CHAPTER 4

HOUSING AND EQUIPMENT

Points to ponder in constructing
Poultry Houses
1. Comfort of the Hens 11. There should be a good drainage
2. Floor space requirement system
3. Convenience of the caretaker 12. Consider relation to dwelling
4. Economy of construction house and other buildings
5. Shape 13. Provision of expansion
6. Type of roof 14. Locate the houses
7. Roofing materials 15. Houses should not be
8. Walls constructed to close to trees
9. Flooring 16. Design farm plan
10. Orientation and Distance 17. Other Housing provisions…
between houses
1. Comfort of the Hens

✓ Temperature is the important factor although

humidity, air movement (freedom from draft) space,
convenience, and cleanliness should be consider.
2. Floor space requirement

✓ At the beginning of the breeding period, the chicks

need very little space but as the chicks grow older
they must be provided much wider area.
❑ Egg type chickens
1 day- 3 weeks 0.3 sq.ft/bird
3-8 weeks 0.5 sq.ft/bird
8-12 weeks 1.0 sq.ft/bird
2. Floor space requirement...

❑Meat type/broiler
1 day- 2 weeks 0.3 sq.ft/bird
2 wks. – marketing stage 1.0 sq.ft/bird
2. Floor space requirement...
After 12 weeks, the floor space requirement of growing
pullets varies according to the systems of housing used.

Litter Floor 2.0 – 2.5 sq. ft/bird

Slat Floor 1.5 – 2.0 sq. ft/bird
Cages 0.75 – 1.0 sq. ft/bird
3. Convenience of the caretaker

✓The primary objectives of the poultry house

is to provide comfort to the birds. In terms to
the economic production, however, the
poultry house must be convenient for the
poultry man.
4. Economy of construction

✓ The cheapest and most common materials used

by our poultry raisers are bamboo, coconut trunk,
cogon, nipa and yantok.
✓ Wood, galvanized iron and poultry wire are used
sparingly because it is more expensive by
backyard raisers.
5. Shape

✓ A long narrow (less than 30ft wide) house has the

advantage of better ventilation and lighting. This type
is appropriate for layer.
✓ A house that is wide or nearly square relatively cheap
to build and allows better concentration of feeding
and watering trough in a small area therefore makes
the job on feeding and watering easier. This type is
appropriate in the growing of broilers.
6. Type of Roof

a. Shed (single span) - for narrow houses (8-10 ft)

b. Gable (even span) - for medium wide houses (10-24 ft)
c. Semi monitor - for wide houses (24-30 ft)
d. Monitor - for wide houses (24-30 ft)
7. Roofing materials

a. Cogon - cheap cool, but not durable and serve as

a fire hazard
b. G.I. Sheet – durable, fire resistant, but expensive
and warm
c. Asbestos and aluminum- durable, very expensive
but better than G.I. sheet
8. Walls

✓ Welded wire, bamboo slats, net could be use as

materials for walls except for curtains or wind brakes.
✓ Burlap sacks or temporary “sawali” may be used to
cover the sides in the case of typhoons and heavy
rains.
9. Flooring

a. Bamboo Slats- welded wire or molded

plastic material. If the bamboo is mature, it
is found to last as long as galvanized wire
floors.
b. Concrete floor/ earth- durable but has a
litter materials on top.
10. Orientation and Distance between houses

✓Poultry houses should be or an east west

orientation of at least 30 ft distance between
houses to minimize transfer of diseases.
11. Good Drainage System

✓To accommodate proper disposal of

waste and water waste
12. Consider relations to dwelling house and
other buildings

✓Poultry should be far enough from the

residential buildings to avoid problems of
pollution.
13. Provision of Expansion

✓ It should be made in planning the site of the house so

that additional buildings may be made without
undue expenses on remodeling and dismantling of
houses.
14. Locate the houses

✓Proper ventilation and exposure to sunlight is

obtained but not too exposed to strong
winds.
15. Houses should not br contructed too close
to trees.
✓Soil under such trees is likely to remain damp
and harbor disease organism. Also, there is
danger of trees falling on the houses during
typhoons.
16. Design Farm Plan

