A brief about different housing system of poultry

1. Different Types of Poultry Housing
System for Tropical Climate
Prepared By
Siddhartha Pathak

2. Introduction
Genetic
improvement
Nutritional
improvement
Environment

3. Poultry Physiology
Body
temperature
105°F -
107°F
Poultry house
design should be
directly related to
environmental
conditions
Strong effect of
environmental
factors
Tropical
environmental
effect more
high yielding
birds
High yielding
exotic breeds
have
temperate
origin
Less
tolerant of
heat than
cold
Comfort
zone:
18-22 °C

4. Comfort and Protection
Scientific management in a controlled manner
Easy, convenient and economic operations
Reduces the total cost of production
Maximizes flock performance
Ensuring better health and welfare
Proper micro-climatic conditions
Increased stocking density
Optimum and uniform growth rate
Importance
of Housing

5. Type of poultry housing Systems
Free Range
/Extensive
Semi-Intensive Intensive
Deep Litter Cage
Stair-step/
California
Battery/
Vertical
Individual
Slat cum litter Slatted floor

6. Free Range System
 Oldest system and adopted only when adequate land is available
 Rearing of poultry by letting them loose on ground (Field) called as range
 A range should provide shelter, greens, feed, water, shade etc
 Foraging is major source of feeding for birds
 Shelter is usually provided by temporary roofing supported by ordinary poles
 Stocking density: 300-400 birds per hectare
 At present, almost outdated

7. Semi-intensive System
 Commonly used by small scale producers
 Birds are half way reared in houses and
half way on ground or range
 Birds are confined to houses in night or as
per the need, they are also given access to
runs
 Houses may be simple house, thatched
roof, littered earth floor or slatted
 Provides protection from inclement
weather predators and shade
 Stocking density: 4-5 birds m.sq. in houses

8. Fold Unit System
 House and run combined, part of which is
covered with chicken wire and the
remainder with solid walls
 A unit 6 metres by 1.5 metres for 6-18 birds
 Floor space 2 square metres per bird
 Moved each day over an area of grassland
 Similar to the deep-litter system, but
requires more space, a considerable amount
of litter for the yard, and the fresh green
food for the birds
 More expensive and less durable

9. Deep Litter System
 Poultry birds are kept in large pens on floor, mainly for broilers
 Floor is covered with litters , such as straw, saw dust or leaves up to depth
of 2-3 inches
 Bird density: 5-7 birds per square meter
 Easy assess for feed, water, egg collection, provide good protection
 Disadvantage: Require high quality liter and litter born diseases

10.  Small houses with a slatted or wire mesh
floor
 Slats- wooden pieces of 2.5-5 cm wide
placed 2.5 cm apart, running through the
length of house
 Slats placed 3 ft above the ground floor to
allow accumulation of dropping
 Bird density can be 6–8 per square metre
 Feeding, watering & egg collection
handled from outside the house
 Cooler houses but expensive & suitable
for adult bird only
Slatted or wire-floor system

11. Combination of slatted floor and deep litter
 60% slat area and 40% litter area
Slats on either side of house against
each side wall leaving central portion for
litter floor
The area is raised above the concrete
floor by 0.5 metres or more to
accumulate manure below the slatted
area
Waterers and feeders are placed on the
slatted area
Bird density upto 5-7 per sqaure meter
Expensive & complicated management
slat area
litter area

12. Aviaries
 Multi-tiered buildings for cage-free housing
 Several levels of flooring
 Use of vertical space (perches and platforms) – allow birds to
jump to different levels
 High density of birds upto- 25 birds per sqaure meter

13. Cage System
 Rearing of poultry on raised wire netting floor in smaller compartments, called cages
 Initially introduce for individual egg & pedigree recording & culling of poor layers
 At present, 75% of commercial layers in the world are kept in cages
 Suitable for keeping high density of birds, when space is limitation
 Scientific managemental practices can be followed
 Feeders and waterers are attached to cages from outside, except nipple waterers, for which
pipeline is installed through or above cages
 Auto-operated feeding trolleys and egg collection belts can also be used
 The droppings are either collected in trays underneath cages, on belts or on floor or deep
pit under the cages
 Recommended Floor space Chick (0 to 8 weeks) = 0.3 Sq.ft
Grower (9 to 16 weeks) = 0.5 Sq.ft
Layer (Above 17 weeks) = 0.6 Sq.ft

