There are many types of broiler cages. So how should you choose?
Battery broiler cages: Battery chicken cages are stacked on top of each other. There are manure-bearing board broiler cages made of bamboo, wood and other materials between each layer, and every two cages are installed back-to-back. Several or dozens of cages form a row, with aisles between each row. With different equipment conditions, multiple layers of cages can be stacked together, generally three layers are appropriate. This kind of layout occupies less area, and the number of chickens per unit area is large. However, when there are many rows in the chicken house, the chickens in the center of the chicken house will have a low production level due to poor ventilation and lighting. Rural scattered chicken farmers use the roof to raise chickens, which is an ideal layout.
Single-layer chicken cage: This method is fully mechanized. It is to place all chicken cages on a shelf about 2 meters above the ground. Every two chicken cages are installed back-to-back into a row, and there is no aisle between the rows, but there are special conveyor belts for water supply and egg collection. Feeding, water supply and egg collection are all mechanically operated. Chicken droppings fall directly to the ground.
Although this kind of broiler cage only needs one layer, because there is no aisle, there are many chickens per unit area. It is convenient to remove manure together, the air quality in the house is good, and the environmental conditions are consistent. However, the investment cost is relatively high, and if the breeder is not responsible, it is not easy to be found when a mechanical accident occurs and the chicken is in poor health. This kind of broiler cage production is rarely use.
Full-step cage: This is one of the main breeding cages when artificial insemination is used in the production of high-quality broiler breeders. The layers of this broiler cage are all staggered, and the manure falls directly into the manure pit or the ground, without the need for a manure bearing board. The three-layer structure is often used. Artificial feeding and egg collection can also adopt a two-layer structure, but the number of chickens per unit area is reduced.
Half-step cage: The difference between this method and the full-step cage is that there are half stacks between the upper and lower broiler cages, and the stacking part is provided with a sloping manure bearing plate, and the manure passes through the manure bearing plate and falls into the manure pit or the ground. Because half of them are stacked, the ground is saved and the number of chickens per unit area is increased by 1/3 compared with the full ladder type, and the construction investment of the chicken house is also reduced, and the production effects are basically similar.