Poultry management in Uganda

Poultry are birds that have been selected and domesticated by man, e.g. Domestic fowl, chicken, ducks, Turkey, geese, guineas fowl.

Importance of poultry

• Provide meat and eggs that are of high nutritive value to the human diet.
• They are a source of income when sold wholly or after selling the eggs.
• Some poultry add beauty to places and therefore are kept for environmental purposes e.g. pigeon. Parrots.
• They provide market for industrial products like feeds, drugs etc.
• They are used for various traditional functions and ceremonies.
• They give quick returns since they grow fast and reach productive stage early.
• Poultry products serve as raw materials for industries e.g. feathers are used in feeling pillows and sofa sets.
• Some poultry especially the chicken provide entertainment in the old game with which fighting practiced in Asia.

Advantages of Poultry over other enterprises

• Poultry does not require a lot of land as compared to cattle.
• It gives faster returns e.g. broilers mature in about 8 weeks and layers in 24 -21 weeks
• Provides many areas of specialization such as egg selling, old chick selling, broiler production etc.
• Chicken meat has low cholesterol and is highly nutritious.
• Poultry are highly prolific
• Poultry farming requires less initial capital

Challenges to poultry farming in Uganda

• Inadequate capital needed for raising farm structures
• Lack of reliable source of poultry feeds
• Poor poultry housing in relation to environmental conditions
• Inadequate market for poultry products
• Inadequate skills in poultry management
• Poor breeds of poultry being kept
• Presence of pests and diseases that reduce bird production

Commercial poultry farming

There are more than 300 breeds of chicken in the world.  Commercial breeds can be divided into 3 groups.

(a) Egg producers e.g. leg horn.

These have the following characteristics: –

1. consume less feeds
2. produce more eggs
3. Produce white eggs mainly.
4. They do not go broody

(b) Duo-purpose breeds

1. They produce brown eggs
2. Consume more feeds than egg producers
3. They are better meat producers than the white leghorn.

Example Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire.

(c) Meat producers

Characteristics

1. They have a low egg production capacity.
2. They show much broodiness than the other two.
3. Produce fast growing chicks
4. Have a high weight at maturity

Examples white Cornish, white Plymouth.

Characteristics of a good poultry house

• It should be waterproof to avoid dump conditions in the house that can easily invite pathogens.
• It should have proper ventilation to control respiratory infections.
• It should have a concrete floor which is easy to clean.
• Should be rodent and wild bird proof to avoid spread of diseases.
• Should be located within outer of the owner for security
• House should be well sheltered from direct sunshine and strong winds.
• The place where the house is to be constructed should be well drained.
• Should be an accessible place so that birds and eggs are easily removed when necessary and taken to the market.
• Should have enough laying boxes in case of layers to reduce rises specifically egg eating.
• Should have enough litter in relation to the bird population.

The digestive system of chicken

1. Beak: it’s composed of two horny parts i.e. the upper and lower beak. It picks food and passes it to the crop via the gullet.
2. Esophagus/Gullet conducts food from the mouth to the crop.
3. Crop: stores food before proceeding to the glandular stomach. It also softens the food.
4. Glandular stomach: This is an enlarged part just before the gizzard. Its wall contains many glands that secrete hydrochloric acid.  It’s also referred to as the first stomach.
5. Gizzard / muscular stomach: this is the real stomach of the chicken with very muscular walls. It grinds down the feeds to increase action by gastric juice enzyme.  It contains grease which is taken up with food.
6. Small intestines: the 1^st part forms the duodenal loop where most of the digestion takes place. It’s about 1.5 long in an adult chicken. Digestion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates takes place here.
7. Caeca: this lies between the small and large intestines, and it’s also called the blind gut.  Digestion of crude fibre takes place here due to the presence of bacteria.
8. Large intestines / colon: it’s relatively short of [about 1cm] and it’s where absorption of moisture takes place.
9. Vent / cloaca /Common sewer: the digestive, urinary, and productive trait empty here their products.

It comprises of the following: infundibulum, magnum, uterus, vagina, and isthmus.

Infundibulum: it’s where fertilization takes place and also the formation of yolk sac takes place here.

The egg takes about ¼ an hour while here.

Magnum: this is where 45% of the albumen and the chalazae are formed.  The egg takes about 3 hrs here.

