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How should chicken be kept?

1. FREE RANGE is generally practiced by households and small scale farmers. The hens roam around freely scouring for feed within the yard and surrounding areas. Owners only supplement with leftovers from their own meals. There’s is little monitoring or control.
2. CONFINEMENT means keepin hens enclosed 24seven. Large commercial farmers prefer this as there is less feed waste, efficient and productive flock management. Despite this advantage, the stress on village or local hens due to restricted movement may be seen in reducegg side and other vices.
3. SEMI CONFINED is a combination or balance of the above two
4. MOBILE PEN is an innovative system that provides housing at the same time fertilizingfarm pastures with droppings. The chicken house is not permanent but moved periodically as required in designated areas.
5. Of the above, semi confinement seems the best method. Housing enables controlling and evaluating stock performance. Realising them periodically recognises that local chickens naturally thrive underfree range conditions.
6. NB………The pen must be spacious and not overcrowded.The ratio should be 1 male to 5to 8 females per pen.Overcrowding may lead to some females being unservicedand thus become stressed. Dominant males may become too busy fighting and chasing other make competitors.