Broiler vs Layer – Chicken Differences, Management

Introduction to Broiler vs Layer Chicken

Are you interested to know about Broiler vs Layer chickens? Well, here we provide the complete guide of Broiler vs Layer. The poultry farming business is one of the growing sectors in global agricultural industries. In poultry farming, there are two types of chickens that are raised. They are Layers and Broilers. The Layers are grown only to lay eggs, while the Broilers are raised for meat. Approximately, both Layers and Broilers require a similar type of facilities and equipment. Layers are raising chicken for eggs, whereas Broilers means chickens raised for meat. In this article we also discuss the below topics about Broiler vs Layer chicken;

• Which is profitable between Broilers and Layers
• Quantity of feed does a Layer chicken eat per day
• Is Layer chicken good for health
• Can Broilers lay eggs
• How do you manage Broiler chickens
• How much feed does a Broiler chicken eat a day

The growth and economy of any poultry farm mainly depend totally on the type of breeds and the management efficiencies. There are different varieties of high yielding Layers and Broilers are available. Then, these varieties are produced by the process of hybridization. The baby chicks of high quality in Layers and Broilers are formed by hatcheries. For poultry farming, the newborn chicks are to be obtained and these one-day-old chicks are to be subjected to brooding. Artificial brooding is employed for this purpose. In this process, the farmhouses and cages must be made ready for the baby chicks. The surroundings of the house and the equipment must be kept clean by using insecticides.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Broiler vs Layer Chicken

Generally, Broilers refer to chickens that are grown for butchering and eating. Broiler chickens are fast-growing chickens with deeper muscle tissue (which means more meat). And, you can raise the chickens in a shorter time. Usually, Layers are a type of chickens that lay a lot of eggs. The chicken is producing a lot of eggs when compared to the amount of feed they eat. Then, this keeps the cost of the egg down because the chicken isn’t expensive to maintain. These Layer chickens are not good to eat because they are so small.

Some Examples of Broiler vs Layer Chicken Breeds are given below;

There are many types of Layer chickens available. Isa Brown, Sever 579, Lehman Brown, Hi Line Brown, Bablona Tetro, Bablona Harko, Bab Cock BV-380, Gold Line, and Havard Brown, etc. are very suitable for commercial Layer poultry farming.

Broiler breeds are efficient at converting feed to meat, producing about 1 pound of body weight for every 2 pounds of feed they eat. A popular meat-producing breed or Broiler breed is the Cornish breed. Some examples of Broilers are Hubbard, Cobb, Caribro, Varna, Vencobb, Avian, Krishibro, and Hy-cobb, etc.

What are Broilers and Layers Chickens?

Broilers are chickens that are grown mainly for meat purposes. These birds will grow quickly and require a good amount of energy and protein to sustain this fast growth. Broiler chickens or Broilers are birds that are reared solely for meat production. Broiler chickens feed is made to have excess energy to enable them to gain weight.

Layers are birds that are raised to produce unfertilized eggs that will be sold to consumers to eat. Their level of nutrition must be of sufficient quality to produce good quality and heavy eggs. Layer birds reared for egg production and they have genes that make them lay eggs often. Though Layer chickens tend not to gain weight and the composition of their feed is made in such a way that it helps them lay eggs. Normally, an egg-laying poultry bird is called Layer whereas Broilers are reared for obtaining meat. So a Layer chicken must be able to produce more large-sized eggs, without growing too much. On the other hand, a Broiler should yield more meat and must be able to grow well.

Difference between Broilers and Layers

Both Layers and Broiler chickens need different types of care. The Layers need enough space and adequate lighting, particularly during their laying period. The intensity and duration of light have a favorable effect on the laying output of hens. Feed with vitamins, minerals and micronutrients influence the hatchability of eggs. Overcrowding must be avoided.

Layers are more susceptible to diseases due to a relatively lower protein intake and a longer life-span. The broiler is a more economical kind in which you can withdraw profits within just a few weeks and for Layer, the procedure is tedious.

