10 Possible signs of healthy chickens in a poultry farm

Poultry birds identification is one of the most important factors we poultry farmers must put in mind and know how it identify a healthy chickens. This is important so that we know what to do and how to tackle any noticed conditions of our birds in the farm.

These signs do not require special task or skill, what you need to do and know is to, is well observant about the reaction and conditions of flock, birds as individual. It is very important to learn how to identify a healthy chicken.

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This is especially true if you keep chicken or you want to buy some. Leaning what to look out for could help you know if any of your birds is sick and help you provide treatment before it's too late.

 Alternatively, you can avoid wasting money buying a sick bird only for it to die soon afterwards. While some people are experts at identifying signs of sickness in chicken, most have to learn the technique.

In any case, it is better to regularly examine each individual bird for signs of health condition.  A physical examination is the best way to find out how healthy your birds or flocks are.

There are some physical signs you should be on the lookout for. To cut the story short, the following are the list of possible signs of healthy flocks of chicken.

1. Comb and wattle

2. Alertness

3. Position of head when not disturbed

4. The color of the dropping

5. Shiny feathers

6. Condition of the feet and toes

7. Wings

8. Nostrils

9. Mouth

10. Eyes

1. Comb and wattle as sign of healthy chickens

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The comb is one of those thing we as farmers need to check out for, the condition of hen comb and the wattle are very noticeable sign for healthy birds. They must have a bright color, not dark or dull color, only bright one are the sign of healthy birds.

A pink comb is normal in hens and simply indicates that the bird is not in lay while a red one indicates she is. If the comb has a bluish color you should take it as a warning that the bird has poor blood circulation and is not in good health.

A comb full of scabs shows that the bird has been in fights. You should take care to assess the temperament of a cock before buying it.

Purchasing a bird which likes to fight will only antagonize and disturb the rest of the flock which is not good for the flock.

2. Alertness as a sign of healthy chickens

Another point is the alertness of the flock, every bird in the flock must be alert at any time. If at the time you visit your flock you noticed that one or two are not alert is a sign that they are not healthy, they should be examine.

Do not joke with this simple sign, do something quickly to identify why they are not in good condition. Aside this, you birds must be active always i.e they must be busy doing one thing or the other, so watch out for their alertness.

3. Position of head when not disturbed is also a sign of healthy chickens

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Some farmers don’t take note of this, when a bird sit back and you noticed that its head is tucked in close to the body, you should know that some went wrong to the bird.

This may not easily be notice when you have many birds in the flock, why? When you enter their house they tent to react but after about ten minute they begin to settle down, this is when you will clearly noticed that their head are tucked in close to the body.

Dare reader this is not s good sign at all, the best position of the head healthy chickens is so simple, it should be free from the body. It should not tucked in close to the body at all irrespective of what happen to the bird, please do take note of this in your farm.

4. The color of the dropping as a sign of healthy chickens

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Dropping color must be well monitored on daily basis, though not all sickness can be trace to the color of their droppings. Meanwhile some of the common issues in the farm are easily identify by merely looking at their droppings.

Now you may ask, what is the color or will their dropping form? This is so simple, just follow this simple illustration you will understand what I am saying.

The color must not be red, deep green. I know you know Lizard, then you have seen their dropping before, yes. Good, what do you notice about their dropping? 

You always see whitish that are always attached to it that is hoe the dropping of your birds must look like. Anything aside this, your birds are not in good condition.

5. Shiny feathers in healthy chickens

Another sign of a healthy chicken is shiny feathers which have a nice sheen to them. You should examine each bird for signs of parasites.

The most common ones are lice and these have a habit of hiding between a chicken's feathers. Also take a look at the shanks of the feet. The scales should be smooth. Protruding scales could be a sign that the bird has scaly leg mites.

The feathers under and around the vent should be clean and not messy. Birds which have dirty and scruffy feathers should be examined for any signs of illness.

Hens kept with a rooster often have bare patches on the back and the base of the neck near the back. These patches are caused by mating and are normal.

