Production Basics - University Of Maryland · determine many aspects of your production basics. Poultry housing protects the birds from the elements (weather), predators, injury and

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Production BasicsHow Do I Raise Poultry for

Eggs and Meats?

Getting Started

Checkthelawsandzoningregulationswhereyoulive.

Notallincorporatedtownswillallowpoultryproduction.

Makefriendswithyourneighbors,letthemknowyourplansbeforeyoustart.

WhyRaiseChickens?

EggsMeatProductionTohavesomechickens…lifestyle.

Selecting the Right Variety

Ahenwillproduceeggswithorwithoutarooster.

Eggscaneitherbeeatenoriffertile,incubatedtoproduceabirdtoberaisedformeatproductionorreplacementlayers.

Selecting the Right Variety

Notallbreedsarethesame.Thebestlayersdonotmakethebestmeatbirds.Otherspeakerstodaywilldiscussthebreedcharacteristics.

Purpose

Egg Production?Thesearegenerallylighterbreedsselectivelybredfortheirabilitytoproduceahighnumbersofeggsovertheirlifetime.Rememberthatlayinghensrarelystartlayinguntiltheyarearound6monthsold.Planyourproductioncyclearoundthispoint.

Purpose

•MeatBirds?• Doyouplanonraisingchickensjustlongenoughtogetthemtobutcheringsizeandthennothavetoworryaboutfeedandhousingfortherestoftheyear?

–

Purpose ?

•MeatBirds?• Meatbreedstendtobeheavierthaneggproducingbreeds.Theygenerallygrowbiggerandfaster,andtendtoconvertfeedintomuscle(meat)moreefficiently.

• Somemeatvarietiescanreachslaughtersizeinaslittleas8weeks.

Purpose?

• ACombinationofBoth?– Areyoulookingtohaveaflockofallpurposeeggandmeatproducers?

– Therearemanyvarietiesofchickensthathavebeenbredtodoboth.

– Dualpurposebreedsproduceareasonableamountofeggs,whileutilizingfeedtoproducemeatwellenoughtoproduceagoodmeatbird.

Purpose?

• ACombinationofBoth?–Dualpurposebreedsmayrequirealittlemoretimetogettoreachbutcheringsize(12‐16weeks),butforindividualswhowantstoraisebirdsfortheirownuse‐ thesebreedsaremakeagoodchoice.

Purpose?

ALifestyleFlock?Areyoulookingforjustafewnicelookingbirdssoyoucansayyouhavechickensthatarereallyjustpets?(eatStinkBugs)(there'snothingwrongwiththat...).

Therearemanybreedsofchickensthathavebeendevelopedsimplybecauseoftheirappearance,size,(bantams)andpersonality.

Therearemanybeautifulvarieties.

ProductionBasics

Willyouletyourchickensroamyourfields,orwillyoukeepthemconfinedinacoopand/orrun?Acombinationofbothisoftenusedinsmallflocks.

Production Basics

Yourspacelimitationsmaydeterminetheanswertothisquestion.Ifyouliveinanurbanorsuburbansetting,youprobablywanttokeepthebirdsconfined‐ withafencedrunoutsidetheircoopforfreshairandsunshine.

Housing

Housingforchickenscanbeextremelysimple.

Thefundamentalrequirementsarethatthebirdsbeprotectedfromthewindorheavydrafts;andthattheybecompletelydry.

Chickenshaveastronginstincttoroost;sowillbemorecontentiffurnishedwithsomestructureonwhichtoroost.

Free Range, Confined or a Combination?

Many home flocks are designed to allow the chickens to be on the ground.

This can fit in with vegetable production to help control grubs and small insects in the soil

To eat weeds and weed seed.

Roost

Different Housing Styles

Purpose

Theintendedpurposeofyourflockhelpsdeterminemanyaspectsofyourproductionbasics.

Poultryhousingprotectsthebirdsfromtheelements(weather),predators,injuryandtheft.

Layerswouldrequireyearroundenclosures. Broilersmaynotrequireyearroundenclosures‐dependentonthetimeofyearyouwishtoberaisingthebirds.

