With the vigorous development of modern aquaculture, more and more people have begun to pay attention to and try new breeding models. Among them, as a green, environmentally friendly and efficient breeding method, understory chicken raising is gradually favored in the industry. I think the advantages of raising free-range chickens in rural forests are that the epidemic prevention conditions are good, the chickens have sufficient green feed, and as long as there is investment, the prospects can develop and grow. Phosphorus free-range chickens are basically raised by traditional breeding methods, people are raised in the sky, and the appropriate amount of feed is supplied in the morning or evening, and the products produced are really green organic products, and the sales price is definitely very high, and the products are able to be favored by consumers.
However, in practice, a key question is placed in front of us: should the chickens raised in the forest be fenced? This paper will discuss this problem in depth, and analyze it from many aspects, such as preventing chickens from running away, preventing wild animals, preventing diseases, zoning breeding, planting pastures, and facilitating management. First of all, we must make one point clear: the advantage of raising chickens under the forest is to make full use of land resources, give full play to the advantages of the ecological environment of the woodland, and improve the quality of chicken. However, in the natural environment, flocks face many risks, such as escape, wildlife infestation, etc. Therefore, we need to weigh various factors to decide whether to use a fence on the premise of ensuring the safety of the flock.
1. Prevent chickens from running away: One of the major advantages of raising chickens in the forest is the free-range management mode, which enables the chickens to forage freely in a large area. However, this also comes with the risk that farmed chickens are easily lost. To prevent this from happening, the fence can act as an effective barrier to ensure that the flock moves within a confined area and reduce the loss rate.
Second, the prevention of wild beasts: the problem of natural enemies of chickens, the most worried about free-range chickens in the forest is the natural enemies of chickens, the natural enemies of chickens are everywhere, the eagles flying in the sky, the rats on the ground, weasels, snakes, beasts, etc. are the natural enemies that endanger the chickens raised in the mountains. In woodlands, there are many species of wildlife that can pose a threat to the flock. For example, animals such as weasels and foxes may attack the chicken coop, causing damage. The fence can prevent these wild animals from entering the chicken area to a certain extent, and protect the safety of the chicken flock. Barbed wire is used at the boundary of the free-range chickens to limit the movement of the chickens, and the burrows of rats and weasels that block the caves in the mountains and bushes are carefully cleared before the chickens are raised, and the tall trees in the woods are used to block the eagles in the sky from observing the chickens on the ground. Keep a few earth dogs to defend against wild beasts, and build a kennel next to the fence. A certain number of geese are raised in the farm, and raising geese can prevent snakes, robbers, and chickens.
3. Epidemic prevention One of the disadvantages of raising chickens under the forest compared with traditional farms is that it is difficult to control the epidemic. Due to the lack of full control over the range of activities and hygiene of the flock, there are certain difficulties in epidemic prevention work. In this context, the installation of fencing can help to demarcate relatively independent breeding areas, reduce contact with the outside environment, and thus reduce the possibility of epidemic transmission.
Fourth, zonal feeding, easy to manage: according to the scale of breeding and the needs of different growth stages, reasonable planning of breeding areas is particularly important. By setting up a fence, we can separate the flocks according to different batches and ages, so that they can be fed, monitored and prevent the spread of diseases. The use of fences not only facilitates daily inspections, feeding, etc., but also helps managers quickly grasp important information such as the number of chickens and the health status of the flock, and improve work efficiency.
5. Planting pasture grass In order to further improve the economic benefits of raising chickens under the forest, many farmers choose to plant suitable pasture grass in the same plot for the chickens to eat. At this time, the role of the fence is highlighted, it can effectively limit the destruction of the grassland by the chickens, achieve orderly use, and prevent other poultry or animals from invading, affecting the growth of pasture. In the stocking area, grass should be planted before raising chickens, and perennial, trampling-resistant, fast-growing, high-yield, and high-quality forage grass should be selected to provide sufficient green fodder for free-range chickens.
Wild grass is not enough for chickens to eat for a few days. When the grass is almost eaten, it is transferred to another community to regenerate the pasture. If necessary, the soil should be loosened, otherwise the grass will not grow. The chicken's pecking ability is very strong, a lush meadow will not be eaten in a few days, the loose land becomes very hard, there is no soil, the manure and urine discharged by the chicken contain more uric acid, which can acidify the soil of the stocking area, so it is necessary to sprinkle lime to disinfect and neutralize the acid in the soil. Chicken manure must be fermented and rotted to produce fertility and the roots of the crop can absorb it. If there are no trees in the stocking area, trees must be planted to shade the chickens, and chayote can also be planted in the woods, which can not only provide shade from the sun, but also provide fodder for the chickens.
To sum up, whether a fence is needed in the process of raising chickens in the understory should depend on the specific situation. We should give full consideration to the factors such as preventing chickens from running away, preventing wild animals, preventing diseases, zoning breeding, planting pastures, etc., and take corresponding measures according to local conditions, in order to achieve the best breeding effect. Only in this way can this land full of vitality bring us more wealth and hope.