Broiler chickens cobb 500. Average weight of a broiler at different stages of cultivation. Broiler growth and nutrition

02.03.2020

Any poultry farmer knows that broilers are bred and raised for meat. Initially, broiler breeds of chickens were bred for rapid growth and obtaining dietary meat. Modern breeders offer farmers more and more new types of crosses - chickens, gaining maximum meat weight in a couple of months. What should be the growth rate of chickens in order to keep broilers economically beneficial for the farmer?

Determine the weight

To understand that the chickens are gaining weight well, it is recommended to weigh the birds once a week. For these purposes, you can use any convenient weights. But given the mobility of chickens, the most accurate result can be obtained when weighing on an electronic scale. Below is a table of broiler weights by day, which shows the standard weight gain for broiler chickens.

The broiler weight table shows that the optimal weekly weight gain of birds should be at least 100 grams in the first week of life, then doubling. To obtain accurate data, broilers must be weighed every other number of days at the same time. It is advisable to weigh before eating the chicks.

About the features of weight gain

If, after 7-14 days of regular fattening, the weight of the broiler chicken does not increase according to the data in the table, then the mode and composition of the diet is selected incorrectly. Broilers such as Cobb-500 and other species are characterized by rapid weight gain. Already at the age of one month, the grown chicken reaches 1.5 kg. A month later, the broiler weighs 2.7-3 kg.

In order to obtain an increase in the mass of chickens according to the data in the table, it is important to observe the diet in the first 30 days of the life of the chicks. How correct and balanced the diet is, shows the first control weighing on the 7-10th day of life. The third weighing, which is done on day 21, should show the weight of chickens equal to 800 grams. If the mass of each chicken is less, then the diet, calorie content and composition of the diet should be reviewed.

About mass in different periods

Novice poultry farmers often wonder how much weight broilers have just hatched from eggs? A live chicken in the first minutes of life weighs at least 40 grams. There are also larger birds. With less weight, the survival rate of chicks is not great. If the mass of the chick is even 2-3 grams more than the standard, then in the future this individual will be larger and heavier than the rest of the broilers.

The first serious conclusions about the correct selection and preparation of the diet can be made on the tenth day of the life of the chicks. Considering that the total life expectancy on broiler farms is no more than 2 months, 10 days is a significant part of the life of chickens. So, on day 10, each broiler should weigh at least 150-200 grams. In the following days, the body weight of each chicken should rapidly increase.

The next control measurement of the weight of the chickens should be carried out at the age of 14 days. At this stage, each chicken should weigh 370-450 grams. Reviews of poultry farmers claim that these indicators are very important. If the mass of broilers corresponds to the norms in the table, then the diet is correct.

If nutrition and care comply with norms and standards, then already in a month broilers will gain 4 times their live weight in comparison with the indicators obtained at the age of 10 days. On the thirtieth day of life, each broiler should weigh between 800g and 1kg. After another two weeks, the live weight of the chickens increases to 2 kg. Of course, poultry farmers do not send chickens for slaughter at the age of one and a half months.

Starting from the 45th day of life, the following components are added to the feed for birds:

Various greenery and grass.

Chalk additives.

River or sea shells.

If all recommendations for catering are followed, then at the age of two months, the weight of each live Cobb-500 broiler will be at least 2.5 kg. For older chickens, vitamin supplements play an important role in weight gain. You can use ready-made veterinary preparations, or you can saturate the diet of birds with greenery. Part grain feed, you need to replace it with boiled potatoes, which are mixed into a wet mash.

For a good weight gain, Cobb-500 broilers are recommended to give fermented milk products.

Perfectly saturate the body of birds with proteins such products as:

Yogurt.

Serum.

Low-fat cottage cheese.

Subject to all recommendations, at three months of age, broiler chickens should weigh within 3 kg. Further, keeping and feeding pets loses economic sense. At this stage, in most farms, poultry is slaughtered.

