IMPORTANCE  OF BROODING & TIPS FOR GOOD BROODING PRACTICES IN THE COMMERCIAL POULTRY FARM

IMPORTANCE  OF BROODING & TIPS FOR GOOD BROODING PRACTICES IN THE COMMERCIAL POULTRY FARM

Compiled & Edited by-DR RAJESH KUMAR SINGH ,JAMSHEDPUR,JHARKHAND, INDIA, 9431309542,rajeshsinghvet@gmail.com

  The first 14 days of the broiler’s life is the most sensitive period because the bird is changing from an immature thermo regulation system to a mature one.

Brooding is a period immediately after the hatch when special care and attention is given to chicks to support their health and survival. A recently hatched chick has not yet developed their own mechanism to regulate its own body temperature hence, it cannot maintain its body temperature properly for the first weeks and It is subject to chilling in the winter season when extra heat is not provided from externally; therefore the chicks will not take required feeds and water and this will  decrease the growth and improper development of internal organs, responsible for digestion, thus the chick will not be able to digest the yolk completely. Good brooding management will always result in better flock uniformity. Uniformity is the key to good and consistent results and cannot be achieved after doing a bad brooding job in the first 14 days. The critical factors are temperature, air quality, water and feed. When these are correct, 80% of your success will be achieved.

Always remember never to sacrifice temperature for ventilation and never to sacrifice ventilation for temperature. Several developmental and physiological processes occur during the important and sensitive brooding period of chickens, which is the first 7 days of a chicken’s life. The chicken seems anatomically complete at hatch, but the thermoregulatory, gastro-intestinal and immune system need further development and maturation. Optimal brooding is essential to optimize animal health and contributes to a good performance and survival in later life.

Brooding is classified into natural and artificial brooding. In today’s time, artificial brooding practices are the most prevalent which is only practiced by a farmer. Now a day for Broiler management during the first week of life the brooding operation is followed. Depending upon the season, brooding practices vary in tropical countries where large conventional open housing is normally practiced. Winter – Use 1/3 area of the house for brooding. Summer – Use 1/2 area of the house for brooding.

Artificial Brooding;

Chicks are reared in the absence of a broody hen. Artificial brooding is mainly aimed at providing the right temperature for the chicks.

Pre –Brooding Management of chicks  

Poultry house sanitation begins with a clean sanitized house prepared well in advance of arrival of chicks. Each house should remain empty at least two weeks after, it is disinfected and fumigate .The effectiveness of sanitizing a house is depended upon the extend of the cleaning before the germicide is applied. This cleaning helps to control disease because, a) It reduces number of pathogenic organisms. b) Remove material that helps in multiplication of pathogens. c) Expose surface to the disinfectant and fumigants.   Phases in the Procedure———– In the process of pre-brooding management following measures are generally considered for taking good results. A- Selection of area B- Cleaning C- Removal of litter D- Clean the equipment E -Dusting/web removal F – Repairing G – White Washing H- Disinfection I- Fumigation J- Provision of different materials K-Equipment testing L- Arrival of chicks   A-Selection of area Most important factors, is the selection of area in the shed .The house should be cleaned and disinfected, immediate preparation is necessary so that the building may lie empty for one to two weeks prior to placing new chicks in them. Disinfection and fumigation will kill most of the disease-producing organisms. An empty house will break the life cycle of pathogens. This process reduces the chances of infection and if shed fenced around property it will save birds from predators. At least 80–100 feet away from other sheds with minimum traffic is suitable. There has been increasing numbers of objections from residence near poultry sites claim that they suffer nuisance to the quality of their lives but also causes ill health. Good ventilation and environmental conditions will greatly help in reducing smell. Good management of environment is best way to reduce complaint smell and manure. B-Cleaning There is no hope of overall hygiene process being fully effective if there is any much left in the house. There are basics flaws in the construction allowing penetration of the structure by the pathogens for example previous services, poor protection of joints wear on floors and inaccessibility of certain parts such as ventilators. The cleaning process must involve following. C- Removal of litters Old litter should remove from the poultry house if it is piled near the house, rats and vermin may carry the residual disease back into the house. D- Clean the equipment  All equipment must be washed with Kmno4 and disinfected .The equipment should be moved outside the house in sun an area inside the fenced enclosure to complete the cleaning process. The equipment should be moved back into the house. a) House ceiling and walls Remove dusty walls and ceiling with moderate volume of water. Using boiling water is most effective and economical method for disinfection purpose. b) Clean out old feed Unused feed should not hold over from one brood of birds to the next feed bins and feeders should be completely cleaned.

