Breeder Management

Breeding birds are reared for the production of hatching eggs. Care should be taken to produce maximum fertile eggs that hatch well. For this purpose males should be reared separately from the females during the growing period.

Breeder males should be introduced to the flock of females at 20 weeks of age in the ratio of 1 : 8 for heavy breeds and 1:10 for light breeds.


Hatching eggs can be saved from the age of 24 weeks onwards. The birds must be kept free of Pullorum disease and Mycoplasmosis.

Clean and dry litter is necessary to produce clean eggs with good hatchability and to improve general
health of birds. The hatching eggs should be fresh and with good shell quality.

Hair like cracks on the egg shell will reduce hatchability.

Nests should be provided at the rate of one per five birds.

Breeding birds should be given breeder mash or a layer mash supplemented with MnSO4, Choline Chloride, Selenium, Vit. E, Lysine and Methionine as per standards.

Feed restriction in meat type breeders
Meat type breeders have the inherent ability to grow faster. There is a negative correlation between the body weight and reproductive capacity. Hence top priority should be given to control the body weight of broiler breeders during growing and laying phases so as to get maximum production and profit.

Advantages of feed restriction
1. Uniformity in the flock.
2. Produces better egg size during early
periods of laying.
3. Reduces body weight at sexual maturity.
4. Offers better livability during egg production.
5. Avoid problems of fertility and hatchability.
6. Leg disorders due to over feeding can be controlled.
7. Mortality due to over feeding will be
prevented.
8. Avoid mating difficulties due to their large body size in males.

Methods of feed restriction
There are two methods of feed restriction
a. Restrict the daily amount of feed given to the bird considering the body weight standards of the particular breed.
b. Skip a day feeding either by feeding every alternate day or by skip feeding one day per week.
The weekly body weight record is the main criterion for the feed restriction programme. So sample of birds should be weighed on weekly basis and this weight can be compared with that of the standards for those particular breeds. If the body weight is below the standards the feed allotments must be increased.