Key tips for beginners in poultry farming

I have repeatedly pointed out that the two most critical periods in the management of your poultry flocks are the first seven days before placement (preparation period) and the first seven days after placement (period of reckoning).

The quality of a day-old chick reflects the condition of the parent birds and the hatching process. Buy your chicks from a reputable firm. Day-old chicks must be handled with care, and there are several basic things to bear in mind.

A flock that gets off to a good start is easier to control, has a higher body weight at the start of the rearing process, is more uniform, has a better health status and reaches “genetic potential” more easily.

Before chicks arrive, check that everything in the house is working properly by ensuring that the heat source or jikos (charcoal stoves) are on, there is enough fresh air coming in, feed and water are readily available, and there is enough light.

Depending on the outside temperature, heat the house 24 hours before the chicks arrive or build it up to the right temperature for the chicks over four days. The drinking water must be lukewarm (>20°C but <280°C). Temperature is measured using a thermometer. Ensure that the relative humidity (moisture) is not too dry; this can be corrected by spraying the walls using a garden sprayer.

Keep an eye on the carbon dioxide levels by allowing fresh air into the barn. If you ventilate too little, in cold periods, for example, the carbon dioxide level can increase and may kill your birds.

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A good chick start gives you good-quality chicks. Good-quality chicks should be clean, stand firm, walk well, and be alert and active.

They should be free from any abnormalities, and the navel should be fully healed. Chicks should get plenty of feed and water as soon as they are placed in the units; this promotes early development of the gut and vital body organs.

The brooding stage is the single most critical period in the life of any poultry. Spend the next seven days routinely analysing poultry production, feed and water consumption and mortality records for any possible problems.

Your poultry farm needs a good, dedicated farmhand for maximum performance and profitability. He or she must be knowledgeable about poultry husbandry practices and should possess some basic skills required for poultry health monitoring.

The poultry world we are living in today has changed, and so have the genetics of today’s birds. The poultry attendant must be able to observe birds every day for abnormal symptoms and overall flock health. Watch out for diseases. The primary method through which disease-causing microorganisms are spread between poultry flocks is by use of contaminated equipment or exposure to contaminated clothing and footwear of humans and vehicles.

Clean and disinfect all the equipment on your farm. Rats and mice are generally a menace in a poultry house and are likely to transmit diseases such as typhoid and cholera.

Control rat population by baiting or using traps. The bait should be placed in a baiting station, box or inside a 12-inch-long and 4-inch-wide waste pipe along the perimeter fences, along and on the outside of chicken houses. Bait should not be accessed by wild birds, dogs, cats, or monkeys and, therefore, should be securely and safely positioned

Finally, the consumption pattern of poultry products is never uniform between rural and urban areas. The reason attributed to more consumption could be due to more urbanisation, improved income, and better knowledge of health and nutritional benefits of poultry meat.

Dr Messo is the company veterinarian, Kenchic; [email protected]