In custody

According to the broiler chick normal weight gain chart, each broiler should gain at least 100-200 grams per week, then doubling every seven days. To understand that the diet is correct, it is necessary to weigh the birds weekly. This should be done at the same time, preferably before eating birds. If control weighings show downward deviations from the norm, then the diet and the number of feedings of pets should be reviewed.

Chicken meat is in high demand, so right choice breed will organize profitable business. Farmers often choose Cobb 500 broilers. This cross is distinguished by its rapid growth and minimal feeding costs. These chickens are bred both in the Russian regions and in other countries of the world. To grow a healthy livestock, you need to know certain nuances of caring for chickens - we'll talk about this today.

A distinctive feature of chickens is the yellow tint of the skin, which is why they are popular among buyers. Birds are unpretentious in care, they do not need to purchase expensive feed. Already after 30-40 days they are poisoned for slaughter, so such farms are considered profitable.

External characteristics of the cross:

strong physique;
massive paws;
white color of the pen;
voluminous hips;
earrings and comb of bright red color;
big beak.

Chickens and adult hens are the same size. This means that there is no significant weight difference between females and males, which greatly increases the benefit. There is no need to sort meat carcasses.

When creating a cross, the breeders wanted to get birds that would quickly gain weight when minimal cost for feeding. This task was fully realized by crossing the Cornish with Plymouth Rocks and other breeds. However, eggs obtained from Cobb 500 individuals are not used for further incubation.

Important point! This breed is often kept under the condition of seasonal farms. Because during the warm period of the year you can grow and send for slaughter a large number of birds.

The nature of such individuals is calm. They are not prone to conflict, so it is not recommended to keep them in the same coop with more active breeds. If the conditions for keeping chickens are violated, cases of cannibalism are sometimes observed. Usually this problem is associated with bright lighting.

Poultry productivity

Chickens are highly productive, they are bred in order to obtain meat. At the age of 40-42 days, the average weight of a chicken is 2.2 kg. The mass of chickens at the age of 2.5-3 months already reaches 4 kg.

Table 1. Growth rate when rearing males and females together

Age	Weight, g	Feed, g
1 Week	165	142
2 weeks	432	457
21 day	845	1064
1 month	1405	2028
35 days	2020	3260
49 days	3125	6048
56 days	3650	7460

The breasts of such chickens are meat and are especially appreciated by buyers. Carcasses of chickens have the correct shape and uniform skin color.

Egg production in this breed is weak. Females begin to give eggs closer to 8 months, when the full weight gain is completed. From one chicken per week you can get 1-2 eggs. They are not large, but have good taste. However, farmers do not keep birds as laying hens.

Rules for maintenance and care

The breed of such chickens is quite unpretentious in content. Therefore, most farms purchase this particular cross to obtain meat products in industrial volumes.

For broilers, you will need to build warm chicken coop with good ventilation, while there is no need to install windows in such a room. Chicks under 2 weeks of age should be given full 24 hours of light. During this period, they are rapidly gaining body weight. In dark conditions, young animals may simply not find a feeder with food. In the following weeks, daylight hours are reduced to 16-17 hours a day.

The success of growing such a breed also depends on hygiene. If excessive dampness is observed in the chicken coop, droppings accumulate, then the possibility of developing an infection in the livestock is not excluded. It is important to periodically disinfect the room and rinse the feeders and drinkers with hot water.

For older chickens, the bedding should be changed at least 1-2 times a month. Chicks will need to be replaced every 2 days. It is advisable to build such feeders for young animals so that the possibility of trampling food is excluded. Because pathogenic bacteria can also accumulate on the paws of chickens.

In the absence of a normal ventilation system, ammonia smell prevails in the air, which has a detrimental effect on the condition of the chickens. As a result, they become lethargic, stop eating, lose body weight and die. Drafts are also dangerous for livestock, the optimum air temperature in the chicken coop is 25 - 30 degrees.

Feeding cobb 500

Broiler chickens are actively gaining body weight already in the first days of life. Such a bird is most often fed with compound feed.

