Seven ways to improve litter quality in your coop
Chickens raised on floor system spend the rest of their lives in constant contact with litter, lying on it, bathing in it and constantly scratching it looking for spilled feed or pebbles to swallow. This litter if not properly looked after by the poultry attendant can be a source of infections like coccidiosis, bumble foot (foot pad sores), worm infestations, pneumonia, mycotoxicosis. It is therefore extremely important to keep the litter dry and friable all the time and encourage the chickens to keep turning that litter repeatedly using its feet and feathers what we refer to ‘working the litter’. Here are seven factors to consider for quality poultry litter.
1. Choice of litter
There are several types of litter available, the most common are soft wood shavings and rice hulls, these are the best and most preferred. Saw dust are not recommended as they tend to cause respiratory infections in immature chicks and once they are soaked in water, it is difficult to keep it dry. Some people use chopped straw or dry grass, shredded paper or hay, I don’t recommend this type of litter because they tend to stick together over time and form a cake on the floor, making it difficult to work the litter.
2. Drinker management
Poor choice of drinking equipment and lack of prudent management of the same is by far the most encountered in the field. Open drinkers must not be filled to the brim, if you do that there will be overflow and soaking of the litter. The bell drinkers must be raised to the level of the back of the chicken and adjusted weekly. This will reduce water spillage and keep litter dry. If you have nipple drinkers, ensure the pressure is well controlled, high pressure tend to cause excess water spills as the birds press on the nozzles.
3. Environmental management
Good ventilation in the house is the single most important way to keep the moisture levels in the poultry house low. Keep the curtains down to allow exchange of hot and cool air. Chickens do not have sweat glands and therefore will rely on panting to expel excess heat and drink a lot of water to cool themselves. This results into watery stool and wetting of the litter.
4. Stocking density
Overstocking above the recommended numbers of birds per square feet as per breed type can be source of poor air circulation and dampening of the litter. Slow growing birds like layers and kienyeji birds do well at 2 square feet per bird, while broilers are comfortable at 1 square feet per bird.
5. Water quality
High mineral content in water, high water pH or extremely acidic water may disturb the normal gut microflora and result in maldigestion and malabsorption syndromes. It is good practice to periodically send water samples for chemical and bacteriological analysis.My rule of thumb, give your birds water that you will comfortably drink when you are thirsty.
6. High salty feed and poor-quality fat in the diet
Keep keen watch on the consistency of the chicken droppings. Diets with high salt content always make birds drink a lot of water and end up releasing watery feacal material, 1-2 per cent salt inclusion in most diets is ideal. Keep records of feed batches as a routine management tool to track any abnormality that may occasionally lead to watery stool.
7. Gastrointestinal infection
Diseases of the intestines causing irritation and inflammation of the linings like clostridium, E. coli, Enterococcus if not detected early enough can cause enteritis and diarrhoea resulting into wet litter. Seek for veterinary intervention if diarrhoea is persistent in your flock.
[The writer is Head Vet, Kenchic Limited]
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