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National Poultry Improvement Plan DEFINITIONS. Backyard poultry Small flocks which may or may not be kept ‘for profit’ Pure-bred breeders, 4-Hers, family flock(s) for meat and/or eggs, etc. Pasture poultry A management method, regardless of flock size. BACKYARD POULTRY. Pure-bred breeders
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National Poultry Improvement Plan DEFINITIONS • Backyard poultry • Small flocks which may or may not be kept ‘for profit’ • Pure-bred breeders, 4-Hers, family flock(s) for meat and/or eggs, etc. • Pasture poultry • A management method, regardless of flock size
BACKYARD POULTRY • Pure-bred breeders • Hatcheries sell day-old chicks to poultry fanciers • Poultry fancier that breed their own flock, not necessarily for sale
BACKYARD POULTRY • Poultry projects: Very from state-to-state and within a state • Meat chicken, turkey, duck, goose, pigeon, guinea fowl • Egg layers: brown or white chicken eggs • Purebred chicken, turkey, duck, goose, pigeon (rollers, homers), guinea fowl
NPIP CERTIFIED • National Poultry Improvement Plan • Probably the greatest single factor which limited the early expansion of the U.S. poultry industry was the disease known as Bacillary White Diarrhea (BWD), caused by Salmonella pullorum. • This disease, later called pullorum disease, was rampant in poultry and could cause upwards of 80% mortality in young poultry. • The causative organism was discovered by Dr. Leo Rettger in 1899 and a diagnostic blood test was developed by Dr. F.S. Jones in 1913. • Egg transmitted
NPIP CERTIFIED • National Poultry Improvement Plan • Kentucky program run through state veterinarian in the Department of Agriculture, Division of Animal Health • Poultry program coordinator: Sue Blair • Phone: 502 564-5665 ext. 248 • Email: sue.blair@ky.gov
BACKYARD POULTRY • Family flock(s) for meat and/or eggs • Chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, pigeons, quail, guinea fowl, etc
WHITE EGG LAYERS What do they have in common? White ear lobes
BROWN EGG LAYERS What do they have in common? Red earlobes
AMERAUCANAS versus ARAUCANA Ameraucanas: Beard and muffs Tail Araucanas: No beard Tuffs, not muffs No tail
BARRED PLYMOUTH ROCK versus DOMINIQUE Barred Rock: Single comb Dominique: Rose comb
FAQs • How can I tell if an egg is going to hatch a male or female, so I only set eggs for laying hens?
Sexing eggs before incubating: Is it possible? • Old wives’ tale • Shape of the egg: Football shaped eggs house male chicks and more oval or round-shaped eggs house female chicks • 50% accuracy which is slightly higher than for lucky guessers
FAQs • I hatched out some chicks, but I am not allowed to keep roosters where I leave. How can I tell which is which?
Sexing young poultry • Old wives’ tale • Tying a needle or weight to the end of a piece of string and hold it over the young animal. If it the motion of the object is in a circular motion it is a female. If the motion is back and forth it is a male. • 50% accuracy which is slightly higher than for lucky guessers
Sexing young poultry • Sex-linked characteristics • Requires a specific breeding program only • With proper training, is 100% accurate
Mammals Male XY Female XX Males determine sex of offspring Birds Male ZZ Female ZW Females determine sex of offspring Avian Genetics
BLACK SEX-LINKS(also called Rock Reds) X Non-barred male Barred male • Offspring: • Both sexes hatch out red but males have a white dot on their heads • Males feather out with Barred Rock pattern and females feather out black
RED SEX-LINKSGolden Comet X White rock with silver factor • Offspring: • Males hatch out white • Females hatch out buff and feather out buff with white or tinted undercolor
RED SEX-LINKSCinnamon Queen X Silver laced Wyandotte • Offspring: • Males hatch out white • Females hatch out red and feather out red with white or tinted undercolor
RED SEX-LINKS • Other red sex-link crosses (just referred to as ‘red sex-links’ • Rhode Island White female x Rhode Island Red male • Delaware female x Production Red male
OTHER SEX-LINK CROSSES • California Gray rooster x White Leghorn hen = California White • California Gray is a dual purpose breed that has a heavier type than a leghorn • Not flighty birds • Are excellent winter layers in cold climates • Popular in northern Midwest and Canada
SEXING YOUNG POULTRY • Vent sexing • Developed by a Japanese professor, Kiyoshi Masui • Involves holding the day-old chick upside in one hand and while visually examining the vent area for the presence or absence of a rudimentary male sex organ. • Trained, non-professionals typically 60-70% accuracy • Professionals typically have 95% accuracy
SEXING YOUNG POULTRY • Best way to tell is to wait till they grow up Tail feathers Comb size Wattle size Spur size
FAQs:Why have my hens stopped laying? • Nutrition • Disease • Age • Management
Why have my hens stopped laying? Management – Light: For most of the year require supplemental light to maintain egg production
FAQs related to eggs • Where does the chick develop in an egg? • There are these red spots in my eggs. Are these embryos?
No Fertilization Fertilization has occurred
FAQs related to eggs • Is there any chance that the eggs from the store will hatch in my fridge? • If I put fertile eggs in the fridge and then decided to incubate them later, will they still hatch? • Is it okay to eat fertile eggs? • How can I tell if an egg is fertile without breaking it open?
KIDS AND CHICKS • Will my kids get sick from handling baby chicks at the petting zoo? • Can my kids catch chicken pox from our chicken flock?
KIDS AND CHICKS • My kid was holding a chick and it just seemed to die in his/her hands. Is this normal? Were they stressed out? Were they sick? • The avian and mammalian respiratory systems are very different: It is possible to suffocate a bird by holding it too tight?
HUMANS Tidal respiration
Birds don’t have a diaphragm Inspiration Expiration
FAQs: Housing • Are there any blue-prints I can use for building a house for my small poultry flock?
DEFINITIONS • Backyard poultry • Small flocks which may or may not be kept ‘for profit’ • Pure-bred breeders, 4-Hers, family flock(s) for meat and/or eggs, etc. • Pasture poultry • A management method, regardless of flock size
Pasture poultry Portable, bottomless pens
Pasture poultry Automatic waterer Feedtrough
Pasture poultry Remote monitoring
Day-range: Moveable, bottomless hoop barns Pasture area surrounded by fence, mainly to keep predators out
Day-range: Moveable, bottomless hoop barns To close the broilers in at night ‘Uses up’ the pasture
Day-range: Turkeys Heritage turkeys are becoming popular
Day-range: Fixed housing for locking the birds up at night, free to roam around during the day