HOUSING FOR LAYER

PRODUCTION
by

Engr. Alexis T. Belonio

Department of Agricultural Engineering and
Environmental Management
College of Agriculture
Central Philippine University
Iloilo City
atbelonio@yahoo.com
 Introduction
 Layers – are poultry birds
raised for egg purposes.
 Breed of chicken for layer
production
– White Leghron
– Rhode Island Red
 Two phases of production
– Growing phase – up to 140
days
– Productive phase – from
140 to 560 days
 Classifications
 Type of Confinement
– Pen – floor production
– Cage – cage production
 Type of Flooring
– Litter Type – type of flooring utilizing the most
commonly available materials such as rice hull, rice
straw, and wood shavings over cemented floor.
– Slotted – type of flooring with openings to facilitate
cleaning of the droppings
– Slot-Litter – combination of slotted and litter type
flooring wherein slats cover 60% of the total floor
area and 40% is covered with litter.
 Floor Space Requirements for
Layers in Pen Type Housing
Stage Space Requirements
(m2/100 birds)
Growing (7-22 weeks)
Litter Floor 14
Slotted Floor 6
Slot-Litter Floor 7
Laying (beyond 22
weeks)
Litter Floor 17
Slotted Floor 9
Slot-Litter Floor 14
 Floor Space Requirement for
Layers in Cage-Type Housing
 Minimum space requirement for birds in
cage type housing is 5 m2/100 birds
 Location of Housing
 It should conform with the land us plan of the
area.
 It should be accessible to service roads, water
supply, and electric lines.
 It should be well drained and allows free air
circulation.
 Building construction should be in east west
orientation.
 It should be located where the prevailing winds
will not carry odors to the farmhouse.
 Structural Requirements
 Roofing materials should be made of
corrugated GI sheet and other durable
materials.
 One meter roof overhung should be
provided to ensure of shade and to
protect the birds from rain.
 Roof should be equipped with gutters so
that rainwater can be drained away.
 Ceiling height should be at least 2.4 m
 Wall should be made of suitable materials such as
chicken wire or bamboo slats.
 It should have provision to protect young chicks
and older birds during periods of cold weather
and extreme winds.
 Entrance door should be at least 0.9 m wide by 2
meter high and should be made to swing inward.
Door should be covered with 25 mm mesh wire
netting.
 Doors between pens should be hung in pairs and
be made to swing in both direction so that feed
and litter carriers can be pushed through from
either direction.
 For slotted floors, the width of the slats
should be 25 mm to 50 mm and the space in
between the slats should be 25 mm to 38
mm. On top of the slat, plastic net or fish net
with 25 mm holes should be used. If welded
wire is used, it should have 625 mm2 mesh
and it should be supported every 300 mm.
Slats or wire floor should be constructed in
sections so that they may be removed when
necessary to clean the droppings from under
them or when the house is cleaned. The
floor should be elevated at least 900 mm
from the ground and the post should have a
diameter of at least 200 mm.
 For litter-type floor, liter material should be at
least 50 mm to 100 mm deep over the
cemented floor. Around the cemented floor,
there should be solid wall with a height of 600
mm to retain the litter. Litter materials should be
light in weight, have a medium particle size,
highly absorbent, dry rapidly, soft and
compressible, low thermal conductivity, and
inexpensive.
 Functional Requirements
 Width of pen should be 10 to 12 m.
 Length of house should depend on the terrain
of the land and on the length of the
automatic feeding equipment.
 The cage should be designed with wire floor
and sidewall. Spacing between the wires in
front of the cage should be 60 mm to allow
feeding.
 Cages should have similar height but the size
of the floor should vary according to the size
of the chicken and number of birds per cage.
Types of Cages
 Floor should be made of 12 gauge wire and
should have a slope of 21% to 25%. Slot
dimension should be 25 mm to40 mm x 60 mm.
 Dropping tray should be provided underneath
the floor of the cage.
 When carts are used for feeding and egg
gathering, a clear passage of 800 mm between
cage rows and the the longitudinal walls should
be provided. At the end of walls, 2.4 m clear
passage should be provided.
 Equipment and Facilities
 Feeder space requirement should be 65
mm/bird.
 Feeding trough should have a guard or lip
of about 10 mm to 20 mm to prevent feed
from being scratched out or beaked out
onto the floor.
 Round feeders should be provided with
adjustable slots to control feed flow.
Edges of feeder pan should be rolled for
safety.
 Waterer space requirement should be 20
mm/bird.
 Waterer should be spaced uniformly throughout
the house. No bird should have to go over 3 m
to get water.
 Artificial lighting with an intensity of 200 lux
should be available during the night or darkened
period of the day. All electrical design and
installation should conform to Philippine Electrical
Code.
 Outlets for natural ventilation should be
either ridge or chimney opening on the
downwind side of the building. It should be
located at the highest point of the building.
 Inlets should be through vent doors, curtains,
or other large openings along the long sides
of the building.
 Automatic control should be provided to
maintain the indoor temperature and provide
air exchange as weather changes hourly and
seasonally. Fan should be provided if
necessary and should be installed on the side
opposite to the prevailing wind.
 Reference
 PAES. 2001. Housing for Broiler Production.
Philippine Agricultural Engineering standards
Volume II. AMTEC, CEAT, UPLB, College,
Laguna. Pp. D31 to D40.