Chickens and chicks need to be housed in an environment that maintains their optimal body temperature. Newly hatched chicks have a body temperature of 103.5°F that rises to the adult temperature of 105-107°F by 3 weeks of age. The upper lethal temperature for chickens is 116.8°F. Good housing and environmental conditions are important to optimize chicken performance and welfare. Poultry production systems include free-range and intensive housing. Free-range allows chickens outdoor access while intensive housing involves controlled-environment houses.

2. Chickens
 Warm blooded animal (homeothermic).
 Have ability to maintain a rather uniform
temperature of their internal organs (homeostasis).
 Homeostasis mechanism is efficient only when
the ambient (environment) temperature is within
certain limits.
 Birds can not adjust well to the extreme
temperature.
 Therefore, it is very important, chicks must be
housed and provided an environment that will
enable them to maintain their thermal balance.

4. Adult chicken body temperature
 105 -107 °F (40.6 -41.7°C).
 The temperature of newly hatched chick
103.5°F (39.7°C), rises daily until it attains a
constant adult figure at about 3 weeks of age.
 Upper lethal temperature 116.8°F (47°C)
 To optimize performance of the chickens,
adequate housing must be provided to the flock
with optimum air quality and temperature
conditions.

5. Why chickens should be housed and provided with good
environment?
What is newly hatched chicks body temperature?
What is adult chickens body temperature?
What is the upper lethal body temperature for adult
chickens?

6.  Free Range System
 Intensive System
Poultry Production System

7. Poultry grown in large outdoor area
Source: J. Sell Iowa State University

8. Free-Range system

9. Name the poultry production system.
Shelter are required in free range system?
Is it better for the chickens to access green feed in
the free range system?

10. Housing system (Intensive)
 Open-sided poultry house
 Controlled-environment poultry house (close
house)
 Cage system
 Floor system
 Litter floor system
 Slatted floor system
 Slat-and-litter system

11. Litter floor system

12. Slatted floor system

13. Slat-litter floor system (1/2 slat-1/2 litter)

14. Battery cage system

15. Improvement of Layer Houses
Slatted Floor System
Cost - 2,000 Ks/Bird
Iron Cage System(Open)
Cost - 6,000 Ks/Bird
Evap Farm
Cost - 12,000 Ks/Bird
Upgrade Farm
Cost - 35,000 Ks/Bird

16. Poultry Production Systems
Conventional
Layers – cages
Broilers – litter

17. Alternative Poultry Production Systems
Outdoor access
• Allows birds to express natural behaviors (foraging, dust bathing).
• Can provide a healthy environment
Ample space
UV sunlight
Fresh air
•“Extensive production” vs. “intensive production”

18. Free-Range Production Systems:
Fixed House and Yard

19. Portable housing
Moved frequently or infrequently

20. Use of portable electro net fencing

21. Floorless
Shelter

22. Many different types and modifications

23. Pasture management
- Poultry obtain limited nutrients from forage
- Keep forage short and vegetative

24. • Forage is usually planned for the ruminants
• Diverse pasture needed
• Cool season: oats
• Warm-season: clover, alfalfa
• Legume forages increase omega-3 fatty acids in eggs
and meat

25. • Rotate pastures every 2-3 months
• Mobile house is ideal
• If house is fixed, subdivide yard into
at least 4 yards

26. Multiple yarding
Source: Thear, 1997

27. Name type of housing system.
Explain types of houses.
Explain open-sided housing system.

28. Open-sided poultry house
 Mostly used
 Width: no more than 40 ft (12.2 m). 30 ft (9.8m)
is preferred.
 Height: 8 ft (2.4 m) long.
 Length: Any convenient length
 Roof: Gable roof, insulated material.
 Foundation: Strong enough to support the
building.
 Floor: depends on floor system. For litter floor
system concrete floor is preferred to programs.

29. Housing
- Housing protects chickens from rain, wind, sun, predators,
- Insulation reduces temperature extremes
Many styles depending on
Shelter vs. house
Fixed vs. portable

30. Materials:
•Built of wood, sheet metal, poultry wire
•Concrete, brick
•Developing countries: Adobe/mudbrick, bamboo, thatch
Roof:
•Rainproof: Tarps, sheet metal, shingles, wood
•Roof should have a large overhang to provide shade and prevent
rain from getting in
• Insulated

31. Housing Location
1. Isolate
2. Good in farm Structure
3. Clean Water Sources
4. Good Ventilation
5. Electricity Supply
6. High Land

32. Housing Building
1. East – West
2. Size 24ft x 200ft
3. Roof edge 4ft
4. Height (min:)4ft(Ground to Floor)
5. Strong enough

33. Farm Housing ( 24’ x 220’ x 11.5’)
Farm Layout

34. BROILER CHICKEN HOUSE DESIGN
24’
4.0’
3.0’-
2.0’
6.5’
5.0’
Open House

35.  The efficiency of any insulating material is rated by its
ability to resist the transfer of heat through it.
 The resistance of the materials to the transfer of heat is
termed as R-Value.
Type of Climate R-value for roof
and ceiling
Walls
Hot climate 4 2
Medium climates 8 2.5
Cold climates 12-14 8-10

36. What is R-value and why R-value should be higher in cold
environment and lower in Medium and hot environment
compared to that of cold environment?

