Backyard Poultry Management Flashcards
What things are involved in backyard poultry production?
Managing the environment
Mitigating disease risk
Nutrition
Genetics and breed
How do we manage the following aspects of the birds enviroment?
Housing
Lights
Protection from predators/weather
Waste and Maure
Housing- free range to fancy coop
-Shelter
-Roost
Lights -
-Natural light
-Affect molting/laying times
-Seasonal changes
Protection
-Enclosed coop
-Dog, coyotee, raccon, snake, possum, fox, hawk
Manure/Waste
-Nitrogenous
-Ammonia levels high - rep disease
-Need good air flow
How many hours of light does a bird need for maximal egg production?
15 hours
The owner wants to wing clip their bird, what advice do you give them?
Only clip one side
Only clip primaries
Humane way to allow free range but not let get away
What is a key component of housing that all bird owners should consider?
ventilation
- need air to mix with humid air and ammonia to remove it
-Needed in hot and cold weather
-No need heater in winter, draft free
What are some ways a backyard flock owner can mitigate disease?
Vaccination - Mareks from hatchery
Monitoring - test blood serum, NPIP
Biosecurity - keep your disease in and others out
Does buying from an NPIP flock guarantee you will get no diseases?
No but owners care more
- Voluntary program
-Surveillance for AI, salmonella pullorum and Mycoplasma
How are disease introduced to a flock?
People
Poultry
Facilities and Equipment
Vectors
Vaccines
How do you prevent disease?
Biosecurity
- Separate clothes for your farm
-Wash hands
-Quarantine new birds
-reputable dealers
-monitor flock
-keep age group separate
-enclose birds to prevent mix with wild
What kind of feed is best for poultry?
Commercial
16% CP layer
All flock pellet fine for toms, too low layers
Medicated - coccidiostat
May supplment grit, calcium and B vitamins
What is the easiest way to medicate a flock?
water
What is the incubation for the following species:
Chicken:
Turkey:
Duck:
Quali:
Chicken: 21 days
Turkey: 28 days
Duck: 28-35 days (species specific)
Quali: 16-18 days
What are some common backyard breeds and what are they used for?
Leghorns - Egg Laying
Cornish Rock - broiler
Australorp, Orpington, barred rock, Rhode island red, Wyandotte - Dual
Silkie, bantam, polish, sebright - show
Turkeys: white holland, blue slate (blind), burbon red, royal palm
Ducks: Muscovy, pekin
Quail: Bobwhite and Coturnix
Should you house chickens and turkeys to gether?
No - Blackhead