✓Whether you like it or not, visitors will judge

your farm with beauty as a principle item in
their score card
17. Other Housing Provisions

a. Feeding space requirements

-Day-old to three weeks old -90’’ per 100 birds
-4 to 8 weeks olds -150’’ per 100 birds
-9 to 20 weeks old -300’’ per 100 birds
17. Other Housing Provisions…

b. Drinking Space Requirement

-Day-old to 3 weeks old -24’’ per 100 birds
-4 to 8 weeks old -36’’ per 100 birds
-9 to 20 weeks -60’’ per 100 birds
CHAPTER 5

PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

1. BROODING Management

Brooding Requirement- the management

they received during the brooding and rearing
period will markedly affect the performance
of the layers. The period will lasts for
approximately 4 weeks.
1. BROODING Management…

Brooding Requirement- the management

they received during the brooding and rearing
period will markedly affect the performance
of the layers. The period will lasts for
approximately 4 weeks.
1. BROODING Management…
Temperature Requirement – Although
brooding involves many factors together to
obtain successful results, its major
requirement is the provision of proper
temperature.
Day-old to 1 week- 32.2 – 35 oc
1 to 2 weeks- 29.4 – 32.2 oc
2 to 3 weeks- 26.7 – 29.4 oc
3 to 4 weeks- 26.7 and below
Sources of heat
a. Electricity
b. Intra-red lamp
c. Kerosene
d. Charcoal
 Light requirement
✓ During the first few days of brooding,
lighting the chicks throughout the night is
favorable for growth because there is
more eating time if feed is available.
✓ The light in the brooder will encourage the
birds to keep close of heat, feed and
water.
Feeds, feeding and watering
As soon as the chicks are settled in the brooder
compartment.
▪ Water should be readily available immediately.
▪ The addition of 5-10% sugar in the drinking water can be done
for the first 6-8 hours.
▪ Supplementation of water soluble vitamin-mineral antibiotic
preparation can give the chicks a good start.
▪ Feeds must be provided after about 23 hours when the chicks
have learn to drink.
Feeds, feeding and watering…
Adequate feeder and watering space should be provided
to the birds. The following allowances are considered minimum
per bird.

Feeder (linear) Water

Day-old – 2 weeks 2.5 cm 0.5 cm (1 gal/100 chicks)

2 – 6 weeks 4.5 cm 1.0
6 – 10 weeks 7.5 cm 2.0
Vaccination, medication and Debeaking
Age Medication Route Remarks
Day-old Mareks vaccine (viral Mass Done at the hatchery particular
disease) fowl paralysis or method/spray for breeder type chicks
neurolymphomatosis
5-12 days NCD or Avian Pest Intranasal/intraoc For chicks vaccinate parents, as
vaccine ular early as 3 days
21 days NCD Mass method
(drinking water)
6-8 Fowl pox Wing web In areas where fowl pox
weeks outbreaks are common
Vaccination may be done at the
age of 4 weeks or 21 days so that
it wont be in conflict with NCD
vaccination
The Don’ts in Vaccination
❖When birds are “off feed”
❖During periods of extremely hot weather
❖When birds are not healthy or some other disease
such as coccidiosis
❖When birds are to be moved/transferred
❖When birds are being medicated or sick
Cannibalism among growing chicks
One of the common problems encountered in raising pullet is feather picking
which almost always results to more serious problem.
The possible causes of cannibalism are:

1. Imbalanced ration- a high energy diet with low protein leads to this problem.
2. Overcrowding and inefficiency of feeding and drinking space
3. Extended period without feed and water
4. Poor ventilation
5. Excessive heat and too much fight
6. It may also a strain characteristics

*To remedy, provide proper feed and housing condition, or beak trimming as
preventive measure.*
Requirement for successful brooding
a. Good quality chicks
b. Proper temperature
c. Good ventilation
d. Adequate floor, feeding and drinking space
e. Dryness and cleanliness
f. Protection from predators
g. Proper feed and feeding system
Factors affecting length of brooding period

a. Weather/ climatic condition- longer during cold and

rainy season; shorter during dry and warm season
b. Rate of feathering- shorter for fast feathering
breeds/varieties/strains; longer for slow feathering;
can be due to genetic make-up or nutrition of birds
2. GROWING MANAGEMENT
A. System of Rearing
Grower houses are no longer provided with heaters.
Generally, the chicks are reared on wider floor space of any kind of
the following house construction.