And they also need the following feed:

corn;
boiled root crops (in crushed form);
fresh vegetables;
bread products;
herbs.

Birds need special mineral supplements. AT veterinary pharmacies premixes for feeding broilers. Add such mixtures to wet food. The exact amount of supplementation will depend on the age and body weight of the chick. The exact calculation can be found on premix packages.

In broiler chickens, the metabolic processes of the body function quickly. Therefore, birds should always have food in their feeders. Even minor periods of fasting affect weight loss. Birds need constant access to water, especially when dry-fed. Strong thirst also negatively affects the productivity of broilers.

At large poultry farms, they install automatic systems supplying water to chickens. At home, you will have to independently monitor this process.

Drinking water must be clean and free from any contamination. Otherwise, the birds may experience an upset digestive system, which usually leads to weight loss. Sometimes, as a result of poor-quality feeding, mass mortality of livestock is observed.

What food to choose?

Broiler chickens are fed with ready-made feed mixtures or homemade. However, it is important to follow the technology of self-preparation of feed.

Adults are fed with ready-made mixtures Pk-6, and the growing young - Pk-5. Buy feed only from reliable manufacturers. Otherwise, you can suffer big losses.

Compared with egg breeds, the diet of broilers is made up of feed with a high protein content. Chickens are fed with grain mixtures, crushed. In addition, they require meat and bone or fish meal for normal weight gain.

Various vegetables are added to the mixture. However, carrots are the most useful because of their high carotene content. Broilers are sometimes allowed to give even raw potato tubers, but only in crushed form. It is useful for chickens to feed chalk and shell rock. It is recommended to lay pebbles on the floor.

Chicken breeding

Broilers of this breed are bred in the following ways:

buy fertilized eggs for further incubation;
buy day old chicks.

Traditional bird breeding is not possible for the following reasons:

the qualities of the breed are not inherited by individuals, they were obtained as a result of the work of breeders;
Cobb 500 female broilers do not have the instinct to incubate eggs.

Buying eggs for incubation is much more profitable. However, with any inconsistencies in the temperature regime of the system, a low percentage of hatchability may be observed. In addition, when buying day old chickens, you can consider their appearance, choose the most active and strong individuals. There is a high survival rate among chickens of this breed, which is more than 93%.

Incubators do an excellent job of laying hens, increasing productivity and reducing your labor costs by several times. One of these helpers for farmers -

Egg incubation

Thanks to the incubation system, you can get daily Cobb 500 chicks in any season. For such purposes, you will need to purchase a quality system.

Eggs should not be too small or large because they are rarely viable. It is worth carefully examining the shell to exclude cracks, traces of litter on the surface.

Eggs are laid with sharp ends down or horizontally, depending on the type of incubation system. Before laying them should be warmed up at room temperature.

Table 2. Preparing eggs for incubation: step by step instructions

Illustration	Description
	The surface of each egg must be carefully examined.
	Minor dirt must be removed with warm water and a cotton pad. For each egg, take a new cotton pad.
	The incubator must be preheated to a temperature of 38 degrees, and then eggs should be placed there.

The incubation period is 21 days. The optimum temperature for warming eggs is 37.7-38 degrees. If this rate is exceeded, the embryo dies. Periodically, the eggs are translucent with an ovoscope, in the absence of embryo development, they are removed.

The subtleties of growing young animals

Since broilers are raised for meat, they are not recommended to be kept in large chicken coops with a spacious aviary. So, the possibility of their movement is reduced, which means that body weight is gained faster.

Birds should not build high perches. Due to their body weight, they can not hold on and fall, which will lead to various injuries.

There are the following options for keeping chickens:

floor;
cellular.

At cell content birds gain weight much faster. Floor housing is usually relevant in the presence of a large number of broilers. Sometimes, to save territory, cages are installed in several tiers. However, you will have to provide lighting for the upper and lower rows.

