PERFORM PRE-LAY AND LAY ACTIVITIES

What is layer chicken?

Layer chickens are such a special species of hens, which need to be raised from when they are one
day old. They start laying eggs commercially from 16-18 weeks of age.

Layer Flocked Management

 Range system – good system but more land area, commonly practice by native chicken growers
and duck raisers
 Semi-confinement – a system where birds are provided with shed and an area to graze.
 Complete confinements – modern trend in raising chicken. Ex. Litter floor, slat floor, combination
and cages.

MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR TRANSFERRED LAYERS

 Ventilation
TYPES OF ROOFS

 Floor Space
Age of Chicken Space Requirement
Da1 -4 Floor Space weeks 15 [Link]. / chick
4-8 weeks 30 [Link] / chick
9 weeks – laying age 50 – 60 sq. cm. / bird

FEEDING MANAGEMENT
 Provide the chicks with good quality feeds either home grown or commercial sourced.
 Feed the chicks intermittently rather than continuously. Research studies have shown that when
using intermittent feeding chicks utilize nutrient better.
 Do not allow feed troughs to go empty longer than one to two hours.
 Ready to lay: (a breeder layer feed consumption at peak production is 110 – 114g/bird/day)
 The bird not be allowed to get fat during the growing period. This causes poor egg production and
high mortality among layers. A good way of preventing fatness among pullets is to restrict their
feed to 85% of normal consumption when they are 16-18 wks. old the full fed them at 17 – 20
weeks of age.
 Wetting the mash or instituting wet mash feeding at noon during hot days will increase appetite
of the birds.
 Adopt a regular system of feeding because resent abrupt changes in feeding habits, which get
reflected in their performance, especially on egg production.
APPLICATIONS of VACCINES
Vaccination plays an important part in the health management of
the poultry flock. There are numerous diseases that are prevented
by vaccinating the birds against them. A vaccine helps to prevent a
particular disease by triggering or boosting the bird’s immune
system to produce antibodies that in turn fight the invading casual
organisms.

Layers belonging to the foregoing breeds lay an average of 220 –

250 eggs a year. They usually start laying about five months of age or even earlier.

To start transfer your pullets in their layer cage before 16 weeks (eggs starts at 16 – 18 weeks) with
the body weight of 1.3 – 1.4 kls.

Harvesting your egg 4-5 times a day result to good egg qualities

Eggs Grams
 Jumbo  69 above
 X-Large  62 – 68
 Large  55 – 61
 Medium  48 – 54
 Small  42 – 47
 Peewee  41 below

Records in Layer Production

Egg record keeping in an important part of keeping and raising poultry.
It is important to keep a record of the following information:
 How many eggs laid.
 When laid – time of day if known and time of year starts and ends so can work out the laying
season.
 Where laid.
LAYER BREEDS ARE THE FOLLOWING:

 Babcock
 Dekalb
 H & N cross
 Kimber
 White Leghorn
 Micawa
 Minocra
 Starcross

Lighting Management
 Role of thumb
 Do not increase the light during growing stage and never decrease light during laying
 Note:
 Weekly lighting adjustment.
 One hour adjustment.
 One month down time.
 Stress is the common cause of double egg yolk.

LIGHTING PROGRAM FOR LAYERS

 Stimulates Growth
 Reproductive Performance

 Start lighting program for layers when the daily production is 10-15% with a light
intensity of 5-10 lux and day length of 16 hours (standard light length).
3 MAJOR FUNCTION
 To Facilitate sight
 Stimulates Internal Cycle
 Initiates hormone release
TO FACILITATE SIGHT
 To familiarize their new cages
 To know where their feeds and water
STIMULATES INTERNAL CYCLE
 They will know when to eat
 Perform an activity
 Time to rest

INITIATES HORMONE RELEASE

 From extra retinal receptors in the eyes, Lights travels through the brain and stimulates
hypothalamus and pineal gland
 Pineal Gland – used to regulate daily behavior cycles
 Hypothalamus – regulates layer metabolism and reproduction

3 LIGHT IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS IN POULTRY

 Color
 Brightness
 Duration

COLOR
 Blue – calming Effects
 Red – used to reduce cannibalism
 Blue Green – stimulates grown
 Orange Red – stimulates reproduction

BRIGHTNESS
 High level of brightness is important it helps the chick to eat more and drink more, therefore
it helps elevates the immune system and promotes growth

DURATION
Daily light darkness cycle can affect the timing of behavior like feeding, drinking and sleep behavior.