14. Structure of Cage
Floor slope: 1.5 inch per running 12
inch

15. Based on the bird density
 Single or individual bird cage
(Only one bird in a cage)
 Multiple bird cage
(From 2 to 10 birds)
 Colony cages
(More than 11 birds per cage)
Based on the number of rows
 Single-deck
 Double-deck
 Triple-deck
 Four-deck
Based on arrangement of cages
 Battery cages (Vertical cages)
 Stair-step cages
a) M-type cages
b) L-type cages
Based on the type of bird reared
 Brooder / chick cages
 Grower cages
 Layer cages
 Breeder cages
Types of cages

16. Colony cages Battery cages
Individual cage

17.  This type of houses provides sufficient
ventilation & waste management in tropical
countries
 The height of the shed is raised by 7-8 feet from
ground level using concrete pillars
 The distance between two pillars is 10 feet
 Two feet wide concrete platforms are made
over the pillars
 For 3 ‘M’ type cages are arranged 4 platforms
are needed
 The inter-platform distance is 5-8 feet
depending upon the type of the cages used
 The total height of the house is 20-25 feet and
the width is 30-33 feet
California Housing
(High Rise/ Elevated cage house)

18. 7-8 ft
8 to 9 ft
10- 15 ft
interval
2 ft
Depends on cage
design
(5 to 8 ft

19.  In recent years, most poultry operation are intensive type houses with
Environment Controlled house, in which inside conditions are maintained as near
as to the bird’s optimum requirements
 Temperature: 24oC
Relative Humidity- 50 to 60%
 A closed building with no windows, longitudinal preferably east to west, with
big exhaust fans on west side while evaporative cooling pads on east side along
with automatic feeding and drinking systems inside
 Fully system controlled with no manual controls, feeding system, watering
system, manure collection system, egg collection system are all mechanized and
automatic
 ECH helps to achieve better FCR, improving production, care of birds, control
diseases and meet other safe breeding conditions
 One extra batch (or cycle) per year per shed
Modern Housing System

20. Environmentally Controlled House

21. Selection of site
Housing Design
Housing Environment
Housing Equipment's
Housing Space
Light
Housing hygiene and sanitation
Biosecurity
Principles of Housing

22.  Located away from residential and industrial area
 Soil and drainage
 Basic amenities like water and electricity
 Shade and protection
 Relation to other building
 Proper ventilation
 Availability of farm labourers at relatively cheaper wages
 Market
 Proper road facilities
1. Selection of site

23. Hot& cold climate Hot climate
S
N
S
W
E
N
W
E
Cold climate
N
WE
S
2. Housing Design
Distance between sheds
 Preferably locate chicks, growers & layers in
different localities for better biosecurity
 Distance between sheds = 0.4 x H √L
House Orientation (Direction)
20- 50 m

24. Foundation
 Solid & Concrete, concrete blocks &
bricks with 1 to 1.5 feet below the
surface and 1 to 1.5 feet above the
ground level
Length
 Can be of any extent
Width
 Not more than 30 feet
 If the width of the shed is more than
30 feet, ridge ventilation at the
middle line of the roof top with
proper overhang is must
 Can be of any width in EC houses
upto 40 ft
1.5ft
30 ft

25. Height
 Height of the sides from foundation to the
roof line should be 8-10 feet (eaves
height) and at the centre 10 -12 feet
 In case of cage houses, the height is
decided by the type of cage arrangements
(3 tier or 4 tier)
Side walls
 Protects the bird from adverse climate and
provides sufficient ventilation
 Usually half to two-thirds area will be
kept open and fitted with wire mesh in
floor houses
 In cage houses, avoid side wall
 EC houses should have solid side walls
8-10 ft10 -12 ft

26. Types of Roofs
 Draft and moisture proof
 Sufficient overhang
 Insulation values of R-4 and R-2 for ceiling and
walls, respectively in hot climate
 Painted with a reflecting type of paint such as
aluminum paint or polyurethane insulation
under the roof or above the ceiling
 Dropped ceilings
• Modern houses are well insulated with blown in
cellulose or glass fiber batt
• Protect the trusses and ceiling insulation by
acting as a vapor barrier
• Reduce the ceiling surface area and reduce heat
gain during hot weather and heat loss during
cold weather
2-3 ft
Dropped ceiling