 

 

Characteristic of Brooder Guard———-

 

 

• Make the guards from material, which can be properly sterilised or Plastic which is cheaper
• Helps in preventing chilling and piling
• Height of Guard should be approximately 16 inches to 18 inches
• Guards will ensure chicks stay near the source of heat

 

Location & Direction of Brooder House:————-

 

 

The brooder house must be away from the all other poultry house. The minimum distance between brooder house and other poultry structure is minimum 100 meter, the construction of brooder house in such a direction that the fresh air should first enter in to the brooder house than it passes from other house. Farmer have to construct a poultry house in such a direction that sunlight directly not enter in to the poultry house so, house should be constructed in East to west direction so we may get the advantage of ventilation from north to south.

 

Preparation of Brooder House: —————

 

 

Brooder house should be ready for the chicks before they are put in house. First the brooder house should be scrubbed and cleaned at least one week before the chicks arrive in brooder house. If old litter present in brooder house than first removed and clean all the required equipment with disinfected solution. When house and equipment are properly cleaned, the house should be allowed to dry out thoroughly. If house is air tight than better to fumigate brooder house and equipment using a three times higher concentration of formaldehyde gas. Normally for the fumigation take a two part of Formalin and one part of potassium permanganate. When two compound mixed together the fume will be generated and that fume will destroy the microbes present in brooder house e.g. 35 ml of formalin and 17.5 gm potassium permanganate is sufficient to disinfect 2.83m³ space which is known as  fumigation, but for fumigation we have to remember one thing in our mind that always add potassium permanganate in formalin.

If we are using deep litter system of rearing litter materials like paddy husk, wood savings, ground maize cob, chopped straw, saw dust, groundnut shell, dried crushed sugar can pulp etc. Mostly the litter materials are selected based on the locally availability and cost. Spread the litter materials to a depth of 6 – 9 cm in winter season and 3 – 4 cm in summer season for better insulation. For the first few day spread a simple paper or news paper on litter materials along with sprinkle feed or ground maize grit. This will help to avoid the chicks eating the litter materials. After 3 days removed the paper and evenly distribute feeder and waterers around the brooder. The brooder switched on at least 24 hours before the chicks arrive. If we are using the hanging feeder in the brooder houses than provide three hanging feeder of 36 cm diameter with 12 kg capacity are enough to rear 100 chicks in brooder house.

 

Brooder House Temperature:———————-

 

Adjust the electric brooder for 24 hours before the arrival of chicks and adjust the temperature to 95°F (35°C) at the edge of the brooder 2 inches (5cm) above the litter during the first week. Lower the temperature by 5°F (2.8°C) each week until it reaches 70°F. A temperature of 21°C appears to be ideal during growing period. Too low or too high temperature will cause poor growth rate and ultimately poor performance of birds. The pattern of bedding down of chicks under electric hovers is shown in Fig. A (Ideal). At low temperature, chicks will try to huddle below the light source in Fig. B. At high temperature the chicks will try to huddle around the chick guard in Fig. C.

1. Right Temperature                       B.   Less Temperature                  C.  More Temperature

 

Ventilation:———-

 

 Fresh air is required for well being and good health of chicks. Poor ventilation results in accumulation of carbon monoxide, ammonia and wet litter condition in brooder house. If concentration of carbon monoxide higher than 0.01 percent it will poisonous to chicks. Ammonia irritates the eyes of chicks and retards growth. The level of ammonia should be less than 10 PPM. Coccidiosis is result from high amount of moisture in litter

 

Space:—————-

 

 

 45 – 60 sq cm space is enough per chicks in electric brooder for first week than for broiler birds 1 sq foot space/bird is enough to rear but if space is not a problem than we may provide 1.5 sq foot space/bird is better to get more growth in broiler birds.

