Who doesn’t like a steaming bowl of flavorful tinola on cold December days or some saucy chicken caldereta at the Noche Buena feast? No matter the season, chicken will always be a familiar staple on the Pinoy’s dining table! And thanks to free range poultry farmers, the country won’t be in short supply of quality chicken this holiday season. All it takes is proper caring and some reliable range nets that can help multiply the brood and lay those eggs!
If you are planning to grow your own chickens in your backyard for a little DIY free ranging before Christmas, you should first know the best breeds to buy and grow and how you can house them securely with the right range nets.
Here’s a head start!
Best free-range breeds to grow
Two of the best breeds you can grow free range and if you want to sell poultry for meat are the Red Hubbard and Dekalb chickens.
The Red Hubbard can weigh up to nearly 2 kilograms in two months or less and doesn’t really need too much supervision when allowed to roam in your backyard as they are smart about where to forage for food and insects. Of course, that’s provided you have properly installed the right range nets so they won’t fly off.
Dekalb chickens, on the other hand, are perfect if you want to yield quality medium-sized eggs of up to an incredible 500 eggs! Whether of the brown or white variety, these chickens are tamer, easier to care for, and thrive in free range environments. However, no matter how docile your chickens might be, using the right quality free range nets is equally important as choosing the right breed.
Setting up your chicken’s free range space and housing
Setting up the right net fence for your free range chickens doesn’t have to be rocket science. According to most quality free ranging net providers like Philippine Ranging Nets, smaller mesh sizes of half an inch to a whole inch go with week old chicks, 1.2 to 1.5 inches for month old chickens, and two inches for those that are already two months old or older.
Determine the exact area your chickens can roam around freely and fence them using the right sized range nets via framed wooden or iron fences. The standard for medium-sized poultry is 10 square meters for every six chickens so make sure you don’t overcrowd them as they are prone to heatstroke.
Aside from providing them with a spacious free range area, building them coops to bed in during the nighttime or harsh weather conditions is also essential. Don’t worry though as they don’t have to be too expensive. Use bamboo as frames so they remain sturdy and provide some sawdust to make your coops comfortable for your chickens. As for the size of your housing, three square foot per one chicken is enough for them to move around.
Get quality range nets for better free-range poultry
In the country, there’s no other free range net provider that takes pride in its products than Philippine Ranging Nets. Aside from range nets, they also offer shade nets and other poultry necessities that truly gets you your money’s worth. As the top choice of free range farmers, plant and agri enthusiasts, as well as cockfighting breeders, Philippine Ranging Nets can surely help you get your poultry business moving in no time.
Send them an email at [email protected] or call +63977 007 0228 to learn more about their full line of products.
Philippine Ranging Nets provide Filipino-made multi-purpose nets mainly used for free ranging chickens and other poultry. Trusted by top-breeders, PRN’s top quality affordable ranging nets are available nationwide.