Isthmus: this is where 10% of the egg white is added.  The egg membranes are also formed here and the egg takes between 1 ¼ hr while here.

Uterus / shell gland: in this place the outer calcium shell is added to the egg and 45% of the albumen is also added.  The egg spends 18-22hrs while here.

Vagina: the egg is inverted in this place and vaginal fluid is secreted to reduce friction.  The egg spends about one minute before moving to the cloaca.

Abnormalities that occur in eggs during formation

• Meat spots: a piece of tissue is torn off the ovary during ovulation. It comes down with the yolk resulting into a blood spot
• Blood spots: a drop of blood is shed off the ovary during ovulation and comes along with the yolk resulting into blood spot.
• Double yolk: two ova are shed at ago by the ovary later being enclosed in the same shell.
• Shell less eggs: nutritional imbalances and defects in the shell gland cause failure of the shell to be deposited on the egg during formation.
• Thin shell: disease and nutritional imbalances lead to the laying of eggs with thin shells.
• Deformed eggs: eggs with abnormal shapes due to defects in the isthmus where the shape of the egg is determined.
• Eggs with rough surface: uneven deposition of the shell on the egg leads to the formation of such eggs.
• Soft shelled eggs: failure of shell gland to deposit a hard shell due to inadequate calcium in the diet or other defects.
• Small sized eggs: these may be due to poor feeding or hormonal imbalances.
• Abnormal smell of the yolk: it may be due to diseases of poor feeds eaten.

Factors that determine the level of lying in birds

1. Level of feeding: giving adequate quantity of feeds leads to high level of laying
2. Quality of feeds given well-balanced ration ensure high production of eggs
3. Health of bids: sick birds will lay less eggs of poor quality
4. Pest attack: pests cause stress in birds which lowers egg production
5. Temperature in poultry house: high temperature reduces feed and water intake which will lower egg production
6. Breed: high laying breed produce more eggs than the meat producers
7. Provision of enough water: giving less water affects body metabolism which may lower egg production
8. Ventilation: poor ventilation in the poultry causes stress which reduces egg production

 Systems of poultry production

They can be divided into three major groups i.e. extensive system, [free range], semi-intensive [fold system and poultry run] and Intensive system [cage and deep litter system]

(a) Extensive poultry system

In this system the birds are allowed to move freely over large area of grass land where they experience nearly natural or wild conditions.

The birds are not confined and during bad weather the birds can find shelter under natural covers like trees.

Advantages of free range system of poultry production

• Manure is spread all over the field or in any place where the birds eat from.
• The system is less expensive as compared to the deep litter and battery system since it requires little initial capital
• Birds will be able to get enough exercise which is good for their health as they move allover the place.
• Birds get almost all the nutrients required in their diet from the environment more especially vitamins.
• Vices are not common in this system as observed in deep litter system.
• It’s a good system for the management of the breeding stock because it enables the birds to become hardy and strong
• Birds are able to get vitamin A and D from the environment.
• Requires less Labor which reduces operational costs hence increasing profits

Disadvantages of free-range system of poultry production

• Birds can easily be attacked by wild animals
• It’s very difficult to collect the eggs since sometimes they are laid in bushes.
• The birds are more prone to parasitic attack from the environment.
• It’s very difficult to keep feeding and production records under this system since birds cannot be easily monitored.
• Birds can easily get diseases from others of a different stock in the neighborhood.
• The production from these birds is low since they spend a lot of energy meant for production in movement.
• The system cannot easily support exotic birds that cannot tolerate harsh conditions.

(b) Poultry run of poultry production

In this system birds are rotated in paddocks for a particular period of time during day.  They are later confirmed at night.

Advantages of poultry run of poultry production

• It requires far less land than the free-range system
• It’s suitable for commercial egg production as compared to the free range since clean eggs are easily produced.
• It doesn’t require expensive equipment therefore has a low initial capital.
• Birds are protected against thieves and wild animals.
• Spread of diseases from out side stocks is under control.

Disadvantages of poultry run of poultry production

• There is a high risk of disease as land becomes contaminated with parasites.
• The eggs may be dirty and therefore of low quality.
• Costs are high in terms of feeding, fencing, and housing.

