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Chicken Housing. Ms. Morris Adapted from: http://www.agriscience.msu.edu/specialprojects/poultryimprovement/day14.htm. Getting Ready for New Chicks. Remove any feeders, waterers, manure, feed bags, etc from the chicken house Clean building: sweep, etc
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Chicken Housing Ms. Morris Adapted from: http://www.agriscience.msu.edu/specialprojects/poultryimprovement/day14.htm
Getting Ready for New Chicks • Remove any feeders, waterers, manure, feed bags, etc from the chicken house • Clean building: sweep, etc • Wash all equipment and facilities with soapy water two weeks prior to receiving chicks • Disinfect (bleach) facilities and equipment
Brooder/Heat Lamps • We will be using heat lamps to keep the chicks warm • Start lights before chicks arrive to maintain a floor temperature of 90-95 degrees F • Place a cardboard chick guard around the heat source. Use for approximately 7 days • Gradually reduce heat over a period of weeks, making sure the chicks are warm
Too Cold or Too Hot? • Chicks are too cold if they huddle together under the heat source. They will also chirp a lot • Chicks are too hot when they lay down in corners(or outer areas of chick guard) • Chicks are the correct temperature when they form a ring on the floor under the heat source
Litter • Cover floor with 2-3 inches of litter • TIP-Wood shavings are highly preferred Using straw requires extremely good management and may result with ammonia burns on the feet, thus a loss of points at the contest • Remove wet litter as soon as possible
TIP • With broiler chicks, the newspaper will be so slippery that the chicks will develop leg problems which may lead to poor growth or death, thus resulting in loss of points
Ventilation • Plenty of ventilation is very important or the chicks may get either too hot, too cold, or suffer from diseases associated with ammonia orders and too high of humidity • Ventilation slots may be placed in the house • A small fan may have to be installed
Is My Ventilation OK? • If the chicken house smells badly of ammonia, increase ventilation • If the chicken house feels very humid, increase ventilation • Chicks do not like drafts • If they appear cold due to drafts, plug some of the slots in the house or reduce fan speed
Space Requirements • Day old chicks need 1/2 square feet per bird up to three weeks of age • Chicks also need adequate feed and water space • If they have to fight for feeder space, you will be inhibiting growth, which will end up in a loss of points at the contest • Allow for 20 linear feet per 50 birds
Insulation • Insulation may be necessary during this contest • A building which is entirely heated is the best situation • This may be impossible, thus insulation can help keep the chickens warm
Lighting Requirements • Keep lights on in the chicken house 24 hours a day • TIP-This will help keep the chickens from piling up if they get scared • TIP-It will also encourage the birds to stay awake and eat, thus making them grow faster!!!