Video - Growing Broilers

Diseases of chickens

This breed is distinguished by good health and a high survival rate. However, like other chickens, broilers are prone to some pathologies.

Table 3. Possible diseases of the Cobb 500 breed

Disease	Description
salmonellosis	An infectious disease that is dangerous to birds and humans. Therefore, infected individuals are destroyed. Eating their meat is extremely dangerous for health.
vitamin deficiency	Because broilers grow quickly, they develop nutritional deficiencies more often than other birds. The composition of the feed should already include a full range of vitamins and minerals.
Dyspepsia	The disease occurs as a result of feeding birds with spoiled feed, sour waste from the table. Chickens do not have special enzymes for digesting such food. Chickens up to 2 weeks old are often affected by the disease. The main symptom is diarrhea with food debris.
Aspergillosis	A fungal disease that affects the respiratory system of birds. It develops under the condition of dampness in the chicken house. Such an environment is most favorable for the reproduction of various fungi.
Inflammation of the digestive system	The disease occurs when chickens are not properly fed. Antibiotics are used for treatment.
Marek's disease	This disease is common among broilers. As a result, birds have impaired vision, coordination, and wings droop. The presence of such a disease can only be confirmed by a veterinarian.
Pneumonia	It occurs due to improper keeping of the bird, frequent drafts in the chicken coop. Accompanied by wheezing, stretching of the neck. In the absence of timely treatment, individuals die.

To prevent the development of such diseases, it is important to observe the conditions for keeping birds. Even before laying eggs in the incubator, it will be necessary to thoroughly disinfect it. Day old chicks, despite the good health of the breed, are susceptible to disease.

Pros and cons of the breed

Cross Cobb 500 has its pros and cons. It is necessary to study such nuances before purchasing eggs or chickens.

Main advantages:

fast weight gain, no need for long-term maintenance;
dietary meat, a minimum layer of fat;
simplicity of content;
good presentation of the finished product.

Disadvantages of the breed:

inability to self-breed;
poor survival at low temperatures;
weak egg production.

The advantages of growing such a bird far outweigh the disadvantages. In Russian stores, you can most often find chicken carcasses of this particular breed.

One of the cost-effective, promising and profitable ways to develop poultry farming is the breeding of broiler chickens. Unlike adults and other breeds, broilers do not require a huge amount of feed. In addition, the work of breeders in this area is constantly ongoing.

There are new improved crosses that are capable of gaining maximum weight with minimal time costs. At the same time, the taste quality does not deteriorate in any way. Cobb 500 broilers should be attributed to one of the unique varieties of chickens. They are not whimsical, cost-effective and available for breeding at home.

Broilers cobb 500: characteristics

The birthplace of broilers cobb 500 is the Czech Republic. To date, Cobb 500 broilers are bred in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, the USA and Canada. In creating a hybrid Many breeds participated, consider the main ones.

As a result of crossing all breeds, a productive new species was obtained. It is possible to distinguish the Cross Cobb 500 from other breeds of chickens only in appearance. You need to carefully study the chicken and its characteristics.

Each chicken has a large body and a massive body. The thighs at the crust are well developed, and the paws are strong and large. The bird's feathers are large and strong, and their color is exceptionally white without the presence of any inclusions. The chicken scallop is small. It looks like earrings and has a scarlet, red color. The chicken's face is covered with a thin and red skin. The skin of the bird itself is yellow and has an excellent presentation.

Cobb 500 broilers are the same size as adults and chicks. Between a rooster and a chicken, the difference in weight is almost imperceptible. The breed is excellent for industrial production. In this regard, there is no need to divide meat into varieties, because they have the same presentation and quality.

General information about cobb 500 broilers

Characteristic appearance chickens of this breed easily distinguishes it from other representatives of crosses. They have clean, white plumage and a bright crest. A distinctive feature of the cobb chicken 500 is high and large legs.