 

Lighting: ———————–

 

 

Majority of Broiler farmer provide a 23 hour photoperiod and one hour darkness in young stock is advantageous over the continues lighting as the former allows maximum growth while giving the birds some experience of darkness so that they are less apt to panic during electricity failure. Light effect on growth rate is mainly due to the type of chick activity which has a bearing on their food intake induced by the period of lighting

 

 

Population of birds in a shed———

 

Proper no. of birds in a shed (stocking density) is essential for the success of a broiler production system. Factors such as climate, housing types, processing weight, and welfare regulations must be taken into account to assess stocking density,. Improper stocking density can lead to leg problems, scratching, bruising and mortality. Additionally, litter integrity will be compromised. Thinning a portion of the flock is one approach to maintaining optimum bird density. A higher number of birds can be placed in a house and reared to two different weight targets. At the lower weight target, 20 to 50% of the birds should be removed to satisfy sales in this market segment. The remaining birds then have more space and are reared to a heavier weight.

 

 

Pre-Placement of chicks

Poultry Equipments

After confirming that the number of chicks to be placed meets equipment capabilities, install the necessary brooding equipment and check that all equipment is functional. Ensure water, feed, heat and ventilation systems are properly adjusted.

Bukhari ——–

Verify that all bukhari working properly and no smoke out.

Temperature ———

Temperature ranges should be recorded daily and not deviate by more than 2°C. Houses should be preheated so that both the temperature and humidity are stabilized 24 hours before placement.

 

 

Ventilation of the shed ———-

Minimum ventilation should be activated as soon as the preheating begins to remove waste gasses and any excess moisture. Seal air leaks to eliminate drafts on chicks.

Drinkers ————-

• 14 to 16 drinkers/1000 chicks should be provided within the brooding area. • Should be completely flushed to remove any residual sanitizer. • Check for water leaks. • Water must be clean and fresh.

 

Poultry Feeders———–

 

• Remove all water from cleanout prior to filling.
• • Supplemental feeders should be provided for the first 7 to 10 days in the form of paper, trays or lids.
• • Trays should be provided at a rate of one per 100 chicks.
• • Supplemental feeders should be placed between the main feed and drinker lines and adjacent to the brooders.
• • If using paper, the feed area should be a minimum of 25% of the brooding area. 50-65 grams of feed per chick on the paper is recommended.
• • It is of utmost importance that the supplementary feeding system does not run empty as this will place stress on the chick and reduce yolk sac absorption.
• • Supplemental feeders should be refreshed three times daily, until all the chicks are able to gain access to the main feeding system. This generally occurs at the end of the first week.
• • Feed should be provided as a good quality crumble.
• • Do not place feed or water directly under the heat source as this may reduce feed and water intake.

 

Litter —————–

Ensure litter is spread evenly and that it is a minimum temperature of 32°C. If brooder stoves are used the litter temperature should be 40.5 °C under the heat source. Compress the litter around the automatic feeding system to improve accessibility.

Litter temperature should be recorded before each placement. This will help to evaluate the effectiveness of pre-heating.

 

Chick Placement ————-

 

Chicks from similar age flock sources should be placed in a house.

• Ensure no unexpected delays prevent chicks from being placed immediately upon arrival. Delays in placement can contribute to the dehydration of chicks, resulting in higher chick mortality and reduced growth rate.

• Ensure the proper numbers of chicks are placed in each house.

• Dim shed lights during chick placement to help calm the chicks and reduce stress.

• Chicks must be carefully placed and evenly distributed near feed and water throughout the brooding area.

• A number of boxes should be counted to check accuracy of chick count.

• Weigh the boxes to determine day old weight.

• Chick boxes should be removed immediately following chick placement.

• Lights should be brought to full intensity within the brooding area once all chicks have been placed.

• Monitor the distribution of the chicks closely during the first few days. This can be used as an indicator for any problems in feeder, drinker, ventilation or heating systems.

 

Characteristics of a good quality chick————

 

• Well dried, long fluffed down.
• • Bright round active eyes.
• Look active and alert.
• • Have completely healed navels.
• • Legs should be bright and waxy to the touch.
• • Free of red hocks.
• • Chicks should be free from deformities (i.e. crooked legs, twisted necks and cross beaks).

 

Problems occur during brooding operation:—————

 

 

1. Coccidiosis control– It is the most common disease of poultry at young age. coccidiostats are added to feed in sufficient quantity to suppress the multiplication of oocytes
2. Stress – Majority of stress is occur when birds are handling during the vaccination and due to that bird are huddle together. To overcome the problem we may increase the brooder temperature to fill birds comfortable or we may add anti stressor compound in water/feed to overcome stress
3. Inclement Weather – Environmental heat mat create a severe stress although young chicks can tolerate higher temperatures than older birds. When the temperature is more the birds will eat less and drink more water. To overcome this problem increase the feed and water along with an increase in the floor space allowance.
4. Unabsorbed yolk – High temperature of chicks during the first two days under the brooder also lowers the yolk absorption. Diseases that raise the body temperature prevent utilization of the yolk material in young chicks. Feeding chicks soon after hatching also causes a slower absorption of yolk materials in young chicks.
5. Mortality Standards – Chick mortality during the first week in the brooder house is higher than any week. Losses during the second week should be slightly less.