1. Range system
2. Semi-confinement system
3. Complete confinement system
Range System

✓ This is a good system but because of more land area

required,
✓ This system is commonly practiced by native chicken
growers and by duck raisers
Semi-confinement system

✓ This is a system of raising poultry where the birds are

provided with shed or housing and area to graze or
pasture e.i. in native chicken, organic chicken
production.
Complete confinement System

✓ The modern trend in raising commercial strains of

chicken.
a. Litter Floor
b. Slat Floor
c. Combination
d. Cages
B. Rearing Pullets
1. Feeding requirements of growing pullets
6-14 weeks Grower ration 16% protein
14-20 weeks Pullet developer ration 14% protein

The correct level of good quality protein and other essential

elements must be present in the growing ration. Birds tend to lay eggs
early when fed with feeds of high protein content. This is not
desirable since early sexual maturity results in smaller pullets and
consequently production of smaller eggs.
 The growing ration may be given in mash, crumbles or
pelleted form. Pellets/crumbles, however, are more expensive. It is
recommended that pellets should be allowed to clean out the feed
hoppers before the next feeding. The method would tend to keep the
pullets on better and solve the problem of musty or stale feeds.
2. Culling and revaccination
Only healthy pullets should be transferred to the laying
house. Healthy pullets are:
a. vigorous and active
b. have bright eyes and alert eyes
c. prominent red combs
d. possess well developed body and exhibit deep yellow
pigmented beaks and shank

*These characteristics are related to high production performance. The

stunted and poorly developed pullets must be culled. The pullets may
also be revaccinated specifically against New Castle Disease, Avian pest
before they are transferred to the laying house.*
3. Signs of sexual maturity
After 16 weeks of age, the reproductive organs of pullets will start to
develop in preparation for reproduction (egg production). This is manifested by
the change in appearance of the secondary sexual characteristics.
1. The combs and wattles begin to increase in size and the color
becomes red.
2. The pullets become friendly and cackle.
3. She instinctively looks for nest.
4. Pullets become docile
5. Easily managed and gregarious (sociable).
6. The vent and abdomen become enlarged.
 The most awaited time in raising pullets is when
they begin producing eggs, it is not desirable to hurry
them up to production early.

Too early maturity leads to:

-production of too many small eggs
-tendency to obtain lower egg production
rate during the whole production period
- higher mortality
-higher incidence of prolapse
 If too early sexual maturity is being shown by the pullets, some
delaying measures may be worthwhile. The following are some suggestions to
delay sexual maturity:
1. Actual amount of feed can be reduced. The amount of reduction will
depend on the extent of delaying required and composition of diet.
Some poultry raisers have practiced as much as 20% reduction based
on full feed capacity.
2. The feed can be diluted by incorporating a high fiber material (like
rice hulls). The pullets should be full fed.
3. A low protein, specifically low lysine diet, will delay sexual maturity.
4. Skip feeding
5. Together with any method of feed restriction, light must also be
reduced.
C. Layer Flock Management
1. Housing
The design and construction of houses for layers should be such as to
provide for:
- top performance of the layers
- optimum environment control
- maximum labor efficiency
- satisfactory waste disposal
- minimum housing and care costs per dozen eggs produced
C. Layer Flock Management…
Like the grower houses, layer houses can be either:
- litter floor pens
- slat floor pens
- combination of litter and slatted floor (used for only
breeder flocks)

The recent trend in poultry houses is the use of cages in

the raising of layers. Many of the modern and successful
commercial egg farms use cage system layer operation, from
single or individual birds’ cage, doubles, 3 in a cage, or more birds
per cage.
2. Transferring the Pullets to the Layer House
Before the pullets actually start laying eggs they must be
transferred to the laying house. They should not be allowed to lay
eggs on the rearing floor to avoid the development of egg eating
habit.
This should be done 16-18 weeks or a month before laying.
Handling pullets when they have started laying is very dangerous.
Mortalities may not be encountered, but handling itself is a form
of stress that can depress production.
3. Daily routine of work in the layer house
Chickens are biological animals so different from large livestock.
They have very small depository organ for feed, and therefore, must be
supplies their needs more frequently. As egg layers, they are normally
expected to produce one egg daily.
a. Feeding
b. Provision of water
c. Egg collection
d. Egg sorting
e. Lighting program
Feeding- Layer must be fed a dietary composition referred
to as layer ration, or breeder ration. Commercial feed
millers may have some variation of each of these kinds for
their purpose of selling.
Layer ration generally contains a protein level
ranging from 15% to as high as 18%. The protein level
requirement of laying hens is the most controversial
subject of nutrition up to the present.
 The amount of feed consumed by layers is influenced by a
variety of factors:
1. Age, size and egg production rate of the particular layer.
2. Energy content of the diet
3. Climatic condition
4. Health status

