THE REALITIES ABOUT POULTRY The Modern Farm - The Realities About Poultry_Seco | Page 16

The other option is buying day old chicks. These can be purchased from breeders worldwide.
5. Feeds: Feeding is an important part of raising chickens. Feeds make up the major cost of
production and good nutrition is reflected in the bird’s performance and its products. Hence, the
ability to manage feed costs and reduce feed wastage is a key component in successful poultry
farming.
6. Disease Control: Chickens are subject to numerous diseases and parasites. In fact, diseases and
parasites are the chief hindrances to success in raising poultry. Most common health problems
can be avoided through preventative management; nevertheless, sooner or later every flock
experiences its share of problems. If someone is not prepared to deal with these problems, he or
she should not get involved with poultry. As a poultry farmer, he or she must be ever vigilant in
monitoring the condition of his or her flock.
7. Lighting: Light is also a very important element for poultry farming. And poultry birds become
very sensitive to light. Light helps the poultry birds to be productive, finding food and
simulating them for reproduction. Besides light, the poultry birds also need dark period for
keeping good health and producing melatonin hormone (which is very important for immune
function). Almost all types of poultry birds require 8 hours of darkness period and 16 hours
presence of light. Almost all poultry producer use only the natural light for lighting the poultry
house.
Darkness is helpful for some fast growing broiler species, and helps them for reducing leg
disorders and build their body frame. However, poultry chicks require 24 hours light daily after
hatching for finding food and water pot. Some commercial broiler poultry producers use long
lighting period to encourage the bird consume more food. This results into very fast growing of
broilers. Broiler poultry birds do not eat food and drink water in the dark. If the poultry birds
are kept in darkness for some moment, then they will be more active in the light than
continuous lighting period (and they will eat more food). This is a good practice, and it keeps the
poultry birds healthy. In addition to natural lighting, a farmer can use artificial light. In small
scale poultry rearing, he or she can use 14 to 16 hours of lighting period for layer poultry (where
artificial lighting is needed for 4 to 6 hours daily depending on the season).
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