You should never see open sores or swelling where the skin is bare.  Sometimes feathers are pulled out, particularly tail feathers, when capturing a bird. If the bird appears healthy otherwise and the skin appears smooth and intact, it’s probably fine.

6. Condition of the feet and toes to identify healthy chickens

The three front toes of poultry birds should point straight ahead, and the feet should not turn outward. The hock joints should not touch, and the toes should not point in toward each other.

Healthy chickens feet should not be webbed, webbing mean the skin connecting the toes, although occasionally webbed feet show up as a genetic defect.

You should not see any swellings on the legs or toes. Check the bottom of the foot for swelling and raw, open areas, when these are well formed your birds are in good condition.

7. Wings as a sign of healthy chickens

The wings of poultry birds should be carried close to the body in most breeds and in most case. A few breeds have wings that point downward.

The wings should not droop or look twisted. Sometimes droopy wings are a sign of illness in the birds. A damaged wing that healed wrong will not affect the laying or breeding ability of the birds.

However, some birds are hatched with bad wings, which is usually the result of a genetic problem.

8. Nostrils condition as a sign of healthy chickens

Both nostrils should be clear and open, with no discharge from the nostrils. In case of any discharge from the nostril is a sign of respiratory disorder and must be managed on time, if not this may result to something else in the farm.

So what I am saying is that, their nostril should be free all the time, you will be wonder how do I know that the nostril are not free. Simple, they find it so difficult to breath.

9. Mouth condition  a sign of healthy chickens

This is like other animals, poultry birds should breathe with the mouth closed, except in very hot conditions.

Even in cool weather condition the bird breathe with its mouth closed, though when you noticed that they breath with mouth, it is a sign of illness or sickness in the flock. So the best way to breath is the mouth closed.

10. Healthy chickens can be identify through eyes

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While examining the poultry birds, examining the eyes to ensure they are bright and clear. Any discharge or bubbles around the eyes is a sign of illness.

When a chicken is alert and active, its eyelids should not be showing. You should not see any discharge or swelling around the eyes.

Conclusion

Finally, if when your birds are examining and you noticed that they have the qualities listed above, I am telling you, your birds are in good condition.

You don’t have anything to worry about, but if other wise, please do inform your veterinary doctor for proper attention.

Do not hesitate to drop your comment

9 important possible benefits of setting up a poultry farm

You cannot just set up a poultry farm without having in mind of generating income from the farm product. 

Some people have the intention of invest in poultry farm business, but certain thing divert their attention and interest to another thing, this is not more than what they will achieve as gain when they invest little or huge money on poultry business. 

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They consider it as a waste of time, energy and even resources, but to me is not like that.  

Poultry far business is lucrative work that worth been invested on, I am sure you will not regret investing your money on it by the time you finish reading this wonderful and powerfully prepared post. 

Because this write up will cover nearly every benefits of poultry you will derive from setting up a poultry farm in Nigeria or anywhere in the world. 

Before we take them one after the other in details, these are the possible benefit of rearing birds.

1. Income generation

2. Employment opportunity

3. Small capital to start

4. It gives rapid return on investment

5. Poultry farming is a continuous source of income

6. Poultry farming require little water

7. Poultry dropping are sources of fertilizer

8. Poultry farm offer full or part time employment opportunity

9. Poultry eggs and meat are highly nutritional value

Hope you are following? Yes. That is good, now let take the point listed above and discuss them one after the other in details.

1. Income generation as a benefits of poultry

No doubt it, poultry farming is a source of generating income. No amount of money spent in setting up a poultry farm that is waste, you will surely make gain from your investment. 

Take for instance, with just N 40,000 ($127) you will successfully raise 100 broilers for just 6 to 8 weeks before you will start selling them. 

When you broilers are 6 weeks old, you can start selling them, by selling them N 650 to N 700 per one, at the end you will be getting about N 65,000 ($206) and N 70,000 ($223) at the end. By my calculation, you will be having between N 25,000 ($70) and N 30,000 ($95) at the end. 

Therefore no amount of money you invest that you will not get from it, so just give it a try today you will make it.

2. Employment opportunity as a benefits of poultry

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This point is wonderful point that will need to put into consideration, weather you have work or not, with little capital you will have your own business. 