27. Shed Type Two-thirds span roof Gable roof/double-pitch
/equal-span roof

28. Monitor style Half-monitor style
1 feet height

29. Asphaltic roofing material
Thatched roof
Asbestos sheets
Types of roofing material
Roof white washed Spray polyurethane
insulation
Rigid board
insulation

30. Types of Floors
Concrete with rat proof device and free from dampness
Extended 1.5 feet outside the wall on all sides to prevent rat and snake problems
Consist of well-drained soil or gravel or concrete which is more desirable, it is easy
to clean, durable and more rat proof
A concrete floor should be 80–100 mm thick and be made of a stiff 1:2:4 or 1:3:5
mix, laid on a firm base at least 150 mm above ground level, and given a smooth finish
with a steel trowel
Doors
The door must be open outside mostly in deep-
litter poultry houses
The size of door is preferably 6 x 2.5 feet
At the entry, a foot bath should be constructed to
fill with a disinfectant

31. Plastic slatted floor
Katcha floor Concrete floor
Wire mesh floor

32. Macro environment
Not possible
to
manipulate
Local environment around a animal
Temperature
Gases
Humidity
Dust and
Microorganisms
Particulate matter
Microenvironment
Air quality
Relative
humidity
Temperature
3. Housing Environment

33. Control over micro-environment
can be achieved by
By completely
eliminating
macro
environment
contact with
the house
By completely
enclosed from
outside
incliment
weather
conditions
Hence
environment
inside house is
in our control,
Here the
concept of EC
has arisen

34. Ventilation/ Air Movement
Moving FRESH AIR INTO a house and
moving STALE AIR OUT of the house
Sending UNWANTED heat, EXCESS
moisture, ammonia OUT of the house
Limiting the buildup of HARMFUL
GASES
Providing OXYGEN for respiration

35.  Natural outside air can easily flow into
and out of the house
 Ventilated shelter must be expose to
the wind
 Windbreaks reduce natural air
movement, keep them 100 ft away
 Increased air-exchange rates by
installing fans
 Proper building design & construction
major factors which affect ventilation
Natural Ventilation

36. Mechanical/ Forced Ventilation systems
 All air movement is produced by fans
and controlled by automatic
environmental control mechanisms in
the building
 Positive pressure systems use fans to
blow fresh air into the building, creating
a slightly higher pressure inside the
house
 Pressure difference moves the stale air to
escape through strategically placed
exhaust vents or outlets

37.  Negative-pressure ventilation: Exhaust fans expel air from the building &
creates a partial vacuum inside that pulls air into the house evenly through all
inlets, creating more uniform conditions in the house
 Inlets are distributed around the periphery of the building
 Having a tightly sealed house is critical for successful control of in-house
conditions in negative-pressure ventilation

38. Tunnel ventilation
 Most effective in tropical climate due to higher air exchange rate
& faster air movement @ 2.5-3 m/sec
 Fresh air enters the house at one end and pulled through the house
in longitudinal direction by means of high-performance fans

39.  Cross ventilation (fans on one side of the
house and inlets on the other side –works
best in houses of less than 10 m wide)
 Sidewall ventilation: fans and inlets on
same sidewalls
 Attic inlet ventilation: fans are distributed
at the side-walls, inlets are in the roof

40.  Fans and openings:
Control the amount of air exchange
Effect air distribution and mixing
 Heaters: provide supplemental heat
during cold weather and brooding
 Controls: to adjust ventilating rates
(fan controls), supplemental heating
rates, and the air velocity rates (fan
controls), supplemental heating rates,
and the air velocity through openings
as weather, bird age and size change
Components of Mechanical Ventilation systems

41.  Placed on the windward direction of the
houses
 Install slow speed, industrial fans 1m above
the ground
 Use 1x 620 mm rpm fan/1,000 layers
 In EC houses: Important to determine how
much air flow through the building which
determine the no: of fans required
 Air flow rate = cross sectional area of the
house x required speed desired
 A minimum of 1 m2 inlet area per 14 m3/h
exhaust fan capacity is recommended
Fans

42. Openings
• Air inlets: to provide fresh air throughout the building, control direction of
airflow, and maintain sufficient inlet air velocity
• Inlets for negative-pressure ventilation systems: continuous slots and discrete
box or area inlets
• Continuous slot inlets have a rigid movable baffle for controlling the size of the
opening, Bottom-hinged baffles are preferred.
• Continuous inlets may be positioned along both eaves
• Tunnel ventilation requires a separate set of inlets
• Unplanned inlets includes large openings such as doors, windows, and fans
without shutters, which are not originally designed to be part of the ventilation
system

