Your First 100 Broilers: Week by Week
A complete 6-week walkthrough for first-time broiler farmers. From brooder setup through selling day, this lesson covers every critical decision, with practical numbers and NovaFeed feeding recommendations at each stage.
Learning Objectives
- Set up a brooder correctly -- temperature, bedding depth, and pre-heating schedule
- Execute Day 1 chick arrival protocol: inspection, hydration, and first feed
- Follow the NovaFeed 3-phase feeding plan (Starter, Grower, Finisher) with correct transition timing
- Monitor the 4 key metrics: spend, revenue, mortality rate, and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR)
- Calculate expected profit for a 100-bird batch and identify strategies to improve margins
Lesson Content
Work through each section and complete the comprehension check to continue.
Budget, equipment, housing setup, and what to buy 2 Day One — Chick Arrival
Inspection, placement, first water and feed 3 Week One — The Critical Week
Temperature, crop fill test, mortality targets 4 Week Two — Finding Their Feet
Temperature reduction, vaccines, lighting 5 Week Three — Growth Phase
Switching to Grower feed, space expansion, weighing 6 Weeks 4-5 — The Home Stretch
Finisher feed, FCR monitoring, market preparation 7 Selling Day — Market & Profit
Weight targets, selling channels, profit calculation
Key Takeaways
Preparation Wins
A brooder at 32 degrees C with clean bedding 48 hours before arrival sets the foundation. Skipping prep is the #1 cause of first-week losses.
3-Phase Feeding
Starter (Day 1-14), Grower (Day 15-28), Finisher (Day 28-42). Each phase is formulated for the bird's growth stage. Transition gradually with a 50/50 mix.
Watch Your FCR
Feed Conversion Ratio is the difference between profit and loss. Target 1.5-1.8. Every 0.1 improvement saves real money across 100 birds.
Track 4 Numbers
Spend, revenue, mortality, FCR. These four metrics tell the complete story of every batch and drive improvement cycle over cycle.