Broiler chickens are one of the most commonly raised meat sources by people who want to grow their own food.
What is a Broiler Chicken?
If you eat chicken, whether it’s from a high-end organic store or the corner grocery, you’re almost certainly eating what’s known as a broiler breed (unless it’s a stew hen or labeled “heritage”). And, yes, they’re kind of genetically modified. They’re produced via a strict breeding program that’s been used for decades to produce birds that eat voraciously, mature quickly and do look pretty weird, with huge legs and feet and oversized breasts.
When we use the term “genetically modified” in reference to broilers, we’re not talking about lab coats, pipettes and microscopes, but rather deliberate breeding intended to reproduce and amplify desirable traits. This kind of breeding is common practice on many farms—hog farmers swear by the offspring of Berkshire and Yorkshire pigs—and the most common of barnyard dwellers are bred for desirable (and profitable) traits. As with plants, there are heritage breeds such as Red Rangers that boast minimal cross-breeding as well as hybrids, such as the Cornish Cross, that are the product of breeding programs.
The term “broiler” predates the birds we eat now; it came into use in the early 20th century when it was used as a catchall for birds sold for meat. In the 1940s, however, a promotion kick-started the breeding program that led to today’s meat birds.
According to the document “A Brief History of Broiler Selection,” produced by Aviagen International, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co.—better known as the A&P, the largest U.S. grocery chain at the time—partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to stage its first-ever “Chicken of Tomorrow” contest in the mid-1940s. This tasked breeders with producing superior meat-type chickens. Chickens were hatched and raised by a third-party hatchery, where they were slaughtered and rated in several categories.
Henry Saglio’s Arbor Acres White Rocks won the 1948 and 1951 purebred contests, and Saglio was, upon his death in 2003, called the “father of the poultry industry” by The New York Times. A few other breeders gained notoriety from the event as well, including Vantress Hatchery, whose Red Cornish crosses were eventually bred with Arbor Acres birds to produce what we commonly call “chicken” today: the Cornish Cross.
In 1964, Nelson Rockefeller purchased Arbor Acres because of its dominance in the poultry industry. Over the years, big-name breeders consolidated and sold to multinational corporations, and today’s broilers are known by a few different “product” names, variations on the ever-popular Cornish Cross.
So what did midcentury breeders produce, exactly? The program aimed to create chickens that ate a lot over a handful of weeks to produce carcasses with more breast meat and bigger drumsticks. Secondary traits were bred into the chickens later, such as greater tolerance for cage-raising and easy-to-pluck feathers, but bigger, faster has driven broiler production over the years.
Since the 1950s, Chickens of Tomorrow have gone from a growth time of 16 weeks to, for breeds such as Cornish Cross X and Jumbo Cornish Cross, a finish weight of 5 pounds in just six weeks (harvested earlier than that, the chickens are known as Cornish game hens).
Broilers boast large breasts and giant legs. Commercial breeders—by and large corporations—rely on artificial insemination to fertilize eggs, as the broiler’s body proportions make mating difficult to impossible. They grow faster than they produce feathers, so you can often see patches of exposed skin. They’re hardly hearty, with a propensity for heart attacks and overheating that requires constant management.
Much of that sounds pretty bad, and, for chickens raised in battery cages on industrial farms, life can be pretty rough. But many sustainable farmers, raise Cornish Cross chickens, for their family’s dinner and to sell at market. Here are six tips for raising healthy broiler chickens.
#1 Monitor Light and Feed
Monitoring the light and feed intake of young chicks is critical for raising healthy broilers. Unlike egg-laying breeds, commercial broiler chickens (i.e., Cornish Rocks and Cornish Rock crosses) suffer from Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS). This syndrome causes healthy broilers to go into a sort of seizure before dying.
There are no known treatments for SDS, so prevention is the best way to control it. To prevent this fatal condition, allow broiler chickens access to feed twenty-four hours a day for the first day only.
After the first day, reduce feeding times by removing the feed and light source at night to prevent stress and overeating. Feeding a low-carbohydrate feed will also help to prevent SDS.