Broiler Cobb 500 is bred for a reason. They possess high speed height, weight. Chickens on the fortieth day of their existence gain in weight about two and a half kilograms. There are those chickens that are able to put on weight, many times more.

As mentioned earlier, crosses have uniformity. All representatives of this species, upon reaching a certain age, have the same mass. That is, in one month of their development, the chicks can gain two kilograms of weight. At a year and a half, Cobb chickens add another two and a half kilograms. On the fifty sixth day In their lifetime, their mass can reach more than three kilograms.

But, it is worth noting that when the chicks reach the eightieth day of their life, their growth is reduced. Therefore, a favorable period for slaughtering chickens is the fortieth and sixtieth day of their life. The slaughter of young animals may be carried out on the thirtieth day of their life, if necessary. Chickens are raised up to four months of age. In the future, the maintenance of cobb 500 broilers becomes impractical, since they consume a lot of feed, and there is no weight gain.

Unlike many other crosses, cobb 500 has unique characteristics. These include not only the number of crossed breeds, but also a high weight gain and bird keeping. The main advantage of broilers is their meat. It has a unique pleasant taste. Unlike many other breeds, meat is ideal for dietary nutrition.

It was for this purpose that it was necessary to cross many meat breeds, from which an excellent broiler was bred. It can lay eggs like any other bird. But hoping that there will be enough eggs is pointless. The number of eggs from under one female can be no more than two units per week. Broiler cobb 5000 is exclusively a meat breed. Broilers start laying late, no earlier than seven months. But many chickens, due to the inappropriateness of their content, do not live to this age.

Growing and breeding broilers cobb 500 at home

Before you make a purchase of Cobb 500 broilers, it is worth understanding how chickens are bred and how you can benefit from it. Raising chickens in two ways. Firstly, the purchase of hatching eggs at large farms. Secondly, the purchase of daily young. Unfortunately, this breed cannot be bred in the traditional way. There are several reasons for this.

Cobb 500 broilers are a hybrid that has been obtained by mixing various breeds. Therefore, as a result of mixing, chicken genes are not inherited.
Chickens of this species are not able to incubate and raise offspring as such.

The price of hatching eggs becomes several times less than you buy chicks that have already been born and have direct quality indicators of cobb 500. The young are different high level survival rate, which is characterized by a high survival rate related to the advantages of this breed.

Cobb 500 broiler survival rate up to 97% of the total. This is the merit of this species. poultry. To special important factors that take into account when raising chickens is worth attributing.

Keeping chickens. Rapid weight gain will depend directly on this factor. With the activity of young animals, the growth rate of the animal will be several times lower, which will greatly reduce the profitability of poultry breeding.
Temperature indicator. Birds of this breed cannot tolerate stuffiness, drafts, as well as too high or low temperatures. In the event that the chickens are crowded in one place, close to the heaters. This indicator indicates insufficient temperature for chickens. If the temperature is too high, then the chicks become lethargic and lose their appetite and also suffer from heat. The recommended temperature for chickens is between twenty-seven degrees and thirty-three degrees.
Light mode. In the first two weeks of life, chicks need to organize lighting around the clock. After that, it is possible to reduce the hours of light.
Proper and nutritious nutrition. In the diet of the broiler Cobb 500, vitamins, trace elements, and minerals should be present. In addition, you need to add all kinds of feeding for the chicks. Feed should be enriched with proteins.
Required condition raising chickens is keeping the room clean. Despite the fact that the broiler is susceptible to all sorts of infections or diseases. Due to non-observance of cleanliness in the premises, epidemics of infectious diseases can occur and, in particular, to a significant reduction in the number of livestock.

Feeding broilers cobb 500

To feed chickens, farmers mainly use compound feed. They sell it in the store - this is PK-5 compound feed for young animals. Although such food can be freely reproduced at home. For the preparation of compound feed for young animals, it is worth considering some components that are mandatory in the diet.

greenery;
small shells;

Early chickens are recommended to give a boiled egg and low-fat cottage cheese. The first feed for chickens should meet the basic requirement - it should be such that the food is completely absorbed in the immature digestive system. When adding grain crops to the diet, one must take into account the fact that with wheat in food, the level of absorption of potassium and phosphorus is significantly reduced. Therefore, additional replenishment is necessary.

