Management of chicks

1. Management of chicks

2. Small flocks are usually brooded on the floor using hover-type brooders or infrared heat lamps. Large commercial flocks are usually brooded in battery brooder units or in wire cages in houses with controlled heat and ventilation. The brooder house must be prepared for the chicks. Be sure that it is in good repair. Clean and disinfect the house before the chicks arrive. Use clean litter for brooding chicks such as peat moss or sugarcane pulp, ground corncobs, chopped straw, wood shavings, sawdust may be used. Battery brooders and wire cages do not use litter. Put 6 to 10 cm of litter on the floor and add fresh litter later

3. Brooders should be put into operation two days before the chicks arrive. This gives the producer a chance to check the equipment and make sure is working properly. The temperature under the hover must be 32�C to 35�C for day-old chicks. Brooder temperatures are reduced by 2.8oC week until the temperature reaches 21�C to 23.9�C.

4. The behavior of the chicks gives some indication of proper brooder temperature. If the chicks crowd close together and cheep, they are too cold. If they move out from under the brooder, pant, and hold their wings away from their bodies, they are too hot. A hover guard (chick guard or brooder guard) is used for the first week of brooding to prevent the chicks from wandering away from the heat and becoming chilled. Chicks need heat until they are well feathered.

5. 45 to 64 cm2 of space is needed under the hover for each chick. More space is required per chick with electric brooders than with other types. The house should provide a total of 0.07 to 0.09 m2 of floor space for broiler chicks. Leghorn-type pullet require 0.14 to 0.18 m2of floor space. Heavier breeds need 0.23 to 0.28 m2 of floor space.

6. Roosts are not used for broiler chickens. Using roosts for broiler causes crooked breast bones and breast blisters. Laying hens may use roosts which should be provided for the young chickens when about 4 to 6 weeks of age. About 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) of roost space is needed per bird.

7. Warmth - First 3 weeks, chickens cannot control own body temperature and needs protection for 4 weeks. - Therefore need heat source either localized or whole room. H/Source available include: Incandescent bulk, electronic bars. Infra red bulb. Hot air, gas heater. Hot water pipes. Record temperature twice daily. Temperature recommended: 32 � 35�C on arrival then reduce by 0.3�C each day as chicken grows. Reach normal temp at 10 � 14 days. Check regularly to avoid chilling

9. Ventilation Check on ventilation. Proper ventilation of shed becomes vital as the chickens start ageing. The farmer should be alert and consider for ventilation depending on prevailing outside conditions. Watch for chick behavior as they will tell you when they are uncomfortable. Chicks that are comfortable are generally quiet and well spread in the brooding area.

10. Excessive ventilation results in over dry litter material: Leads to very dusty condition thus, more increased chances of respiratory problems. Causes chicken to hurdle in corners leading to overlaying and suffocation. Increases electricity or heating cost. Insufficient Ventilation ' Leads to stale, stuffy atmosphere with high humidity and increased ammonia levels. Litter forms cake on the surface. Birds develop breast blisters. Respiratory problems may occur

11. Removal of noxious gases. (CO2 and NH3). How to determine NH3 conc: When small ~ 10� 15 ppm NH3. Human eye sting ~ 25.35 ppm NH3. Chicken eyes watery ~ 50 � 75 ppm NH3

12. Records Ask from hatchery salesperson to provide shed card, which contains information on bird mortality, feed usage and other comments. Also ask for growth chart showing weekly weight gains for age. Record the number of chicks placed, the daily deaths and culls, feed consumption and weekly weights. Keeping of proper and accurate records cannot be over emphasized.

13. Protection Day old chicks are helpless in artificial brooding environment therefore require high level of protection from predators such as: Dogs Cats Mongoose Rats Spacing : 60 chicks / m2 Round off corners of brooders to prevent crowding into corners which can result in stress and loss.

14. Feed and Water Up to 2 � 3 days after hatching, a chick has enough yolk material to survive. Then it must learn to eat and drink. Failure to feed and drink results in death 4 � 6 days due to dehydration and or starvation. They must have access to clean H2O and feed all the time (ad libitum). Starter crumbled feed is fed from day old to end of brooding phase or up to 3 wks. Put in feed at little amount to ensure they eat all then refill fresh feed regularly.

15. Small trough-type feeders may be used when the chicks are young. As they become older, the feeders should be larger. Mechanical and hanging feeders may used. Round or trough-type waterers maybe used. Automatic waterers may be used when chicks get older.

16. Managing meat chickens from 10-weeks market age Regular Checks: Continue with your regular service checks on feed, water, temperature, and flock health. In hotter months carry out service checks more frequently to avoid losses. Equipment Weights: As the chickens age more attention should be given to the birds weight gains and to the heights of feeders and drinkers. Rule of thumb for drinker heights: Drinker lips should be leveled with the birds back.