ChickensNeedSpace

Spacerequirementsvaryaccordingtothetypeandageofthebirds.

Smallbreedvarieties(Bantams)willneed2‐3squarefeetofspace

Layersandlargerbreedsmayrequirefrom3to5squarefeetperbird.

Overcrowdingleadstomanyproblems.

ChickensNeedSpace

Spaceforresting,feeding,wateringandmovement.

Protectionandescapefromtheweatherandfrompredators.

Adequateventilationtoavoidmoisturebuildupandstaleair.

ProtectionAgainstPredators

If the flock has constant access to the outside, they will do fine with less space in their "sleeping quarters" inside.

Ifthechickenshelteristightanddry,itisnotnecessarytoprovideartificialheat;anditcouldbedetrimentaltodoso.

Chickensareverycoldtolerant.

Designyourhousingwithpredatorprotection(especiallyatnight)inmind.Butdon'tanticipatethreatslikedogs,raccoons,andfoxesonly‐ aleastweaselcangetthroughanyopeninglargeenoughforarat!

½inchhardwareclothworksverywell. Planahead,itiseasierthanhavingtopurchasereplacements.

Be sure to provide sufficient nest boxes (one for each seven to nine hens) positioned above floor level; keep them lined with plenty of clean straw; and collect eggs frequently.

These measures help keep the eggs clean and unbroken, and reduce the likelihood of egg eating, a bad habit which - once established - is difficult to break.

ManyhealthproblemscanbeavoidedbyfollowingthefollowingfivestepsPurchasehealthybirdsfromhealthyflocks.Keepcoopsclean.Providecleanfoodandwater.Cleanequipmentthatholdsfoodandwaterregularly.

Removewetordampbedding.Keepvaccinationsuptodate.

Startwithacleananddisinfectedbroodinghouseorcoop,andallequipment.

GettingStarted

Whenyoufirstgetyourchicks,besuretoofferthemfivethingsrightaway:warmthofabout100degreessuitablefloorcoveringcool,freshwaterfoodprotectionfrompredatorsMoreisdiscussedonthistopiclatertoday.

GettingStarted

Measurethetemperatureinsidetheirenclosureattheir shoulderlevel.

Iftheyregularlyhuddletogether,theyarenotwarmenough.

Lighting

Layersproducemoreeggsasthedaylengthincreases.

Electriclightingcanbeusedtoprovideadditionallighttokeeplayerproductionup.

Hensprefer15hoursoflightperday. One40wattbulbcansupplyenoughlighttokeepupto100birds

Remember‐ Pulletswillnotstarttoproduceeggsuntilabout22weeksold.Ahenwillproduceabout260eggsinayear,thatworksouttooneeggevery34hours.Haveenoughhenstoprovideforyourneedsineggs,eitherforyourconsumptionorforanticipatedsales.

Ifyoustartwithday‐oldstock,youmustbepreparedforyourbabychicks.

Setupanenclosedbrooderwhichisfreefromdraftsandprotectedfromrodents,cats,etc.;andwhichcontainsanabsorbentlittersuchaswoodshavingsandasourceofheatsuchasa250‐wattlamportwo.

Thewaterershouldbedesignedsothatthechickscannotwadeintoitandgetwet.

Temperatureshouldbemaintainedsothatthechicksareneitherhuddlingundertheheatsource,norhuddlinginacornerasfaraspossiblefromtheheat.

Iftheyaremovingaroundthebrooder,alliswell.

Frequentmonitoringofthebrooderisthekeytosuccess.

Ofcourse,ifyouhaveamotherhenwhoisraisingyournewchicks,youdon'thavetoworryaboutanyofthis.Whenitcomestoraisingbabychickens,amotherhenisalotsmarterthanyou.

As the chicks grow, they will develop a greater ability to deal with the temperature.

The brooder guard may be moved to provide additional room, and eventually removed altogether.

Providing a draft free initially is extremely important in the beginning.

As the chicks grow, air flow to prevent moisture buildup is equally as important.

Damp bedding will lead to air quality problems.