Consider using a red light bulb in heat lamps to avoid excessive amounts of light at night.
#2 Clean Water
Just like our laying hens, broiler chickens need access to fresh, clean water at all times. Water should be changed twice daily, and water founts rinsed thoroughly before filling to ensure they are kept clean and free from dirt and manure.
Due to their larger bodies, broiler chickens are prone to heat-related illnesses, such as heat stroke, so providing cool water at all times is critical.
Encourage broilers to drink more by placing water founts in shady locations to keep water cool. Provide plenty of water founts to ensure all flock members have access to water.
#3 Feed Them Right
“You are what you eat” is a common saying to remind humans to make healthy food choices. Just like we make good food decisions for ourselves, the same rule applies to our flocks.
Raising healthy broiler chickens means raising healthier meat for you, your family, and potential customers. The good news is that raising good quality meat does not mean breaking the bank. In fact, all you need is a little extra garden space and some beneficial herbs.
You may have heard that Perdue has been adding oregano to their broiler chickens’ diet since 2002, and for good reason, too. Oregano has many health benefits for broilers, including being considered antiviral, an excellent immune booster, anti-coccidial, and helping to fight off E. coli infections in chickens.
Oregano is also known for its natural ability to fight against and prevent Ascites syndrome. In a research study, broiler chickens fed oregano saw a decrease in mortality rate of fifty-nine percent caused by ascites.
Other herbs to boost longevity and support a healthy immune system in broiler chickens include fennel (fennel being very beneficial in preventing heat stress in both layers and broilers), parsley, and thyme.
#4 Pasture-Raised
Everyone thinks of free-range eggs as a healthier option, but did you know that pasture-raised broiler chickens are also healthier for the consumer?
Pasture-raised broilers contain higher levels of omega-3s, iron, and vitamins A, D, and E. And have lower levels of saturated fat and lower omega 6:3 levels than commercial broiler chickens.
While broilers should be allowed access to green pastures, confining them to a chicken tractor is necessary for predator protection, as due to their large bodies, broiler chickens can not move quickly and are picked off easily by predators.
#5 Coop and Run Maintenance
Once fully feathered, broiler chickens require good airflow to ensure they don’t overheat. To solve this problem, many small-scale farmers house them in chicken tractors.
Chicken tractors allow plenty of airflow and access to pasture and are easy to move daily. They also feature a tarped roof to protect against rain and aerial predators. However, the downside to chicken tractors is that they do not offer much protection from digging or nighttime predators.
If digging predators are a concern in your area, consider lining the perimeter of the coop and run with a 19-gauge half-inch hardware cloth. Run the wire twenty-four to thirty-six inches out. Hammer stakes every couple of feet into the ground to hold the wire in place, creating a makeshift predator skirt.
If weasels try to attack your flock during daylight, attach half-inch hardware cloth to cover the larger-gapped wired sides of the chicken tractor.
House broiler chickens in a completely predator-proof coop attached to the chicken tractor. The coop should have a wooden floor. Holes larger than one half inch need to be covered with half-inch hardware cloth. Leave plenty of windows to allow airflow and ventilation. Cover windows and openings with half-inch 19-gauge hardware cloth to keep predators out and good airflow moving through the coop.
#6 Add Probiotics
Probiotics are long recognized and proven to have a positive effect on laying hens and chicks. But what about meat birds? Broiler chickens fed probiotics have reduced amounts of harmful bacteria and other pathogens in their meat, including reduced amounts of E. coli and salmonella. In fact, chickens raised without probiotics are ninety-nine percent more likely to spread these harmful pathogens onto consumers.
Probiotics also help prevent coccidiosis and internal parasites in broiler chickens and help to produce an overall healthier chicken for consumers to enjoy.
Raising broiler chickens is a great place to start if you are looking to raise your own meat and become more self-sufficient. By following these six tips, you can raise healthier broilers for you and your family to enjoy and provide your meat birds with a healthy life.
This article about raising broiler chickens was written for Chickens magazine by Erin Snyder and Rodney Wilson. Click here to subscribe.
