LAYERS

Trevor Lowein

FROM DAY OLD TO LAYER

• Hy-Line Brown Commercial Layers• Performance Summary• Growing Period (to 17 weeks):• Livability 97%• Feed Consumed 5.62 kg • Body Weight at 17 Weeks 1.36 kg • Laying Period (to 80 weeks):• Percent Peak 94–96%• Hen-Day Eggs to 80 Weeks 350–371• Hen-Housed Eggs to 80 Weeks 341–361• Livability to 80 Weeks 94%• Days to 50% Production (from hatch) 142• Body Weight at 32 Weeks 1.87 kg • Body Weight at 70 Weeks 1.98 kg • Shell Strength Excellent• Average Daily Feed Consumption (18–80 weeks) 107 g/day per bird• Feed Conversion Rate, kg Feed/kg Eggs (20–80 weeks) 2.08• Feed Utilization, kg Egg/kg Feed (20–80 weeks) 0.481• Feed per Dozen Eggs (20–60 weeks) 1.54 kg • Feed per Dozen Eggs (20–80 weeks) 1.58 kg

BROODING

• FEED.• LIGHT.• LITTER.• AIR.• WATER.• SANITATION.• SPACE.• TEMPERATURE TEMPERATURE

FEED

• BEST QUALITY (PREFERABLY CRUMBS).• 60% OF FLOOR AREA TO BE COVERED (ON

PAPER).• CLEAN AND EASILY AVAILABLE.• EQUAL DISTRIBUTION AND ADEQUATE SUPPLY• CROP FILL TEST (6 HOURS POST PLACEMENT).• 1 TRAY PER 60 CHICKS.• CHICKS MUST HAVE FEED WITHIN 1 METRE

Uhhhh, can’t

reach the feed!

LIGHT

• ENOUGH LIGHT TO BE ABLE TO READ A NEWSPAPER.

• ALL LIGHTS WORKING.• 23 HOURS LIGHT WHILST BROODING TO

ENCOURAGE FEEDING.

LITTER

• 5-7 CM OF LITTER. WHEAT/BARLEY STRAW/WOOD SHAVINGS (NO SAWDUST)

• DRY, TURNED AND SUFFICIENT.• NO WET PATCHES.

AIR

• ADEQUATE FRESH AIR, NO DUST, NO AMMONIA.

• DON’T COMPROMISE VENTILATION TO MAINTAIN TEMPERATURE. USE EXTRA FUEL.

• NO DRAUGHTS OR DIRECT COLD AIR.• STALE AIR WILL LEAD TO CRD AND STUNT

GROWTH.

WATER

• CLEAN FRESH AND READILY AVAILABLE. FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

• 1 FONT PER 60 CHICKS.• FONTS CLEANED AT LEAST ONCE A DAY.• ADD VITAMINS AND ELECTROLYTES FOR FIRST

FIVE DAYS

SANITATION

• AT LEAST TWO WEEKS REST AFTER PROPER CLEANOUT AND DISINFECTION.

• ALL EQUIPMENT REMOVED AND DISINFECTED• ISOLATION. FOOTBATHS. OTHER LIVESTOCK

AND WILD BIRDS• BIOSECURITY

SPACE (STOCKING DENSITY)

• CHARCOAL BROODING 15 BIRDS/SQ M• GAS/ELECTRIC BROODING 35 BIRDS/SQ M

• 3 WEEKS TO 12 WEEKS 10 BIRDS/SQ M• 12 WEEKS TO DEPLETION 6 BIRDS/SQ M

HEATING

• THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF RAISING A CHICK.

• PREHEAT HOUSE AT LEAST 24 HOURS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL

• MAINTAIN CONSTANT TEMPERATURE 24 HOURS A DAY WHILST ALLOWING FRESH AIR.

• CHILLING WILL LEAD TO LOW FOOD INTAKE, DISEASE AND LOSS OF POTENTIAL.

• PRODUCTION AT A LATER STAGE.• BEWARE OF INCREASED CARBON DIOXIDE

LEVELS – ENSURE VENTING AND HEATING.• GRADUALLY REDUCE TEMPERATURE.Recommended Brooding TemperaturesAge (days) Temperature1–3 35–36°C (95–97°F)4–7 33–35°C (92–95°F)8–14 31–33°C (89–91°F)15–21 29–31°C (84–87°F)22–28 26–27°C (79–81°F)29–35 23–25°C (74–77°F)36+ 21°C (70°F)Modify the temperatures as needed to meet the chicks’ comfort needs

THE CHICKS WILL TELL YOU IF THEY ARE COMFORTABLE

FEEDING

• FEED A PROPERLY FORMULATED RATION. DON’T TRY ANY SHORTCUTS. BIRD HEALTH WILL DETERIORATE AND EGG PRODUCTION WILL DROP.

• USE FEEDERS DESIGNED TO PREVENT WASTAGE. FEED IS ABOUT 80% OF COST OF PRODUCTION.

