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[ Aspects of farming with chicks ] [ Suggested chicken house ] [Management program ]
[ Medicine program ] [ How to use - Vaccines :: Medicines :: Disinfectants ] [ Graphs ]

:: Aspects of farming with chicks

Housing: For optimal management housing has to be correctly designed and built.
This will enable you to farm with the minimal labor and losses. Important points here are:

• Sloping smoothly sealed off floors.
• High enough roof for free movement and good ventilation.
• Size and direction of house.
• Design and operation of curtains for good ventilation.
• Distance between houses and from any area where bacteria is breeding.
• Amount and kind of drinkers and feeders.
• Brooders and heat sources for small chicks.
• Footbaths in front of doors to prevent spreading of bacteria and viruses.

Disinfection and cleaning of houses before and while chicks are in houses must be done correctly, and with the correct remedies. The physical cleaning comes first - then the clinical cleaning.

Vaccinations: The vaccinations of the chicks are important to prevent virus-related diseases like Newcastle.

Feed: Feed must be of a very high standard, make sure that all the right additives like growth stimulants and Anti-coccidioses remedies are in every lot fed to the chicks.

Medicines: The right kind and the right amount of vitamins and antibiotics must be administrated.

Management: This is the most important aspect and there must be someone who cares to do it. This includes: cleaning of houses, temperature control, medicines, ventilation, vaccinations, and all other aspects in connection to chicken farming. Remember – always one-age chicks under one roof. Never more than one group!!!

Remember it is important that the farmers of Alfa Kuikenplaas will farm successfully and we shall always be there to assist you. From our side we try to give the best service and the best product available.

LEFT - Note that the automatic feeders, drinkers/ballast’s and temperature are already placed in the house, before the arrival of the chicks. Also put out extra feed for smaller chicks for approx 3 days. Keep the medicines and stress packs ready before arrival of chicks.

:: Suggested Chicken House

A sloping floor worked off smoothly and sealed with "stone sealer". This will prevent bacteria from penetrating the porous surface and helping the cleaning process to be administered correctly.

LEFT Note the isolated ceiling, it helps keep the heat inside or out – depending on your needs. Also see the curtains and wooden shavings on the floor.

The wall on the long side must only be 300 millimetres high, and also smoothly plastered and sealed off with stone sealer on the inside. It may be as long as necessary to get the necessary floor space. The direction must be from east to west. The wall on the short sides must go right up to the pitch of the roof. The insides must be smoothly plastered and sealed with stone sealer. The length can be from 6 to 12-meter, depended on the length of the long sides. If the long sides are less than 20 meter the short sides must not exceed 8 meter.

LEFT A typical convection house. Take note of the population density of the chicks. The curtains should be adjusted from day to day to suit the temperature. Also note the dry shavings evenly distributed on surface. Avoid a wet, humid or smudged surface.

The opening between the low wall and the roof as well as the opening in the pitch of the roof must be closed with bird mesh. The opening in the roof pith must have a flap to regulate airflow. The eaves of the roof must be 1.5 meter, and the headspace inside must be high enough to stand up straight.

Curtains must be secured on the bottom and the top must be loose. Lower the curtain to open for more ventilation. Use a pulley system as seen on bottom photo.

Two doors are used, the big door allows a vehicle in, and the small door is for daily workers. It is not necessary for a big door if the house is too small.

A footbath is necessary inside the house in front of the doors. Construct it in such a way that workers are forced to walk trough it.

Concrete paving around the house will keep water and weeds away to prevent bacteria growth.

A 100 or 200-liter water tank on the outside to supply water to automatic drinkers and administered medicine is essential. See that it has a good lid to keep birds insects and bacteria away.

LEFT A typical convection house with elongated air socks equipt with automatic feeders and nipple drinkers for chicks.

Placing of chicks

Screen a quarter of the house off, with a plastic sail to get a tent effect. This will prevent energy loss. Get the temperature to the desired level before chicks are placed. Keep plus minus 2 weeks in tent then take it off. Ensure that tent always has good ventilation.

Give ventilation from day 3 and increase rapidly every day, dependable on the weather. Rather supply more heat than closing off ventilation completely.

LEFT Partitions can be used systematically while chicks are growing.

ABOVE See the even distribution of chicks in house. The chicks are not huddled together in the house that is an indication that the temperature is evenly spread in the house. Also note that the feeders and drinkers are evenly distributed throughout the house.

LEFT See that the flooring has a bedding of sunflower seeds shells. This can also be used instead of pine wooden shavings.