Broilers and Layers significantly differ from each other. The main differences between Broiler and Layer chickens are given below;

1. Broilers are raised for meat generation; whereas Layers are nurtured for egg production. Broilers gain more weight but lay a moderately lesser amount of eggs. Layers lay eggs often than Broilers

2. Broilers gain more weight than Layers.

3. The nutritional, environmental, and housing requirements of Broilers are different from Layers. In the case of Broilers, conditions provided have to be favorable for the fast development and low mortality.

4. The difference between Layer poultry feed and Broiler poultry feed is that ‘Broiler poultry needs more nutrient ingredients than Layer poultry chickens’.

5. Broilers are reared for about 38–42 days and then they are marketed and slaughtered for meat. Layer birds attain maturity around 20 to 22 weeks and laying eggs up to 72 weeks of age.

6. Deep litter system is best suited for housing Broilers whereas caged housing systems are preferred to rear Layers.

7. Generally, Broilers are reared in batches in an all-in-all-out system in a single rearing shed. Although Layers are reared as per different growth stages in different sheds i.e., Chicks (0-8weeks), growers (9–22 weeks), and Layers (23–72 weeks).

8. Broiler chicken feeding is more costly than Layers as more energy and protein are required for Broilers to quickly gain weight than it is required by Layers. The more amount of protein content in poultry feed, the costly the feed can get.

9. Layers tend to develop the disease compared to Broilers because they are reared for longer periods. Broilers are reared for a few weeks and they are sold out which shows they could not stay long to be exposed to some diseases of chickens.

10. It is easier to start a Broiler poultry farm than a Layer farm business because the initial cost of starting a Broiler farm is cheaper compared to Layers that are more complex and costly initially.

11. You can start earning within few weeks for Broilers but you must wait for about 5 months for Layers to start laying eggs.

12. If you ever run at a loss, it will be less in Broilers than in Layers. Because you can easily start all over again in Broilers whereas, in Layers, it can take a whole year for you to recover from a loss.

13. If you can make a profit from a few hundred Broilers but you have to start with a large number of Layers for you to make a profit.

Nutritional Differences for Broiler vs Layer

Broilers are bred for meat-producing qualities; they grow very fast and will need more feed compared to a Layer hen which grows at a slower rate. However, Layer hens will need a diet that is high in specific vitamins, minerals, and trace elements.

It should be noted that the feed Layers are fed will influence the color of their egg yolks, and the feed that Broilers are fed influence the taste of their meat to a certain extent.

Diet/Feed Difference for Broiler vs Layer

Layer Chicken Diets

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Normally, Layers feed specifically formulated for egg production and contain a minimum of 16% protein. Also, laying hens have very specific needs for vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.

Selecting a complete Layer feed provides adequate nutrients in the proper proportion and allows the hen to produce eggs with good shells. If thin shells become a problem, a supplemental supply of calcium must be provided. Though, calcium makes up the majority of the eggshell so a Layer feed is designed to have much higher calcium content. Calcium can be supplemented, but if a proper Layer feed is obtainable free-choice, it could not be necessary. If you like the hardness of the shells from hens, don’t worry about a supplement. Scraps and treats make up a small part of a chicken’s diet.

Layer chicken feeds are formulated for chickens that are laying table eggs (those used for food). Layer feeds contain 16% protein and extra calcium so the chickens will lay eggs with strong shells. Then, start feeding Layer chickens at 20 weeks of age or when the first egg is laid, whichever occurs first. On average, a laying hen will require 1/4 to 1/3 of a pound of feed every day.

Water is the most important nutrient that chickens consume. So, it is necessary to provide adequate amounts of clean, fresh water daily during growth and egg production. Chickens will drink between 2 and 3 times as much water by weight as they eat in the feed. Their consumption of water increases in warm weather conditions.