My dear reader nothing is better than be the boss of your business. This will keep you busy and manage them well. 

If you have work before reading this article, poultry farm will add more value to your life and you may even quit the job you are doing by the time you invest little into this and see what your returns will be at the end. 

This is not mouth, I tried this and it work for me, so you can do the same.  

3. Small capital to start as a benefits of poultry

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Starting poultry farm do not require huge capital, with less than N 20,000 ($64) you can start poultry business. 

You will wonder how to start poultry business with this small capital, yes you can start. You may not venture into broiler part of the business, rather you go for cockerels. 

With this little capital you will raise between 120 and 150 cockerels which you will start selling them when they are about six to seven weeks old at the rate of N 200 or N 250 per one. 

Don’t laugh, this is real and you can just give it a trier and you will surely enjoy it.

4. It gives rapid return on investment is also a benefits of poultry

This point is self explanatory, whatever you invest in setting up a poultry business you start getting them in very short time compare to other investment out.

Imagine starting a business and begins making profit from it in less than three months, dear reader it is amazing business to venture into.

5. Poultry farming is a continuous source of income

Poultry farming business generate incomes continually either on daily basis, weekly basis or monthly basis. 

How? For instance, if you invest your money on layers once they start laying, you will be making money on daily basis from the sale of eggs, you may also be making money on weekly basis or monthly basis depending on how you want to be selling your eggs.

Aside this, benefits of poultry commence as soon you start selling your cockerels or broilers you will be making money from their sales so no single day that you will not make money from your farm business.

6. Poultry farming require little water

On like other farm business poultry farm requires little water in running the business. You only need water in the drinker and in washing the equipment in the farm. 

With 25 liters of water a is enough for about 50 birds, this is incomparable with the level of water requires in fish farm, or the amount of water needed to feed cows or goat on daily basis.

7. Poultry dropping are sources of fertilizer is also a benefits of poultry

This is another point I want us to examine very well, don’t you think you can still make money from the dropping of the birds in your farm? 

Yes you can. How? Vegetable farmers need this product you call waste to boost their products, I know you will agree with me that this type of fertilizer or manure is far better that inorganic fertilizer. 

You may also make use of this in your own vegetable farm, by so doing you will save certain amount of money from it. This is awesome.

8. Poultry farm offer full or part time employment opportunity therefore a benefits of poultry

This point is also focus on employment opportunity, but this is different from the point above. 

You can be working in an organization and as well be working in a poultry farm as a part time worker(s). 

At the same time you may give your total time and focus on this lucrative business, as I am talking to you, have quit my job and devoted my time for this job, so I am not a part farmer, you understand what I mean, I am a full time farmer and I am not regretting this, why? It works well for me and I am 100% sure that it will also work for you.

9. Poultry eggs and meat are highly nutritional value as parts of benefits of poultry

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Finally, poultry offers what we can consume as we derived protein from the product we get from farm. 

Among all edible meat, broiler meat has the least fat content. It can also be cooked in its own fat and does not require any from outside. 

Poultry meat contains more protein and essential amino acids than other meats and is low in its cholesterol content in comparison to other meats.

Conclusion

Now that you are true with the reading, I am now sure that you are convinced that investing on poultry business worth it and one will never regretted of going so.  Just start your farm today and you see the best from it.

If you have contribution or anything that this article do not address please just let me know and I will get back to you.

11 Important Factors affecting eggs production in laying birds

The fact remains this, that if the main purpose of setting up a farm is to produce eggs for the populace which requires a lot to achieve.

As a matter of fact you would have invested much in achieving this goal, that is nurturing birds to the point of lay even to start laying. You will feel happy and comfortable seen your bird doing well for the first few months.

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For the egg industry worldwide, the production of eggs which are of good egg shell quality and good internal quality is critical to the economic viability of the industries.

Problems with egg quality currently cost the industries many of millions of dollars per year. Therefore, it is of great importance to understand the factors that affect egg shell quality and egg internal quality.