 

Factors to consider when brooding;————–

 

1. Before receiving the chicks;

• Brooding house/shed MUST be cleaned.
• Soak the floor preferable with a strong disinfectant.
• Curtains used should be soaked in disinfectant and hanged in the sun to dry.
• Feeders and drinkers should be washed and disinfected.
• Arrange all equipment in the house and spread the litter, prepare the brooder ring and fix the curtains on the open sides to insulate the brooder house.
• Provide foot baths at the entrance with a disinfectant.

How to prepare a chick/brooder guard:————-

 

• Use 2.5 m cardboard sheet, aluminum sheet, and coffee wire as brooder guard material to make a circle that uses 8 metres for 100 chicks for 4 weeks.
• Fill the ring with litter material such as wood shaving, straw etc. upto 10 cm thick from the floor.
• Place the heat source at the centre of the brooder ring.

 

 

Feed Management during brooding;————-

• The use of supplemental feeder trays at placement is recommended to help chicks get off to the best start possible.
• Trays should be provided at the rate of 1 per 100 chicks and should be placed between the main feed and drinker lines and adjacent to the brooders.
• Supplemental feeders should be provided for the first 7-10 days.
• The feed trough height should be adjusted so that they rest on the litter for the first 14 days to ensure all birds can easily access feed without having to climb into the feeder.
• Thereafter, feeders should be raised incrementally throughout the growing period so that the lip of the trough or pan is level with the birds back at all times

 

 

Light Management—————

 

• Continuous lighting should be provided for the first 48-72 hours post placement.
• It is highly recommended that all flocks are grown under natural light.

 

Temperature Management—————-

 

• Ideal brooding temperatures are as measured 5 cm above the litter surface
• Evening is the best time to observe the chicks and make temperature adjustment
• Thermometers may not always be available. Therefore, use the behaviour of chicks as a guide.
• Adequate floor, feeder and drinking spaces are also important
• Relative humidity, light and ventilation should be provided for optimum comfort of the chicks

 

Source of heating—————-

 

• Domestic heaters (Bukhari) 1 for 100 chicks
• Infrared lamps (250 watts) 1 for 250 chicks
• Pancake heater 1 for 1000 chicks

 

Main Reasons for early chick Mortality;—————–

 

• Poor brooding conditions- high and low brooding temperature
• Feed poisoning – fungal, toxins, litter poisoning (ingestion of sawdust)
• Injuries- rough handling and pro-longed transportation stress
• Starvation
• Humidity
• Nutrition deficiency
• Genetic disorder
• Predators

 

Introduction of day old Chicks into the Brooder;—————

 

• Light the brooder heat source an hour prior to chick arrival so that the ring temperature measure 32oC
• Count the chicks and keep records
• Release the chicks into the brooder ring after dipping their beaks in water
• Wait for some time to allow the chicks to drink water and keep feed in a chick feeding tray or clean egg tray.
• Do not sprinkle feed on the newspaper as this will get contaminated.
• For the first 3 days watch the chicks at 2-3 hours interval whether they have taken feed and water

 

Poultry and game bird producers realize that chicks must be kept warm or brooded during the first weeks of life. Surprisingly, improper brooding is one of the most common causes of stress in poultry flocks.

Three basic methods are used to brood chicks.

1.  Spot Brooding– The chicks have localized heat source and access to a cooler, unheated area. The chicks determine their own heating needs by moving from hot to cold areas and vice versa.
2.  Whole House Brooding– A large area around the brooders is warmed to the same temperature when whole house brooding. The chicks have no choice between warm and cool areas.
3.  Partial‐House Brooding‐ Partial‐house brooding is much like whole house brooding, since the total brooding area is warmed. To save energy, however, the brooding area is reduced to the minimum amount needed for the size of chicks. As the chicks grow, the brooding area is increased in accordance to their sizes. Good ventilation is essential with all brooding systems but especially partial‐house brooding.

