Brooding Management

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E M A I L ; K A R I P O U LT RY @ G M A I L . CO M

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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