Poultry Flashcards
Poultry evolved from
Red Jungle Fowl
Chicks have a
Strong propensity to pick at particles - especially shiny objects
Commercial poultry do not have
Maternal guidance
Poultry feeding occurs
In the morning and before dusk
Feed to water ratio for poultry is
2:1
Three feed types for poultry are
-commercial feeds (starter, grower, layer)
-kitchen scraps
-shell grit
Shell grit provides
Calcium
Feeding only vegetable matter to chickens can result in
Not getting enough calcium
Poor calcium requirements in chickens results in (3)
-inability to lay
-laying of soft shells
-hypocalcemia
Comfort behaviours of poultry include (5)
-preening
-wing flapping
-feather ruffling
-stretching
-dust and water bathing
Which gland is used to spread oil across the feathers
Uropygial (preen) Gland
Poultry dust bathing helps to
Dislodge parasites
Dust bathing in chickens usually occurs during
Warm afternoons
Increased activity, restlessness, and sitting for 25-40 min means
The chicken is nesting and pre-laying
Egg eating occurs when (5)
-overcrowding
-uneven nest space
-nutritional deficiency
-too much light
-disposing of cracked/broken eggs
How can one stop egg eating (6)
-frequent gathering of eggs
-increasing nest availability
-darkening the nests (16 hours of darkness)
-beak modification
-inducing a moult
-culling
As the chicken gets older, one should increase
Light and intensity
Eggs are typically collected in
The morning
Laying hens have been
Genetically modified to produce large quantities of eggs over a longer period of time
Free range layers / boilers must have
Meaningful and regular access to an outdoor range during daylight hours and be free to roam/forage outside
Stocking density of meat birds depends on
Ventilation
In Australia, ____ sets the animal welfare standards
RSPCA
Nutrition, environment, health, behaviour, and mental state are also known as
The Five Freedoms
Good welfare of poultry includes (3)
-farming
-transport
-slaughter
Poor ventilation in the poultry industry can lead to
Wet floors = increased ammonia = increased disease
Too much ammonia with chickens can result in
Footpad Dermatitis
Footpad Dermatitis is rated
On a scale from 0-2
A score of 2 for Footpad Dermatitis means
Severe lesion/injuries >25%
Bumblefoot is caused by
Foot lesions
Excessive Feather Pecking can be a result of (9)
-large flocks
-poor management/environmental factors
-lighter breeds
-barren, crowded conditions
-dietary deficiency
-insufficient feed or water space
-abrupt ration change
-poor ventilation, high temperature, low humidity
-excessive light
Injurious Pecking is rated
On a scale of 0-2
A score of 2 for injurious pecking of the head/neck means
Large injuries >2cm
A score of 2 for injuries pecking on the body of chickens means
Large injuries >5cm
Cannibalism is more common in
Non-cage systems
How can one prevent cannibalism of poultry (3)
-ensure diet and environment are appropriate
-beak trimming/debeaking
-light intensity reduction
Effective beak treatment can prevent
-injuries
-cannibalism
-mortality
Infrared treatment is used for
Beak trimming
7 types of on-farm euthanasia methods for poultry
-Manual Cervical Dislocation
-Mechanical Cervical Dislocation
-Non-Penetrating Captive Bolt
-Penetrating Captive Bolt
-CO2
-Decapitation
-Blunt Force Trauma
Which on-farm euthanasia method in poultry is perceived as “good” to the public
CO2
Which method of euthanasia for poultry is recommended
Manual Cervical Dislocation
Which method of euthanasia of poultry has the highest biosecurity risk
Decapitation
Which mode of euthanasia of poultry may not always cause death
Mechanical Cervical Dislocation
Which mode of euthanasia of poultry is typically used for turkeys and broilers
Non-Penetrating Captive Bolt
Which methods of euthanasia are not practical for chicks or young poults
-Non-Penetrating Captive Bolt
-Penetrating Captive Bolt
KPI stands for
Key Performance Indicators
Not every egg is
Fertile
Hatch Set refers to
of eggs hatched DIVIDED BY # of eggs set
Hatch of Fertile refers to
of eggs hatched DIVIDED BY # of fertile eggs
Incubation of eggs will result in
Moisture loss
The Hatch Window should be
-as short as possible
-want all chicks to hatch together
Chick Yield refers to
How much weight is lost during incubation
Hatchability or Hatch of Set is
The number of live chicks
Define a clutch
The set of eggs a bird will lay before brooding begins
Brooding is
A natural instinct of chickens to stop laying eggs in order to incubate
Important incubation storage parameters include (3)
-physiological zero = 24 C