37. Item Thickness Resistance
rating
in cm
Saw dust or
shavings (dry)
1.00 2.5 2.22
Straw 1.00 2.5 1.75
Concrete 8.00 20.3 0.61
Plywood 0.25 0.6 0.18
Metal siding 0.75 1.9 0.94
Hardboard 8.00 20.3 1.11
R-values of some building materials

38. Controlled-environment house
 The inside conditions of this type of
house are maintained as near as
possible to the bird’s optimum
requirements.

39. Explain controlled environment house.

40. Controlled-environment broiler house

41. FARM LAYOUT
41

43. EQUIPMENT
Brooder
Density : 500 Birds
Space : 5 m2, aprox. Radius 1.26m
Chick Guard : 40 cm. High
Hover: 3-4 meter in diameter
Type : depend on heating source
- Gas Brooder
- Light Bulb
- Charcoal

44. Brooding Period
 Temperature
 Feed
Provide max comfort
 Water
 Antibiotic

46.  Brooding heat may be supplied by a variety of fuels.
 Gas- Natural gas
- Liquefied petroleum
- Methane gas
 Kerosene
 Coal
 Oil
 Wood
 Electricity
 Solar energy

47. 47
EQUIPMENT
Choose Good Quality For Long term Usage

48. EQUIPMENT
Water Font (1 gal)
Ratio : 1 Piece / 50 Birds
Timing : 1-7 Days Old Age
Water Font (2 gal)
Ratio : 1 Piece / 50 Birds
Timing : 8 days to Market

49. EQUIPMENT
Automatic Water Through
Ratio : 1 inch / Birds
Timing : 7 Days to Market
Automatic Drinker
Ratio : 1 Piece / 50-75 Birds
Timing : 7 Days to Market

50. NIPPLE
Ratio : 10-15 Birds / 1 Nipple
Timing : 1 Days to Market
EQUIPMENT

51. EQUIPMENT (nipple drinkers)

52. EQUIPMENT
Hanging Feeder
Ratio : 1 Piece / 20 Birds
Timing : 6 Days to Market
Chick Feed Tray
Ratio : 1 Piece / 50 Birds
Timing : 1-7 Days Old Age

53. EQUIPMENT (Feeder)
Automatic feeder
Ratio: 1 pc / 20birds
Timing: Day 1 to market

54. LAMP-TYPE BROODER

55. Equipment

56. 56
 Types of nest
 Individual nest
 Community nest
Individual nest
Individual nest
• width: 25 - 30 cm
• depth: 35 - 45 cm
• height: 35- 40 cm
• with litter material ± 15 cm
• capacity
7 layers/nest
4-5 Broiler Parent Stock/nest
• removable bottom of the nest is
preferred for easier cleaning

57. Community nest boxes

58. 58
Broody coop

59. Disposal by incineration of the dead birds and waste materials

60. Equipment control
 Equipments are controlled manually or
thermostats and timers.
 Monitored by computer programme.
 Alarm system is required to notify the equipment
failures.
 Alarm systems must be available to responsible
person

61. Describe poultry house equipments.

62. RECORDS TO KEEP FOR CHICKENS
There are different records to keep for chickens.
a) Chicks – chicks are young birds before the growth process has started.
The records for chicks may include date hatched, date moved to
pullet/broiler house, feed consumption, and water consumption.
b) Pullets – pullets are birds growing to become layers. Certain records to be
kept for these birds include feed consumption, water consumption, and
light-dark hours .
c) Layers – layers are female birds that are in the stage of laying eggs.
Records needed include feed consumption, water consumption, and egg
production.
d) Broilers – broilers are raised to be harvested for chicken meat to
consume. Specific records may include feed consumption, weight,
average daily gain, days on feed, and harvesting date.
e) Breeding stock – Breeding stock are used to produce birds to repopulate
the flock breeding date, birds mated, and hatching date are examples of
important records.

63. How do you complete record keeping
forms used in poultry production?
a) Whenever you begin a record keeping system, you must learn the
information requested on each form.
b) Mortality (death) of birds – Every day a record should be taken of any
birds that did not survive.
c) Feed used – Daily records need to be taken of quantity of feed fed to
birds.
d) Cost – Financial records must be kept of any items bought or sold, e.g.
feed, veterinary costs, equipment, supplies, birds, etc.
e) Vaccinations – Specific vaccinations may be needed, depending on the
bord and location of production facility. An accurate record must be kept
to insure sufficient withdrawal times.
f) Hens removed – Periodically hens must be removed from the flock when
their productivity is too low. Be sure to keep record of which bird, when
she was removed, and the reason for removal.
g) Eggs produced – Eggs must be collected and recorded daily. Be sure to
include any inconsistency noticed.

64. What systems of record keeping are used in poultry
production?
How do you complete record keeping forms used in poultry
production?

65. THANK YOU AND TRY YOUR BEST