The general factors that affect eggs productions in laying poultry birds are:

1.  Feeding

2.  Quality of feed intake

3.  Management issues

4.  Genetic factors of the breed birds

5.  Hen age at egg laying period

6.  Diseases

7.  Molting flock

8.  Housing

9.  Egg collection

10. Laying bird behaviors

11. Laying birds (hens) body weight

Feeding as a factors affecting eggs production in layers

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Feeding is the first factor to be considered, generally when flock are fed with feed of high nutritive value, they will surly produced good eggs of good quality.

The quality of the eggs depends largely on the green feed and the yellow corn or maize present in the feed. The amount of thick and thin albumen an egg contains at the time it is laid is an inherited characteristic and is not influenced by the feed.

Clean and cool water must always be available to avoid heat stress. Lack of water results in reduced egg production. The amazing part of this is that, they will not eat much when the feed has no taste.

For maximum production of eggs, make feed available at all time for the birds.

Quality of feed intake is one of the factors affecting eggs production in layers

You cannot just be feeding your birds with any how feed and think they will produce eggs to your expectation, if this is your opinion, my dear you totally wrong.

Make available to your birds feed of high quality not quantity. There are some essential elements that must be present in the feed, if they are absent you will not achieved the maximum result from them.

The provision of adequate dietary minerals and vitamins is essential for good eggshell quality. Similarly, as water quality varies from country to country and region to region, the role of drinking water in mineral and trace elements supply should not be under rated.

Management issues is another factors affecting eggs production in layers

Management of the poultry compound is very important and contributes greatly to eggs production in the farm.

If the compound or the entire place it dirty, this will surly welcome some agent that will have negative influenced on the birds.  These agents include reptiles, outbreak of diseases among others.

Another thing is to make light available at all time, change the bulb if they are not functioning, bird cannot eat in the darkness as this will result in low eggs production.

Chickens are to be expose to light so that they will produce more eggs and they reach maturity age early when they have more light than less light. 

Genetic factors of the breed birds as factors affecting eggs production in layers

Maximum production of high quality eggs starts with a closely controlled breeding program emphasizing favorable genetic factors.

Sex Links are the most productive brown egg layers because they are a mix of two high productive breeds. If you were to breed a very low productive chicken with a high productive chicken, the next generation would not be nearly as productive as their high productive parent.

But if you were to cross a high productive breed with another high productive breed the next generation would be just as productive as or more productive than their parents.

So when selection you pullet for commercial eggs production, do not hesitate to go for high productive breed as this will produce more compare to the less productive once.

Hen age at egg laying period as a factors affecting eggs production in layers

Age of laying birds determine the sizes of eggs produced, early starter lay more eggs of small sizes. The sizes keep increasing as they are getting to more maturity in life, so this early eggs are called starter eggs.

The reason behind this is that they are not fully matured laying birds, with time they will more and bigger eggs.

Diseases as a factors affecting eggs production in layers

Diseases and parasites can cause losses in egg production. Some breeds of birds are resistance to certain diseases which make them superior to those that are easily infected by many diseases.

More over if you want your laying birds for maximum production, do all you could to prevent them against any kind of diseases. In case of any outbreak of diseases treat them immediately so that their production will not be tampered with.

In addition, you would never want to breed an ill chicken they could pass the illnesses down to future generations and you would have a constant battle in your hands.

Always raised the healthiest chickens together the more generations and that have healthy chickens the more resistance they build up to diseases.

Molting flock as a factors affecting eggs production in layers

Molting or less feather is natural phenomenon common to all poultry laying birds regardless of their species and breeds.

Molting is a sign of good health in the poultry farm, so you discover this in your farm, no problem. As the birds are aging this process occur and the production begin to reduced, this is natural, if this happen to your flock when aging, no need to be worried.

Housing is another factors affecting eggs production in layers

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This is another important factor that affects eggs production in laying birds. If your hens are comfortable and not stressed they will lay better.

If you free range all day, they are likely going to lay in tall grass and you will be losing those eggs. You can still free range just later in the day after most have laid.

In addition to this, if you allow your bird on the floor, there is high tendency of outbreak of diseases always and this is bad for them. To me, battery cage is the best if you want to have maximum production from them.