Chicken feeding - it is a reusable, daily process. In the first week of life, young animals need to be fed at least eight times a day. After that, you need to reduce the frequency of feeding. At first, reduce one feeding per week. And then, give food twice a day - in the morning and in the evening.

What are the diseases of Cobb 500 broilers?

Cobb 500 have a low level of susceptibility to various diseases. They are capable of producing a high survival rate. But, in turn, they are susceptible to various diseases that affect only this breed of chickens. To the most common diseases worth mentioning the following.

Advantages and disadvantages of cobb 500: description

Growing cobb 500 - This is a profitable activity at home. In the shortest possible time, you can get tasty meat without the financial cost of feeding chickens. Feedback from farmers about the cobb 500 brood is only positive. The main advantages of growing broilers at home should be attributed.

Breed cobb 500 has disadvantages Let's take a look at the main ones.

The chicken is a hybrid and therefore it will not work to breed it on its own.
The Cobb 500 does not have the ability to incubate eggs on its own.
In order to grow eggs, you need to purchase a specialized incubator.
Sensitivity of young animals to temperature fluctuations. That is, growing poultry is associated with additional costs for their heating.

Broilers of the Cobb 500 cross belongs to one of the most highly productive crosses of chickens - broilers. It is distinguished by a high rate of muscle gain, good immunity, and, consequently, a high level of safety (up to 97%), excellent feed conversion rates.

Chickens of this particular breed are wildly popular with farmers all over the world, due to their high growth rate. In addition, another undoubted advantage of these chickens is the very low cost of feed. Simply put, they eat little, and at the same time grow very quickly, and therefore the feed is consumed very efficiently.

In addition, this bird meets all consumer criteria. And even if it’s not like breeding broilers meat breed, they can produce up to 180 eggs alone in 65 weeks. True, in order for chickens to give a good increase in meat, they need special care and warmth. In the room where broilers are kept, there should be not only round-the-clock lighting, but also a temperature of at least 30 degrees.

Room preparation.

Preparation of the premises for the reception of the next batch begins with cleaning. The bedding with droppings is removed and taken out. Dust is removed, equipment and inventory are washed and disinfected with a 3-5% hot solution of soda ash. To disinfect the floor, walls and ceiling, use one of the proposed options:

2% caustic soda solution;
3% solution of formalin at the rate of 1 liter per 1 m²;
3-5% solution of creolin or xylonafta-5 at the rate of 1-2 l 1 m².

Walls and ceilings are whitewashed with 20% solution of freshly slaked lime. After 12 hours, turn on the fans and ventilate the room.

Growing broilers on deep litter

Litter is brought into the cleaned and disinfected poultry house. Before spreading it, the floor is sprinkled with fluffy lime 0.5-1 kg per 1 m². Dry small wood shavings, sawdust are used as bedding. In summer, the thickness of the litter should be 5-7 cm, in winter -15 cm. The day before the chickens are planted, the heating is turned on and the room is heated. On 1 m² of the floor area of the premises, 18 heads of day-old young animals are placed, until full cultivation. Lighting is around the clock, but its intensity is relatively low and decreases rapidly as the bird grows. With a small rearing population, plywood or cardboard boxes with side openings for ventilation can be used for the first weeks. Closed on top with a grid, cartridges with electric lamps with a power of 75-150 W are fixed on the latter, depending on the heating area and the time of year. For 1 head, 30 cm² is required. From the second week, chickens are planted over the entire floor area of the room. But in order to save heat for up to three weeks, young animals are kept in a part of the room fenced off with a film. With the floor maintenance of a broiler, the growing time is 9-10 weeks.

Growing broilers on mesh floors.