DAILY LIGTHING PROGRAM

  One day old – 24 hours
 2nd day – 23 hours
 2nd week old – 20 hours
 3rd week old – 19 hours
 10th to 17th week old – 12 hours
 18th week old – 13 hours
 19th week old – 14 hours
 20th week old – 14.5 hours
 21st to 22nd week old – 15 hours
 23rd week old – 16 hours
VACCINATION PROGRAM
What is vaccination

 Is the process of giving vaccines to prevent and control contagious poultry diseases. Their
use in poultry production is aimed at avoiding or minimizing the emergence of clinical
disease at farm level, thus increasing production.
 Trigger immune system to produce anti bodies to combat bacteria and viruses that will
affect to their health.
Types of vaccines
 Live vaccine
 Attenuated vaccine
 Killed vaccine
Live vaccine
 Buhay na organism na inilalagay sa katawan at sistema ng manok at ang manok ay nag re
react s apamamagitan ng pag produce nito ng mga anti bodies.
Attenuated vaccine
 Buhat na organism like bacteria and viruses na pinahina or weakened under laboratory
condition, kapag ito ay inintroduce sa katawan ng manok ay kaagad nag rereact ang immune
system by eliminating weakened organism and creating long lasting immune system.
Killed vaccine
 Ang organism ay pinatay under certain laboratory condition
Forms of vaccines
 Liquid vaccine
Ready to used, in liquid from
 Freeze dried vaccine
Nakalagay sa vial meron deluent o panghalo na nakaseparate sa ibang lalagyan
 Dust vaccine
Ina apply na dry o tuyo na paraan

Vaccine handling
 Vaccines should be kept cool maintain 2-7 degree Celsius
 Wear gloves to maintain cleanliness and sterility of the vaccine at the same time to protect
ourselves in viruses and bacteria that had been carried by the vaccine
 Check the label of vaccine, number of doses and expiry date
 Storage facility for the vaccine
 Fast vaccine administration for maximum potency
  Sterilize equipment and materials needed for vaccination
 Do not vaccinate chicken that are showing signs of disease or stress

Route or method of administration

TRIM BEAK
Beak Trimming
Is the removal of part of the top and bottom beak of a bird. It is also called “debeaking” although
this term is inaccurate as only part of the beak is removed. It is an animal husbandry practice
commonly carried out in the poultry industry.
Why is beak trimming is done?
Beak trimming is performed early in the life of commercial hens to decrease injuries caused by
cannibalism.
Ideal length in beak trimming is 1/3” from the nostril upper and lower beak
Preventive measures to reduce damage or injury to the chicken caused by heavy feather, pecking,
vent and cannibalism among laying hen flocks.
 Feather picking – pagtuka ng mga manok sa kanyang mga kasama sa bahagi ng katawan nito.
 Vent pecking / cloaca – tinutuka ang pwetang bahagi ng kasamang manok.
 Cannibalism – kapag may mga patay na
Can cause 10 – 15 percent mortality of the total population
Causes of Cannibalism
 Light and over heating
 Crowd size
 Nutrition
 Injury or death

When is beak trimming is done

 Usually done 10 – 14 days
debeaking done 14th – 16th week
 Day old (most common)
 5 – 10 days
 4 – 6 weeks
 8 – 12 weeks
Method of beak trimming
 Mechanical
 Hot blade
 Electric
 Infrared
Debeaking techniques
 Debeaking machine
 Knife
RULES OF DEBEAKING OR BEAK TRIMMING
Before debeaking
 Birds must be in good health
 Sharpen knife blade
 Do not vaccinate just before debeaking

During debeaking
 Perform it during the cooler part of the day
 Use sharp knife
 Do not burn the tongue of the bird
 When using an electric DE beaker, be sure of the right voltage; the blade must be bright red
 Handle the birds with care
 Work as swiftly as possible, but maintain quality

After debeaking:
 Increase the level of feed and water and feed adlibitum
 Adjust the feeder and drinker height to be lower than before, to suit the shortened bea.

