Criteria Norms During Growth Norms After Maturity Trouble Shooting Checklist

Temperature

(At birds height)
 

 Under Brooders

Day Old - 1 week:
35°C
1-2: 32°C
2-3: 29°C
3-4: 27°C
4-5: 21-24°C

Room Temperature

21-22°C

(Bird's comfort)

 Too High: pasty cloacas, spreading and flapping, crowding away from heat source

Too Low: feather ruffling, 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 breast blisters - leg problems
Air Movement 0.11 m3 per minute per kg live 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, wet, caked litter, Respiratory problems, increased foot problems, poor growth because of wet litter
(see next page)
Lighting First 5 Days:
50 lux

After 1 week: adequate light for feeding and activity		 Daylight Interval

Intensity must be 10 X greater than DARK interval to ensure good production levels		 Too High: cannibalism, flighty, nervous behaviour

Too Low: poor intakes, poor growth and feed conversion
Feeder Space
(per bird) - ad lib

Water Trough
(per bird)		 0.4 wks. - 3.5 cm
4-12 wks. - 8.0 cm		 12 weeks - mature

Feed - 10-12 cm
Water - 10-12 cm		 Too Small: poor intakes, poor growth and starveouts

Density - Floor or Cage Space

(per bird)

Hens

0-4 weeks: 0.5 m2
4-8 weeks: 0.22 m2
8-12 weeks: 0.3 m2

Toms

0-4 weeks: 0.5 m2
4-8 weeks: 0.25 m2
8-12 weeks: 0.30 m2

 Hens

12-16 weeks
16-20 weeks
at least 0.3 m2/bird

Toms

12-16 weeks
16-20 weeks
at least 0.4 m2/bird		 Too Dense: feather picking, cannibalism, more injuries, more health problems, poorer carcasses or lower feed efficiency, wet litter - leg problems

Handy hints

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.

Fan Diameter in Inches Fan Capacity, CFM
8 200
10 400
12 1000
14 1500
16 2000
18 3000
20 4000
24 5000
30 7000
36 10000
Figure 1. Guideline: Lamping Requirements for Poultry Chart. Shows Number of Square Feet per 60 Watt Bulb. Peter Nicholas, Energy Advisor - Agriculture, Ontario Hydro

Accessible description of Figure 1

Example (real barn)

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.

Example (research lab)

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

Accessible image description

Figure 1. Guideline: Lamping Requirements for Poultry Chart. Shows Number of Square Feet per 60 Watt Bulb.

The number of square feet per light bulb increases as you go from dark walls, ceiling and dirty lamps to white walls, ceiling and clean lamps. The number of square feet also increases as the illuminance (in lux) increases. The number of square feet per 60 watt 120 volt incandescent light bulb is always more at a specific illuminance (in lux) than the number of square feet per 60 watt 130 volt incandescent light bulb at the same specific illuminance (in lux).

Approximate number of square feet per 60 watt incandescent light bulb is based on:

  • lamps mounted 8' to 10' above floor
  • power supply is 118 Vac to 122 Vac
  • ambient temperature is 55 °F to 90 °F

Note:

  • 1 footcandle = 10.76 lux
  • 20 lux = approximately 2 footcandles

Light output depends on:

  • amount of dirt on bulb surface
  • reflection from ceiling, walls, floor and birds
  • age of lamp relative to average rated life
  • applied voltage
  • frequency of lamp maintenance
  • ambient room temperature
  • room surface dirt build-up