Broiler farming can be a profitable poultry business when nutrition, health, housing and farm management are properly coordinated. Modern broilers grow rapidly, which means that mistakes in feeding or management—particularly during the first weeks—can have a significant impact on final performance.
Successful broiler production therefore requires more than simply choosing a good chicken feed. Farmers need to provide the right nutrition at each stage, maintain good environmental conditions, provide continuous access to clean water and carefully monitor flock performance.
In this guide, TT Feeds by Terratiga explains the key areas broiler farmers should focus on from chick placement through to market.
Understanding the Broiler Production Cycle
Broiler production is a relatively short production cycle, but the nutritional requirements of the birds change rapidly as they grow.
A structured feeding programme therefore divides production into different stages. The TT Feeds broiler programme consists of:
Pre-Starter: Day 0–12
Starter: Day 13–24
Finisher: Day 25 onwards
Each stage has a different purpose. Early nutrition focuses heavily on establishing a strong foundation for development, while later stages increasingly focus on efficient growth and reaching the desired market weight.
Preparing the Broiler House Before Chick Arrival
Good broiler management begins before the chicks arrive.
The poultry house should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between production cycles. Equipment should be cleaned, litter prepared and feeders and drinkers positioned so that chicks can easily find feed and water immediately after placement.
Particular attention should be given to temperature. Young chicks are not yet able to regulate their body temperature effectively and therefore depend heavily on their environment.
Farmers should prepare and preheat the house before placement rather than waiting until the chicks arrive.
Clean drinking water and fresh feed should also be immediately available.
The Importance of a Good Start
The first days of a broiler's life are extremely important.
During this period, chicks develop rapidly while adapting to their new environment and establishing feed and water intake.
Farmers should closely monitor whether chicks are:
- Finding feed and water
- Spreading evenly throughout the house
- Active and alert
- Comfortable with the temperature
- Consuming sufficient feed
- Developing uniformly
Poor conditions during this period can affect subsequent flock performance.
Broiler Pre-Starter Feed: Day 0–12
TT Broiler Pre-Starter is developed specifically for the important first stage of broiler production.
Young chicks have relatively small digestive systems but very high nutritional requirements. They therefore require nutrient-dense, highly suitable feed that supports early development and feed intake.
TT Broiler Pre-Starter is produced as a 2.2 mm micro pellet, making it suitable for young chicks.
At this stage, farmers should pay close attention to feed availability, water, temperature, chick behaviour and early body weight development.
A strong start creates the foundation for the remainder of the production cycle.
Broiler Starter Feed: Day 13–24
As broilers develop, their feed intake and nutritional requirements change.
From approximately day 13, birds move onto TT Broiler Starter Feed.
During this period, farmers should aim for consistent growth while maintaining flock uniformity, good health and efficient feed utilisation.
Management remains extremely important. Temperature, ventilation, stocking density, litter condition, water availability and disease prevention can all influence how effectively birds use their feed.
Farmers should regularly observe their flock rather than relying only on feed consumption figures.
Broiler Finisher Feed: Day 25 to Market
From day 25 onwards, broilers enter the finishing phase.
Birds consume substantial quantities of feed during this stage, making feed efficiency particularly important to the economics of the farm.
TT Broiler Finisher Feed is developed for this final production stage.
Farmers should monitor body weight, daily growth, feed consumption, mortality, flock uniformity and the amount of feed required to produce additional live weight.
The appropriate marketing age will depend on factors such as target live weight, customer requirements, production performance and market conditions.
Feed Efficiency in Broiler Farming
Feed is one of the largest costs in broiler production. Farmers should therefore evaluate feed based on performance rather than simply comparing the price per bag.
One useful measure is Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR).
FCR compares the amount of feed consumed with the live weight produced.
For example, if a flock consumes 1,600 kg of feed to produce 1,000 kg of live weight gain:
FCR = 1,600 ÷ 1,000 = 1.60
A lower FCR generally means that less feed was required to produce the same amount of growth.
However, FCR should not be evaluated in isolation. Mortality, final live weight, age, health and overall production costs should also be considered.
Measuring Overall Broiler Performance
Professional broiler farmers should keep records throughout each production cycle.
Important indicators include:
Feed intake
Average body weight
Average daily gain
Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR)
Mortality
Flock uniformity
Age at market weight
Another useful measurement is the Production Efficiency Factor (PEF), which combines several important performance indicators.
A commonly used calculation is:
PEF = (Livability % × Average Live Weight kg) ÷ (Age in days × FCR) × 100
This allows farmers to compare the overall technical performance of different flocks or production cycles.
Water Management
Good broiler nutrition cannot be separated from good water management.
Broilers should have continuous access to clean, fresh drinking water. Insufficient water availability can reduce feed intake and consequently affect growth.
Farmers should regularly inspect:
Water quality
Drinker height
Water pressure/flow
Leaks
Storage tanks
Pipes and drinker lines
Water consumption can also provide useful information about flock condition. Significant unexpected changes can be an early indication that something has changed within the flock or environment.
Temperature and Ventilation
Broilers produce increasing amounts of heat and moisture as they grow.
Good ventilation helps remove excess heat, moisture and gases from the poultry house while supplying fresh air.
Poor ventilation can contribute to wet litter and an uncomfortable environment, while excessive airflow at chick level can cause chilling.
Farmers should therefore manage ventilation and temperature together.
Bird behaviour provides useful information. Chicks gathering tightly together may be uncomfortable, while birds moving away from a heat source or showing signs of heat stress may indicate excessive temperature.