Important vices of poultry

 Cannibalism
Is a condition in which birds of a flock attack their pen mate and eat its flesh, which may impose
deep wounds and heavy mortality.
REASON: overcrowding
PREVENTION: debeaking, isolation, adequate feeds.

 Egg eating
It may start due to the presence of cracked egg or accidental breaking of eggs
Presence of eggs for longer periods in the pens may also encourage the birds to start egg eating
PREVENTION: isolate, debeaking, darkness in the laying area.

MAINTAIN POULTRY ENVIRONMENT

Preparing the chicks arrival is important to ensure health and growth of the chicks,

 2 weeks prior to arrival, the house should be cleaned and disinfected (downtime loading).
 Rodent control program should be implemented.
 Old feed should be removed from feed bins and feed trough
 2 days prior to chicks arrival start heating the house and the brooder to ensure that the house and
equipment is warmed thoroughly. (ideal room temperature 32.5 – 34 degree Celsius).
 The water lines should cleaned and disinfect
 Paper should be placed inside the cages or in a floor system, on the floor under the feeder.
 Fill the feeders with highest level fresh feeds. (ad libitum feeding)
 To encourage water consumption, water soluble vitamins and minerals can be added to the drinking water.

MAINTAIN POULTRY HOUSE AND FACILITIES

General layout of poultry house

 Poultry house should be located away from residential and industrial area. (500 – 1000 mtrs)
 It should have proper road facilities.
 It should have the basic amenities like water and electricity
 Availability of farm laborers at relatively cheaper wages.
 Poultry house should be located in an elevated area and there should not be any water – logging.
 It should have proper ventilation.
 Layout should not allow visitors or outside vehicles near the sheds.
 The sheds should be so located that the fresh air first passes through the brooder shed, followed by grower
and layer sheds. This will prevent the spread of diseases from layer houses to brooder house.
 There should be minimum distance 50 – 100 feet between chick and grower shed and the distance
between grower and layer sheds should be of minimum 100 metre.
 The egg store room, office room and the feed store room should be located near entrance to minimize the
movement of people around the poultry sheds.
 The disposal pit and sick room should be constructed only at the extreme end of the site.
 Predator’s free

TIPS ON POULTRY HOUSE DESIGNS IN THE PHILIPPINES

 Choose the right size: should be 1 hen per square foot. So that means if you are going to keep 300 chickens
the house should be at least 300 square foot.
 Orientation of the poultry house: should be in an East – West direction and the walls should be solid so as
to prevent draught in the poultry house especially during the colder seasons.
 Have a footbath at the entrance: include a small pool to the poultry house where visitors can disinfect
their feet. This will prevent the spread of diseases to your flock.
 Ventilation: the house should be well ventilated so as to provide it with regular supply of fresh air this will
prevent the spread of common respiratory illness in you flock
 Perches: Installing perches in the poultry houses gives them a place where they can roost or
perch an express their natural “wild” behavior.
 Flooring: Used hard flooring that is made from cement or hard soil. You can then add wood
shavings or saw dust bedding on the flooring that you can change on a regular basis such as after
every two weeks.
 House cleaning: the house should be easy to clean. Make sure you clean it on a regular basis so
as to prevent the spread of diseases.

MAINTAIN FARM AREA

Waste Disposal
 The method of disposal of poultry wastes plays major role in controlling and eradication of
diseases. Improper approach and carelessness of this important aspect of production
process in poultry, can lead constant emergence of disease ailments on poultry farms. This
results in heavy losses in the forms of mortality and reduced productive performance.
Therefore, timely disposal of wastes with efficient method is an important poultry waste
management tool for raising healthy and profitable poultry.

Types of Poultry Waste

 Dead birds
 Droppings or manure
 Dressing waste
 Hatchery waste

Disposal of Dead Birds

 They should be deeply buried in the oil or dumped into deep manure or carcass pit where their
carrion is auto – digested by hot fermentation.
 They should be fully burnt in incinerator to from ash, which is also effective disposal.

Disposal of Droppings or Manure

 Storage of droppings for 3, 6 or 12 months till the disposal of batch of birds, droppings are converted
into excellent manure, which can be applied directly to soil or may be utilized after storage for some
period. The site of manure pit should be at corner of premises, preferably on downwind flow side to
avoid recontamination of birds.

KEEPING POULTRY HEALTHY AND PREVENTING ENDEMIC INFECTIONS

  Poultry can be affected by a variety of diseases and parasites, some of which are endemic to certain
types of bird. You will need to introduced and maintain a strict hygiene program to keep diseases out
of poultry. As well as carrying out stringent hygiene and biosecurity measures, you will need to carry
out vaccination or medication strategies to prevent and / or control certain endemic diseases.

COMMON POULTRY DISEASES

 Infectious coryza
 Fowl fox
 Avian malaria (from mosquito)
 Microtic entiritis (from rat)
 Avian pest

Weeding
A plant is often termed a “weed” when it has one or more of the following characteristics:
 Little or no value (as in medicinal, material, nutritional or energy)
 Rapid growth and / or ease of germination
 Competitive with crops for space, light , water and nutrients
Weed control is the botanical component of pest control, which attempts to stop weeds, especially noxious or
injurious weeds, from competing with domesticated plants and livestock. Many strategies have been
developed in order to contain these plants.
The original strategy was manual removal including ploughing, which can cut the roots of weeds, More recent
approaches include herbicides (chemical week killers) and reducing stocks by burning and / or pulverizing
seeds.

Vermin and insects Control

Vermin
 Is normally reserved for wild mammals that infest the inside of a structure such as home and
business. Most commonly applies to diseases carrying rodents such as mice and rats.
 Example: monitor lizards, rats, snakes.

Insects
 Mosquitos
 Flies
 Cockroaches
 Ants
 Beetle

Rodent infestation = Economic Loss

 Feed loss
 Damage to building and equipment
 Damage to flock

Rodent control
 Minimizing points of access into buildings
 Preventing the access to feed, water, and shelter
 Elimination of nesting places
 Appropriate sanitization conditions
BROOD and GROW CHICKS

What is brooding?
It is refers to the period immediately after hatch when special care and attention must be given to chicks to
ensure their health and survival

Types of Brooding

1. Natural brooding – this is the brooding of chicks with

mother or trained capon. Natural brooding is still the
most common practiced in the rural areas. The hen after
hatching the eggs rears her brood on a natural process.
A hen can conveniently brood around 12 – 15 chicks.

2. Artificial brooding - it is the process of providing the

chicks with the required temperature to make them
warm and comfortable

BROODING PREPARATIONS FOR CHICKS PRIOR TO BROODING

Materials needed for brooding

1. Old news paper 2. Rice hull

2. Saw Dust

 Brooding light/source of heat

1. Electricity – is the common source of heat in big
brooders that accommodate a large number of
chicks An incandescent bulb which is normally raised
above the floor of the brooder is used to provide the
desired heat by the chicks
 2. Charcoal rise hulls or wood – this type of artificial brooder is seldom because it is
laborious. This poultry raiser has to make sure that the burning of charcoal, wood and
rice hulls will not drop to the floor or the poultry house for it cause fire.

3. Kerosene Lamps – these lamps are sued as source of heat to

only limited number of chicks. Temperature is regulated by
raising or lowering the wick.

 Chick Guard

 Chicken Coop

 Feeding through

 Brooding Pen

 Waterer

 Feeder

BROODING PREPARATIONS
1. Clean brooders very well before the arrival of chicks.
 Remove and water troughs and other equipment from the brooder and bring them
outside the brooder house.
  Scrape, sweep, scrub and disinfect the brooder as well as the ceilings, walls and floors
of the brooder house. Do the same thing with the feed and drinking trough and other
equipment in the brooder house.
2. Make a trial run of the brooder one week before the arrival of the chicks
 Check if the heat regulating system is properly working
 Buy in advance spare parts that may be needed later.
3. Check if the air circulates properly in the brooder house.
4. Use litters which readily absorb water or moisture.
5. Use two shallow fountain-types of waterers for each tier
6. Make the brooder free or rat and lizard proof.
7. Allow adequate floor spaces.
 Broiler – this type needs one meter per 10 chicks until marketing time.
 Replacement chicks – (pullets) require the same space up to the same age, but require
more as they grow older
8. Remember overcrowding of chicks may result is;
 Feather picking and cannibalism (picking feather and flesh of others).
 Poor digestion and absorption of foods.
 Uneven growth among chicks in the group because some can eat more than others.