-relative humidity (RH) = 50-70%
-storage temperature = 15-29 C
The longer eggs are incubated
The cooler the temperature
At 1-6 days of egg storage, temperature should be ____ and humidity ____
18-19 C ; 50-60%
At 7-10 days of egg storage, temperature should be ___ and humidity ____
16-17 C ; 50-60%
At >11 days of egg storage, temperature should be ____ and humidity _____
15-16 C ; 60-70%
For egg storage, temperature ____ as time ____
Decreases ; increases
Incubation period for chickens is
21 days
Incubation period for turkeys is
28 days
Incubation period for ducks is
28 days
Number of daily turnings for chicken eggs
18
Number of daily turnings for turkey and duck eggs
25
Eggs should be turned daily until
Three days before transfer
For chickens, stop daily egg turning at
Day 18
For turkeys and ducks, stop daily egg turning
At day 25
The region for measuring eggshell temperature
Middle of egg
Egg shell temperature affects
Hatch window
The ideal shell temperature is
37.6 C
The ideal maximum egg moisture loss is
13%
At day 21, chicken eggs should ideally
Be 100% hatched
75% of chicken eggs should be hatched
12 hours before day 21
25% of chicken eggs should be hatched
24 hours before day 21
7 factors that affect early hatching are
-extended pre-heating period
-setting eggs too early (ie. eggs incubated over 21 days)
-incorrect setter and hatcher temperatures
-hot-spots
-incorrect ventilation
-seasonal temperature changes
-too many fertile eggs
8 factors affecting late/delayed hatching include
-setting eggs too late (incubated less than 21 days)
-incorrect setter and hatcher temperatures
-incorrect ventilation
-seasonal temperature
-eggs stored for too long
-eggs stored at too low a temperature
-disease/fertility problems
-increment setting patterns in multi-stage machines
Three factors that can affect early AND late hatch
-incorrect setter and hatcher temperatures
-incorrect ventilation
-seasonal temperature changes
How much time does it take to hatch a chicken
21 days
How much time does it take to hatch a turkey
28 days
Candling of eggs shows
Which eggs are not developing
Blood vessels in the egg during candling means
It is a live embryo
Candling of eggs occurs at
Day 7-10
A better performing hatchery will have
A higher % hatch of fertile eggs
Ideal chick yield should be
67-68%
A chick yield of <67% is ___ and results in ___
-low
-dehydrated chick that will be active and noisy
A chick yield of 68% is ____ and results in ____
-high
-a lazy chick that will not feed/drink
Term used to describe eggs being moved from the incubator to trays
Transfer
In-ovo vaccines occur at
Day 18
Four types of poultry vaccines
-Marek’s Disease (MD)
-Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT)
-Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD)
-Newcastle Disease (ND)
Two reportable chicken diseases
-Newcastle Disease (ND)
-Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT)
In-ovo vaccinations are given ____ and need to hit _____
-at day 18 in the blunt end of the egg
-must hit either Allantois or Bird
In-ovo vaccines will be absorbed by
Day 25
Coccidiosis vaccine is given
As a spray vaccine
Two types of beak trimming
-hot blade trimming
-infrared beak trimming
Broilers have a lifespan of
<2 months
Chicks will have internal immunity for
Infectious Bursal disease (IBD)
Commercial layers have a life span of
Around 2 years
Eye drops can be given to chickens for prevention against (3)
-Infectious Bronchitis (IB)
-Newcastle Disease (ND)
-Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT)
A wing stab is
Injection of the live vaccine for Fowlpox (FP)
Two types of brooding
-ring brooding
-whole room/house/shed brooding
Ring brooding is
-easier
-more efficient
From 21 days, the ideal temperature is ____ for broilers
20 C
Brooding chicks require
Supplemental heat for 2-3 weeks of age
Chick brooding temperature is correct when
Chicks are evenly spread out and noise level signifies contentment
Chicks in brooding will make no noise when
Temperature is too high
Chicks are crowded and noisy in the brooder when
Temperature is too low
Define Whencold
Chicks emit a loud, high-pitched cheeping sound
Crop fill after 2 hours should be
75% full
Crop fill after 48 hours should be
100% full
Crop checking is used to
Feel if crop is full ie. if the chick has eaten
Target CO2 levels for poultry is
<2500 ppm
Target CO levels in poultry is
<10 ppm
Brooding is
A chick 0-6 weeks old that cannot regulate its own heat
Growing in chickens is
A pullet 6-20 weeks old
Pullet grower feed is _______ and contains _____ than starter feed