RIGHT A controlled cooling system within the chicken house.

HOUSING AND EQUIPMENT

1. Floor Space:
In temperate regions, climatic and economic pressures invariable preclude the use of any other than controlled environment. However for certain flocks and in warmer climates, less sophisticated housing is capable of providing a satisfactory environment.

2. Stocking densities:
Ultimately depend upon the gross profitability per unit area. However, feeding space availability, drinking space, downgrading due to restricted movement and the effective ventilation potential of a house always determines maximum stocking capacity.

As standard stocking rates the following apply:

• Controlled environment: 17 to 22 birds/m
• Non-controlled environment: 9 to 12 birds/m

Growth rate in the first 14 days of the broiler1s life is highly correlated with final weight at processing. Any environment factor that reduces early growth rate (i.e. build up of carbon dioxide / carbon monoxide) will affect final weight and performance efficiency.

3. House specification:

Controlled environment housing should provide:

• Insulation levels equivalent to a U value of 0,1 (equivalent of 5 cm fibreglass wool), effective light proofing. The maximum light intensity within the darkened house should not exceed 0,4 lux.
• Uniformity of artificial light distribution and control of intensity within the range 0,4 to 22 lux.
• Effective ventilation that is uniform at bird level, draught free and capable of providing and maintaining an adequate controlled air flow at all times.
• Effective wind proofing. This is achieved largely by the same design features as are effective for light proofing,
• The unwanted loss of heat from non wind-proofed housing in winter, significantly increases the energy requirement (either as food or as fuel) of the growing bird,
• Floor should be of smooth finished concrete containing a vapour seal.
• The internal profile of the house should be smooth and uncluttered.

Open-sided Housing

Houses should be built in well-drained and well-ventilated locations. They should be built so that direct sunlight does not fallon the sidewalls during the hottest part of the day, the length of the house being in an east to west direction. The roof should be insulated (0.4Wm JOC) and with a surface finish that reflects solar heat. A high roof pitch of 30 to 400 assists natural ventilation by increasing 'stack effect' and reduces heat radiation from the underside of the roof reaching the birds.

Houses should be 6m wide, 3m to the eaves and the roof should overhang the walls by 1.5m to 1.75m to limit the access of direct sunlight. Ground cover vegetation surrounding the house will reduce reflected heat entering the house. In addition, tree shade is beneficial providing it does not inhibit air circulation.

Sidewalls should consist of a 25cm to 30cm dwarf wall with wire mesh (25mm) to the eaves. End walls can either be of a similar construction, or solid, depending on climate condition. Sidewalls should also incorporate an adjustable roll-down reinforced plastic curtain for use during brooding, cold weather and at night.

OPEN HOUSE BASIC DESIGN

Feeding Equipment

During the early brooding period feed should be provided in crumb form and placed in flat trays or on paper sheeting so that chicks have an easy access to feed. Chicks should be gradually transferred to the main feeding system within the first week of placement.

For broiler feeding there is a choice of systems available, the three major types being:

• Flat Chain
• Pan feeders with grill
• Tube feeders

Feeding Space

Automatic trough. Allow 2,5 cm/bird of single sided trough. Tube feeders. Allow 15 to 18 x 38 cm diameter feeders per 1000 birds.

Feeder Height

Pan feeders are adjustable by a central winch, whereas chain and tube feeders may have to be adjusted at multiple points.

Distribution

Pan feeders and tube feeders (if auto fill) have the advantage that all feeders are filled simultaneously, whereas chain feeders take longer to distribute feed.

Feed Wastage

Tubes and chain feeders are prone to feed wastage, pans waste much less and often-superior FCR is noticed with pan feeders. Drinking Space. Allow minimum of 6 x 38 cm diameter automatic hanging drinkers per 1 000 birds. Water must be available and easily accessible at all times.

Within the brooder area from day old, in addition to the 6 per 1 000 birds permanent drinkers, supplementary drinkers, e.g. founts, should be provided at the rate of 4/1000 chicks for the first 2 to 3 days.

Water quality

Like all animals, broilers contain a high percentage of water. Young animals contain proportionately more moisture, and a day-old chick will contain approximately 80% water. Growing broilers will need about 3 liters of water for everyone kilogram of weight gain, about 75% of which comes from drinking water, the rest from feed.

If access to water is limited, growth rate will be reduced - dehydration by
20% will kill. Water requirements will increase in hot weather, and also if a high protein or salt ration is fed.