Broiler Chicken Diets

Broiler poultry feed plays a very important role in total production and the good health of the birds.  Though, broilers will need to be transferred to a grower or finisher feed that clock in around 18% at about 6 to 8 weeks of age. They will need to remain on that diet until they are processed and meat chickens grow quickly. Some Broilers can be finished in as little as 6 weeks, meaning that you’ll want to maximize the nutrients they receive to make the most of that brief finishing time.

Grazing can slow down their growth; it can take longer to finish chickens raised on pasture. To reach Broiler chicken to the market weight they eat 1 kg of starter, 1.5 kg of the grower, and 1.5 kg of the finisher. By applying proper nutrition will eliminate many egg abnormalities and also help chickens stay healthier overall.

Startup expenses for Broiler vs Layer Chickens

Firstly, the Layer farming business will ask for much more Capital to begin with than that of the Broiler farming business. Broilers require clean water, a few vaccines, space, light, and food, and they will be ready to sell within 7 weeks, and you can start rearing another flock.

Layers will need all that Broilers take with multiple vaccines and debeaking. Layers will take 120-135 days to start to lay eggs, so the extra cost you will have to spend during the pre-laying period. Starting a poultry farm business requires much capital but less capital is needed in Broiler farming than in Layer farming.

Broiler vs Layer Chicken Differences in their Management

Good management practices are necessary for the good production of poultry. The practices are different for Broilers and Layers. Then, these include maintenance of temperature and hygienic conditions in housing and poultry feed, as well as prevention and control of diseases and pests. Broilers are fed with vitamin-rich supplementary feed for a good growth rate. Care is taken to avoid mortality and to keep feathering and carcass quality.

The Layers have two distinct phases in their life means the growing period and laying period. During the growing period, they need enough space. Then, over-crowding tends to suppress their growth, and feed is given in a calculated (sufficient amount) manner. During the laying period, the Layers require enough space and adequate lighting. Normally, feed with vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients influence the hatching of eggs. Generally, Layer chickens are provided with fibrous cheaper diets using agricultural by-products.

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Immunization/Treatment of Infections and Diseases for Broiler vs Layer

Rearing of Broilers to attain the market weight that you can sell takes approximately 42 days or 6 weeks. This is a short period and it means you can rear many sets of Broiler chickens in one year. This can help you particularly when you have a disease outbreak. And, in terms of disease outbreak, you will lose some chickens and within 3 months, you are back rearing another set of Broiler chickens. This is not the case for Layer chickens. When there is a disease outbreak in Layers and some die, and then you cannot start another set of Layers again because you have to wait for a year to recover from the loss.

The money you will spend on treating Layer chicken diseases will be more compared to Broilers because Layers stay longer and you have to spend money to buy their drugs, their vaccines. Almost everything affects egg production in Layer farming whether the feed is not enough for the birds, they will reduce the egg size; any disease or even the debeaking affects their egg production. Treatment or prevention of chicken diseases by some drugs for coccidiosis affects their egg production. So, you will need a good knowledge of diseases and treatment options for Layers before you even start.

Marketing for Broiler vs Layer Chickens

The biggest problem for marketing Broilers is that chicken will keep on consuming the feed whether you have a prospect to buy the chicken or you do not. If the market is not good, the Broiler chickens will stay in your farming without selling, you will keep incurring a loss.

Layer chickens are easier to market because the egg can be stored conveniently without getting spoilt. The main problem for Layer marketing is the egg price, if your egg price is good and stable, you can get a stable egg source to distribute to customers on daily basis.

Long Term Revenue for Broiler vs Layer Chickens

With more time, Layers farming in a large scale industry will bring in more revenue than Broilers because after laying of eggs, the birds can be sold out as meat even though at a lesser price compared to Broilers. Broilers can generate more revenue compared to Layers. Then, you can produce at a large scale and sell out within 8 weeks and start another round of chickens again. This will make you sell more and make more profit than in Layer chickens.

Difference between Broiler and Layer Chickens