Egg collection as a factors affecting eggs production in layers

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Collecting eggs several times a day is important especially if you have birds that tend to go broody. The more eggs that are in the nesting boxes and the longer they stay in there the more birds may want to sit on them.

Collecting eggs many times a day also helps keep eggs clean, if there are too many eggs in one nest box they could get broken and soil the other eggs.

Laying bird behaviors

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Laying birds behaviors is also an important role in eggs production, as matter of fact is one of the factors affecting eggs production in layers.  

As mentioned earlier some birds love being broody. There are also ways to break a broody that include isolation in a wire cage for several day or ice packs under her in the nest. 

Another hen behavior that will put a dent in the eggs you are able to gather is egg eating. Egg Eating is a very bad behavior that is hard sometimes impossible to break.

Sometimes eggs get broken accidentally and the chicken will eat it, that does not make them an egg eater, but if they (layers) break the eggs purposely and eat them they are egg eaters.

One more behavior that can affect production is birds guarding the nesting boxes, some birds might guard a nest and chase other birds off and make those birds lay elsewhere.

Laying birds (hens) body weight as a factors affecting eggs production in layers

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Generally, optimum body weight during the laying period should be around 1.5 kg, although this varies according to breed and species.

Underweight as well as overweight birds lay eggs at a lower rate. Proper management and the correct amount of feed are necessary in order to achieve optimum body weight.

Conclusion

If these factors are properly considered and well monitored, our flock will yield maximum eggs production.

Thanks for taken your time to read through, please drop you opinion about what you feel, thanks.

Guides on how to successively raised broilers that meets market demand in Nigeria

What is broiler? In a simple definition broiler are chickens raised mainly for meat production within a very short period of time.  Broilers are the hybrid of the egg laying chicken, both being a subspecies of the red jungle fowl called Gallus gallus. 

Typical broilers have white feathers and yellowish skin. Most commercial broilers reach consumable weight between five and seven weeks of age, moreover the slower growing type reaches consumable weight at about 14 weeks of age. 

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Because of the meat, broilers at this young age of slaughter, their behavior and physiology are that of immature birds. Broiler production, ie raising broiler chickens has become more popular in Nigeria, even throughout the world, as people try to find extra income aiming to overcome the economic challenges and high unemployment rate in the country. 

Many have lost hopes of ever getting jobs in the formal sector (public sector) and have started different means of income generating projects.

In addition, before you begin broilers production business, you have to decide on the number chickens you want to keep, where you are to keep them (location), and  where to dispose them when the rich  (your target market). The number of birds you keep will depend on

1.  The size of land 

2. The size of your target market

3. The amount of money in your pocket (capital)

You should also carry out what is call feasibility study, market research and write a business plan before you venture into the broiler production business. 

Do not make the mistake of starting a broiler business just because someone is doing it and he/she says it’s profitable and you want to do it, it might not work for you. Now let start, the steps are:

Broiler production requires where to keep them (land, housing and equipment)

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The brooder house should be cleaned and disinfected well in advance of chick delivery. A minimum of 3 weeks down-time between flocks should be scheduled for house preparation. 

Before cleaning and disinfection, all manure and feed should be removed and rodent control program should be carried out. Every other material to be used should be clean and disinfectant as well.

Additionally, in broiler production, fumigating the house within 5 days of chick delivery will help ensure sanitary conditions. The effectiveness of the cleaning, disinfection and fumigation should be checked by environmental testing of the house surfaces for coliform and Salmonella bacteria. 

If the birds are placed in naturally ventilated houses, it is better to start with 10% fewer chicks for a given space than during normal temperature conditions. 

This will give the chicks more floor space and better ventilation between the chicks as well as more water and feed space. 

Increased density of hens in cage or on floor increases effects of heat stress, i.e. reduced egg production due to reduced feed intake, increased feed requirement due to heat stress and increased mortality.  

Increasing space from 310 to 378 cm² per bird resulted in 16.6 more eggs per bird for the cost of 1.9 g feed/hen/day. Increasing space from 387 to 516 cm² resulted in 7.8 more eggs/hen housed, 4.3 g per hen/day higher feed consumption and 2.8% lower mortality. 

