How to Increase the Body Weight of Broiler Chickens

Weight gain is a very important component of broiler production. The main factors for the weight gain of broilers are genetic potential, feed and water intake, and management. Broilers raised in 42 days could weigh up to 2.5 kg. Some broilers, like the Ross strain, could weigh up to 3.5 kg in 6 weeks. Are there ways to increase or boost the weight of broilers faster? Below are seven (7) tips to increase the body weight and growth of broiler chickens.

1. Procure high-quality broiler chicks from reputable sources

No matter what you do or give broilers from a poorly performing parent stock or hatchery, they may never do well in terms of feed conversion. A broiler’s feed conversion and growth performance have a lot to do with its genes and gene quality. This is the reason why it is necessary to buy broiler chicks from a reputable hatchery with excellent track records.

You can ask other poultry farmers around you to recommend the best hatchery or chick vendors based on their personal experiences.

2. Give them high-quality feed and clean water

Broilers require feed that is formulated specifically to meet their nutritional needs. We have broiler starter, broiler grower and broiler finisher diets. Feed conversion and growth performance have a lot to do with a broiler’s diet. The feed and water they are given will greatly affect their growth rate, feed conversion, and healthiness.

A well-formulated and balanced diet is important for optimal broiler growth. The diet should be designed to meet the specific requirements of the bird based on its age, breed, and weight. Furthermore, the diet should be nutritionally complete and provide all the essential nutrients required for growth.

Since broilers are very sensitive to poor-quality water and poor feed, you must provide them with the best water and feed you can get. If you feed them with self-formulated and milled diets, ensure that they meet their nutritional requirements for that period.

Buy Our Special Broiler Feed Formulas. Click here for details.

3. Sort the broilers according to body size or weight

You need to sort the broilers that have similar body sizes or weights and keep them together in the same growing pen. This will eliminate the factor of inequality as the bigger or weightier broilers tend to cheat and bully the smaller ones. With the bigger birds separated from the smaller birds, the smaller broilers will be able to eat and drink more without being intimidated; thereby increasing their feed intake and feed conversion to meat.

Also Read:

Effective Herbs for Healthy Chickens

[Ebook Guide] How To Start Broiler Farming Business Successfully

How to Feed Broilers for Fast Growth

4. Avoid starving the birds

To have high production rates, ensure that your broilers are not starving. It is important that you give them a constant supply of food and water. It is important to feed them as often as necessary or desired.

Broiler chickens require a high-calorie diet to grow as fast as possible. Starvation will result in stunted growth and poor health. Keep a regular check on the feeders and drinkers to ensure that there is enough feed and water for the birds.

5. Use growth boosters, enhancers or promoters

You must have heard a lot about growth boosters – they are nutritional supplements that are added to the feed or water to improve the growth rate of the broilers. They can improve the feed conversion in your flock and give you better results.

Growth boosters are formulated to give broilers the best chance of reaching their potential and growing as much as possible. You should use a growth booster that is designed for broilers in order to get your broilers to grow as fast as possible.

Growth boosters are designed to help chickens grow up to 2.4 times faster than normal. That is close to double the speed at which they would grow without the growth booster. The growth boosters will also help them to convert the feed into flesh/meat better.

There are many growth boosters and additives on the market that can help your broilers improve their growth rate and weight gain. There are organic broiler growth boosters and synthetic growth boosters on the market. Many of them are listed on Amazon.

6. Proper bird management

Good bird management is essential for achieving optimal broiler growth. Some of the critical management practices include providing the correct diet, maintaining proper litter conditions, controlling temperatures, and providing good ventilation. Furthermore, good bird management practices will help to reduce stress levels, which can also impact growth.

7. Adequate housing and litter conditions

Adequate housing and litter conditions are essential for achieving optimal broiler growth. The housing should be of good quality and provide sufficient space; it should also be located in a safe area with good ventilation. In addition, the litter should be clean and dry, and free from ammonia and other toxic gases.

Also Read: 5 Reasons for Poor Broiler Growth and Solutions

So, to increase the weight of broilers quickly or fast, do the following

  • Procure quality broiler chicks from reputable sources
  • Give them high-quality feed and clean water
  • Sort the broilers according to body size or weight
  • Avoid starving the broiler chickens
  • Use growth boosters or promoters
  • Proper bird management
  • Adequate housing and litter conditions

If you want to increase the live weight of your broilers quickly, these seven tips will help you achieve this goal and maximize your profits.

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Author

Akinbobola A.

I'm a livestock farmer, certified animal scientist and agro consultant. You can follow Livestocking on Facebook and Twitter. Click here to send me an email
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129 thoughts on “How to Increase the Body Weight of Broiler Chickens”

  1. Helo sire…
    I need suggestions on growth promoter/boosters and somthing to make them have weight on my 5 weeks broilers……the are very small compared to the previous ones which I started selling from 5 weeks. Please help,thanku

    Reply
    • For promoters and boosters, please consult a veterinarian. However, for increased weight for your birds, give them a balanced finisher and let them have access to sufficient water. You can sort them according to their weight and feed each group separately.

      Reply
  2. My broilers have contracted AI and 200 die everyday they r 40 days old today but their avg weight is 1.5 kg, what do u suggest i do , can i shift them in different shed so they gain weight

    Reply
    • Avian influenza is highly pathogenic. I will advise that you seek the help of a veterinarian to be sure of the strain that has infected your birds. If it is confirmed that some have not been infected (which I doubt), cull them immediately to avert further disaster. Please, you must consult a qualified veterinarian in this situation. He/she would be in the best position to assist you.

