Brooder management is an important aspect in poultry farming. Good brooder management sets the foundation for Success by minimizing losses at all cost. For most smallholder farmers in Kenya, brooding is always a challenge mostly caused by not having the right information. Below is a few tips of what you should consider as you plan to brood your chicks.
- Space Requirement: Provide brooder floor spacing of 25 chicks per square meter for layers and 20 chicks per square metre for broilers to prevent overcrowding.
- Security: Keep the room secure from prey e.g rodents, cats and dogs. Create a wire mesh perimeter fence.
- Heat: Chicken need about a temperature of about 90-95 degrees F for the first week, reducing it with about 5 degrees per week. Hang a warm bulb about one foot above the brooder floor for warmth. You can also use a charcoal Jiko. Allow one Jiko per 300 chicks.
- Environment: Keep the brooder dry and disease free. Disinfect it one week before bringing in the chicken. Place water treated with a disinfectant at the entrance of the brooding house. Always wear clean, disinfected footwear and clothing. When visiting birds of different ages, start with the youngest flock and always visit sick flocks last, irrespective of their age
- Bedding: Spread about 2-4 inches of well disinfected Wood shavings. Alternatively you can use wheat straw or newspaper. DO NOT use sawdust as the chicks can ingest it.
- Water: Provide fresh and clean water daily. Allow 50 chicks per 3-5 litre drinker.. Raise the drinker a couple inches off the floor to prevent dirt and bedding from contaminating it. Always wash the drinkers on a daily basis with a detergent.
- Feed: Scatter feed on a flat carton or newspaper so chicks for the first week. Place it on the feeder in the second week. Give quality feed from reputable suppliers. Avoid stale and damp feed.
For more guideline and training on poultry production (brooding, housing, feeding, pest and disease management) contact us on 0705554425 email: farmlinkenya@gmail.com Click here to see the full list of our farm services.
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