Breeds of Poultry

New Hampshire Red

They possess a deep, broad body, grow feathers very rapidly, are prone to go broody and make good mothers. Most pin feathers are a reddish buff in color and, therefore, do not detract from the carcass appearance very much.

Wyandotte

Wyandottes are a good, medium-weight fowl for small family flocks kept under rugged conditions. Their rose combs do not freeze as easily as single combs and the hens make good mothers. Their attractive "curvy" shape, generally good disposition and many attractive color patterns (varieties) make them a good choice for fanciers as well as farmers.

Rhode Island Red

Rhode Island Reds are a good choice for the small flock owner. Relatively hardy, they are probably the best egg layers of the dual purpose breeds. Reds handle marginal diets and poor housing conditions better than other breeds and still continue to produce eggs.

Leghorns

A small, spritely, noisy bird with great style, Leghorns like to move about. They are good foragers and can often

glean much of their diet from ranging over fields and barnyards.

Brooding Systems

Natural Brooding - For small numbers, a broody hen can handle 14-15 chicks. Protection from predators and rain is important. Chicks should get some commercial ration or other feed for the first 3-4 weeks. Sour milk is good for young chicks. A little care over the first 3-4 weeks will often double or triple the survival rate.

Warm Room Brooding - In this system, the whole pen is held at a temperature of 30-32BC both day and night. The temperature is lowered about 1.5BC per week until the ambient temperature is reached, but should not go below 21BC until 6 to 8 weeks and not below 18BC until 10 to 15 weeks. Light should be over feed and water.

Circle Brooding - In this system, brooding areas of the pen under the heat reflector are heated to around 35BC by the use of reflectors over some form of artificial heat, such as gas heaters. Chicks are enclosed by cardboard chick guards, (not more than 400 chicks per circle) that allow them to move away from the heat source, but keep them close to feed and water. Light should attract chicks to the heat source. Temperature in the rest of the pen can be allowed to drop to 20 or 15BC.

Preparation of Poultry House

PREPARE THE COOP:

Your chicken coop must be thoroughly cleaned and washed. The entire area must be disinfected from floor to ceiling. Leave yourself enough time for the area to dry before putting down fresh bedding.

A thin layer of hydrated lime is advisable on dirt floors at this time to maintain dryness. Ensure that all feeders, drinkers and brooders have been washed and disinfected; and are all in proper working order. Check for, and seal off, all draughts, windows, doors, and do general building repairs, etc. Sealing off draughts does not mean cutting off all ventilation. A dry hen house greatly reduces the risk of coccidiosis. You may achieve this by good ventilation and stirring of litter. Do not use creosote - based products for disinfecting!

LITTER:

Cover the area with about 3-4 inches of bedding. Straw or shavings make the most effective bedding. Never use unshredded newspaper. This may cause severe leg problems for turkey poults and broiler chicks. Do not use sawdust, the particles are so small that the birds may eat it instead of their food. Unless for some reason your litter gets extremely wet, avoid changing litter during the growing period. It is better to add litter than to change it to avoid disturbing mold that may have formed underneath.

HEAT:

Warm the area for AT LEAST 24 Hours before the arrival of your chicks. This will ensure that your bedding is warm and dry and allows you to accurately MEASURE THE TEMPERATURE FURTHEST FROM THE HEAT SOURCE DURING THE COLDEST PART OF THE NIGHT as well as during the day. Your brooder area should be 85ºF for chickens or 95ºF-100ºF for turkeys, bantams and pheasants, measured at the outer edge of the area. This temperature may be reduced by 5ºF per week to a low of 70ºF at night! An additional room heater may be necessary to maintain the entire room temperature at 75ºF or better. This will allow the red lights to do their work over the chicks. For larger areas hang more than one thermometer. DO NOT GUESS THE

TEMPERATURE. What is comfortable for you, almost certainly is not warm enough for your chicks! BE PRECISE! You may find it helpful to use a 'Hi-Low' thermometer in your brooding area, which will record the highest and lowest temperatures reached, this will allow you to see how cold it is getting around 2 to 6 am. Chilled birds (especially broilers and turkeys) will not do well if chilling, most commonly affects their hearts, legs and rate of growth.

Poultry Farming Systems

Poultry Farms

Locating and purchasing a suitable farm that fits your family's needs is not necessarily a simple process. A farm has to be able to produce a positive cash flow to supply enough income for your individual family's financial situation.

Breeder Hen Farm

This poultry operation is primarily involved in hatching egg production. Generally, a farm will receive pullets (young hens) when the pullets are approximately 20 to 22 weeks old. These hens will remain on the farm and in egg production for approximately 43 to 46 continuous

weeks, at the end of which, they will be picked up and taken to slaughter.

Pullet Farm

This poultry operation produces young hens for the breeder hen operation. A farm will receive baby female chickens. These chickens are raised continuously for approximately 20 to 22 weeks, until then they are picked up and taken to a breeder hen farm.

Broiler Farm

Broiler Farm is a farm that is involved in the production of poultry for meat. Baby chickens are delivered to the farm at one day of age and are generally kept from 5 to 9 weeks. After this time the broilers are removed from the farm to harvest for meat.

Diseases of Poultry

Coccidiosis

Coccidiosis is characterized by diarrhea, weight loss and sometimes death in chickens. Mild infections result in weight loss and pigmentation loss. Severe infections cause bloody diarrhea and could be fatal without treatment.

Coccidiosis Treatment

If coccidiosis strikes, treatment choices include amprolium or sulfa drugs, which are administered in the chicken’s drinking water.

Mycoplasmosis

The symptoms, which are slow to develop, resemble the symptoms of a standard respiratory infection: Watery eyes, dirty nostrils, coughing and sneezing.

Mycoplasmosis Treatment

Sick chickens benefit from lowered stress, reduced dust and clean coops, as well as from proper nutrition and antibiotic treatment.

Rickets

Rickets is a nutritional problem in young chickens caused by an imbalance or a lack of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D3.

Rickets Treatment

Treatment requires changing the feed, supplementing the diet with free-choice limestone or oyster shell, and providing three times the recommended vitamin D3 requirement for two weeks.

Vitamin A- Deficiency

Vitamin A-deficient chickens develop a crusty material in the nostrils and eyelids, progressing to the accumulation of a cheesy material. In the initial stages, it mimics respiratory diseases.

Vitamin A Deficiency Treatment

Treatment consists of changing the chicken’s feed and of supplementing feed with vitamin A at two to four times the normal level for two weeks.