Better Farming Series 13 - Keeping Chickens (FAO - INADES, 1977, 48 p.): Small livestock farming in the villages: The animal husbandry services help

Better Farming Series 13 - Keeping Chickens (FAO - INADES, 1977, 48 p.)

(introduction...)

Preface

Small livestock farming in the villages

(introduction...)

Little work but yields little

Chicken farming must be improved

The animal husbandry services help

How to choose poultry

Traditional types of poultry

To improve poultry

Good cocks must be selected

Good hens must be selected

Good chicks must be selected

Improved breeds

How to feed poultry

To feed poultry well is important and difficult

Poultry need good feed

How poultry make use of food and water

(introduction...)

Energy feeds

Body- building feeds: proteins

Mineral salts

Vitamins

Clean water

Special needs of chicks, laying hens, and table poultry

How to protect poultry against disease

Preventing poultry from getting ill

Vaccination

Main diseases of poultry

How to house poultry

(introduction...)

How to build a poultry house

Nests

Feeding troughs

Drinking troughs and fountains

The brooder

(introduction...)

How to choose and look after hens to produce chicks

Here is an example

The animal husbandry services help

17. These services are trying to find out:

· what are the breeds that yield more, that are more resistant to heat, dampness and diseases;
· what food to give these good breeds;
· what vaccinations protect poultry from diseases.

They also sell cocks, hens and chicks of good breeds.

18. They teach farmers how 10:

· house poultry;
· feed them better;
· protect poultry from diseases;
· organize livestock farming.

The work of the animal husbandry centres and animal husbandry services is very important.

19. Assistants of these centres and services should:

· have a good knowledge of traditional livestock farming; and observe carefully what farmers are doing, so as to advise them better;

· win the confidence of farmers so that the advice is listened to and followed;

· have a good knowledge of the modern way of livestock farming so as to produce more.

The work of the assistants Is also very Important.

20. A male is called a cock

A mother bird is called a hen. Their little ones are called chicks.

When the chicks have grown big enough to be sold, they are called chickens. All the birds in the poultry house (cocks, hens, chicks and chickens) are called poultry.

To succeed in keeping poultry, you must:

· choose hens of a good breed;
· teed them well;
· house them well;
· protect them well against diseases.

A family poultry unit should not cost much, but It should yield a lot