THE REALITIES ABOUT POULTRY The Modern Farm - The Realities About Poultry_Seco | Page 38

Requirements for Brooders
 Floor space: Overcrowding and lack of feeder and drinker space can cause some chickens to
grow slowly. Hence provide enough space for the feeders and drinkers. At age one to four
weeks, 20 birds need floor space of approximately 1.0 m².
 Feed: The chickens should have unrestricted access to feed and water. In the first week, the
feeders that are used must be shallow.
 Water: One brooder chick will drink up to 80 ml of water in one day. Provide 10 mm drinking
space per chicken, thus 100 chickens will need 1 000 mm of drinking space. The water needs to
be replaced twice daily. It should always be fresh and clean.
 Light: If the brooder is well lit, the chicks are encouraged to eat from day one of age. For this,
natural daylight may be used, as well as electrical light, or paraffin lanterns for the nights. Light
affects the growth rate of chicks, so never keep them in the dark. Even if the farmer has to dim
the lights to control cannibalism, the light should still be bright enough for him or her to see
what is going on in the brooder. A rule of thumb is that dimmed lighting should be at least
bright enough to barely read a newspaper.
 Ventilation: Fresh air is important to prevent disease, which develops easily in hot, humid
conditions. However, precaution has to be taken against draughts.
 Health: Wet litter must be avoided (use a 100 mm thick layer of dry, clean, chopped litter).
 Heat: Warmth is essential during the first three to four weeks of the chicks' life and therefore
the importance of brooding. Natural brooding, when the hen rears her own chicks, is only
suitable for very small-scale poultry production units. The farmer can use brooder pots, electrical
light or paraffin lanterns to provide heat.
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