-less expensive
-less protein
Beak trimming usually occurs during
The growing phase (6-20 weeks)
As body weight increases, egg production ____
Decreases
What influences the chickens reproductive system
Light and intensity
Chickens should have _____ of light and _____ of darkness
8 hours ; 16 hours
Three types of egg production systems and how many chickens in each
-intensive (10,000 - 1,000,000)
-semi-intensive (few hundred to few thousand)
-extensive (few chooks in the yard)
Chicken cages are (3)
-stacked in tiers in back-to back rows
-contain 10-20 birds per cage
-decreasing worldwide
Furnished cages are (2)
-Popular in Europe
-allow chicken to express natural behaviour
Advantages of caged housing (5)
-low rates of injury, disease and mortality
-lower carbon footprint
-less need for vet care
-protection from predators
-production of more and cleaner eggs
Disadvantages of caged housing (4)
-reduced social interaction
-unable to roam and explore
-unable to practice natural behaviours like nesting and dust bathing
-unable to perch leading to lower bone strength
Advantages of Barn/Aviary poultry system (4)
-protection from weather/predators
-ability to move around
-greater social interaction
-ability to express natural behaviours
Disadvantages to Barn/Aviary poultry system (6)
-increased risk of parasites
-difficult to identify/remove birds for treatment
-increased risk of feather pecking, fighting, and cannibalism
-increased risk of broken bones
-costs of production are increased
-greater labour requirements
Advantages of Free Range (4)
-access to outdoor area and ability to roam freely
-opportunity to interact socially
-ability to practise normal natural behaviours
-better bone strength
Disadvantages to Free Range (5)
-exposure to predators and weather
-harder biosecurity control
-increased likelihood of feather pecking, fighting, stress, and cannibalism
-increased risk of parasites
-increased need for antibiotics
Sexing of chickens can be done in one of four ways
-color sexing
-vent sexing
-feather sexing
-head spot sexing
All layers are
Female
In-ovo sexing can be done by
-invasive
-noninvasive
Purebred chickens can be sexed by
Primary feather growth
Male chicken vents contain
Genital papillae
Female vents lack a
Papillae
Turkeys and broilers will have variation in
Male / female growth
5 Broiler origins are
-New Hampshire
-Brahma
-Plymouth Rock
-Cornish Game
-Croad Langshan
Two Layer origin breeds
-Leghorn
-Rhode Island Red
White and brown eggs are
The same structurally and nutritionally
A male turkey is called a
Tom
A female turkey is called a
Hen
In commercial turkey production, males weigh ___ and females weigh ____
20 kg ; 10-12 kg
5 types of Heritage Turkeys are
-Naragansett
-Royal Palm
-Bourbon Red
-Broad Breasted Bronze
-Artisan Gold
Chick
A young chicken or turkey
Pullet
A young hen <6 months that has yet to lay eggs
Cockerel
Young rooster <6 months
Hen
A female chicken
Rooster/Cock
Male chicken >6 months
Layer
A hen >20 weeks that is laying eggs
Point of Lay
A Pullet (young hen) that is old enough to lay but hasn’t yet (16-21 weeks old)
Broiler
A meat chicken that reaches slaughter weight at 30-60 days
Bantam
A miniature version of a recognized chicken breed
Broody/Clucky
A hen that is ready to lay or is sitting on eggs
Candling
Examining an egg to assess fertility
Poult
A young turkey
Frizzle
A chicken breed where the feathers curl up
Hackles
Feathers on the neck of the rooster
Comb
Red appendage on the top of a chicken’s head
Wattles
Fleshy appendage handing on either side of the lower beak
Birds have (6)
-very high metabolic rate
-high oxygen demand
-various types of feathers
-no teeth (a gizzard is used)
-ability to lay eggs
-waste is excreted from only one orifice (cloaca)
Birds lack a
Diaphragm - air enters air sacs via abdominal breathing
The crop is
Gastrointestinal storage
The proventriculus is
The stomach of birds
Digestion in birds
Crop —> Proventriculus —> Gizzard —> Intestine
Takes ~3 hours
Meckel’s Diverticulum is
The yolk sac attachment
Faeces of birds is
-intestinal
-caecal
Caecal droppings
Occur every 8-10 droppings, look like diarrhea
Intestinal faeces accounts for ___ while caecal ___
90% ; 10%
Bird waste will have a white surface called
Urates
Bird breathing is
A one way system
Air sacs contain
No blood
Three parts of the feather
-rachis (base)
-barb (extensions off the rachis)
-barbules (extensions off the barb)
Fault bars are
Stress or nutritional issues resulting in a white line on the feather. Can be scored 0-3
Commercial poultry farming systems (4)
-free range