It is absolutely essential that the chicks reach their normal body temperature of 40-41°C as fast as possible after housing. Ideally, this should be checked with an ear thermometer a couple of hours after placement. 

If the body temperature is below 40°C, the house temperature has to be increased by all means. Make sure that the air humidity does not drop below 70% as a result of heating. The effect of ambient temperature on feed intake of laying hens.

In broiler production what they will eat (feeding) is very important

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The outcome of the broiler production depends largely on the mortality rates and optimizing the target weight of the birds at the appropriate time. 

Broiler feeds are formulated to provide the protein, energy, vitamins and other nutrients essential for health and efficient body weight production.  

So the type of feeds you choose will determine the success of your business at the end. On average, by the time a bird reaches 6 weeks, it should have consumed a total of 4kg of broiler feeds or starter feeds as the case maybe.  

At Six weeks of age, most broilers are sold, and they will be having an average live weight of about 2.2 kg and 2.4 kg, depending on management, breed, age and uniformity. About 70% of your expenses will go towards poultry feeding.

Vaccinations is compulsory in broiler production

Water vaccinations are among the most practiced method of delivering vaccines to birds in general. This method is also the most abused method of vaccinating our birds. 

What should be a quick and easy method of vaccine administration is often poorly executed resulting in low disease protection and/or low titers. 

All birds in the house must get a drink of the vaccine within two hours of vaccine dilution. The secret to successful water vaccination is getting all the birds to drink the vaccine.  

To achieve this  deprive the birds  of water  afternoon before the following morning of the vaccination. Vaccine is very important in their lives, since some diseases can’t be control if they show up, so you need to do something to prevent their occurrence.

Antibiotic may alter the effectiveness of any vaccine, therefore it is advisable to stop antibiotic for 4 to 5-day before you administer any vaccine. Apart from this, you must have been seen some feathers coming up from them, so they are welcoming the nature to their live. 

Keep watching the intensity of the light so as to control the temperature of the brooding room. I am not saying you should remove heat from them, please, heat up the room, but watch out for high temperature. 

Once again, hygiene is the best way to make drugs administered more effective, if the room is dirty, you may likely to see some symptom of diseases, so to avoid this, keep your brooding room clean always.

Management and labour are important in broiler production

The number of staff you need to employed depends on the size of your poultry project.  If you are keeping 50 birds at the back of your house you may not need an employee as you and your family will take care of the birds. 

On the other hand, if you have a poultry farm you will need dedicated staff to look after the birds, and to manage the business. 

You need good management skills and technical knowledge of broiler rearing techniques if you want to be profitable. Do your research, and train those who are working for you.

Market or sales in broiler production

With so many people eating chicken on daily basis and the country importing hundreds of millions dollars worth of chicken every year, you do not have to be a graduate to figure out that there is a huge demand for chickens in Nigeria. 

Before you start the broiler chicken farm or business, you should define your targeting market. For small scale broiler production, you can sell to those in your neighborhood, by simply putting a Chicken for sale sign at your gate, or put a writing note on board in your environs. 

The market price for live chicken in Nigeria is between N 3000 and N 4000. For medium to large scale broiler chicken production, you can target households, butchers, schools, restaurants, companies, events, abattoirs etc. 

You can also advertise your chickens business in the media or online.  If you have good networking skills it will be very easy for you to market your chicken. 

If you are producing more than 1000 birds, you can always sell your birds to abattoirs and companies which sell the packed chicken meat you buy from supermarkets.

Thank for reading, keep visiting for our update.

Feeds and Eggs production some farmers don't know that what they give to their animals determine the production

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Poultry farming and its product are lucrative and well practiced throughout the globe long ago. As well this can be a very risk a business, especially if the feeding management is not in good condition.

Mostly, achievement in poultry farming business depends largely on the qualities of the feed available. For proper growth, sound health and egg production in the poultry, they need energy. 

So, before you can this quality from your birds, you need to give them highly nutritious poultry feed and purchase quality feed from reliable feed mill. If you do not give quality and adequate feed you cannot run your farm business proper.

