As more farmers in Kenya venture into commercial poultry farming, success in the industry is increasingly depending on good management practices rather than simply feeding and watering birds.
Rising feed costs, changing market demands and increasing competition mean that farmers must adopt smarter ways of managing their flocks. One simple but highly effective practice that is often overlooked is regular weighing of birds. Many farmers consider weighing birds to be a tedious, time-consuming and unnecessary exercise. However, regular monitoring of body weights is one of the most important management tools in poultry production because it helps farmers identify problems early and make timely decisions before losses occur.
Bird weight is a direct reflection of the flock’s health, nutrition and management. Birds that are growing according to the recommended standards are more likely to achieve good production targets, while underweight or overweight birds often indicate underlying problems that require immediate attention.
Regular weighing allows farmers to determine whether birds are receiving sufficient feed and nutrients. Poor weight gain may result from poor quality feed, inadequate feed intake, disease challenges, poor brooding conditions, overcrowding, poor water availability or environmental stress such as excessive heat or cold.
Detecting these problems early enables farmers to take corrective action before production is significantly affected.
Fortunately, weighing birds does not require sophisticated equipment. Simple manual or digital weighing scales, which are readily available in agrovet shops, can be used effectively.
For young chicks, farmers can use a plastic bucket attached to a weighing scale. The empty bucket should first be adjusted to zero before placing the chicks inside.
To obtain representative results, birds should be sampled randomly from different sections of the poultry house. A good practice is to collect birds from the four corners and the centre of the house. Depending on flock size, between five and twenty birds can be sampled from each location. The individual weights are then added together and divided by the total number of birds weighed to obtain the average flock weight. For consistency and accuracy, weighing should be carried out on the same day every week and preferably at the same time of the day. Weekly records should then be compared with the breed’s recommended target weights. Keeping proper records allows farmers to monitor growth trends and identify any deviations early.
Sometimes the recorded weights may appear inconsistent with previous records or expected growth patterns. Such discrepancies may arise from faulty weighing scales, recording errors or poor sampling techniques. Whenever unusual results are obtained, a second sampling should be done immediately to confirm the findings.
The information generated from flock weighing is extremely valuable for management decisions. It can help determine whether feed allocation should be increased, whether a change of feed formulation or supplier is necessary, or whether veterinary intervention is required due to disease challenges. In many cases, regular weighing can help prevent serious production losses. For commercial broiler farmers, achieving target body weights at specific ages is critical for profitable production. Under good management, balanced nutrition and adequate water supply, broiler chicks should weigh approximately 177-180 grams at seven days of age.
By 14 days, they should attain around 460 grams, while at 21 days, they should weigh about 900 grams. Birds that achieve these targets are more likely to reach market weights of 1.7-1.8 kilograms by 35 days of age, resulting in better feed efficiency and improved profits.
For commercial layers, body weight monitoring is equally important because future egg production depends heavily on proper growth during the rearing period. Birds should attain approximately 380-400 grams by five weeks of age, about 1.0-1.05 kilograms at twelve weeks and between 1.5 and 1.6 kilograms by 18 weeks, just before the onset of laying.
These target weights are important because the reproductive organs and other body systems must develop adequately before egg production begins.
Birds that fail to achieve the recommended body weights often experience delayed onset of laying, lower peak production, smaller egg sizes and poor persistence in production.
Well-grown pullets, on the other hand, are more likely to achieve high livability, excellent peak production and sustained egg output.
Improved kienyeji chickens are perhaps the most neglected when it comes to weight monitoring.
Many farmers keep them under free-range systems without tracking their growth. As a result, some birds remain on the farm for many months before producing eggs or attaining market weight, leading to unnecessary feeding costs and poor economic returns.
In conclusion, weighing birds should not be viewed as an optional activity but as an essential management practice in modern poultry farming.
It is a simple and inexpensive tool that provides valuable information on flock health and performance. Farmers who regularly monitor body weights are better positioned to detect problems early, make informed management decisions and achieve improved productivity and profitability.
In today’s competitive poultry industry, regular flock weighing is not just good practice—it is a key ingredient for success.
[Dr Messo is the company veterinarian at Kenchick; watsonmesso@yahoo.com]