To install mesh floors in the poultry house, you will need a mesh with cells from 16x16 mm to 16x24 mm with a wire diameter of 2 mm, as well as a wooden beam or corner. Be sure to disinfect. From 30 to 40 heads of daily young animals can be placed per 1 m², after 10 days, 1 m² can be planted from 16 to 18 chickens until they are fully grown.

Growing broilers in cages.

More intensive growth of broilers in comparison with previous methods is obtained with cage keeping, which is facilitated by the limited movements of the bird, the lack of contact with the litter and droppings sharply reduces the incidence of the bird. Planting density of daily young stock in cages - 1 m² 35 - 40 heads, after 10 days plant out - 1 m² from 16 to 18 chickens until full cultivation. For the convenience of movement of chickens on the mesh floor of the cage, paper mats 40x650 mm in size are placed on the shelves in the first days. Before planting the chickens, up to 100 g of feed is sprinkled on the mats, and feeders with feed and drinkers are installed with free access to them. It is believed that 6-8 weeks are quite realistic terms for the sale of a broiler. Their further content is directly dependent on the overspending of feed. And although the number of edible parts in carcasses increases slightly with age, this does not justify the feed costs.

Note temperature regime during the planting period: as soon as possible, chicks from Vehicle place in prepared premises.

Content temperature.

Feeding broilers in household plots.

It is very important to start feeding the young immediately after admission. Those chickens that from the first day do not take food well, already weaken by 2-3 days and, if they do not die, they become slugs. To prevent this, from the very first feeding, it is necessary to establish control over the filling of the goiters in those who have them left empty. They are planted for individual forced feeding from a pipette with a mixture of fresh milk and egg yolk, 2-3 such manipulations will revive the chickens, they will become vigorous and, together with everyone, will actively take up food. For every 25 heads of chickens, one drinker is set up (watering front 2 cm per 1 head of young animals), and an automatic feeder (feeding front 3 cm per 1 head of young animals).

Calculation of the need for compound feed for chickens - broilers, depending on the number of heads.

Particular attention should be paid to the constant availability of clean water in the drinkers and the free access of chickens to them. Pay attention to the quality of water used for watering birds. As a preventive measure, on days free from drinking with antibiotics and vitamins, preventive treatment of water with a weak solution of potassium permanganate is carried out for 2-3 days. If possible, it is useful to drink whey instead of water, exposing it for a short time so that it does not have time to turn sour, also cottage cheese.

Two weeks before the slaughter of the bird, stop giving veterinary drugs, feed and clean water.

Housing ventilation: it is necessary to constantly monitor the ventilation and humidity in the room where the birds are kept.

Large producers of chicken meat grow exclusively broilers. This is due to the high rate of precocity, low cost of feed per 1 kg of production and the possibility of reducing production areas. Broiler Cobb 500 is one of the most popular crosses in the world. It is increasingly found in private households. Growing at home, subject to all the recommendations made specifically for the Cobb 500, is not difficult.

When creating the Cobb 500 broiler cross, the main goal of breeders was to obtain an early maturing bird with a high meat return in terms of feed consumed.

The broiler was based on several lines of two breeds: meat Cornish and meat and egg Plymouth Rocks. The cross is unstable and is not subject to further breeding, since in the process of its production at different stages the crossing of the parent stock with the Kuchinsky jubilee, New Hampshires, Rhode Islands and other breeds is actively used.

Cobb 500 broilers have a massive build. Large, strong hips. A distinctive feature is yellow skin, which gives an attractive presentation to the carcass. The plumage is white, without other inclusions. Comb, face, lobes red.

Broilers Cobb 500 distinguishes uniformity of chickens and young growth. If there are deviations in appearance culling is recommended. The same applies to broilers with poor health. Sick, handicapped, lagging behind in development are subject to rejection.