As a poultry farm, you need and must sell good product from your farm. These products are eggs and quality meat, this will only be achieved through the intake of adequate and quality feed to your birds.

When you supply quality and adequate feed to your birds, then you will get the best from them. The ingredients that make up the feed determined what the end product will be, therefore this will be taking one after the others and why they are important in the feed, this ingredient are group into two.

1.  Poultry feed ingredients

2. Essential Nutrient

Poultry feed ingredients

Poultry farm is common and run throughout the world, and as well popular to everyone, by this the feed ingredient are available and can be get easily. These ingredients are

(a)  Balancer and Concentrate

In preparing feed for poultry birds, concentrate and balancer are very important, this are prepared by the commercial poultry feed companies. They are basically fed with home grown chopped and grains.

(b) Fish oil

Fish oil are added as a source of vitamins, such as vitamin A and D.This are used mainly in feeding  growing and laying birds. Fish oil is highly effective when green pasture are used and sunlight are not adequate.

(c) Grain by-Product

By-product obtained from grains have a great value and good health which are very suitable for feeding poultry animals, mainly poultry birds.

Most of this by product are available in the shop where feed ingredient are sold. At time they may have a high price.

(d) Wheat

This is one of the best grain as a poultry feed ingredient used in the preparation of poultry feed, due to this reason you should you include this in preparation of the feed.

You may use this as poultry ingredient in feeding the birds throughout the year.

(e) Millet

This has a good merit as a poultry feed ingredient, this can be use in feed all type of birds in the poultry, such as growing, laying and many more.

Millet is highly digestible and as well increase the body temperature of your birds.

(f) Corn/Maize

This may be effective one in feeding poultry birds, as this can be giving whole, grinded and as well . Ripe corn can be giving to the birds and can be mixed with other ingredient to feed the birds.

2. Essential ingredients

This cannot be underrated in the preparation of poultry feed, since the healthy life, proper growth and maximum production is what we need in the poultry,  therefore all types of poultry feed need some essential nutrients in certain ration and proportions.

If not all, most of these essential nutrients are obtained from natural product i.e natural sources.  These are Sunlight, seeds and grains, pastures, gravel, etc.

(a) Carbohydrate

Mainly, carbohydrate is the source of energy to the flock and this keep their production in good condition. Carbohydrate can be found in grains and grain by-products. This is highly essential in the preparation of poultry feed.

(b) Minerals

This are essential for the formation of egg shell, such as Calcium carbonate which can obtained from Vitamin D. aside Phosphosrous in combination with calcium are help in bone formation in the poultry.

As well, if Phosphorour are present in excess they may result in growth retardation of the birds. Salt also a sources of essential element or nutrients in poultry feed production. Small amount of essential mineral should be included in the poultry feed.

(c) Vitamins

Vitamin is very important and this must be available at all time for the birds, as the deficiency of any of this vitamin might affect the growth of our birds.

Therefore, the vitamins should be available in the requires ratio in the feed. Vitamins are of different and they perform different functions also and as well they are obtained from different sources.

Vitamin A: This is obtained from green feed ingredients like maize, fish oil. This protects the poultry birds against cold and infections.

Vitamin D: This vitamin is very important as they prevent leg weakness and rickets in the poultry. This can be found in sea fish and synthetic product, Vitamin D must be included in the poultry feed.

Vitamin B Complex: This is available in green feeds, livers, milk and synthetic riboflavin among others.

This help to increase the growth of the poultry birds, this is also help to prevent curled-toe paralysis in young chickens. In preparation of the feed, the adequate amount must be added.

(d) Fat

Fat is essential element in the preparation of poultry feed, the adequate fat must be included in the feed. Fat can be found in almost all type of feed elements. Excess of this in feed result to digestive problem and result to various disease among the flock.

(e) Water

Its known globally that animal can survive longer without food and cannot do without water, this also affect poultry birds. Poultry birds cannot live without water.

When good water are not available, it is very dangerous and can cause havoc to the birds. Inadequate of water hinder the growth of our birds and result to early molting in laying birds and this reduces egg production. Therefore, good water must be available to our birds always.