      Reply
    • i would kill them all, burn the bodies, clean you coop (walls and ceilings included) with a disinfectant from the vet to get rid of such diseases and start fresh again. AI is not something you want to experience again and it is definitely something you want to sell to ur customers.

      Reply
  3. I’m so interested in ur article sir
    I have these questions,pls help me.
    1-what can u do for ur birds to have big/large chests
    2-what can one do naturally to obtain fast growth in size

    Reply
    • 1. If you mean broilers, you have to feed them well. Use a good broiler feed formula and your stocking density should not high. Overstocking/overcrowding affects the growth rate of broilers.

      2. Hmmm. Natural way is to procure birds from a reputable hatchery/source and ensure that their genetic background (parent stock) are good. Feed the birds with a balanced ration and don’t overstock. You will surely see your birds growing fast if all these conditions have been met.

      Regards

      Reply
  4. Hello sir,
    Thanks for this article, very nice, my birds are 3 weeks now. What size do you think they should weight now. As I intend to sell them when they are 6 weeks and we aim for 2kg. Do you think they should weight at least 1kg now? So I know if I’m on the right track or not. Thanks for your help

    Reply
    • They should be having an average weight of 800g (males) and 600g (females). The best way to find out is to use a weighing scale.

      Regards

      Reply
  5. Thank you Akinbobola for this formula. I bought and used them for my broilers that I raised for last Easter. Seriously, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The birds were weighting averagely 2.8kg and 3.6kg in 6 weeks and 8 weeks respectively. You’re indeed a God sent. Thank you! Do you have any special formula for layers. Kindly let me know.

    Reply
  6. What formula is it that can make my birds gain weight, my birds are 3mnth 3wks yet they don’t weigh rea
    sonablely.help please

    Reply
  7. Hello, am having issues with the market women here in Bayelsa State as they only look forward to buying 3 months old birds which I feel is too long a period for broilers. The annoying thing is they come pricing 1500/1800 for a bird kept that long. What solution do you think is best to maximise my profit as am considering adding maize to the feeds bought, besides how long am I to stay on Starter considering am keeping them 3 months?

    Reply
    • Don’t add maize, else you will alter the nutritional value of the feed. And regarding the duration of starter, you should give starter for 4 weeks. Give finisher until you slaughter at the 12th week.

      Reply
  8. Hi ,Bros,is it possible to get your number , because I will like to purchase the diet formula, but I need to talk on phone to clarify few things please,I’ve been scammed before, hope you understand,this my number in case you want to send me your number and not post it here .09028119557.

    Reply
  9. My chicks 4weeks today and weight 1.8 kg is that a good weight for them know and do you think they can get to 3.7 in two more weeks

    Reply
  10. And I don’t rilli know why my birdss didn’t grow very well birds of 6wks well feed but are still looking like birds of 4weeks pls wat do I do my number 08039492150

    Reply
  11. Please can I add PKC to my broiler feed? And I need a fast growing formula that will give me 2.5 kg in 6weeks. 08034395030 that is my number. Thanks!

    Reply
  12. Nice article, pls i will like to get the feeding formular, but need ur contact. you can reach me on this 0703*******. Thanks

    Reply
  13. I really took time God reading ur articles. They are helpful. I will get ur material on feed formula but how will I get the products cos here in Owerri am yet to see a mill factory. Can you also help with the materials to produce the feed. Or send packaged ones. Thanks.

    Reply
  14. I bought 50 broilers of 4weeks old fed the broilers with the Starter added a sachet of booster added to the bag, multivitamin in their water everyday, coccimed forte in 2times in a week
    In 9 weeks I fed them with grower plus a booster.
    So I proceeded to giving them Finisher. The birds is 3months old today. I had lost 13 out of 50.
    I noticed some are male and they are bigger but d female aren’t big. I don’t know what to feed the female with to gain weight so as not to run on a loss. I’ve separated them, the big ones in a cage nand d small ones in the same cage. Pls help me Sir…

    Reply
  15. Found this interesting, my birds are 5weeks old but are passing out green faeces, loosing weight, los appetite, watery faece. Hi do I go about curing them?
    Thanks

    Reply
  16. Nice article. Pls I will like to know if a day old chick or point of lay is good for a starter that want to go into egg production using cage. And which breeds will you advise me to go for? This is my number pls. 08021289077

    Reply
  17. please i need regular buyer in Edo and Delta state i dress mature broiler chicken and i sell to resale buyer at a marketable per Kg price 08068713421, 07034360466

    Reply
  18. Please sir, are they diseases that is sex-linked? And diseases that are peculiar with a breed/strain of bird?. Thanks.

    Reply
  19. Drugs to be given to birds from week one to week eight? And how to feed them and arrange them according to their Numbers. Thank you

    Reply
  20. Nice article sir. My birds are 4 weeks am confused whether to continue feeding them with starter feed or proceed to finisher feed.

    Reply
  21. hello my brother, here i have up to 50 birds and at 3 months now but the have weight loss what can i do in other for them to gain weight

    Reply
  22. I really enoyed this write up and would appreciate if i can be getting updates,i deal in briler and layers birds.Thanks

    Reply

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