Light the brooders 24 hours before the chicks hatch or arrive. Determine if the brooders are working properly, and adjust the temperature to 90 to 95 °F below the outer edge of the brooder (1 inch above the litter). In time of stress or vaccination reactions, increase brooder temperatures about 5 ° above the recommended temperature until the chicks recover.

Place an 18-inch-high, solid-type brooder guard around each brooder. Locate the guard 3 to 4 feet from the edge of the brooder. The guard prevents floor drafts and keeps chicks near the heat. In summer, enlarge the ring to keep chicks from getting too hot. Expand the guard a little each day (about 20 to 25 percent total area increase) until it is no longer needed after 7 to 14 days.

Corrugated cardboard makes an excellent brooder guard and can be discarded when it becomes soiled. In hot weather, hardware cloth or similar mesh material may be used instead of solid guard. Most of these guards are cleaned, disinfected, and reused.

Place an adequate number of feeders and waterers around each brooder. Provide at least two 1- gallon waterers and two 12-inch or 18-inch chick feeders for every 100 chicks. Feed placed on a few feeder lids or egg flats under each brooder encourages the chicks to start eating sooner.

Sprinkle a pile of feed on each lid before placing chicks under brooder. Remove lids when all feed is eaten or after 4 to 6 days.

Place long waterers or feeders in the brooding area, pointing toward the heat source. If placed parallel to the brooder guard, small chicks may be prevented from returning to the warmth. (At 1 day of age, they have not learned they sometimes have to go around a long object to get back to the warmth.) Placing feeders in a “wagon spoke” fashion also insures that a section of each feeder is always in a comfort zone. Locate the inner end of the feeder under or slightly outside the outer edge of the brooder or hover. Never place all the waterers and feeders directly under the brooder. The area under the brooder must be kept clear for brooding the chicks.

The day-old chick’s temperature is about 3 °F below that of an adult’s. Its body temperature starts rising about 4 days of age and reaches its maximum at 10 days. The chick needs time to develop temperature control (2 to 4 weeks). As the chick grows older, the downy coat is replaced with feathers, and brooder temperature must be reduced according to the temperature schedule.

Brooding Temperature Schedule
Age, in Days	Brooder Temperature (F)
	Summer	Winter
1 – 7	90	95
8 – 14	85	90
15 – 21	80	85
22 – 28	75	80
29 – 35	70	75
36 – Market	70	70

Under this brooding schedule, the brooding temperature is reduced 5 °F each week. At 5 weeks of age, chicks maintain their own body temperatures if the room temperature is kept near 70 degrees.

Use lower brooding temperatures during warm months. Most poultry houses are not tight enough to maintain these temperatures constantly in winter. Insure adequate warmth in winter by using the higher brooding temperature; when cold nights cool the house, chicks are likely to have enough warmth.

In contrast to what many think, the most frequent error observed when brooding in the South is overheating rather than too little heat. Many producers need to learn proper brooding to reduce losses.

Check the comfort of the chicks several times each day, especially in the evening. Make adjustments to maintain chick comfort. Contented peeping and even distribution of chicks around and under the brooder indicate comfortable conditions. If the chicks chirp and huddle to one side of the brooder, there is a draft. When the temperature is too cold, the chicks chirp sharply and huddle together under the brooder. If the chicks move away from the brooder, pant, and are drowsy, the temperature is too warm.

With steadily increasing energy costs, a strong emphasis must be placed on sound brooder management and operation. Some tips for conserving energy are listed.

• Use the correct brooder height, as recommended by the brooder manufacturer. A higher brooder adjustment increases fuel usage, while lower brooder adjustment increases the danger of igniting flammable litter and burning the chicks. Maintain a minimum clearance of 5 to 6 inches over the chicks’ backs.
• Use dry litter material for brooding. Additional energy is needed to evaporate moisture.
• Check the accuracy of brooder thermostats and thermometers to insure proper heat for the chicks.
• Solid brooder guards keep the heat closer to the brooder.
• Place brooders near the center of the house. This reduces heat loss through walls and prevents drafts.
• Frequently clean burner orifices, adjust pilot lights, and check for proper gas line pressure.
• Brood the maximum number of chicks under each brooder, but do not overcrowd.
• Shut off half the brooder pilot lights when all the brooders are no longer needed. The best practice is to turn off every other brooder. The remaining brooders help prevent serious problems if internal house temperatures drop suddenly.