(c) Fold system of poultry production

A fold unit is the system whereby a small portable house with a run attached is used so that the birds can make use of the run during the day and the house at night. The fold unit is systematically moved daily over an area and therefore must be of size and weight which is easily moved.

Advantages of fold system of poultry management

• It’s easy to inspect birds and isolate sick ones.
• Manure is distributed evenly on the farm
• Birds are well protected against predators and thieves.
• The system can be used for commercial egg production.
• It’s a more ideal system of raising breeding stock since birds are exposed to natural conditions that makes them hardy.
• Production is higher than the free range since birds spend less energy.

Disadvantages of fold system of poultry management

• It may not be used easily on a ground which is not flat because the unit may be difficult to move.
• The system can accommodate a few birds so as to allow easy movement of the unit.
• The unit is quite expensive therefore may not be affordable to peasants.
• Birds’ performance is affected by change in the environment.

 

(d) Battery / cage system of poultry farming

This is an intensive system of poultry production were birds are kept in individual cages indoor of about 0.14m².

Feeders and drinkers are arranged at one side.

The wire making up the floor is slated to allow eggs roll to one side for easy collection.

Food and water may be mechanically provided or using computerized system.

The floor beneath the cages is made of concrete slanting at one side for easy drainage and cleaning

Advantages of cage system of poultry production

• Reduce chances of vices like cannibalism since birds are confined in individual cages.
• Feed and water contamination with droppings is reduced since water and feed troughs are locate higher at one end.
• Clean eggs can be easily produced.
• It is easy to keep individual feeding and egg production records.
• Disease spread easily controlled since birds are confined.
• Bullying amongst birds is easily controlled since birds are under confinement.
• It requires less Labor for management of large flocks.
• A large number of birds can be kept on a small piece of land
• Bird production is high since they spend less energy in movement.
• Culling out of birds is to carry out since they are in close observation

Disadvantages of poultry production

• It requires a high initial capital for installing cages and other equipment.
• Birds lack exercise which may affect their health
• It may require skilled Labor to run the system
• There is a danger of concentrating parasites in the poultry unit
• Birds may not get vitamins like D from the environment

(e) Deep litter system of poultry farming

This is the most common and popular modern system of keeping commercial poultry.  Birds are confined in a house on litter of about 20cm deep which has to absorb moisture from the droppings.  Materials used for litter are coffee husks, woods and having chopped straw and rice husks.

Litter is turned frequently to mix it with droppings thoroughly and more materials added.

Advantages of deep litter system of poultry farming

• It requires a small area of land to raise large number of birds.
• It’s easy to control birds since they are confined in one place
• Birds are protected from predators and thieves.
• It gives comfort to both attendant and the birds since there is little wastage energy and time in feeding and collection of eggs.
• Manure obtained under this system is of high quality
• Records of stock and egg production are easy to keep under this system.
• It’s easy to observe sick birds in the flock hence easy to cull out such birds.
• Spread of disease from the neighborhood is easily controlled since birds are confirmed.

Disadvantages of deep litter system of poultry farming

• The system encourages the buildup of parasites in the litter unless turned, treated and replaced regularly.
• It may require more labor in terms of feeding and collection of eggs as compared to the free range system.
• It’s difficult to control diseases in case of an outbreak within the deep litter house.
• Birds easily develop vices more especially due to overcrowding within the deep litter house.
• It’s difficult to keep individual production records.
• It’s expensive to establish since money is needed for the construction of houses and purchase of the necessary equipment.
• Feeders, water container, and nesting boxes are easily contaminated with litter and droppings which may lead to disease.
• Comfortable litter in poultry house may induce birds to go broody.