The broiler needs unrestricted access to clean, pure water at an appropriate temperature. The water supply should be tested twice a year to check for hardness, salinity, nitrates and bacterial contamination. Samples should be taken from drinkers at the same time, to test for bacterial contamination in the system.

:: Management program

1.	Clean and disinfect houses and equipment prior to placing birds. Methods: Take out all litter. Disposal of litter not near houses. Wash house from top to bottom with hi-pressure machine or scrub with soap and water. Wash roof, walls, floors and equipment. Rinse every part thoroughly with clean water. If floor is constructed correct, all the water should drain out of house. Left to dry off. Spray whole house and all equipment with Virukill or Virkon S.
2.	Put bedding of chemically untreated white pine shavings 100mm thick on floor. This bedding must be turned over every week to prevent forming a hard crust. Change shavings where they get wet.
LEFT A modern, environment-controlled house. In our opinion this type of house is not very suitable for South Africa’s climate. It hosts very expensive air conditioning systems BUT note the population density and distribution of the chicks. They don’t bundle together in the cooler areas of the house. The temperature is evenly spread throughout the house.
3.	Provide enough water drinkers and feeders. 1 Automatic drinker and 3 Tube feeders per 100 chicks. The first 3 days 2 extra 4-liter water founts per 100 birds should be provided. See that water drinkers are correctly adjusted and that there are no leaks.
4.	Kitasamycin and Vitamins must be in first 3 days water. See the program.
5.	Temperature must be stabilised 3 hours before chicks arrived at farm. The ideal temperatures for chicks are between 32? and 35? Celsius. Lower the temperature every 2de day with 1 degree Celsius. At 28 days a temperature of 20? Celsius must be achieved.
6.	Ventilation; Give more every day as chicks grow. Allow good ventilation from day 2. Never reduce ventilation to achieve a desired temperature - give more heat.
7.	Feed broiler starter crumbs of a very high standard for first 21days (i.e. 2 bags per 100 chicks). Feed the chicks broiler growing pellets from day 22 to 42 (i.e. 5 bags per 100 chicks). Use feed with additive against Coccidioses. From day 43 give Broiler finisher.
8.	Vaccinate on the correct day and method and always use vitamins 2 days before plus 2 days after been vaccinated. Use vitamins 2 days before chickens are to be caught.
9.	Average growing weights of life birds should not be less than the following tables. Chicks Age Weight Weekly Feed usage Total Feed Usage 7 Days 125g 140g 140g 14 Days 340g 300g 440g 21 Days 660g 490g 980g 28 Days 995g 650g 1580g 35 Days 1400g 820g 2400g 42 Days 1815g 930g 3330 49 Days 2225g 1120g 4450g 52 Days 2630g 1220g 5670g
10.	Keep good record of culls, deaths, feed used, temperature, medicine and vaccinations given.
11.	A book about the management of broilers should be bought from us, see the price list.
12.	Look after your business and be there at least twice a day.
13.	Enjoy jour farming and make a good profit!
LEFT Chicks at approximately 3½ - 4 weeks should weigh at least 660g –995g. See the table above.
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:: Medicine program

If birds have to be slaughtered, don’t feed them from the previous day. This enables a cleaner slaughtering process. The crop will come out clean and easy.

	LEFT Feed can be bought in bulk and stored in automatic feeders.
	LEFT Heat can be produced in many different ways. i.e. coal, gas, etc.

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:: How to use vaccines and medicines

Vaccines

All the freeze-dried vaccines in the small bottles have to be mixed and administered the same way. As follows; withdraw water 1 to 2 hours before mixing vaccine, dependable on weather, to get chicks thirsty.

The different vaccines available:

Cevac Bron: Bronchitus vaccine	Cevac Gumbo L: Gumborro vaccine
Cevac Vitapest L: Newcastle vaccine	Cevac New L: Newcastle vaccine

The smallest doses are 1000: Use 1-liter water per bottle for every day old of chicks. Now you have a solution for 1000 chicks. If you have less than 1000 chicks start mixing as for 1000 chicks then use only pro-rata the correct amount for your amount of chicks. i.e. as follows: if you only got 400 chicks use only 400 milliliter of the solution for every day they are old.

Here is an example. If you want to vaccinate 700 chicks against Newcastle on day 14 use 1 bottle Newcastle Avinew vaccine and mix 14 liter water. From this solution use only: 7 X 14 = 9.8 liter (7 = per day x 14 days) of formula is (amount of chicks ÷ 1000 x days). Dispose of the rest in the sun on dry ground.

