Pullets, hens and broilers are vastly different genetically than they were 30 years ago. Broilers in 2010 were roughly 50 percent larger than they were in 1980. Yet, many of the standard management practices we use today originated in the 1980s. The following tips on how to manage 21st-century birds are important for everyone throughout the complete production line.
New Housing Parameters
As we have seen progression in poultry genetics, housing also needed to change to accommodate a more efficient and larger bird. Manual systems have trouble keeping up with today’s ventilation systems, which include bigger, more efficient fans, complex air inlet systems and controllers with multiple settings to account for changes in temperature throughout the year. Ultimately, it comes down to creating the best environment for birds. The better their environment, the better the end product will be. Therefore, making investments in housing updates or additions now will pay for itself in the long run.
New Management Techniques
While broilers have nearly doubled in size over the last 30 years, breeding stock weight standards have changed very little. The only way to achieve those weights is through extremely precise management techniques. All birds want to be broilers by nature and want to eat and grow. It is our job to restrict the pullet/hen weight to a similar weight as 20-30 years ago so they will stillproduce eggs. With genetic improvements weighted heavily toward broiler production, it’s harder and harder to keep the pullet/hen from trying to grow faster.
More Feeder Space
Uniformity is always key to efficient production and having healthy flocks. Yet, because today’s birds convert feed more efficiently and grow faster, they need proper feeding space more than ever. Giving pullets and hens adequate feeder space— ideally, having available 11.5-15 cm per bird on chain system and 12-14 birds per pan on pan system of feeder space — ensures that birds eat the same amount at the same time. Managing the intake, spacingand timing reduces competition for food, resulting in better uniformity andfeed efficiency.
The Houses Need Downtime
In today’s world, the time between flocks is just as important as the time birds are in the houses. Ensuring proper down time between flocks is one fundamental way to improve performance in broilers. This allows the house to rest, giving producers time to condition the litter, dry out the house/floor/litter and help manage bacterial loads in the environment. During this time, the integrator and producer should agree on a plan of action to properly manage the litter to prepare for the next flock (total cleanout, de-cake only, de-cake and windrow). A minimum of 14 days should be allowed to achieve all the objectives needed for a proper start to the next flock.
Water Needs Have Increased
Today’s 35-day old bird is more like a 50-day old bird 30 years ago. We’ve already examined several ways this impacts the birds’ needs, and water is no different. Birds need more water because they are developing more quickly. Broilers drink at a ratio of 2-to-1 in relationship to water/feed consumption. Thus, if water is restricted, the birds will not eat the needed feed to properly grow. When the lights first come on, it is an extremely high demand time for water. Monitor house meters during the first two hours after the lights come on to assure all houses are getting proper volume.
Birds Face Greater Heat Stress
We have controls all over the chicken house to monitor the temperature; however, that doesn’t take into consideration the temperature of the birds. Themost important factor is the birds’ core body temperature, especially during feeding time when birds are in such close proximity and working themselves up to a frenzy. For pullets and hens, managing temperature at feed time is crucial for proper feed intake, optimal performance and peak production. Overheating at this time can cause excessive mortality, increased floor/slat eggs and poor performance. Ventilation/air flow should be increased during this time to manage bird temperature.
In broilers, we should pay special attention to bird heat once they become fully feathered out. Feathers act like an insulation and make it more difficult for birds to remove excess heat into the environment. One misconception is thatjust because you grow small birds, overheating isn’t a problem. On the contrary, because you can place more small birds in any house and they actually produce more heat than larger birds that are less densely placed.
Conclusion
Over and over again, we see examples of ways that pullets, hens and broilershave dramatically evolved in the past 30 years. And with that we must constantly adapt and fine-tune our management practices — as well as the housing facilities — to meet the needs of these new, larger and more efficient birds.
By providing birds with the optimal environment, we can better realize their genetic potential while maximizing performance and production.