Litter Management
Dry, good-quality litter contributes to a healthier broiler environment.
Wet litter can be associated with several management problems, including drinker leakage, excessive humidity, poor ventilation and digestive issues.
Farmers should regularly inspect litter condition throughout the poultry house, especially around drinking systems.
The objective is to keep the litter reasonably dry and friable throughout the production cycle.
Stocking Density
Placing too many birds in a limited area can increase pressure on feeders, drinkers, ventilation and litter.
The appropriate stocking density depends on bird weight, housing design, ventilation capacity, environmental conditions and applicable production standards.
Farmers should therefore consider the capacity of the complete poultry house rather than simply how many chicks physically fit inside it.
Biosecurity and Disease Prevention
Disease can quickly affect the performance and profitability of a broiler flock.
A good biosecurity programme should limit unnecessary movement of people, animals, vehicles and equipment between poultry houses and farms.
Measures can include controlled farm access, dedicated footwear and clothing, cleaning and disinfection procedures, rodent and pest control, appropriate downtime between flocks and proper disposal of mortality.
Vaccination and veterinary health programmes should be developed according to local disease risks and professional veterinary guidance.
Heat Stress in Broilers
Heat stress is particularly relevant for poultry production in warm climates such as Nigeria.
As broilers grow, their ability to dissipate body heat becomes increasingly important.
During hot conditions, farmers should pay particular attention to ventilation, stocking density, drinking water availability and bird behaviour.
Feed intake can decrease during heat stress, potentially affecting growth and final flock performance.
Good house design and environmental management therefore play an important role alongside nutrition.
Reducing Feed Wastage
Even a high-performing broiler feed becomes expensive when too much of it ends up on the floor.
Feed wastage can result from incorrect feeder height, overfilled feeders, poor feeder adjustment, damaged equipment or inappropriate feeding practices.
Feeders should be adjusted as the birds grow.
Reducing wastage improves the amount of purchased feed that actually contributes to bird production and therefore helps control total feed cost.
Choosing Broiler Feed in Nigeria
When comparing broiler feeds, farmers should look beyond the price printed on the bag.
Consider:
Nutritional quality – Is the feed appropriate for the production stage?
Consistency – Does the feed provide consistent quality from batch to batch?
Physical quality – Is the pellet or feed structure suitable for the age of the bird?
Performance – What growth and feed efficiency are being achieved?
Technical support – Can the supplier provide practical feeding guidance?
Availability – Can the farmer reliably obtain the feed throughout the production cycle?
Ultimately, the important figure is not simply cost per bag, but the cost of producing each kilogram of live broiler.
TT Feeds Broiler Feeding Programme
TT Feeds by Terratiga provides a structured feeding programme designed around the changing nutritional requirements of broilers:
TT Broiler Pre-Starter
Day 0–12 | 2.2 mm micro pellet
Developed to support the important early stage of chick development and establish a strong foundation for subsequent growth.
TT Broiler Starter
Day 13–24 | 2.2 mm pellet
Designed to support continued development and efficient growth during the starter phase.
TT Broiler Finisher
Day 25 onwards | 3.5 mm pellet
Developed for the finishing period when feed efficiency, growth and production economics become increasingly important.
Broiler Concentrates & Premixes
For farmers and feed producers who prefer to formulate their own broiler feed, concentrates and premixes provide a flexible approach to poultry nutrition.
They supply essential nutritional components that can be combined with suitable raw materials according to a properly developed formulation.
Accurate formulation, raw-material quality, weighing and mixing are particularly important when producing feed on-farm. Changing ingredients or inclusion rates can alter the nutritional composition of the finished feed.
TT Feeds provides concentrate and premix solutions for farmers and feed producers looking for greater control over their own feed production.
Frequently Asked Questions About Broiler Farming
What should I feed broilers?
Broilers should receive feed appropriate for their age and stage of development. TT Feeds uses a three-stage programme consisting of Pre-Starter from day 0–12, Starter from day 13–24 and Finisher from day 25 onwards.
How long does it take to raise a broiler?
The production period depends on genetics, target market weight, nutrition, health and farm management. Farmers should therefore focus on the relationship between age, body weight, FCR and market requirements rather than selecting a fixed selling age for every flock.
How can I improve broiler growth?
Good growth depends on several factors working together, including genetics, nutrition, feed intake, clean water, temperature, ventilation, health, stocking density and overall farm management.
What is a good FCR for broilers?
FCR varies according to age, target weight, genetics and production conditions. Rather than evaluating a single number in isolation, farmers should compare their flock performance against appropriate breed and production targets and monitor changes between production cycles.
What is the most important stage of broiler farming?
Every stage contributes to final performance, but the early brooding period deserves particular attention. Problems with feed intake, water, temperature or chick management during the first days can affect subsequent development.
Building a More Efficient Broiler Farm
Successful broiler farming requires nutrition, health and farm management to work together.
Quality feed cannot fully compensate for poor water management, disease pressure, inappropriate temperatures or inadequate housing. Likewise, good management cannot deliver the full potential of the flock without appropriate nutrition.
By monitoring performance, keeping accurate records and providing the appropriate feed at each stage, broiler farmers can make better decisions and work towards more consistent production results.
TT Feeds by Terratiga supports broiler farmers in Nigeria with Pre-Starter, Starter and Finisher feeds, alongside nutritional solutions for farmers and feed producers who formulate their own rations.