Mix this solution with one desert spoon skimmed milk for virus to life longer. Put out in a lot more drinkers as usual to ensure every bird have got immediately a drinking space. 3 drinkers per 100 chickens will be efficient. After about 1 hour when solution is finished open fresh water again.

Kitasamycin

This medicine is against Microplasmosis and must be used on all farms with a multi age farming system. See the medicine program. Use at a strength of 25 grams per 100 liter water or in smaller amounts use 1 x 5 milliliter tee spoon with 8 liter water. It is very important to give for the first 3 days and again on day 19.

Cosumix Plus

This medication is used for the infectious diseases of poultry for example: E-coli, Fowl Cholera, Coryza, Staphyloccus-infections, air-sac diseases, etc. Use at 1-4 weeks: 5 ml x 5 liters of water and at 5-8 weeks: 7.5 ml x 5 liters of water Prepare fresh solutions daily. Use in conjunction with Vitamins.

Vitamines for stress

Use at 5 milliliter powder on 8 liter water or in bulk at 100 gram on 200 liter water. See the medicine program on with days to administer the medication. Vitamins build up the chicks’ resistance against diseases. Carmino + contained added amino acids. LEFT Anchorvite vitamins @ R17.00 per 100 grams

Triple sulfa & Biaprim

Use against Coccidioses – it is a bacterial disease in the gut, chicks will have blood in the droppings. Use at 5 milliliter on 8 liter water for a 3 day period; stop for 3 days then treat for another 3 days. Stop the treatment 7 days before chickens have to be slaughtered.

Fosbac T

Use Fosbac-T as a treatment against E-Coli and other secondary bacterial infections. E-Coli is a stress related infection and its cause is directly linked to poor ventilation. If chicks do not get enough ventilation from day 1, they will get E-Coli.

Mentofin

Use Mentofin for relief of heavy breathing in cases of head syndrome and with trouble of breathing. Mix 25ml with 2 liters water. Mix with 100 liters drinking water. Mentofin is not an antibiotic and should not be given together with any other antibiotics.

Disinfectants

Virukill

This is the newest on the marked and is tested by Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, SABS and Irene experimental station. It seems to be a very good product against viruses and bacteria. Use to disinfect houses prior to placing chicks. Also use as a weekly mist-spray over birds as well as on walls and litter. Use continuously in drinking water to stop bacteria spreading between chicks. Virukill has no irritating effect on chicks, and no corrosive effect on metal. Use as described on bottle.

Virkon S

Like Virukill, Virkon S is also used as a disinfectant after houses are properly cleaned and before chicks are placed. Use also in drinking water and as a mist-spray.

Houses before placing chicks - Use 100 gram on 10 liter water and spray 300 milliliter on 1 square meter from roof to floor. This must be done after house is properly cleaned out with soap and water.

Spray over chicks - Close curtains and spray with very fine mist over chicks to be inhaled by them. Solution to be 50 gram on 10 liter water.

Drinking water - Wash reservoir and drinkers with a solution of 100 gram per 10-liter water. Then in drinking water at 5 gram per 10 liter water, or bulk at 100 gram per 200-liter water, continuous use. 100 gram = 100 milliliter.

LEFT Always replace wet shavings and bedding immediately and place new dry, fresh shavings in its place.

Formaldehyde

Use a 5% solution in footbaths. This is to prevent bacteria and viruses to be carried in or out of houses. Workers have to go trough solution with water-boots every time they go in or out of houses. This solution has to be changed daily. A 5% chlorine or a Virukill solution can also be used.

DSC-1000 Heavy-duty soap Use to wash houses before you disinfect with Virkon S. in a hi-pressure washer a solution of 1-liter per 100-liter water is used, i.e. 100 milliliter on 10-liter water. This soap is formulated to work with Virkon S and will not break it down. After been washed with soap solution, rinse thoroughly with water, wait until dried off, and then spray with Virkon S or Virukill.

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:: Graphs

Download these graphs here:

Ross Broiler - Live weight for age (PDF version)
Ross Broiler - Feed conversion (PDF version)
Ross Broiler - Cumulative Feed (PDF version)
Ross Broiler - Standard Temperature Chart (PDF version)

Ross Broiler - Live weight for age:

Ross Broiler - Feed conversion:

Ross Broiler - Cumulative Feed:

Ross Broiler - Standard Temperature Chart:

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