*Generally, maturing hens will consume about as low as 90

grams to as high as 140 grams a day. One year consumption
varies from 40 to 42 kilos per layer.*
Provision of water- Drinking water must be available to the layers
all the time. The egg is about 65 to 70% water. One hundred layers
can drink 7 gallons of water during a normal day and will drink
much more when temperature of the environment becomes
higher.
Layers can take certain short period of starvation (without
feed) when there is available water and keep normal egg
production rate. When they are deprived of drinking water for a
couple of hours, even there is feed all the time, this will certainly
be reflected in a declined egg production.
Egg Collection- Laying hens are expected to produce
one egg everyday. They are capable of doing it but it is
next to impossible to realize the-one-egg-ane-day for
long period of time. They are expected to skip some
days in egg production.

*OVIPOSITION (the act of laying eggs)- takes place

normally as early as 7:00 am to as late as 4:00 pm.
Majority of hens laid their eggs between 10:00 am to
2:00 pm. The concentration of egg laid takes place before
noon as a common observation.
 Collecting eggs more often once has the following
advantages:
1. The eggs can be kept in the egg storage room where
favorable environmental conditions can be provided.
2. Eggs kept long in the nests or pens or cages are liable to
be exposed to high temperature, more dust and dirt,
bird’s dung, trample by hens, intentionally picked, or
broken by some layers and some other possible agencies
that can injure them.

*Eggs must be collected in wire baskets to

provide good air circulation.*
Egg sorting- egg sizes and quality are major determinant
of profitability

Lighting program- laying birds must be provided with light

during the entire laying period. Light stimulates egg
production since it affects the release of FSH from the
anterior pituitary to actuate the ovary to form the ova.
The recommended light hours for layers are 14-16 hours
per day.
Culling- one of the factors that influence the profitability
of a layer flock operation is the rate of egg production. The
number of egg on the other hand, depends on the
presence or absence of poor and non-productive layers.
As a general practice, culling can be executed at any time
if it is necessary that some of the birds must be removed
due to whatever characteristic condition existing at a
particular time
Flock replacement program- A replacement can be planned
as what to follow.
In a setup of one year laying program and a total
replacement of all old hens, the number of chicks to be
raised can be determined.
Chapter 6

BROILER PRODUCTION
What are Broilers?
➢ Broilers are meat type chicken that grows and reach
marketable size (1.6-4.2 kg live weight) at 35-42 days.
1. Factors to consider in broiler raising

Market Outlet
All produce should be marketable with reasonable profit at
proper time. These should be an assured market before
venturing into the business.

2.0
1.5
Weight
(Kg) 1.0
0.5
0
2 4 6 8 Age (week)
Why Broilers should not kept longer than 8 weeks?
1. Feed conversion becomes poorer or the broiler becomes older.
2. Broilers become oversized, not easily marketed or saleable, and price is
low per unit weight. Market demand is 1.0 – 1.5 kg.
3. There are more physiological changes relative to reproduction function.
There is a change in physical conformation due to sex difference.
Cross section of a male broiler at 8 weeks.
PLUMP CONFORMATION

The reverse is true for the female.

Regular supply of good broiler chicks.
Profits in broiler raising can’t be obtained from one broiler or group
broilers at one time, but rather on a good number at one time, followed
at one close intervals regularly from batch to batch and through the
years.
The supply of chicks should be volume oriented. It should be
programmed 5-6 batches within a year.
i. 5 batches/year 52 weeks/year 10 weeks/cycle
6-7 weeks for growing
2-3 weeks for cleaning/disinfecting
ii. 6 batches per year 52 week/ year 8.7 weeks per cycle
6 weeks growing
2.7 weeks cleaning/disinfecting and
preparation for next batch
Constant supply of broiler feeds, feed supplements and
essential medicines.
➢Feed is the biggest item in the operational cost.
The quality of feed is always reflected in the
growth of broilers.
➢Feed must be available all the time.
➢The modern stock of broilers responds very well
to feed supplements and additives that influence
fast growth.
➢The birds also benefit much medical treatment in
cases of stress conditions that may be
unexpectedly encountered.