eggs production and sexing Flashcards
brooding age
0-6 weeks
growing age
6-20 weeks
what else happens during the growing stage
- switch to growing feed, less expensive and less protein than the starter feed
- beak trimming
- some vaccines
restriction to feed supply during growing….
stops them from growing at a fast rate and results in both feed savings and increased egg production when the birds mature
careful weekly weighing of the birds is essential to…..
restrict body weigh and low coefficient of variation
around how many birds in an intensive production system and what kind of ways do they raise the chickens
10 000 - 1 000 000 birds
- cages or furnished cage
- free range
- barn
- organic egg production
what is a semi intensive egg production system
small farms w a few hundred to a few thousand hens housed in a shed, access to a yard surrounded by a 2m high wire netting, free range
what in an extensive egg productive system (opposite of intensive)
-a few chooks scavenging in the yard
describe conventional cage layer sheds in intensive housing system
- stacked in tiers in back-to-back rows
- passageways for feeding, egg collection and bird management
- automated watering, feeding and egg collection
- extremely high standard in flock health
describe furnished cages
bigger, has perches, nest box, dust baths, however, no difference in categorization so a lot less common because no value in doing it
how many birds within a cage
6-20
what is pecking order
dominance levels, they usually get along in cages due to established pecking order
advantages of caged housing
- hens rarely get sick
- avoid injury from fighting
- lower carbon footprint
- less seen for meds and antibiotics
- protected from predators
- cage hens produce more and cleaner eggs, cheaper
- fewer occurrences of manure-borne diseases, parasites and other exotic diseases
disadvantages to cages
- reduced social interaction
- unable to roam/ explore
- unable to practice natural behaviours
- unable to perch –> lower bone strength
barn or aviary system, describe and how many birds
hens in this production system live in a shed
- roaming, perches, litter, nest boxes, feeders and drinkers
- 500 to 5000 birds
what is the difference between barn and aviary system
barn is flat, aviary has vertical layers
what do born or aviary system allows birds to do
move around, stretch, flap wings, socialize, perch, scratch litter, dust bathe and lay eggs in nest boxes
advantages of barn or aviary system
- protection from the weather and predators
- ability to move around
- social interaction
- natural behaviours
disadvantages of barn or aviary system
- increased occurence of manure borne diseases and parasites
- more difficult to identify and remove ill birds
- increased risk of feather pecking
- fighting and cannibalism
- broken bones
- cost of production are increased , more expensive eggs
- greater labour requirements for monitoring birds and management
what is the little cup under their nipple system water source for
not to drink out of, to catch water so litter doesn’t get wet and cause foot problems
they drink right out of the nipple, closed water system
free range system
- both sheds and outdoors
- perches, nest boxes, food and water only in the shed
- some small free range system have mobile shelters that can be moved around to allow rotation of the range area
advantages of free range
- access to outdoor and ability to roam
- socialize
- natural behaviours
- better bone strength due to more movement
disadvantages of free range
- exposure to predators
- harder biosecurity
- increased likelihood of pecking, fighting, cannibalism
- greater occurrence of manure borne diseases and parasites
- increased need for antibiotics
- exposure to weather
will female and male broiler chicks be raised together
yes because they are roughly same size
4 ways to sex day old chocks
- colour sexing
- vent sexing
- feather sexing
- head spot sexing
feather sexing
by looking at colour of feathers
males ZZ slow feathering
females ZW fast feathering
- only works in pure lines
vent sexing
turn pulp upside down and look at organs, big skill, can be done to all chicks
whats another way to sex chicks
in ovo sexing; work out gender before 9 day period, male eggs destroyed, non optical and optical techniques