Management of layers in a deep litter house

• Provide enough space in the house to control overcrowding that result into vices and disease outbreak
• Keep the litter dry by continuous raking and removal of wet spots to control dampness that encourages disease outbreak
• Provide enough perches for the birds and they should be well spaced
• Provide enough water and feed troughs to reduce overcrowding at the feeding and drinking place which increase feed and water contamination
• Provide clean drinking water at all times for proper bird health and high production
• Keep feeders and drinkers clean to reduce disease outbreaks due unhygienic conditions
• Provide adequate feeds to birds to maintain a high production level
• Collect the eggs regularly to reduce chances of breaking and occurrence of egg eating vice
• Supply grit in feeds to help birds to digest grains in the feeds provided
• Cull poor layers and diseased birds to reduce wastage of feeds and disease spread in poultry
• Vaccinate birds against killer diseases in time to reduce losses
• Spray birds with pesticides to control external parasites like mites and ticks that may lower production
• Avoid stressing factors that may affect bird production
• Repair equipment and house to reduce accidents
• Provide enough feeds to ensure high production from birds
• Isolate and treat sick birds to reduce disease spread in poultry
• Keep proper records for easy management of poultry
• Promptly dispose of dead birds by burying or burning to reduce disease spread and vices
• Maintain a disinfectant at the door for anybody entering the poultry house to disinfect him.

Causes of disease outbreak in poultry houses

• Introduction of sick birds in poultry house
• Mating between sick and health birds
• Contaminated vaccination equipment
• Contaminated water and feeds given to birds
• Poor disposal of dead birds
• Visitors and attendants who move from one farm to another
• Introduction of disease carriers to the poultry farm
• Direct contact between health and diseased birds
• Through infected eggs to chicks
• Vectors and wild birds that may come into contact with poultry
• Through contaminated drinkers and feeders
• Overcrowding in poultry house
• Poor ventilation in the house leading to respiratory infections

 Control of disease outbreaks in poultry houses

• Regular vaccination of birds to control killer diseases
• Provision of coccidiostats in feeds to control coccidiosis
• Providing clean feeds and water
• Regular deworming to control internal parasites
• Provide enough high quality litter for to control respiratory infections
• Do not mix young and old birds since the former are more prone to disease
• Avoid unnecessary visitors in the poultry houses
• Provide a disinfectant at the door way
• Dead birds should properly disposed
• Isolate the sick birds to control disease spread
• Raise feeders and drinkers to reduce contamination by litter
• Regular cleaning of feeders and drinkers
• Buy birds from reliable sources that show less instance of disease
• Provide a balanced diet to control nutritional deficiency diseases
• Keep proper records on vaccinations
• Provide adequate feeds to birds

Maintenance of good litter in a poultry house

1. Periodic racking to remove feathers and spreading of droppings.
2. Removal of wet litter spots
3. Addition of agricultural lime at a rate of 4g/10m2 to increase moisture absorption.
4. Removal of litter after the laying cycle.

Characteristics of good litter

• It should not cake up
• Should cheap to the farmers to afford
• It should not be dusty
• Should not be poisonous to the birds
• Should be pest free
• Should not be bulky
• Should be a good moisture absorbed
• Should not be too dry

Causes of wetness in litter

1. Drinking water that may splash over the litter as birds drink it
2. Moisture from chicken droppings
3. Rain water from leaking roof
4. Capillary water from underground in poorly drained places
5. Rain water through the windows during storms due to a short overhang of the poultry house
6. Flooding of the site
7. Overcrowding of birds that increases humidity
8. Accumulation of bird dropping
9. Poor ventilation that increases humidity

 Vices in poultry

A vice is a bad behavior practiced by birds e.g. egg eating feather pecking, cannibalism.

Causes of Poultry vices

1. Heredity: some line of birds show more vices like cannibalism than others.
2. overcrowding is the poultry houses can cause vices like cannibalism as birds become more close to each other
3. Introduction of new birds in a flock with unique characters of the body and size may cause cannibalism and feather pecking.
4. Exposure of wounds and smell of blood can cause cannibalism
5. Lack of enough laying boxes which causes breakage of eggs and exposes eggs to the birds can easily result into egg eating.
6. Improper feeding of the birds that encourages mineral deficiency can lead to cannibalism
7. Bright light in the poultry house can stimulate feather and toe pecking.
8. Insufficient drinking and eating place may also lead to pecking as birds struggle to get near to feeds and water.
9. Irritation of the skin through direct sunlight and lice infection can result into cannibalism and pecking.
10. Diseases like gumboro can easily cause cloaca pecking since the droppings usually stick in that area.
11. Introduction of birds that are moulting (shedding feathers) in a flock can easily encourage cannibalism due to exposure of bare skin to other birds.

