THE REALITIES ABOUT POULTRY The Modern Farm - The Realities About Poultry_Seco | Page 128

Keep accurate records of feed consumed and delivered, mortality, vaccination dates and
medications given. The flock supervisor needs this information. It will also be very useful to the
farmer.
If a problem occurs, notify the veterinary doctor/personnel. He or she will help in identifying
and solving the problem, possibly by getting birds to a diagnostic laboratory if disease is a
possibility. If the trouble is not disease, the flock supervisor/manager will know what channels
to go through to attempt to solve the problem.
(c) Planning: The expected delivery date, time, and number of chicks should be established with
the supplier well in advance. This will ensure that the appropriate brooding set-up is in place and
that chicks can be unloaded and placed as quickly as possible. Placements of broiler flocks
should be planned to ensure that differences in age and/or immune status of donor parent
flocks are as small as possible. This will minimize variation in final broiler live weights. One
donor flock age per house is ideal. If mixed flocks are unavoidable, keep similar parent flock
ages together. Avoid mixing chicks from parent flocks under 30 weeks of age with chicks from
parent flocks over 40 weeks of age.
(d) Chick handling: Chicks should be delivered to the broiler farm as soon as possible after
hatching and fed immediately. They must be provided with the correct environment and
brooding conditions, which should be managed to meet all their nutritional and physiological
requirements. This promotes early development of feeding and drinking behavior, and
optimizing gut, organ, and skeletal development to support body-weight gain throughout the
growing period.
(e) Stocking Density: Stocking density is ultimately a decision based on economics. Stocking
density influences bird welfare, broiler performance, uniformity, and product quality.
Overstocking increases the environmental pressures on the broiler, compromises bird welfare,
and will reduce profitability. Quality of housing and the environmental control system determine
the best stocking density. If stocking density is increased, ventilation, feeding space, and drinker
availability must be adjusted.
(f) Vaccination: Vaccination prepares the bird against field challenges caused by specific pathogens
by exposing birds to a safe form of the infectious organism (antigen). In today’s environment
correct vaccination procedures are an essential part of managing broilers. An appropriate
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