SHIRE FARM

RAISING DAY OLD CHICKS TO GROWERS

■Day 1-day 7
- The chicks need to be in a brooder.
What is a Brooder?
- a brooder is a simple construction that is used to raise chicks until a point they are not so vulnerable.
- brooders maybe small rooms, wood construction, brooder boxes etc.
- chicks should stay in a brooder for at least 3 weeks - 4 weeks

●How to make a good brooder!
- make sure the brooder is not cold. ( provide source of heat ie. 100,watts Bulb, hot water bottles, brooder pots, etc)
- consider constructing brooders that's not too big and not too small.
-clean and disinfect the brooder before receiving chicks
- provide enough drinkers and enough feeders
- make sure the brooder is free from insects, rodents and mature chicken.
- provide dry dusting materials (saw dust or rice husks).

■Feeding chicks between day 1-day 7
- the best feed at this age is starter (crumbs or mash). - starter crumbs
- fugo starter mash
- pembe starter mash
- at this age avoid mixing of the feed with jenga, omena, pellets etc. You can mix starter crumbs and starter mash at a proportional ration.
- Avoid feeding broiler starter crumbs for chicks that are not broilers.

●Drugs .
- chick formula (egocin,veta chick start, poltricin, vitamet chick etc, dosage (one teaspoon for 5lts, ½teaspoon for 2 litres and ¼teaspoon for one litre)
- aliseryl (this is a blend of various vitamins that will help your chicks grow fast with strength and energy. Also helps chicks boost the appetite and also helps in preventing numerous diseases). Dosage same as chick formula
- liquid paraffin- this is not the normal paraffin we use at homes. This is a medicated paraffin that helps relieve constipation, helps in digestion, prevents injuries to alimentary canal and helps chicks to pass soft droppings.
- so week one give a combinations of chick formula, aliseryl and liquid paraffin

■Give Newcastle at day 7_
Day 8- day 14
■Feeds
-Same as previous week
-
●Drugs
-continue with chick formula
- use coccidios

How to test soil pH in order to obtain good produce in your farm.

AREAS TO AVOID DURING SOIL TEST
1. Avoid taking soil along the boundary take at middle of your farm.
2. Avoid area where their is manure.
3. Avoid area their is trees .
4. Avoid swampy area.

METHODS USED TO COLLECT SOIL
1. Traverse method.
2. Zigzag method.

HOW TO TEST SOIL PH MATERIAL REQUIRED
1. Soil
2. Water
3. Vinegar
4. Baking soda

-Take soil from different areas of your garden.
-put 2 spoonful into separated container.
-add half cup of vinegar.

RESULT:
-if it fizzes you have alkaline soil with ph of 7&8.

BEST CROP AT ALKALINE SOIL
:cabbage,spinach,beans,leek,sunflower,watermelon etc.

NB;if it doesnt fizz after doing the vinegar test.
-add distilled water to other containers with soil until its muddy.
-add half cup of baking soda if fizzes out you have acidic soil with ph of 5&6

BEST CROP AT ACIDIC SOIL
:kales,beans,potatoes,onions,spinach,sweetpotatoes,pumkin,tomatoes,melon,carrots,bananas etc

NB;if it doesnt react either in vinegar or baking soda at all your soil is neutral with ph of 7 and you are lucky

BEST CROP AT NEUTRAL SOIL
:carrots,tomatoes,cucumbers,cauliflower etc