Rearing Chickens

Chicken rearing method

Before chick rearing begins the area is cleaned, disinfected and left to dry. A rearing circle is then put into the chick room and wood shavings are then used as bedding. The water system is checked to make sure there are no leaks and most importantly so that all the chicks can find water easily. Once this has been done the brooders are switched on and the room heated up to about 32C. The Chicks can now be placed into the Rearing Circle. It is important to make sure that they have easy access to food at all times. A chick Crumb is used for the first 6 weeks.



The heat is gradually reduced as the chicks get bigger and become "growers”. Chickens are free range reared so we get them onto the grass as soon as possible. This is achieved by an inside scratching area, this enables them to stay warm inside the building but have the benefit of grass and get used to the range.

As early as 4 weeks old( longer if its cold) the young pullets are let out for the first time onto the grass, it usually takes a few days for them to summon up enough courage to take this firs.t step

After approximately 6 weeks the food is changed to a " growers meal" and this is used up until the chickens are "Point of Lay" this is never younger than 15 Weeks old, birds younger than this are not Point of Lay they are "growers" and the vaccination programme will not have been completed if birds are any younger.



All poultry for sale supplied by Cambridge Poultry have been vaccinated using the following programme: