Broiler Chicks Brooding: What you should know

Broiler chicks brooding can be frustrating if you do not know what to do and why it is so critical to keep them warm and safe. All the crucial elements of keeping your new broiler chicks healthy and free from diseases are covered in this article. 

 Also, read: Broiler Feeding and Weight Chart

When you purchase your broiler chicks, you expect to have a few questions answered. You are looking for answers to questions like how to feed them, care for them, and ensure their health and freedom from illness.

 

If you are not appropriately caring for your chicks as they mature, your production will suffer. By doing so, you may cause reduced growth and development, poorer feed conversion, and increased disease, and mortality.

 

What Is Broiler Chicks Brooding?

Broiler chick brooding involves creating suitable environmental conditions for young birds to ensure their healthy growth and development. 

The main aim of brooding broiler chicks is to efficiently provide a healthy and comfortable environment for the growing birds. 

Temperature, air quality, humidity, litter management and light are major critical factors to consider, while they also need protection from predators, feed, water, and space.

Chickens have the ability to regulate their body temperatures when they reach adulthood. However, they are not able to withstand chilly weather until they are over two weeks old.

This is why it is essential to give them an external heat source during their early stages, as it will establish the perfect conditions for their health and growth.

Come on board with me, let us examine some of the factors that contribute to the excellent brooding of your broiler chicks.

Essential operations before you receive chicks

• Washing and disinfection of the brooder pen includes all the production equipment such as the heater, brooder guard, drinkers, and feeders.  
• The floors and walls need to be spotless and disinfected using effective disinfectants such as Morigad germicide, and Morigad Lysol.  Additionally, V-ox, Agric lime and other potent disinfectants should be utilized.

• You can spread the litter material after disinfection and reintroduce the production equipment into the brooder house.

• Use the brooder guard to create a circle of about 10 feet in diameter to hold about 350 to 500 chicks.

• Arrange Newspapers, feeders and drinkers, and the heat source, inside the brooder guard.

• Sprinkle the fine mash / crumble feed for the chicks on the newspaper.

• Check the brooder for a proper temperature of 34° C.

 

Litter Management

Litter conditions set the tone for the flock long before the chicks arrive at the farm. In order to achieve the best performance, it is crucial to guarantee that the chicks are placed on a uniform layer of clean and dry bedding, with a minimum depth of four inches.

This should be maintained within a temperature range of approximately 30-32 degrees Celsius.

If you try to start chicks on old, damp or wet litter, they could develop respiratory problems or die. Allowing litter to sit in a house cold and wet for days on end can lead to serious health problems. 

The main objective of managing litter is to ensure that the chicks have comfortable bedding conditions while minimizing the negative impact of moisture and ammonia on the environment.

 

 

Temperature and chick performance.

When the chicks arrive, the temperature in the brooder house should be 28° C for the air, 30-32° C for the litter, and 32-33° C for the concrete.

This is very important because the feet of the chicks are the part of their body that loses the most heat.

If the chicks can access the feed, but the temperature is hot, they may not eat because of the excessive heat. The recommended brooding temperatures for broiler chicks are:

Day 1–34oC or 93oF               

Day 2–32oC or 90oF

Day 7–31oC or 88oF

Day 14–27oC or 81oF

 

Alternatively, if temperatures are correct and there is enough feed and water, chicks will be active, eat and drink enough to grow. They can also use this temperature to control the amount of moisture they lose in the air. 

Keeping the right temperature and humidity levels also helps prevent bacterial infections. By understanding how to properly care for chicks in the brooder ensure your chicks are healthy and productive. 

 

Feeding the chicks

Chickens need to eat a lot of food to grow and develop. During the first week, their growth and development are at their best. After the first seven days, their growth and development will naturally decrease.

The diet of chickens during their first seven days is the most critical. For them to grow properly, it is crucial to ensure that they receive adequate nutrients and energy. Therefore, it is essential to start by giving them the right quantity of food and water.

Chicks need a balanced diet. If there is not enough feed, they will be hungry and eat less, and therefore not develop. Providing a minimum of 75 grams of feed per bird is crucial to ensuring optimal growth.

Insufficient nutrition can hinder their growth as they will depend on whatever protein and energy they have left, negatively impacting their overall development. Read more: Feed and Feeding Management.

The growth and development of broiler chickens are enhanced when they are provided with unrestricted access to high-quality feed throughout the entire brooding period.

 

Water Quality and Availability

Water is very important for young chicks, as it helps to move nutrients, remove toxins, and disperse heat and chemical reactions.

 

Remember: chicks are smart birds who like to eat, so make sure they have access to fresh clean water at all times. Chicks need plenty of water to keep their feathers soft and to maintain their healthy metabolism. 

Water line drinkers are the most hygienic option, they provide easy distribution to the chicks. 

Hot water temperatures higher than 25° C will negatively affect consumption. I recommend you flush the lines at least three times each day for the first week.

 

Ventilation

You need ventilation to regulate the internal climate of your brooder house to protect against the accumulation of unpleasant gases such as

 

• Ammonia.
• Carbon dioxide.
• Moisture.
• Dust.
• And other pollutants.

Good ventilation also helps to keep the air fresh, so it’s important to have a way to circulate the air. Also, ensure that you construct the poultry brooder house to support the free flow of air.

 

Broilers Vaccination Schedule.

Age	Vaccine	Route of Administration
Day 1	MDV	Subcutaneous
Day 6	IB Vaccine	Spray
Day 7-9	1st NDV Lasota	Oral (water)
Day 12-16	1st IBDV	Oral (water)
Day 19-23	2nd IBDV	Oral (water)
Day 24-28	2nd NDV Lasota	Oral (water)

 

Note:

MDV: Marek’s Disease
Vaccine

IB: Infectious Bronchitis

NDV: Newcastle Disease
Vaccine

IBDV: Infectious Bursal Disease 

 

Lighting During Brooding

Providing artificial light for birds during brooding increases the amount of daylight. It is crucial to ensure that there is sufficient light to promote proper development. Brighter light greatly influences their ability to see, eat, drink, sleep, and grow.

 

You can use a light bulb, but you need to make sure that it’s safe for chicks. The fluorescent bulbs are safer than regular bulbs, and you can gradually reduce the amount of light once your chicks are about 2 weeks old. 

 

Floor Space management

Avoid overstocking during brooding. If the temperature gets too high, your birds will experience problems such as stress, heatstroke, feather pecking, and cannibalism. You should provide an appropriate brooder space for your birds based on their age and size.

 

The recommended space for broiler chicks (0-18 days old) is 0.5-0.6 sq ft or 0.4 sq meters. This is the area they need to be kept during the brooding process. It’s important to note that this area should be large enough to allow the chicks to turn around comfortably.

 

A week before chicks arrive

1. Wash and disinfect the house thoroughly with good disinfectants. Ensure you concentrate on the walls and floors, not forgetting the crevices as well. V-ox, Morigad Lysol, Morigad germicide and Poldine are some of the good disinfectants that you can get on the market. 

2. All the production equipment such as the heater, feeders and drinkers should be disinfected as well. After a meticulous disinfection, please proceed to re-install the equipment. Additionally, set up a foot dip at the entrance of the pen, filled with the disinfectant solution.

3. All things going in and out of the pen after disinfection, must dip their feet inside the foot dip.

4. It’s important to cover the openings to trap heat and stop the wind from blowing. Cover all the netted walls with polythene material or tarpaulin if available. 

5. Ensure the pen is wild birds’ proof.

6. Keep rats, mice, and other pests out.

7. Lock the pen until the chicks arrive to prevent reinfection.

 

Materials/equipment needed in brooding

• Charcoal stove/kerosene stove. 
• Digital/analogue thermometer
• Electrical brooder. 
• Fluorescent bulbs. 
• Brooder guard/chick guard.
• Feeders/drinkers
• Electrical heaters.

 

24 hours before the chick’s arrival, do the following.

• Spread the litter material at a minimum depth of 5 cm above the floor. If you are engaged in cage brooding, ensure the floor of the cage is lined with either newspapers or plywood for optimal comfort and cleanliness.

• Set the brooder guards up around the heaters and ignite them (gas brooder, electric bulbs, charcoal pots, or stoves, e.tc.) 

• Place a digital or analogue thermometer at a height of 1 meter in each of the pens to monitor the pen temperature. The required temperature is 34oC or 93oF.

• Check whether all the bulbs are okay and that the floor is well lit. Add more light bulbs if needed and adjust the bulbs to two meters in height.

• Provide 2-3 round tray feeders per 100 chicks and place them between the drinkers.

• The feeders and drinkers should be adjusted, so chicks can easily reach the feed and water.

 

 

When the chicks arrive

• Immediately the chicks arrive, unbox them gently and record the number per box including dead and malformed ones. Burn all empty boxes instantly after unboxing.
• Isolate weak ones and pay special attention to them. Put them in a warm area until they are healthy.
• Check if they are eating and drinking properly. If their beaks don’t have any food, water, or dirt on them, it means they may not have a way to get nourishment or hydration.

 

• If their beaks are clean and free of food, water, or dirt, it means they may not have a way to get nourishment or hydration. Provide broiler starter crumbles or mash in all the feed trays.

 

• Spread out the chicks around the brooding perimeter and ensure they are eating and drinking water.

 

• Do not allow visitors to the brooding house. If they must enter, they should remove their shoes and dip their feet in the foot bath before entering.

 

• You should lock the door to keep the temperature stable.

 

• Keep the chicks warm and dry for the first 3 days, at an ambient temperature of 35-40 degrees Celsius, which is perfect for survival. 

 

If the temperature is too low, they will get cold, if it is too high, they will get too hot and pant moving away from the heat source.

