Poultry Housing

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Poultry Housing

• BSE 2294 Animal Structures and Environments
• S. Christian Mariger Ph.D.

2
Early Poultry Production

• Prior to the second world war most chickens were
  produced in open yards or dirt floor sheds.
• With the breeds and feeds available back yard
  producers could produce a 3.5 lb bird in about 16
  weeks.
• Poultry markets were local as the birds had to be
  transported live and process close to the end
  user.

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Early Poultry Production
Early production systems were not specialized,
flocks produced meat and eggs which the producer
could utilize or sell. Many rural and even urban
families raised chickens to supplement their
income and table. Note the dirt floor, litter
and waste were removed by hand. While most of
these early chicken houses were naturally
ventilated, but producers often improvised
additional ventilation.
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Poultry 1940 - 1960

• Advances in breeding/genetics and feeds and
  nutrition improved feed conversion and cut
  production time for a 3.5 lb bird from 16 to 8
  weeks.
• Advances in refrigeration expanded distribution
  of processed birds and eggs and enlarged the
  market.
• The dynamic of the poultry market and the
  industry had changed.

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Poultry 1940 - 1960

• The scale of production increased
• Large flocks in houses or open yards became the
  norm
• The price of chicken dropped from 0.65/lb 1940
  to 0.29/lb in 1960
• Demand for poultry products grew in response

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Modern Poultry Production

• Today large scale chicken and turkey production
  is done in total confinement facilities.
• Weather
• Predators/parasites
• Pathogens
• Automation
• Intensive production schedules
• Control of waste runoff

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Modern Poultry Production

• Note the natural ventilation and insulation used
  in this turkey house

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Poultry Production

• Modern poultry operators tend to specialize in
  one type of production.
• Poultry housing must be geared toward each
  individual operation.
• Houses for various production enterprises may
  differ greatly in size, appearance, and
  arrangement of facilities.
• However, they also have some similar
  requirements.
• A good location, with a good water source and a
  well-insulated building, equipped with a proper
  ventilation, heating, lighting, feeding and
  watering system are important in all types of
  poultry housing.

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Separation by Age Class Product

• Like the swine industry, poultry producers are
  separating birds by species age class and
  product.
• Brooding chicks poults
• Breeding hens roosters/toms
• Laying egg production
• Broilers meat production
• Age segregation
• Customize environment to optimize productivity
• Prevent the spread of pathogens
• Younger birds more susceptible than older birds.

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Brooding

• early period of growth when supplemental heat
  must be provided, due to the birds inability to
  generate enough body heat.
• Start at 95 F and reduced by 5 each week.

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Brooding

• Brooding rings are used to keep chicks and poults
  near food, water and heat, critical for their
  survival

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Breeding

• Roosters and hens are most productive at 72 F

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Breeding

• Light effects the sexual maturity of birds, for
  example decreasing photo periods will delay
  sexual maturity.
• Breeding houses are often blackout facilities
  where the entry of light is tightly controlled so
  the producer can control the amount of light
  received by the birds through artificial
  lighting.

14
Laying hens

• Prefer a temperature of 70-72 F
• Sophisticated ventilation is required to support
  this battery cage arrangement.
• Note the eggs in the trays below the hens.

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Broiler/Grow-out Facilities

• Broilers need consistent temperatures and
  constant access to food and water to grow
  efficiently. Note the slotted floor for waste.

16
Most poultry production in Virginia is integrator
driven

• Integrators are large agribusinesses, which
  contract farmers to raise their poultry.
• The integrator owns the birds, provides the feed
  and the veterinary supplies/care
• The farmer provides the land, labor and the
  capitol. (Consequently the farmer assumes most of
  the risk)
• In this system most of the production decisions
  are made by the integrator, including building
  specifications and even the contractor hired to
  do the building.

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Integrator poultry systems

• Typically a farmer in an integrated system will
  receive hatched chicks from the integrator.
• The chicks are raised in a brooding facility
  until they are large enough to be moved into
  broiler grow-out housing
• The broilers are fed until they reach market
  weight and are shipped out live for processing.

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Broiler Breeding Environments

• Integrated company programs vary but consistent
  temperatures of 70 - 72 F produce the best
  performance in mature birds.
• Maintaining temperature consistency and
  uniformity throughout the house is as important
  as the temperature itself.

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Warm Weather Ventilation

• The 72 F optimum temperature is the effective
  temperature the bird feels.
• in warm weather ventilation alone will not reduce
  the temperature enough.
• The wind chill effect of tunnel ventilation and
  evaporative cooling pads help to lower the
  effective temperature.

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Ventilation
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Cold Weather Ventilation

• In the winter months minimum ventilation removes
  ammonia and moisture.
• However in very cold weather temperatures can not
  be maintained
• Supplemental heating may be required even in the
  deep south.
• Forced air heating is becoming more common
  especially in breeding facilities

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Feeding

• Feed delivery has been largely automated.

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Watering Systems

• Watering has also been highly automated

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Waste Systems

• Slotted floor with flush.
• Dry conveyor systems
• Litter and manure systems

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References

• Auburn University, Poultry Production Housing,
  http//www.aces.edu/poultryventilation/
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency online,
  http//www.epa.gov/oecaagct/ag101/poultrysystems.h
  tml