The most critical period in the life of a bird is the first seven days for short-living birds like broilers.
As we approach the year-end and with the gradual reopening of restaurants and eateries and other food services, it is most likely that there will be increased demand for chicken meat and eggs, despite the high feed prices.
Our farmers must therefore take great exception in reducing early chick mortality in our farms by critically looking at the early stages of chick development and improving their conditions.
The most critical period in the life of a bird is the first seven days for short-living birds like broilers and five weeks for longer living flocks.
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This is the period when vital organs are developing, and skeletal structures are all maturing in preparation for a good body frame.
Any delay in growth rates will have a detrimental impact on body weight in the future affecting productivity and ability to resist disease and response to vaccination.
It is therefore important that farmers stay very close to these juvenile birds and ensure that everything is checked, and counter-checked for perfection.
Brooding is the provision of artificial heat to help the chicks in temperature regulation.
The heat can be provided by gas, electricity, or charcoal.
The brooder area should be ready at least 24 hours before the chicks arrive.
Post Placement checklist
Ensure that the feeders and drinkers are in adequate supply relative to the stocking density and are appropriately placed.
Feeders and drinkers should be placed near each other and within the “thermal comfort zone.”
The small birds in the first week will need mini drinkers or supplemental fonts, these should be provided at a rate of 13 drinkers per 1000 chicks.
The drinkers should be regularly cleaned and refilled as necessary, maintaining maximum water levels until chicks are large enough to create spillage.
These mini drinkers should be removed approximately 48 hours after placement gradually replaced by adult bell drinkers.
Chlorinate your water once a week targeting a level of 3-4 ppm. (Parts per million)
Bell Drinker and/or nipple check
One bell drinker should approximately serve 75 chicks, while drinker height should be maintained such that the lip is at the level of the birds’ back, this should be frequently assessed and adjusted as the birds grow.
Water should be 0.5 cm (0.20 in.) from the lip of the drinker at day one of age and reduced gradually after seven days to a depth of 1.25 cm (0.5 in.) or thumbnail depth.
All bell drinkers should be ballasted to reduce spillage. Bell drinkers must be cleaned daily to prevent the buildup of contaminants.
For nipple drinker check, the height should be at chicks’ eye level for the first 2-3 hours of age and then maintained slightly above chicks’ head.
Pressure should be such that there is a droplet of water suspended from the nipple but with no leakage.
The birds’ feet should always be flat on the litter and a bird should never have to stand on its toes to drink.
The lines should always be flushed regularly with diluted hydrogen peroxide. One nipple should serve 10 chicks.
Feeder check
In an ideal situation feed should be provided in crumb form and placed on trays, lids, or paper for the first 4 days. This should gradually be replaced by tube feeder pans.
Feeders should be raised incrementally throughout the growing period so that the lip of the trough or pan is always level with the birds back.
The feed level within the feeders should be set so that feed is readily available while spillage is minimised, never allow the feeders to run empty at any time.
Post-placement house preparation evaluation
Two very important “Chick Checks” should be made 24 hours post-placement. These two checks are simple & effective ways to evaluate pre-placement management:
“CHICK CHECK 1” (4 to 6 Hours Post-Placement)
Sample 100 chicks per brood area, Check: temperature of feet against one’s neck or cheek, If the feet are cold, reevaluate pre-heating temperature.
Cold litter will cause poor early feed intake, poor growth rate, and poor uniformity.
An excellent indicator of floor temperature is the temperature of the chick’s feet.
If the Chick’s feet are cold; the internal body temperature of the chick is also reduced.
Cold chicks will be seen huddling with reduced activity and resulting in reduced feed and water intake and therefore reduced growth rate.
By placing the feet against your neck or cheek one can readily learn how warm or cold the chick is.
If they are comfortably warm, the chicks should be actively moving around the brooding area.
“CHICK CHECK 2” (24 Hours Post-Placement)
The crops of chicks should be checked the morning after placement to ensure they have found feed & water.
At this time, a minimum of 95% of the crops should feel soft and pliable indicating chicks have successfully located feed and water.
Hard crops indicate chicks have not found adequate water and water availability should be checked immediately.
Swollen and distended crops indicate chicks have located water but insufficient feed.
In this case, the availability and consistency of the feed should be immediately evaluated.
Dr Watson Messo Odwako is Head Vet at Kenchic Ltd. watsonmesso@yahoo.com