 Control of poultry vices

1. The farmer should provide enough laying boxes that should be placed in easy to reach dark places.
2. The birds should be debeaked between 9 – 12 weeks in order to control egg eating.
3. Give the birds balanced feeds to reduce the laying of soft shelled eggs that easily break and cause egg eating.
4. Overcrowding of the birds in the poultry house should be avoided by reducing the stocking rate.
5. Greens to be fed to the birds should be hanged over their heads so that birds are kept busy.
6. Sick birds and weak ones should be isolated from the general flock to control cannibalism.
7. The farmer should remove all the slow moulting birds from the general flock since such birds encourage cannibalism.
8. The breeding stock should be selected from the birds that do not show any sign of vices.
9. The nests should be enough and must be well positioned to reduce accidents that can cause breaking of the eggs resulting into egg eating.
10. There should be enough feeds and water troughs for the birds.
11. Birds with lice infection and gumboro disease should be culled.
12. The farmer should treat external parasites and prevent diseases in the flock through vaccination.

 

Stress in birds

This is the response of birds to a situation that troubles it

Causes of stress in poultry birds

1. Change of feeds i.e. from layers mash to grower’s mash
2. Change of feeding routine
3. Starving birds or inadequate feeding
4. Vaccination of birds leading to pain
5. Debeaking birds
6. High temperatures in the poultry house
7. Presence of parasites on the birds
8. Overcrowding in poultry house
9. Change of the environment around the birds i.e. moving birds to a new place
10. Noise of predators around the poultry house

Effects of stress in poultry birds

1. Reduce egg production in birds
2. Reduce bird appetite
3. May cause disease in birds
4. can reduce growth rate in young birds

Question; explain how a farmer may control stress in birds

Characteristics of a good laying bird:

	Good layer	Bad layer
Comb / wattle	They are large, red in colour and full	They are dry pale and scaly
Eyes	They are keen and sparkling	They are sunken and dull
Beak	It is short and colourless in most cases	Beak is long and yellow
Distance between the pelvic bone	3 -4 fingers can fit in the space	It narrow allowing between 1 -2 fingers
Skin	Its smooth and warm	Hard and dry
Cloaca / vent	It is oval, large and moist	It is round small and dry
Weight	Normal in accordance with breed	Too heavy because of too much fat and light due to illness
Belly	Normal size, soft and smooth	To big or too small

 

 Selection of eggs for hatching/incubation

1. Eggs selected should be fertilized therefore to ensure this a hen should stay with a cock for at least a week before laying at a ratio of 1 cock -12 hens.
2. Eggs of uniform size and shape should be selected for uniform distribution of heat during incubation.
3. Ensure that you select clean eggs.
4. Ensure that eggs selected have thick shells with no cracks to prevent breakage during turning and attack by microbes.
5. Eggs with abnormalities like meat and blood spots should not be selected.
6. Hands handling those eggs should be clean to avoid transmission of diseases.
7. Eggs should be from healthy birds [i.e. not from infected birds with coccidiosis, bacillary white diarrhea] which can easily be transmitted.

 

Incubation of eggs

This is the embryonic development of fertilized egg into a chick.  The period varies between different birds.

Methods of incubation of eggs

There are two main methods of incubating eggs i.e.

Natural incubation

Artificial incubation

 Natural incubation of eggs

This is where a broody hen seats on a clutch of eggs to provide conditions suitable for hatching to occur.  Like humidity optimum temperature and adequate air supply.

Factors that affect successful natural incubation of eggs

1. It changes / turns her eggs using its beak so that all the sides of the egg get the same temperature.
2. The hen moves out quite often to allow the eggs cool down when the temperature rises and also to allow air circulate around the eggs.
3. The hen may sunbath and may get its chest wet so that when it goes back it can give the required humidity to the eggs.

Improvement of natural incubation of eggs

1. Make a good nest for the hen to guard against egg breaking.
2. Place the nest in a quiet corner at ground level for easy reach.
3. Provide plenty of clean water and enough food so that the hen does not spend much time looking for them
4. Protect the hen from parasites like mites and vermin by dusting the nest with doom or any other pesticides.
5. Dump the nest daily during drought to provide the required humidity.
6. Ensure that the hen is with the cock during and before laying time to ensure that the eggs laid are fertilized.
7. Remove oversized and undersized eggs or these with abnormalities before the hen starts incubating.