17. Lights � Backyard meat chicken farmers should be able to program the use of lights. If farmers require birds to grow in short time then night feeding is encouraged through the use of lights. Ventilation � If the outside conditions are hot then it demands increased ventilation rates to reduce shed temperature and make birds comfortable. Use fans for air circulation in heat situations to prevent losses. Investment in fans would be paid off by increasing the number of birds to market.

18. Feed: Ensure that feed is available to the birds at all times. Feed used should be fresh and either in crumble or pellet form. Feeding should be done early in the morning and this is particularly important in hotter months so that the birds are able to consume in the cooler part of the day. Feed grower feed from 3 weeks to the market age.

19. Medication � The major diseases isolated in backyard farming are worms, coccidiosis and respiratory diseases. Records � Continue with accurate recording of dead birds, feed used, medication and weight of birds as through records performance of chicken could be calculated. Market � Once the birds have reached the market weight they must be sold. Currently live sales demands for birds of 3 � 5 kilograms. After the last bird has left the house repeat your shed preparation procedures as discussed earlier.

20. Disease outbreak The best means of preventing disease is good management, If an outbreak occurs, the poultry producer can obtain specific information on the disease from his local poultry adviser or veterinarian and from other bulletins issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Sugar & Land Resettlement. Deaths must be expected, even under the best management. Average figures for replacement stock are 2 percent in the first 2 weeks.

21. In properly constructed, semi-controlled environmental sheds which are well managed this figure can be reduced to 2 to 4 percent. Disease - incidence costs vary, and you should start from the brooding stage to curtail them by GOOD MANAGEMENT

22. GOOD MANAGEMENT Ensure that chicks come from sound breeding lines. Ensure that the brooders, brooder pen, and all water and feeding utensils are clean. Ensure that all litter is kept dry, particularly around the drinking vessels. Prevent the entry of vermin and sparrows to brooding pens

23. Movement of Staff, Equipment, and Visitors Movement should be kept to a minimum. Ideally staff and pieces of equipment should be allotted to individual sheds. Visitors, if they are necessary, should wear clean and disinfected clothes. One staff member could be made responsible for the chicks, and they could be his first job of the day. He should have a set of overalls and gumboots stationed outside the entry into the chick area.

24. Medication Programmes Keep medication programmes to a minimum. With birds on the floor a coccidiostat may prove useful in the first few days Generally, medication should be used, as a secondary line of attack, should good management fail.

25. Cleanout Programs Remove stock, portable equipment, and litter. Dry-clean roofs, walls, fixed equipment, and finally, floors. Dampen house and wash clean. Soak and wash portable equipment and return to shed. Sweep and disinfect the house Fumigate

26. Replacement Programmes. These must be designed so that different � aged batches do not run together, that is, an all � in / all � out system must be used for young poultry under intensive commercial conditions. In case of disease outbreak, contact you veterinarian or local Ministry of Agriculture, Sugar & Land Resettlement veterinarian or poultry adviser

27. Housing and Equipment In layers, housing is divided into 3 categories Brooding ( 6 � 8 weeks) Rearing Cages (6- 20 weeks) Laying Cages : (20 wks � point of lay)

28. Brooding ( 6 � 8 weeks) Day old chicks kept on deep litter. Feed, water, light and temperature provided. Brooder shed situated away from laying shed. 1 feed tray per 100 birds. 1 tube feeder after 3 days per 50 chicks. Drinkers: 1 chick fountain per 80 birds. 1 bell drinker per 75 chicks.

29. Rearing Cages (6- 20 weeks) Day old chicks kept in deep litter. Feed, water, light and temperature provided. Brooder shed situated away from laying shed. 1 feed tray per 100 birds. 1 tube feeder after 3 days per 50 chicks. Drinkers: 1 chick fount per 80 birds. 1 bell drinker per 75 chicks.

30. Laying Cages : (20 wks � point of lay) - Pullets get placed in cages �� 18 � 20 weeks of age. - Density: 3 / cage. - Equipments: Trough feeders, Nipple / cup drinkers, Time clocks, roof designs, reflective paints. Fans collection trays Egg grader Storage shed.

31. Shed Facilities and Equipment

32. Shed Structures

33. Conditional Requirements: To offer a suitable living environment for the birds, the following is recommended: Width of open sided poultry should be 9.75m (good ventilation). Where temperatures are extremely high the height (wall/sides) should be 3.05 m. Good overhang is necessary to provide shade & prevent rain getting into the shed. Paint outer roof white so that it can reflect heat and solar radiation.

34. Paint under surface of roof with dark colour to reduce the reflection of secondary radiation from the hot ground. Insulation must have low heat conductivity and be fire proof, rot proof, easily laid, damp proof, corrosion resistant, insect & rodent proof & economical. Must have free air movement: replenish 0, remove moisture, NH3 & CO2, and also provide optimum temperature. Install cooling methods: - Fans - Watering of roofs. - Foggers. - Sprinkling ground area outside. Air conditioning plant hedges to assist in airflow.