45. Heaters
 Supplemental heat is needed in natural & powered ventilated houses to
maintain desired indoor temperatures during cold weather & brooding
 Different types of heaters are used for supplemental heating in poultry houses
including radiant, space and make-up air heaters

46.  To maintain the indoor temperature
and provide air exchange as weather
changes hourly and seasonally
 Regulate the supplemental heating
rate
 Sold state controllers and computer
systems capable of controlling the
inlet and outlet opening and
supplemental heaters
Automatic controls

47. A well-insulated building is needed for EC houses
 It prevent condensation on the inside surfaces, reduce heat loss in
cold weather, and reduce solar heat gain in warm weather
Insulation

48. Evaporative
Cooling
FOGGING
systems
Naturally
ventilated
housing
Power-
ventilated
housing
PAD systems
Power-
ventilated
house
SPRINKLING
systems
Very dry
climates
Cooling the House: cooling effect byevaporation

49. Foggers
FOGGER SYSTEM
Low pressure fogging
• Inject fine water particles
• Low cost fogging system
• High quality and durable PVC Pipes are
used
High pressure fogging
• Micro mist fog size (10-15µ)
• Fogger in true sense discharges fog not
water
• Operated intermittently or designed to avoid
excessive water
• High pressure and durable Stainless Steel
Pipes are used
Fogger Sprinkler

50. Evaporative cooling pads
Operate on the same cooling principle as foggers
Cooled air entered the house, when it passes through the wet pads above which water runs
through perforated pipes
This method avoids the problem of wet litter
Concrete coated bagasse pad, Aspen fiber, rubberised hogshair pad and corrugated
cellulose or fluted cardboard pads materials widely used as cooling pads

51. Feeding
 Automatic feeders have one loop of feeder chain and trough capable of feeding a given
number of birds
 A feeding control system to turn the feeders on and off
 Feed monitoring systems are available to measure the amount of feed consumed by bird
 It is important that, same amount of feed to be available at all locations along the feeder

52. The feed hopper in the house holds the feed before it goes out through the auger & into the feed
pans
Feed goes through the auger lines & drops into
each feed pan for the chickens to eat

53. Round bottom feeders Square bottom feeders Automatic feeder
Linear Trough feedersTube Feeder Hanging type Feeder

54. Watering
Nipple drinkersAutomatic drinkersFountain drinkers

55. Medication system allows for medicines to be
administered through the water lines

56. Egg collection
Conveyor belt system

57. Sensors
Small computer box

58. A stand-by generator for emergency power supply to
all houses in case of power failure

59. Lighting
• EC houses should be light proof, use of light trap at fan openings
• A monitoring and control system for scheduling of lights
• A system than can pre-program lighting schedules over the life of the flock
is very useful for management
• It is also important to provide the desired intensity of light
• Lighting is provided by incandescent lights with dimmer switches
Incandescent lights Fluorescent tube light Compact Fluorescent light

60. Waste management Biosecurity

61. CONCLUSION
 Automation is the need of hour to reduce labor cost and increase
poultry production
 California houses with automation is better option in tropical
climate
 Thought should be given to Environmental Control houses while
constructing houses in hot climate, if capital is available
 Civil engineers or architectures should be involved while
planning and designing poultry houses

62. Bibliography
 Appleby, M.C, Hughes, B.O, and Elson (1992) A. Poultry Production System.
CAB International, Wallingford.
 Bhanja S. K. Notes on poultry housing and management. Technical Bulletin,
Central Avian Research Institute, Izatnagar.
 Daghir, N. J. (2008). Poultry Production in Hot Climates. CAB International,
Nosworthy Way, Wallingford, Oxfordshire.
 Elson (1986). Poultry managemnt systems; looking to the future. WPSA 7th
European Poultry Confrence Paris, 24-28 Aug, 1986 . (1) 1-11
 FAO (2011). Rural structures in the tropics: Design and development.
 Lohmann Tierzucht. ManagementGuide (Hot Climate)
 North, Mack O. Commercial chicken production manual.
 News letters on Poultry Housing Tips. University of Georgia's College of
Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Cooperative Extension service