-cage
-barn-laid
-specialty
Poultry farming worldwide is highly
Vertically integrated
Ingham and Baiada
Are the two major poultry farmers in Australia (70%)
Vertical integration means
Control of two or more steps of production, processing, and marketing
Highest biosecurity level of the vertical integration system is
Breeder
Lowest biosecurity measures in the vertical integration system is
Distribution
Feed mills produce (4)
-soy
-corn
-barley
-wheat
Breeding of turkeys is done through
Artificial insemination
Eggs are in the hatchery for
21 days
Commercial rearing of poultry takes
4-6 weeks
Vertical Integration of Broilers and Turkeys involves 6 steps
- Breeder
- Breeding and Multiplication
-company owned
-contract farms - Hatchery
- Commercial Rearing
-company owned
-contract farms - Slaughter and Processing
- Distribution
Vertical integration of layers involves 6 steps:
- Breeder
- Breeding and Multiplication
-company owned
-contract farms - Hatchery
- Pullet Rearing
-company owned
-contract farms - Egg Laying and Production
- Grading and Distribution
Most meat chickens come from
Intensive system farming
Potential sources of disease in poultry come from: (10)
-feed
-housing
-rodents
-insects
-people
-litter
-other poultry/livestock
-equipment
-source of flocks
-hatchery
Factors influencing infection risk in poultry (5)
-location of farm
-design of facilities
-range of flock age
-proximity of farm to central facilities (feed mills processing plants, hatchery)
-farm entry
Three key stages of biosecurity
- Conceptual - site planning
- Structural - building design
- Operational - site management
Site Design and Planning involves (6)
-conceptual biosecurity
-one entry point
-control points
-drainage
-proximity to migratory bids
-distance from other farms
Building Design of poultry involves (6)
-structural biosecurity
-prevention of wild animals and birds
-prevention of spread of Avian Influenza
-drainage
-ventilation
-physical structure and materials used
Site management of poultry involves (5)
-operational biosecurity
-correct procedures
-wheel washing
-step over Barrie’s
-cleaning and disinfecting
Farm biosecurity is secured by
-design
-planning
-restriction
All-in-all-out
-Prevents bringing diseases into a flock through the arrival of new bids
-Allows for a transition period between flock groups to clean and disinfect
Two types of entry rooms
-greatgrandparent/grandparent (GGP/GP)
-danish entry
6 types of barn/shed ventilation
-cross ventilation
-side ventilation
-longitudinal ventilation
-tunnel ventilation
-combitunnel ventilation
-extra ventilation in the gable
New birds must be
Isolated and quarantined for a minimum of 2 weeks
The lowest risk chickens are
One day old
Older bids are more likely to be
Diseased or carriers of disease
Fowl Chlorea is transmitted by
Rodents
Three types of chicken mites
-northern fowl mite
-red mites
-scaly leg mite
Scaly leg mite is typically seen in ___ and causes ____
Backyard and outdoor flocks ; hyperkeratosis
Three internal parasites that can harm poultry
-large round worms
-caecal worms
-tape worms
Direct transmission
Causative agent is passed directly from affected bird to healthy bird
Horizontal vs Vertical transmission
-Both are direct transition
-horizontal is bird to bird
-vertical is hen to egg
Indirect Transmission
Causative agent is passed indirectly from an affect bird to a healthy bird via an intermediate host (ex. People)
4 genetic changes of poultry over the past 35 years
-higher persistency (produce eggs for longer time)
-higher egg mass (more eggs produced)
-smaller hen (less feed needed)
-extended single-cycle production period
What are the components of the Breeder’s Equation
R = response to selection (genetic change)
i = selection intensity
h^2 = heritability of a trait
op = phenotypical variation
L = generation interval (usually 1 year)
Breeders Equation is
R = (i h^2 op) / L
Why poultry breeders have been so successful in getting genetic change
Most meat chickens in AUstralia come from
Cobb and Ross strains
Which chickens are used for breeding only
Great Grandparents (GGPs)
Meat chickens come from the ____ generation
4th
As chicken growth _____ , leg strength ____
Increases ; decreases
Ducks are brooded for
10-14 days
Why are turkeys artificially inseminated
Increases fertility
Fertile egg and infertile egg can be differentiated by
Examining the Germinal Spot
Sexing of chickens by assessing feather color pattern is done at what age
Day old chicken
Function of the shell membranes of the egg is to provide
Protection from bacterial invasion