Productivity characteristics

Growing broilers is based primarily on economic feasibility. This applies to all crosses, not just the Cobb 500. The productivity characteristic very accurately reflects how profitable it is to breed broilers at home. Birds are ready for slaughter starting from a month, and optimal time cultivation - 1.5–2 months. Then weight gain decreases and feed costs increase.

Before your eyes, it is important to have a table with normative weight indicators depending on age. This is done to control the increase in live weight in order to make timely adjustments to the growing or feeding conditions of broilers.

Table of approximate weight gain when keeping chickens (hens and cockerels).

Age, weeks	Average weight, g: joint content (chickens / males)	Gain (average daily), g



	1524 (1463/1585)
	2191 (2083/2299)
	2857 (2671/3044)
	3506 (3226/3786)
	4111 (3741/4481)
	4649 (4230/5068)

Weight gain data may differ in different climatic zones. Therefore, exact information should be requested from the official representatives selling hatchery eggs or day old chicks in your area. As a rule, they provide detailed tables of daily gain, taking into account the use of feed.

Growing Features

Broilers Cobb 500 - industrially bred cross. To obtain the declared productivity and ripening speed, it is very important to follow the recommendations from experts. From compliance with the incubation regimen, lighting, constant temperature, calorie content of the diet, the weight gain of the bird when grown at home depends.

Incubation

Cobb 500 broiler day old chicks are in high demand and are sold in industrial hatcheries and even markets. To avoid possible fraud on the part of the seller, it is necessary to require a certificate of conformity, and it is even better to do the incubation yourself. So you can get the required number of Cobb 500 broilers in a pre-calculated time frame.

The laying of eggs in an incubator or under a brood hen is carried out after their gradual warming up to a level of +25°C. A brood of chickens can be expected in three weeks. It is important to control the temperature regime of incubation. It should not exceed +38°C. The optimum heating of eggs is +37.6°С ... +37.8°С.

For growing at home, high-quality eggs are selected that are marked with the date of production and the name of the cross.

For growing broiler chickens Cobb 500, a special regime of care and fattening is provided.

At home, it is important to provide clean and dry bedding at any stage of growing. This prevents the risk of bacterial infections and ensures the safety of the herd.

Cobb 500 broilers are kept without range, limiting freedom of movement and possible stressors. At home, a closed house or cage system is suitable for them.

Planting density depends on the temperature and humidity of the environment. On average, indicators of 30 - 42 kg of live weight of Cobb 500 broilers per 1 m 2 are accepted. The optimal temperature is measured on the litter. For chickens, it is at the level of + 27 ° С ... + 33 ° С. In the future, a gradual decrease is permissible by no more than 2°С per day and not lower than +10°С ... +14°С for fully feathered and ready-to-slaughter birds. Sharp fluctuations are reflected in the intensity of energy exchange, and hence the amount of feed consumed.

In the room it is necessary to provide a sufficient level of ventilation, without drafts. Exposure to direct sunlight is not allowed. But artificial light should be uniform and strictly dosed. Chicks up to 2 weeks old are provided with round-the-clock lighting. Then darkening is gradually introduced.

Feeding

The high productivity of any bird at home requires compliance with strict feeding and rearing rules. This is especially true for Cobb 500 broilers. Reviews of this cross indicate the need to follow the manufacturer's recommendations, especially when fattening chickens.

On the early stages the rate of growth and set of muscle mass is laid. A diet that is balanced in key nutrients, in particular proteins, vitamins and minerals, is the basis for obtaining the expected result from Cobb 500 broilers.

Best of all, special compound feeds are suitable for feeding. An approximate program for their use should be as follows:

Starter feed in the form of grits is used for chickens under the age of 10 days.
Intensive gains begin at the age of 11 - 22 days. This will require granular feed "Growth".
For older livestock, compound feed in granules "Finish" (1 or 2) is used.

Self-compilation of a diet at home will require serious knowledge and no less financial costs for supplements. In addition to the grain mixture, animal proteins, vitamin and mineral complexes enriched with amino acids will be needed.

Cobb 500 broilers must have free access to clean and fresh water.