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this manual wil take you through the paces of how t brood chicken to the level where they can survive on their own in Kenya
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Brooding Management
K A R I NA I VA S H A , P. O. B OX 2 5 - 2 0 1 1 7 NA I VA S H A
E M A I L ; K A R I P O U LT RY @ G M A I L . CO M
C O N TAC T S ; 0 7 0 8 6 2 0 0 9 5 / 7
Why Brood?
Newly hatched chicks cannot regulate their body temperature
Chicks are subject to chilling
Artificial or Natural brooding provides the right temperature for the chicks
Why Brood?
Brooding provides extra heat from external sources
Chilled chicks will not take sufficient feeds and water
Leading to retardation in growth
Chicks will not be able to digest the yolk
Leads to Early Chick Mortality (ECM)
6 Brooding fundamentals
1. Pre-Placement Preparation
2. Feed Management
3. Light Management
4. Water Management
5. Temperature Management
6. Air Quality and Ventilation
Placement of chicks-preparations
Brooding house MUST be cleaned thoroughly
The floor should be soaked preferable with a strong disinfectant
Curtains used should be soaked in disinfectant and hanged in the sun to dry
Feeders and drinkers should be washed and disinfected then sun-dried for two days
Disinfecting Poultry houses
Placement of chicks-preparations
Arrange all equipment in the house
Prepare the brooder ring
Spread the litter,
Fix the curtains on the open sides
Disinfect the brooder using a good quality disinfectant
Provide foot baths at the entrance with a disinfectant e.g. Kerol, TH4
Chick induction
Preparation of a chick guard
Use 18 inch width cardboard sheet, plywood, coffee wire as brooder guard material to make a circle that uses 20 ft diameter per 50 chicks;
Brooder should be ready prior to fumigation
Litter material filled upto 4 inches thick from the floor
Spread newspapers on the floor to cover the litter
Place the heat source at the centre of the brooder ring
Feed Management
Use supplemental feeder trays at placement to help chicks get off to the best start possible
Feeding trays should be provided at the rate of 1 tray per 100 chicks
Place feeder trays between the drinkers
Supplemental feeders should be provided for the first 7-10 days.
Brooder preparation
Chick Feeding Trays
Chick Drinkers
Chick feeding tray
Chick Check
The crops of chicks should be checked the morning after placement toensure they have found feed and water.
A minimum of 95% of the crops should feel soft and pliable indicatingchicks have successfully located feed and water.
Hard crops indicate chicks have not found adequate water and wateravailability should be checked immediately.
Swollen and distended crops indicate chicks have located water butinsufficient feed and in this case the availability and consistency of thefeed should be immediately evaluated
Feeder Management
Feed troughs or pan height should be adjusted sothat they rest on the litter for the first 14 days toensure all birds can easily access feed without havingto climb into the feeder
Thereafter, feeders should be raised incrementallythroughout the growing period so that the lip of thetrough or pan is level with the birds back at all times
Light Management
Continuous lighting should be provided for the first48-72 hours post placement.
Provide an intensity of 20-60 lux (~2.0-6.0 ft.candles) for the first 7 days to help chicks find feedand water more easily.
It is highly recommended that all rearing houses usenatural light
Recommended Daily hours of lighting
Days 1-3 4-7 8-14 15-21 22-28
Hours of lighting 23 22 20 19 18
Brooding temperature
The ideal brooding temperature are as measured 5 cmabove the litter surface
Evening is the best time to observe the chicks and maketemperature adjustment
Thermometers may not always be available, hence we usethe behaviour of chicks as a guide
Ventilation should be provided for optimum comfort of thechicks
Free moving spaces should be provided all around thefeeders and drinkers, so that the chicks can feed and drinkfreely
Chick Behaiviour
Temperature Step down
Brooding Jiko
Sources of Heating
Domestic heaters (jiko) 1 for 100 chicks
Infrared lamps (250 watts) 1 for 250 chicks
Pancake heater 1 for 1000 chicks
Chick mortality
Reasons for early chick mortality can be be prevented
These may include;
Poor brooding conditions- high and low brooding temperature
Feed poisoning - fungal, toxins, litter poisoning
Injuries- rough handling and pro-longed transportation stress
Starvation
Humidity
Nutrition deficiency
Genetic disorder
Predators
Induction of chicks
Light the brooder heat source an hour prior to chick arrival
Count the chicks proper while receiving
Release the chicks into the brooder ring after dipping their beaks in water
Allow chicks to drink water and keep feed in a chick feeding tray . Note; Do not sprinkle feed on the newspaper as this will get contaminated.
For the first 3 days watch the chicks at 2-3 hours interval whether they have taken feed and water
Remove and replace the top newspapers daily and remove any wet litter immediately
Hay Box Brooder
A hay box is easy to make and is basically a woodentrunk with a top that can be opened or closed. Thebox is insulated from inside (along the sides) by hay,demarcated by chick mesh wire creating a centralwarm area where the chicks will sleep
This is only an overnight box and chicks are takenout during the day. Feed and water are kept out.Provide shelter and make sure the chicks are notexposed to bad weather during the day
Hay box brooder