Poultry Breeding Flock

Question 1

What does the environment inside the trucks transporting poultry have to be like

Answer 1

26-29 degrees
Humidity - 70%

Question 2

How do you prepare before the arrival of chicks

Answer 2

House cleaned and disinfected
Allow 2 weeks downtime (without any chickens)
Prepare house - 33-36 degrees at chick level humidity 60%
All in place 48-72 hours before arrival of chicks
Feed in appropriate feeders
Water supply
Bright light 30-50 lux

Question 3

What is brooding

Answer 3

Birds can’t regulate body temperature under 2 weeks old
Important duration dependent on type of birds, local climate
10-21 days
Thermoregulation of chicks
Allows birds to see and be active in looking for food and water
Variations in brooding can = decreased uniformity and infections

Question 4

Have a look at the brooding pictures!

Answer 4

In power point

Question 5

What feeder types can we use for chicks

Answer 5

Pan feeder
Flat chain / auger
Tube feeders

Question 6

Why are we specific about feeders in chickens

Answer 6

Reduce spillage, allow access for all so performance isn’t hindered, to improve estimate for FCR

Question 7

What does good nutrition provide for chickens

Answer 7

To provide balanced diet for all ages of parent stock for development and production and to optimise welfare, reproduction and chick quality.
Good uniformity
To maintain recommended LW - feed composition form and management

Question 8

What is parent stock nutritional specification

Answer 8

Daily nutritional requirement of a bird by intake and nutrition concentration
Main components = energy, protein, macro minerals, phytase, trace minerals, vitamins

Question 9

How to we use a feeding program

Answer 9

Use correct nutrition for specific stages of production
28 days = starter period
Grower period
Pre-lay or transitional to sexual maturity
Laying stages
Peak egg production
Peak production to depletion

Question 10

How do you feed male chickens

Answer 10

Males have separate formulation and separate feeding line

Question 11

Look at table in power point

Answer 11

Look!

Question 12

What must we consider with chickens when providing water

Answer 12

Layers - type of drinker in rearing and laying should be same
Flush water line prior to arrival of birds
Flush water lines weekly
Record daily flock consumption
Ensure position of drinker level with chicks back or with chicks head

Question 13

What are two types of water drinkers for chicks

Answer 13

Cup drinkers
Nipple drinkers

Question 14

How should house temperature be designed for chickens

Answer 14

Monitor temperature at chick height
Maintain thermoneutral temperature
May vary with chicks age

Question 15

How should ventilation be set in chicks house

Answer 15

Volume of air per bird per hour
Set ventilator based on weight

Question 16

What problems can varying humidity cause

Answer 16

Less than 50% - dehydration at brooding
Less than 30% - uniformity can be worse
Above 80% - can cause litter problems

Question 17

What are the benefits of good body condition

Answer 17

Good fertility and production

Question 18

How many males do we need her number of females

Answer 18

Weeks 22-24 = 9.5-10 for every 100 females
Weeks 30-35 = 8.5-9.75 for every 100 females
Weeks 40-50 = 7.5-9.25 for every 100 females
Weeks 50 to depletion - 7-9 for every 100 females

Question 19

How do we access body condition score for males

Answer 19

Alertness activity
Shape and softness of breast
Legs and feet - straight and no abrasions
Head - uniform and intense red around comb, wattle and eye area, beaks uniform
Feathering - good quality males may have some loss around shoulders and thighs
Vent - some feather wear be large and moist and good red colour
Body weight according to target

Question 20

How do we access body condition of females

Answer 20

Weight 50 birds or 2% of flock per week

Question 21

How do we access females body score

Answer 21

Pin bone spacing
Body score 1-3
1 = emaciated
2 = preferred
3 = too much fat/flesh

Question 22

How do we actually weigh the birds

Answer 22

Weekly
Manual scales
Electronic weighing
In house automatic weighing

Question 23

Why do we use a lighting program

Answer 23

Controlled lighting to achieve optimal egg production
Rearing period will promote early development encourage feed intake, promote growth rate, to control sexual maturity
Promote growth at start of laying
Control liveability
Increase egg size and ability to hatch
Promote egg shell quality

Question 24

What does light intensity do for poultry

Answer 24

Encourages chick activity to discover environment - water feed ect.

Question 25

What are strong relationships linked to light intensity

Answer 25

Physical activity of birds
High intensity = increased nervousness resulting in high mortality and higher rate of vent pecking
Pecking behaviour
Feather loss

Question 26

What is important when breeding chickens

Answer 26

Nest boxes - box/hen ratio
Egg collection - minimising and removing floor eggs, frequent egg collection

Question 27

What are routine management procedures for chickens

Answer 27

Debeaking
Comb trim
De-spur
Toe-clip
Complex vaccination strategies (live and killed vaccines) to protect breeders and off spring