Name: Tia Nicome

School: Siparia West Secondary School

Registration Number:

Teacher’s Name: Mrs.N. Budri

Title of Project: The effect of spacing on Broiler Growth at Siparia

West Secondary School, Trinidad, West Indies.

Start Date:

End Date:

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Introduction

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Problem Statement:
The effect of different spacing on Broiler weight gain at
Siparia West Secondary School requires an improved study.

Hypothesis:
Broiler weight gain is affected by spacing.

Aim:
To determine the response of broiler chickens to spacing at
Siparia West Secondary School.

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 Methodology

Materials Tools and Equipment

20 Broiler Baby Chicks Camera
Starter Feed Light bulbs
Finisher Feed Concrete bricks
Vitality Vitamin Foot bath container, sponge and tray
Old newspaper sheets Aprons
Wood shavings Waterers and Feeders
Disinfectant Garden boots
Liquid soap/Detergent Dust masks
Garbage bags Broom/Scoop
Clear plastic bags Hayfork
Tape and Marker Buckets
J-Cloths Rake and Shovel
Pot and ring stove
Knife
Slaughtering cone
Wooden stick
Triple Beam Balance
10 Kg scale

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 Experimental Design

The investigation was conducted in a poultry pen at the school's

Agriculture building/farm located at Block O of the school
compound. It lasted from 17th February 2022 to 20th April 2022.
Three weeks were spent in a brooder rearing twenty (20) day-old
broiler chicks. The chicken pen was separated into two portions,
designated sections C and T, after brooding. The "Control Section"
was Section C, while the "Treatment Section" was Section T. While
the Control portion permitted a spacing of 0.09m2 (1ft2) per bird, the
Treatment section permitted a spacing of 0.18m2 (2ft2) per bird. Ten
brooded chicks were chosen at random and distributed evenly
throughout the indicated areas of the pen.

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 Data Collection

Broiler Liveability:
Is the quantity of birds counted in real time each week till the
conclusion of the experiment.

Average feed consumption per bird per week:

Before filling the feeder, the feed was weighed, and until the
experiment's conclusion, the weight of feed that was
delivered each week was recorded.

Broiler live weight:

All of the chicks were weighed before the start of the
experiment, and every week after that, until the trial's
conclusion, the weight of the birds was recorded.

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 Broiler Production Practices

Clean & Disinfect Pen:

The poultry enclosure area needed to be cleaned and
sterilized in order to accommodate the young chicks that
were one day old. The pen's walls and roof were cobwebbed
to accomplish this. A broom and scoop were used to sweep
the floor and remove the garbage. The roof, walls, and
flooring were cleaned using a garden hose. Additionally, the
area was cleaned using liquid soap. After that, disinfectant
was used to sanitize the area.

Preparation of Brooder:
Six concrete bricks were placed along the width and length of
the area to make a square at one corner of the chicken
enclosure in order to prepare the area for the brooder. A
light bulb was hung in the area, newspaper sheets were
spread out on the floor of the brooder, and a foot bath filled
with water, disinfectant, and a piece of sponge was set up in
front of the area. The pen also included a feed tray with 2 kg
of starter feed and a waterer in it. Before going into the
brooder, each young chicken was given a weight.

Spacing:
The treatment section was given a spacing allowance of
0.18m2 (2ft2) per bird, while the control section was given a
spacing allowance of 0.09m2 (1ft2) per bird. Ten (10) broilers

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were raised in each area of the experiment, and each section
had a waterer and a feeder in the flood space.

Housing:
In the agricultural building's poultry pen, broilers were kept.
For the first two weeks of the experiment, a layer of
newspaper was placed on the floor of the brooder; after that,
sawdust was added. For the birds' comfort and to enable
them to feed at night, lighting bulbs were placed in each
section. The correct spacing was created in the Treatment
and Control pen.

Weight of Birds:
Every week, all chicks were weighed on a triple beam balance
for the first three weeks of the experiment. A 10kg weighing
scale was used to weigh the chickens during the previous
three weeks. Once a week until the experiment's conclusion,
weights were taken.

Nutrition:
For the first four weeks, starting feed was given to the
broilers. On the fourth week, finisher feed was gradually
added by combining it with starter feed in an increasing
amount. The birds were fed finisher feed until they were
killed. Additionally, there was always availability to fresh
water for the birds to drink.

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Litter Management:
Newspapers were spread on the brooder's floor for the
chicks' first week of experimentation. Every day, fresh sheets
were put in place of the filthy newspaper. Sawdust was
added to the floor after the newspaper was fully removed.
Every day, the sawdust was flipped to avoid caking, and any
wet sawdust or caking was removed and replaced with fresh
sawdust. The experiment's end result was the removal of the
litter and its placement in a compost pile.

Health Management:
Feeders and waterers were regularly cleaned and sanitized
each day. The broilers in the control and treatment pens
received Vitalyte vitamins at the recommended rate, and
they were in good health for the whole eight-week period.

Slaughtering and Packaging:

The broilers were prepared for slaughter after eight
weeks. Each broiler was weighed before being killed.
The farm workers assisted in cutting off the bird's neck
with a sharp knife when it was brought to the slaughter
cone. The blood was allowed to drain before being
plunged into cold water and then, for no more than
two seconds, into boiling water while being turned
with a stick. The offal’s were removed and the feathers
were manually plucked. The chicken was washed,

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placed in a plastic bag, weighed, and labelled for sale
before being cleaned.

Sales of Birds:
The birds were prepared for the market after eight weeks.
They were being marketed as cooked fowl. After being
slaughtered, plucked, cleaned, and weighed while keeping
track of each step, the animals were put in plastic bags,
labelled, and then sold to students and staff.

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 Results
Broiler Liveability:
Table 1 shows the number of Broilers that survived
throughout the experiment period.
Time in weeks Control Pen Treatment Pen
1 10 10
2 10 10
3 10 10
4 10 10
5 10 10
6 10 10
7 10 10
8 10 10
Table 1: Shows Broilers Liveability over the Experimental
Period.

Average Broiler Live Weight:

Table 2 shows the average Broiler live weights taken on a
weekly basis throughout the experimental Period.
Time In Week Control Pen Treatment Pen
1 144 167
2 376 430
3 850 1055
4 1365 1600
5 1940 2450
6 2260 2940
7 2600 2680
8 3450 3700

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Table 2: Shows the Graph of the average live weight/bird
over the experimental period.

Average Live Weights

4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Control Pen Treatment Pen

Average Broiler Feed Consumption:

Table 3 shows the average Broiler feed consumption taken
on a weekly basis throughout the experimental period.
Time In Week Control Pen Treatment Pen
1 70 80
2 300 579
3 580 905
4 525 570
5 950 1370
6 1200 1400
7 1400 1800
8 1000 1200
Table 3: Shows the graph of the average weekly feed
consumption/bird over the experimental period.

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 Average Feed Compnsumption
3500

3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Control Pen Treatment Pen

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