 

 

Please note:

• If the chicks are spread evenly in the pen, it shows the correct temperature.

• If the temperature is low, the chicks will huddle together under the sources of heat. Increase the heat source or add more heat.

 

• If the chicks move farther away from the heat source, this means the temperature is high. Reduce the heaters and open a part of the wall to allow fresh air and provide fresh water. 

 

• If the chicks are congregating on one side of the pen, it’s a sign that heat distribution is uneven. Investigate any openings that may be allowing fresh air to enter the pen from the outside.

 

• You can read Chicks’ Reaction to Temperature Behaviour for a better understanding.

 

 

Checklist of the daily routine for 7 days

• Provide antibiotics and multivitamins in their water for the first 5 days.

 

• Provide fresh broiler starter feed and water for the chicks every morning. Wash the drinkers daily and the feeders with a brush. Avoid spilling water on the litter to prevent the growth of Mould.

 

• Ensure that there is plenty of room for your birds to move around. They should be able to stand up and turn around. Remove the newspaper after the first 2 days, and replace it with flat tray feeders.

 

• Check and remove dead birds from the pen every day and bury them immediately far away from the brooding pen.

 

• Ensure your home remains spotless, as this is crucial for maintaining good health and preventing illness. If you detect any unpleasant odours, it’s time to address them immediately. Additionally, if you spot any mould, be sure to remove the affected materials without delay.

 

• Monitor the chicks: You’ll need to make sure that you always monitor your chicks. This is to ensure that they are not getting sick and that they’re growing and developing well. You can do this by checking their temperature regularly, or by checking their weight.

 

• Keep the heat and temperature of your house constant. You don’t want your birds to get cold or hot.

 

• It is advisable to reduce the temperature gradually. In the afternoon, when it’s hot, take off some heaters to avoid heat-induced mortalities.

 

• Check that there is enough food for your chicks. You need to make sure that there is enough space for them to eat. If there is not enough space, then they will have to fight for their food. This can lead to aggression and cannibalism.

 

• Make sure that there is plenty of fresh air. If you notice that the air is stale, then you need to open the windows and allow fresh air in.

 

• Make sure that your chicks always have fresh drinking water. You don’t want them to drink dirty water.

 

• Keep adequate daily records of mortality, stock, feed intake, utility supplies and medication used.

 

 

Problems during broiler chicks brooding.

There are a few things that can go wrong during broiler chicks’ brooding because of poor management and ignorance. Here’s some of it you need to know to help you avoid such a fate.

Disease control

Chicks are susceptible to various diseases like Gumboro disease, infectious bronchitis, Newcastle disease, etc. during brooding operations. 

 

Therefore, it is especially important to keep your chicks free from these diseases by observing all biosecurity protocols.

 

If you find any sick chicks on your farm, immediately take them to your vet for treatment. You should also monitor your chicks for any signs of illness.

 

Coccidiosis can be fatal in chicks. The symptoms are severe diarrhoea and weight loss. Chickens infected with coccidiosis show rapid loss of body weight, depression, weakness, paralysis, vomiting, diarrhoea and sometimes death. 

Coccidiosis in poultry can be treated with various anticoccidial medications, including amprolium and clopidol. However, it’s essential to consult with a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment recommendations. For more information on coccidiosis, refer to the Merck Veterinary Manual [coccidiosis in poultry].

 

Stress management

It’s very important to avoid stress. You should not over-stress your birds because it will cause problems with their health. When chicks are being vaccinated, it can be a stressful experience for them.

To reduce the impact of this stress on the birds, it is important to incorporate anti-stress additives into their feed or water.

It is advisable to administer these additives two days prior to and two days following the vaccination process.

This will help to minimize the negative effects of stress on the chicks. Chickens are very smart and if they feel stressed, they’ll grow slower.

 

 

High brooding temperature

Excessively temperatures above the recommended brooding temperature aren’t good for the chicks; it makes the birds drink more water and eat less feed. The best way to overcome this stressful challenge is to set up a thermometer in the brooder.

 

High Mortality percentage

There are various factors responsible for the high mortality rate among chicks during the initial days. However, implementing effective management practices can significantly decrease this rate and result in improved growth and profitability.

 

Vaccination failure

This can happen because of the following factors: Storage problems, poor handling of the vaccine, Use of contaminated water, etc. 

 

All these can cause disease outbreaks, high brooding mortality percentage and loss of revenue for the farmer.  Read also: Tips on preventing vaccination failure on poultry farms.

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, chickens are sensitive to changes in their environment. To keep your chicks happy and healthy, you must provide them with the best conditions possible. 

 

The most important thing you can do is to ensure that your chicks have a good diet, which will allow them to grow at a healthy rate. 

Disclaimer

The information in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional veterinary or nutritional advice. Always consult with a qualified expert for any concerns or before making any decisions regarding the care or treatment of your animals.

Did you pick up any new knowledge?