• HANG AT THE CORRECT HEIGHT (LEVEL WITH THE BIRD’S BACK).

• SHAKE FEEDERS REGULARLY TO STIMULATE FEEDING. LAYERS ARE LAZY EATERS.

• DAILY FEED INTAKE - CAGE 107GMS/BIRD/DAY

• OUR LOCAL CONDITIONS 115GMS/BIRD/DAY• DON’T ALLOW FEED TO BE CONTAMINATED

OR WET. MYCOTOXINS WILL MULTIPLY AND ARE TOXIC.

• STORE IN A VERMIN PROOF STRUCTURE. RATS CARRY INFECTION.

• 1 TUBE FEEDER TO 30-40 BIRDS.

HEALTH

A flock of pullets or layers can only perform up to its genetic potential when diseaseinfluence is minimized. The appearance of various diseases can vary from a subclinicaleffect on performance to outright severe mortality. The diseases of economic importancevary widely between locations, but in every case the challenge is to identify and controlthose diseases.

HOW DISEASE IS TRANSMITTED

• BIOSECURITY• MAINTAIN TIGHT RULES AND OBSERVE

STRICTEST HYGIENE REGIME. • ISOLATION, FOOT BATHS, SHOWERS,

CLOTHING, FOOTWEAR.• CLEAN HOUSING AND SURROUNDS• NO UNECESSARY VISITORS – HUMANS, WILD

BIRDS, RATS.• CLEAN WATER.• PLAN WORK TO ATTEND YOUNG BIRDS FIRST

MOVING TO OLDER FLOCKS

• ACHIEVE TARGET BODY WEIGHTS AND MAINTAIN OR ELSE BIRDS WILL STRUGGLE TO PRODUCE AND BECOME SUSCEPTABLE TO INFECTION

• VACCINATION• PROPERLY VACCINATED BIRDS WILL HAVE A

SHIELD AGAINST MOST COMMON DISEASES.• VACCINATE ACCORDING TO PROGRAMME

ISSUED BY CHICK SUPPLIER OR LOCAL VET.• ENSURE WATER IS CLEAN AND NOT

CHLORINATED. ALL LIVE VACCINES WILL BE DESTROYED BY THE MINUTEST AMOUNT OF CHLORINE.

• USE A WATER STABILISER/CONDITIONER E.G SKIM MILK POWDER/AVIBLUE

• OBSERVE THE SAME PRINCIPLES USED DURING BROODING. F.L.A.W.S.

• MEDICATE ONLY AFTER RECEIVING PROFESSIONAL ADVICE.

• REMOVE AND DESTROY MORTALITIES ASAP. ISOLATE SICK BIRDS TO PREVENT POSSIBLE DISEASE TRANSMISSION.

HOUSING

• HOUSES SHOULD FACE EAST WEST TO AVOID EXTREMES OF SUNLIGHT AND WIND.

• ISOLATE HOUSES AT LEAST 30M APART.• ROOF AT LEAST 3 M ABOVE GROUND WITH A

GOOD SLOPE. PAINT WHITE INSIDE AND OUT FOR COOLING.

• USE TREATED POLES AND PROPER ROOF SHEETS, NOT THATCH (RATS,DISEASE ETC)

• LOW SIDE WALL +/-75CM TO ALLOW AIR FLOW

• END WALLS SHOULD BE BUILT TO ROOF HEIGHT TO MINIMISE EFFECTS OF WIND AND SUN.

• HOUSE NO WIDER THAN 10M OR VENTILATION BECOMES A PROBLEM.

• COVER SIDES WITH 13MM WIRE MESH SEALING RIGHT TO THE ROOF TO PREVENT WILD BIRDS ENTERING.

• IDEALLY FLOOR SHOULD BE CONCRETED BUT WELL COMPACTED GRAVEL IS ACCEPTABLE.

• KEEP GRASS WELL CUT AROUND PERIMETER.

EGG COLLECTION AND GRADING

• 1 NEST BOX TO 8 BIRDS.• MOST EGGS LAID WITHIN 5 HOURS OF FIRST

LIGHT. REGULAR COLLECTIONS TO PREVENT EGGS BUILDING UP AND DAMAGE.

• MORE FREQUENT COLLECTIONS IN HOT WEATHER.• KEEP CLEAN AND DIRTY EGGS SEPARATE.• COOL EGGS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. STORAGE LIFE

DECREASES RAPIDLY WITH ELEVATED TEMPERATURES.

• IDEALLY COLLECT IN TRAYS NOT BASKETS.• DIRTY EGGS TO BE EITHER DRY CLEANED OR

WASHED IN WARM WATER AND MILD DETERGENT, DEPENDING ON AMOUNT OF SOILING.

• NOT ECONOMIC FOR SMALL SCALE GROWERS TO PURCHASE EGG GRADERS.

THANK YOU