Breeding Management Management of Laying Hens

 Pick good cocks  At 40 days of age:

 Ratio of breeders is 1:7 (best) 1:5 (good); 1=cock Deworm the birds
 Collect eggs every day Re-vaccinate with NCD La Sota Strain
 Practice candling in the 7th and 14th day to determine De-louse the chickens
infertile eggs  Use clean nest beddings, rice hull or rice straw
 Replenish beddings every 2 months
 Nesting area should be placed in the darker part of
the housing
 Ratio of nest is 1:3 (1 nest for every 3 hens)
 Cover nests from 5pm to 6am to maintain cleanliness

Natural Incubation, 21 days

 Free-range chickens do not incubate their eggs
 Provide native chickens to hatch fertile eggs
 A native chicken can incubate 12-15 eggs at a time
FRONT
Artificial Incubation, 18 days incubation + 3 days hatchery
 Position the eggs as blunt-end up, pointed-end down
 Turn eggs for a least 6 times a day
 Turning of eggs is stopped in the 18th day
 After hatching, separate the chicks from the hen to prepare
the hen in laying eggs again Advantages of Free-Range Chicken Production
Alternative Layer Feeds  Better Meat quality
25% rice bran  Better Egg Quality
25% corn  More Flavourful
25% copra meal  Lower Feed Cost
25% laying mash  Antibiotic-Free
*Give calcium grits to increase shell quality
 Stress-Free Animals
 110 g of feeds per / layer hen/ day
 It is best to feed birds twice a day

Feeding Program
Age of Bird Type of Feeds
1-2 weeks Booster Mash ISO 9001:2015 CERTIFIED
2-6 weeks Starter Mash Your home away from home...
6 weeks—18 weeks Grower Feeds
@atiitcph @atiitcph
19 weeks and above Layer Feeds
@InternationalTrainingCenterOnPigHusbandry @atiitcph1985 Do it the #ITCPHway
Free-Range Chicken Production Management of Day-Old Chicks
Free-range or free roaming poultry production is a system that  Prepare the brooding area before the arrival of chicks
allows chickens constant access to outdoors, with plenty of fresh  Pre-heat the brooder by turning it on 2hrs before putting
vegetation, and sunshine, while ensuring same animals are the chicks
 Brooder is 1-watt per bird (Ex: 50 chicks = 50 watts)
properly enclosed for feeding and health monitoring. Free-range
Note: In cases of needing a lower wattage, increase the height of
chicken can be raised for eggs and meat production. the bulb or source of light to lessen the heat (Ex: 10 chicks = 25 watts)
 Height of bulb is not lower than 2ft from the floor
Considerations in Housing
 Use 2” rice hull or newspaper as bedding
 Use cheap and locally available materials like bamboo and palm
leaves. Good lumber, bricks, tile for roofing and cement can also  Feeds are not advisable to be given at the day of arrival
be used.  Provide a sugar solution, 1L water : 5tbsp brown sugar upon
arrival
 Remove the bark from the wood to reduce the parasite load, as  Secure the area from predators like rats and snakes
they often hide beneath the bark.
Selection of Stocks  Poultry houses should have openings on either side for Heating and Lighting
ventilation. The optimum temperature depends on the age of the chicks:
For any type of production, it is necessary to identify healthy
chicks, growers/pullets, layers, and cocks. The following should  Heat, humidity, and harmful gasses may be considerably reduced -1st week 31-34°C
through good ventilation. High temperature may cause death, a -2nd week 29-31°C
be observed in purchasing stocks:
drop in egg production, low shell quality, and reduced weight
-3rd week 26-29°C
 Well-developed body length and depth in relation to age gain. A combination of high temperature and high humidity may
-4th week 22-26°C
 Lively behavior cause death of chicks.
 Shiny, dry, thick and colored down feathers  The house must be accessible and easy to clean to avoid the
 Clean, dry navel, and clean feathers around the vent for build-up of disease-causing agents. Sharp-edged objects must also
be removed to prevent possible injury to birds and humans.
Day-old chicks (DOC)
 Clear and shiny eyes Floor Type Flocking Density
 Clean, dry beaks, and nostrils Elevated 6-8 birds per m2 2 birds/ft2
 Straight legs and toes
Litter Type 4-5 birds per m2 1 bird/ft2
Note:
Vaccinate with NCD B1B1 in the 9th day, 1 drop per eye
 Free-range chickens require a ranging area.
Remove brooder when feathers are fully developed (30 days)
 Minimum of 1 square meter per bird (bigger is better)
Start to range at 45 days
 Fence with net or other fencing materials, 6 feet high Hanged-feeders should be breast-level of chickens

Advantages of Elevated-Type Housing

Site Selection for Poultry Houses  Cooler for birds
 Secure Location  Cleaner, less bacterial load
 East-west Orientation is a must  Easy to manage the waste
 Cool shady area is preferred  Safer during rainy season
 Higher elevation of land to minimize/avoid flooding
But more expensive to build than litter-type
 Strong Water Source
Photo Taken at Tarlac Agricultural University

Source: College of Veterinary Medicine, Tarlac Agricultural University I Dr. Ma. Asuncion G. Beltran, Dean, CVM, TAU, Camiling, Tarlac Learning by doing...Do it the #ITCPHway