In many parts of the world, when a cockerel reaches certain conditions, it can contribute to a high fertilization rate in the flock. However, achieving this requires careful management throughout its development. It is essential to ensure that the roosters have proper skeletal and testicular growth, as well as consistent body weight at different stages of life. Additionally, managing feed intake, maintaining an appropriate male-to-female ratio, and controlling body condition are all critical factors for successful breeding.
**Breeding Arrangements**
Keeping roosters separate from hens allows for more precise feeding based on their weight curves. However, in many farms, roosters are often placed at the back of the house, making it difficult for farmers to monitor their behavior. Avigate Breeding Company recommends placing breeding roosters near the front of the henhouse, where they are easier to observe and manage during the breeding season.
**Feeding Procedures**
During the entire growing period, it's advised not to use scaffolding, especially between 6 and 12 weeks of age. This is a crucial time for muscle, tendon, and ligament development, and scaffolding can put unnecessary stress on the leg joints.
As roosters grow, they require more space for breeding. Therefore, it's important to adjust feeding density and space according to their age to support optimal growth and health.
**Early Brooding**
One of the most important aspects of brooding is ensuring that chicks get off to a strong start. The first 72 hours of a chick’s life are vital for immune system development, cardiovascular growth, feather development, and skeletal formation. Without proper early care, long-term reproductive performance may be compromised.
To support this, chicks should follow the ideal weight curve within the first 14 days. Many breeders use coccidiosis-free broiler chicks to achieve this goal. Any issues with weight gain during this time—such as delays in eating or uneven feeding—can lead to poor uniformity later on.
Maintaining uniformity in roosters is essential, especially after day 14. All birds must receive the same amount of feed consistently. Monitoring feeding behavior, especially during the transition from manual to automatic feeding, helps ensure even growth.
By day 35, roosters should maintain a uniformity rate of 80–85% to ensure synchronized sexual maturity when mixed with hens.
By 8 weeks of age, about 85% of the skeleton has developed. Meeting weight targets during this phase is critical. If not, the final shape of the rooster may be smaller than desired, leading to excessive fat accumulation and poor mating performance.
**Key Points for Proper Skeletal Development:**
- At 7 days old, target weight is 140 grams (use high-protein feed if needed).
- Weigh the entire group at 4 weeks and remove underweight individuals.
- Ensure the standard weight is met by 8 weeks.
- At 10 weeks, perform final selection and adjust the growth curve if necessary.
- Avoid any further interference with the roosters until mating begins.
**Feeding Space and Density**
Ensure roosters are not overcrowded (3–4 per square meter) and have enough feeding space (15 cm per bird). Feeders should operate efficiently, ideally delivering feed within 2–3 minutes per column.
**Testicular Development**
The testes begin developing between 10 and 15 weeks of age. Maintaining steady weekly weight gain during this time is crucial. Any weight loss can negatively impact testicular growth and sperm production later on.
From week 15 onward, the reproductive system develops rapidly. It’s essential to follow the weight curve closely, especially when roosters are mixed with hens. Ensuring proper stocking density and even feed distribution between 10 weeks and mating time is key to long-term breeding success.
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