In poultry farming, there are two types of chickens that are raised: layers and broilers. Layers are grown only to lay eggs, while broilers are raised for meat. Here are some key differences between layers and broilers:

Layers:

• Raised for egg production
• Lay eggs often, but not necessarily daily
• Tend not to gain weight and have feeds composition that helps them lay eggs without much weight
• Develop disease commonly compared to broilers because they are reared for longer periods of time

Broilers:

• Raised for meat production
• Fast-growing chickens with deeper muscle tissue, which means more meat
• Can grow to full size in just six to eight weeks
• Need more nutrients in their feed than layer chickens
• Easier to start a broiler poultry farm than a layer farm because the initial cost of starting a broiler farm is cheaper and the expertise or skills needed are minimal compared to layers that are more complex and costly initially

Broilers are not raised in cages, but in large, open structures known as grow-out houses. They are floor-raised on litter such as wood shavings, peanut shells, and rice hulls, indoors in climate-controlled housing. Under modern farming methods, meat chickens reared indoors reach slaughter weight at 5 to 9 weeks of age, as they have been selectively bred to do so. On the other hand, layers are often raised in cages.