Artificial incubation of eggs

Under the modern machine called an incubator is used in the incubation of eggs.

Factors essential for incubation and proper hatching of eggs:

1. Temperature: this has to be effectively controlled between 32.2⁰C – 37.2⁰ Higher temperatures can cause death of embryos especially from the 19^th day of incubation onwards. Chicks hatched from high temperatures are smaller, lack alertness, have crooked toes, and necks. While low temperatures cause late and poor hatchability of eggs.
2. Humidity: chicken eggs require humidity of 60% during the first 18 days, then 70% later. Low humidity causes excessive loss of moisture from eggs resulting into small and hard chicks.  High humidity may result into large chicks and may delay hatching.
3. Air supply: 21% oxygen is required in the incubator to allow adequate gas exchange between the embryo and out side
4. Turning of eggs: Eggs should be turned for the first 18 days of incubation once every 3hrs. After 18 days there must be no turning. This prevents embryos from sticking to one side
5. Egg must not have any defects like cracks and double yolks since such may not hatch
6. Providing a good nesting place to avoid breakage of eggs
7. Ensuring that the place of incubation is free from pests and vermin
8. Providing a balanced diet for the broody hen in natural incubation

Management in a hatchery

Hatchery sanitation is required to prevent infection in younger chicks.  Diseases

that can affect chicks in mismanagement hatcheries are new castle, Coccidiosis and other respiratory diseases.  It’s advisable to do the following:-

1. Clean and fumigate the incubator / hatchery before setting in eggs.
2. Select clean eggs and fumigate them before incubation.

iii.            The hatchery should be located far away from any nearby poultry farm.

1. Have the incubator in a separate from where you meet people.
2. Do not allow visitors in the hatchery except the hatchery attendant.
3. Vaccinate chicks against new castle immediately after hatching.

 Sexing of chicks

Sexing is the grouping of chicks according to their sex.

Methods of sexing of chicks

1. Vent method: This is based on observation of the vent where the male chicks have three protuberances (round part that sticks out) from the vent while the female have only two.
2. Chick – sexing machine: The machine uses magnifying lenses to see through the vent of the chicks in order to determine their sex by observing the internal reproduction systems.
3. Auto-sexing method: this takes advantage of the sex linked genes that depict the external traits of the offspring according to sex. E.g. the cross between a light Sussex hen [white] and a brown Rhode Island cock will produce brown females and white males in F₁

Brooding of chicks

It’s the prevision of warmth for growing chicks.  A broader is a structure where chicks are reared from day old up to 6 or 8 weeks of age.

Types of brooders

1. Warm floor brooder
2. Infrared brooder.
3. Tier brooder
4. Hot-room brooding.
5. Cold-room brooding.

Preparation to receive day old chicks

Preparation to receive day old chicks a week before arrival.

1. Clean and disinfect the house thoroughly
2. Install all necessary equipment after cleaning has been done e.g. water troughs, food, litter etc.
3. Prepare the disinfected bath at the entrance
4. Keep rats, mice and other pests out of the house by sealing off all entrances.
5. The brooder house should be made wild bird proof to reduce spread of diseases.
6. Reduce air flow into the house by placing curtains or mats in the windows.
7. The house should be locked to keep out any intruder.

Preparation to receive day old chicks 24 hours before arrival of chicks.

1. Ensure that the temperatures are not below 28⁰C by providing a heat source.
2. Set up a brood guard around the heat source to protect chicks from the heat source.
3. Hung a thermometer in each brooder guard to monitor the temperatures of the heat source.
4. Check all bulbs to ensure that they are in good order to provide light intensity of about 4W/M² of floor area.
5. The bulbs should be hanged at least 2m high so that they can give enough light over a wide area.
6. Put / lay down mold free litter to a minimum depth of 5cm and cover it with paper.
7. Put clean feeders around the brooder guard like spokes of a wheel.
8. Provide 2 – 3 drinkers for every hundred chicks depending on the type.
9. The bird population per brooder preferably shouldn’t exceed 200 as management becomes very difficult.