FUNCTIONS OF FEEDS
1. To Maintain life. The bulk of feed consumed by broiler is used the maintain life. What is over
and above the requirement for life maintenance is utilized for growth and reproduction.
2. To Promote growth. Broilers must have enough quality of feed for their growth. They are
raised to be utilized for meat purposes.
3. To Produce their kind. Production of fertilized eggs is necessary for hatching. Matured
chicken need more feeds than younger one to maintain life and for reproduction.

 A breeder broiler standard feed consumption at peak production is

165-170/bird/day
FORM OF FEEDS
1. Mash
2. Pellet
3. Crumble
TYPES OF FEEDS
Booster (1-7 days)
1. Starter (8-15 days)
2. Grower (16-21 days)
3. Finisher (22 - harvest)
TYPES OF BROILER AND THEIR SOURCES
 Arbor acre (San Miguel Corp.)
 Cob (Vitarich)
 Pitch (Gen. Milling Corp.)
 Starbo (Universal Robina)

Abnormalities of Poultry Chicken

 Eyes should be bright with that all important spark of life. Eyes that
appear small or sunken can be sign of dehydration. If there is any
 sign around the eyes and nostrils of water discharge the bird could have respiratory
problems such as .

 Combs should be bright red and free from scabs and discoloration. Combs came in a variety
of different types e.g. (single, triple, rose, pea walnut) and the comb should be genuinely
representative of the breed

 Twisted Toes. A condition where one or more toes grows at a

strange angle. The can be inherited or it can develop with
birds reared on wire mesh.

 Twisted beak. A deformity that can give a bird serious eating

difficulties. The upper and lower parts of the beak do not align
correctly, this tends to be an inherited problem.

 Plumage. Condition of plumage should be good with tight –

fitting and clean sleek feathers (unless the bird is molting).
Bird should appear active alert.

FACTORS FO SUCCESSFUL BROODING

1. Exact temperature
2. Availability of feeds
3. Safe and clean drinking water
4. Proper installation of chick guard
5. Prosper spacing
6. Availability of feeds supplements
7. Well trained caretaker
BROILER PRODUCTION RECORDS
 MORTALITY RECORDS (date, # of heads, mortality, remarks)
 FEED CONSUMPTION RECORDS, (date, kind of feeds, # of kilos, unit price, total cost)
 MEDICATION SCHEDULE (date, application, remarks)
 In ovo vaccination – given on the hatchery
 Intramascular vaccination – (muscles or breast area)
 Subcutaneous area (back of the neck)
 Intra ocular vaccination (eyes)
 Nasal Vaccination (Nose)
 Oral Vaccination (Mouth)
 Drinking water vaccination
 Wing stab vaccination
 Spray vaccine
Vaccination program sequence
 Day 1 – mareks vaccine
 Day 3 – NCD B1B1 + IB against NCD and infectious bronchitis tru intra ocular
 Day 10 – NCD Lasota + IB (intra ocular or drinking water)
 Day 16 – GUMBURO VACCINE (intra ocular)
 Day 21 – NCD LASOTA + IB (intra ocular or drinking water)
 Week 4 – fowl fox vaccine (wing web)
 Week 6 – NCD LASOTA + IB (intra ocular or drinking water)
 Week 7 – coryza (HG Gel) INTRAMASCULAR 0.5 ml
 Week 9 – NCD + IB + EDS 20 – 25 DEGREE CELSIUS, subcutaneous 0.5 ml
 Week 10 – Coryza (oil base)
 Week 20 – NCD LASOTA + IB (intra ocular or drinking water)
 Repeat NCD LASOT + IB every 3 months thereafter
 In case of outbreak ask the help of your veterinarian