| Criteria |
Norms During Growth |
Norms After Maturity |
Trouble Shooting Checklist |
|
Temperature
(At birds height)
|
Day Old: 28°-32°C
Lowered:
2°-3°C per week
to
21°C at 6 weeks
|
Breeders:
21°C for bird's comfort |
Too High: pasted vents, frequent wing spreading and flapping, panting,
crowding away from heat source
Too Low: feather ruffling, rigid posture, huddling and piling near
heat source |
| Ammonia (P.P.M.) |
Maximum
25 ppm (see next page) |
Maximum
25 ppm |
Too High: eye burns - higher incidence of respiratory problems,
blindness |
| Air Movement |
0.11 m3 per minute per kg bird
or
2.75-3.0 cfm per kg live bird |
0.11 m3 per minute per kg live bird
or
2.75-3.0 cfm per kg live bird |
Poor: high ammonia levels, caked litter, increased respiratory
problems, increased health problems(see next page) |
| Lighting |
First 7 Days: 20 lux
After 1st week adequate light for feeding and activity preferably
using light dimmers and lower wattage bulbs |
For Production:
Minimum 14 hours daylight interval intensity must be 10X greater than
dark to ensure good production level |
Too High: cannibalism, flightiness, more egg cracks
Too Low: poor growth and poor egg conversion
(see Figure 1) |
Feeder Space
(per bird) - ad lib
Water Trough
(per bird) |
0-6 wks: 2.5 cm
6-18 wks: 7.5 cm
0.6 wks: 1.0 cm
6-18 wks: 2.0 cm |
18 weeks - mature:
Feed - 10.0 cm
Water - 4.0 cm |
Not Enough Space: poor intakes, poor growth and poor egg production |
|
Density - Floor or Cage Space
(per bird)
|
0-6 weeks: 0.05 m2
6-18 weeks: 0.14 m2 |
18 weeks - mature:
0.2 m2
If 'free range' needs protective fencing |
Too Dense: feather picking, cannibalism, egg production
levels drop, higher mortality
Free Range: greater incidence of disease, parasites - problems with
predators.
See Factsheet 88-095 Control of Extenal Parasites on Poultry |
Humans can detect the smell of ammonia at 7 p.p.m.
When human eyes are affected (watering/burning), ammonia levels are at
least 20 p.p.m.
A maintained light level of 20 lux may be achieved by using
one standard 60W/120V incandescent bulb for every 200 square feet of floor
space, or by using one long-life 60W/130V incandescent bulb for every
120 square feet of floor space in a dark barn.
A white clean room will have 40 lux with about one lamp per
280 square feet, or about 20 lux if one bulb per 560 square feet is used.
Save Energy: Use 9 Watt to 11 Watt compact fluorescent lamps
instead of 60 Watt/130 Volt incandescent bulbs
Save Energy: Use 13 Watt to 15 Watt compact fluorescent lamps
instead of 60 Watt/120 Volt incandescent bulbs