Caring for day-old chicks on arrival of chicks up to 1^st week

1. Observe strict sanitation during the unloading of the chicks.
2. Chicks should be removed from boxes as promptly as possible to reduce mortality.
3. Put filled drinkers in space so that the chicks can start drinking water mixed with glucose.
4. Chicks should be given good quality starter mash ration.
5. The temperatures of the brooder should be maintained between 33⁰C and 34⁰
6. Seal off all cavities around the brooder and corners to prevent chicks from crowding there.
7. Clean water should be provided continuously throughout the day and night.
8. Provide grit [chick size] from 2^nd day onwards to help in digestion.
9. Relative humidity in the brooder should range from 60 – 80%
10. Gradually expand the brooder area as the chicks grow.
11. Room temperatures should be maintained at 32⁰C within the 1^st
12. Check whether there are chicks soiled with feces on the vent area and remove such to prevent constipation.
13. Dead chicks should be removed as soon as the possible to control vices and spread diseases.
14. Paper covering the litter should be removed as soon as chicks learn to identify the feeds.

Caring for chicks in the second week

1. Room temperatures should be gradually reduced to about 30⁰C as chicks develop feathers.
2. Remove the brooder guards completely.
3. Start ventilation at a low rate when atmospheric conditions are favorable.
4. Put in additional feeders and locate them far away from the heat source.
5. If mortality is higher than normal, a specialist should be called in for advice.
6. The mats in the windows should be removed gradually and the farmer should be aware of dust storms, strong winds and cold.

Caring for chicks in 3^rd week

1. The room temperature should be lowered to about 28⁰C or even lower than this up to 25⁰C.
2. Change to automatic feeders and drinkers must be done gradually.
3. Reduce light intensity to about 2.8W m² of floor area.
4. Provide plenty of clean fresh drinking water for the birds.
5. All birds with deformities / abnormalities should be culled at this level.
6. Ensure that there is no left over food in the troughs overnight.

 

Caring for chicks in 4^th week

1. Light intensity should be reduced to 2W/M² of floor area and should be followed strictly.
2. Weight of the birds should be taken in order to determine the growth rate.
3. Make a change from starter marsh to growers mash gradually.
4. Adopt an established feeding program and stick to it for economic purposes.
5. Should cannibalism occur, try to stop it by debeaking the birds.

Caring for chicks in 5 – 10 weeks

1. The stoking rate of the poultry house should be 9 – 12 birds per meter squared of floor space depending on the housing system.
2. Switch over from chick size grit to grower size.
3. Select the breeder birds for meat production.
4. Ensure that the feeding space per bird is 10cm and the drinking space is 2cm per bird.
5. Debeaking should be done for birds kept in cages.
6. Compare the bird’s weight record with standard body weight for the same age.

Qualities of a good breeding stock

1. Should be free from defects like lameness etc.
2. It should be of good color.
3. It should be able to mature sexually early.
4. It should have a high laying rate.
5. It should not have pauses in egg laying.
6. It should be non-broodiness.
7. It should produce eggs with no abnormalities.
8. It should be able to lay eggs for a long period of time.
9. Should be able to produce good quality chicks.
10. Should have a good body size incase broilers
11. Should have a rapid growth rate.
12. Eggs produced should have high hatchability.
13. It should produce chicks with low mortality
14. It should be early feathering to reduce the chances of cannibalism.

Factors to consider when planning a vaccination program for birds.

4. Age of the bird: Some vaccines are administered to a day-old chicks e.g. new cattle diseases or after a week.
5. Genetic resistance of the flock: If a flock is resistant to a certain disease naturally then vaccination may not be needed.
6. Health status of the bird: Vaccines should be administered to healthy birds not sick ones since it may not serve the purpose.
7. Feeding and management practices followed.
8. Methods of administration of the vaccine.
9. Methods of storage and available facilities.

Precautions to take during vaccination of birds/poultry

1. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding the use of vaccines.
2. Avoid exposing vaccines to high temperatures during transit.
3. Store vaccines in a deep freezer before use.
4. Do not vaccinate birds when they are under stress.
5. Do not mix two vaccines together while administering
6. Use distilled water in case you want to reconstitute the vaccine.
7. Anti-stress medicine like antibiotics and vitamins should be given to birds before vaccination.
8. All birds in the poultry house should be vaccinated at one time.
9. Vaccination should be carried out in the cool hours of the day.
10. The equipment to be used in the vaccination process should be disinfected.

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Dr. Bbosa Science