Management of Chicks, Growers, and Layers

1. MANAGEMENT OF
CHICKS, GROWERS, AND
LAYERS
Dr. P. Ravikanth Reddy
MVSc, PhD
Guest Faculty
KBR College of Agriculture and Horticulture
Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University
Dr. YSR Horticulture University

2. MANAGEMENT OF CHICKS
 Day old to 8 weeks.
 Brooding – For first 4 weeks.

4. Setter – 19
days
Hatcher - –
2 days
Brooder –
First 4 or 5
weeks
Shed –
Remaining
period

5. BROODING HOUSE MANAGEMENT
 Cleaning and disinfection
 Litter material
 Started at 95oF and be reduced by 5oF every week until attainment of
70oF.
 Space requirement – ‘6’ square inches per chick.
 News paper on litter.
 Electric bulb – 1 watt/chick.
 Lighting – Available for 24 hours.

6.  Debeaking – At 3 weeks of age.
 5 Liters for 50 chicks through out the day.
 First 2 days – Broken maize – Followed by chick feed.
 Vaccination.

7. MANAGEMENT OF GROWERS
 9 to 20 weeks.
 Feed with grower feed or grower mash.
 Vaccination
 Debeaking at 14 to 15 weeks.
 Light 12 hours a day.
 Culling.
 Transfer the birds to cage layer house or brooder house at the age of
16-17 weeks.

8. MANAGEMENT OF LAYERS
 21 to 72 weeks.
 Feed with layer mash.
 Egg collection – 3 to 4 times a day.
 Deworming, culling, vaccination, disease management.
 Light should increase from 12 hours a day at 12 weeks of age and
increased by 15-30 minutes every week until 16 hours of light.