cycle.  This amount will be added to the operating costs of P12,305:

       P1,732 + P12,305 = P14,037 representing production cost per cycle for the first year.

To get the net income per cycle for the first year, production cost of P14,037 is deducted from the total revenue of
P20,175.

       P20,175 - P14,047 = P6,138.  The net income becomes bigger as the number of chicks increase and after
paying the costs for housing and equipment starting on the second year.

  

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Promoting back to basic free range chicken production

The old  way of raising  chicken   outdoors where the animals are  free  to roam around
and eat grains, insects and forages  is back and gaining popularity.

The government  is promoting    back to basic free-range chicken production   for  more
meat and eggs that are safe and healthy consistent with the Department of Agriculture
mandate of producing food for the Filipinos.

This is also pursuant to the National Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Program under the
Duterte Administration that constitute the 10 Basic Foundations of a Sound Agriculture
and Fisheries Program. Hence, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) of the DA is
conducting advocacy and technical briefing in partnership with local government units
on the basics of animal production with emphasis on scientific and sustainable
management such as free range chicken production (FRCP) for meat and egg.

It is called free range, free roaming or pastured chicken because the birds roam freely
and do their natural things in their environment such as scratching to get natural or
organic food, sunshine and exercise outside their housing compared to caged-chicken.

FRCP involves easy technology, uses natural and organic farming system, less effort
exerted by the farmers, can be done by women and their children, it has good benefit to
the soil, the chickens can eat grass, leaves, insects and leftovers from the kitchen and
farm lands.

Resource speakers tapped by the ATI in a seminar among farmers in Ifugao explained
that promoting the technology on FRCP is the new paradigm shift in the livestock
industry and before one engages into it he or she must be equipped with the basic
scientific knowledge and technology needed.

These technologies needed in FRCP include housing and supplies, breeds and their
characteristics, brooding, growing and lighting management, laying management, feeds
and feeding, alternative feeds, care of eggs and incubation, vaccination, alternative
health management, common diseases, treatment and control and recording.

In FRC farming for meat, the chicken meat can be ready for harvest after around six
weeks of age and the hens as layers for eggs can begin to produce eggs at around four
months of age and a good hen lays an egg a day for the whole year.

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It is also good to know that in FRC production, it is slower during the cold months and
that the housing should be clean, fenced with perimeter wire or net for restricted access
with disinfection at the site entrance with a height of at least six feet and roofing made
of coconut leaves, nipa grass or tarpaulin with feeders and waterers.

There are five breeds in the Philippines that are good for FRC farming that include the
Austrolop, Rhode Island Red, Light Sussex, Blue Isbar and Plymouth Rock but there are
also cross breeds for the raiser to choose such as the Sasso Brown Chicken, Asil Chicken,
Naked Chicken and the Black Cemari Turken.

In brooding, heater, beddings of newspaper mat with rice hulls, light bulb and brooder
pen are needed since there must be additional heat for the chicks and light bulbs must
be placed for one to 14 days as the chicks are fed with chick booster mash also for 14
days.

After 14 days the chicks must be fed with starter mash until its 42nd day then continue
with grower feeds until they can start free roaming when they are at least 60 days old.

For chickens selected for laying eggs, they should be fed with layer feeds when they are
62 days old and above and for laying purposes, the nest must be prepared with clean
beddings of rice straw or shredded paper which should be changed every after two
months.

The farmer must also know that a heavier hen produces heavier eggs and that good
feeds mean good eggs and the sizes of eggs are classified as peewee (45 grams and
below), small (45 grams to 50 grams), medium (51 grams to 55 grams), large (56 grams
to 60 grams), extra large (61 grams to 65 grams) and jumbo (66 grams and above).

Free range chickens can also be fed with alternative feeds such as yellow corn, palay,
snails, copra, mongo or soya beans, ipil-ipil leaves and azolla.

It was studied that 50 FRC layers that can also be sold for meat at P250/head can
produce 9,856 eggs a year and a computation was made that a farmer can have a net
gain of P21, 584.00/year with a total gross sale of P81, 49200/year from the P12, 500 for
the 50 heads of hens and P68, 992.00 for the 9,856 eggs sold at P7.00 per ‘piece and
deducting the estimated total expenses involved amounting to P59, 908.00 also for the
whole year.

Farmers will realize more profits in the succeeding years since they will no longer spend
for the construction of the housing and other facilities and the more chickens they will
raise, the greater income they will get. (JDP/DBC- PIA CAR, Ifugao) 

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Chicken Breeds Suitable for a Free-Range System.
* Local chickens or crossbreds of Rhode Island x local chickens.
* Chinese chickens such as Tam Hoang or Luong Phuong
* The Israeli Kabir chicken
Construction of the Chicken House
A chicken house is needed, surrounded by a fence.

Local materials such as bamboo or palm leaves can be used for construction. Purchased materials
such as bricks, tiles for the roof, and cement for a concrete floor can also be used.

If bamboo is used for the floor, the floor should be 40-50 cm above the ground.

Nestboxes for laying hens should be installed inside the chicken house.

The chicken house should face southeast. It should thus be built on the northwest corner of the
backyard.

Feeding Technique
(1) for Chicks 1-4 Weeks Old
Feeding method
Cage feeding:
Use a feeding cage 1m wide, 2m in length and 0.4m high.
Floor feeding:
The feeding plot is enclosed with a bamboo lattice (0.8m H). The size of the plotdepends on the
weather and the age of the chicks. The floor should be covered to a depth of 7-10 cm with rice husk
or clean wood shavings. Sawdust is not recommended. These litter materials should be sterilized in
2% Formol.
Heating and lighting:
The optimum temperature depends on the age of the chicks;
1st week chicks: 31-34oC, 2nd week: 29-31oC, 3rd week: 26-29oC, 4th week: 22-26oC.
Heat source: electric lamp, coal stove or heater.
For the first 2-3 weeks, chicks should be lit throughout the day.

Feed:
The following feed should be given several times a day.
One-day chicks: Broken rice, finely ground corn.
From the 2nd day: Ready-made feed for chicks, or a mixture of concentrated feed with added
ingredients (19-20 % crude protein, 2,800-2,900 KCal).
Drinking water: After the chicks are brought to their new home, they should be allowed to rest for
10-15 minutes. Then they should be given drinking water containing 50g sugar/dL and 1g Vitamin-
C/dL. The drinking water should be clean and warm (16-20 oC).
(2) for Chicks Older Than 4 Weeks

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Beside free ranging to feed, chickens should be supplied with feed (corn, rice, cassava, compound
feed etc) twice a day. For the 10-15 days before they are marketed, they should be allowed to eat as
much broken rice and yellow corn as they want.

(3) Feeding rate (g/head/day)

For broilers
1-6 weeks : No limitation
7-10 weeks : 45-55 day g/head/day
11-16 weeks : 55-65 g/head/day
17-20 weeks : 70-80 g/head/day
For laying hens
1-6 weeks : No limitation
7 weeks and over : 115-125 g/head/day
Laying hens should not be given too much feed, or laying will be delayed. The content of crude
protein should be 16-18%. ME level: 2,750 KCal. Minerals should be added in the form of bone
meal, stone meal or oyster shell.

(4) Vaccination schedule

The vaccination schedule for free-range chickens is shown in Table 1.

Source: Department of Agriculture and Forestry Extension,

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam. agnet.org

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