(f) Protein

Protein is the most expensive element in the preparation of poultry feed, and the adequate of this must be included in the feed production. 

Two sources of protein are available; they are animal sources and vegetable sources. The animal sources are the best one and they can be getting from meat, meat meal, milk, liver among others.

Animal sources of protein are helpful to laying birds as this increase egg production. Meanwhile, protein most not present in excess in the feed.

Conclusion

Finally, in the process of poultry farming, success is what is needed. To achieve this, you must put in the best by make available to your birds the best quality food around you.

What do you know about Coccidiosis (pronounced cock-sid-ee-oh-sis)?

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What is coccidiosis? What are the symptoms of coccidiosi and how those it transfer? These and many more will be discus in this write up. 

Coccidiosis is one out of diseases commonly found in the poultry farm, by definition Coccidiosis is a common protozoan disease in domestic birds and other fowl, characterized by enteritis and bloody diarrhea. 

Coccidiosis is caused by protozoa of the phylum Apicomplexa, family Eimeriidae. In poultry, most species belong to the genus Eimeria and infect various sites in the intestine. 

They are microscopic parasitic organism which has negative effect on the poultry animals when they ingested by the birds (chickens). 

These parasites are found in the ground, birds droppings (feces) and attached themselves to the lining in the gut. They begins to develop from here by multiplying and becomes oocyst (pronounced oost), feeding in the digestive track which will make it bleed. 

Once infected it passes the parasites in its feces days before signs occur. The coccidia that affect chickens do not affect other types of livestock, and vice versa.

Chickens can carry nine different types of coccidia, making it more important to understand that clinical disease is dependent on which species of coccidia are present and in what level. 

The presence of a few coccidial eggs or oocysts may not equal a diagnosis of the disease.

How those coccidiosis transmit

Infection is via the fecal-oral route. Under the good and conducive environmental conditions, like increased moisture, the oocysts can contaminate all areas of the chicken’s environment, these including feed, litter, and soil, and they remaining active for months. 

Therefore it is now important to control moisture level and the substrate (litter materials) in the farm. Wet litter may have a strong ammonia smell which can cause coccidial overgrowth and other flock management problems. 

Moisture content must be controlled during the raining season and around leak water areas. Humans (farmers) can also transmit coccidiosis, through shoes and equipments. 

If we go to visit our neighbor’s farms, we can carry diseases back and forth between the flocks. So to prevent this, limit access to your farm (flock) and be smart about visiting others. 

In the commercial poultry industry, it is standard practice to wear boots and hair nets, wash your car before and after your visit, and even wait for at least 24 hours before visiting a new flock of birds.

Symptoms

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 For any disease in the farm, they must be a sign that prove to you that the birds or animals are not in good condition, in the case of coccidiosis the following are the symptoms. 

Outward signs in chickens include droopiness and listlessness, loss of appetite, loss of yellow color in shanks, pale combs and wattles, ruffled, unthrifty feathers, huddling or acting chilled, blood or mucus in the poo, diarrhea, dehydration, and even death. Other signs include poor feed digestion, poor weight gain, and poor feed efficiency.

The effect of coccidiosis on the birds

Coccidiosis surely most show negative effect on the flock in one way or the other. As we all know that as disease affect human so also they have effect on animals, therefore in the case of coccidiosis, they have the following effect on the birds.

1. Reduction in egg production

2. It affect growth rate

3. It affect feed intake conversion rate

4. It might lead to the death of birds

5. It result to shortage or lost of resources.

Prevention and treatment

To any problem, I think there must be a possible solution, what are the possible solutions to the outbreak of coccidiosis in the farm. 

Remember the saying that says prevention is better than cure, I believe the best is to do your best to prevent the outbreak of cocci than try to treat.

Prevention

Disease prevention is always more desirable than treatment this is especially true for backyard poultry. 

Commercial producers have several inherent advantages with respect to prevention, including enhanced biosecurity, more effective cleaning and disinfection practices, and better access to vaccines. 

Even so, there are several relatively simple prevention methods that should be utilized by all poultry owners to reduce coccidiosis in the environment and the risk of coccidia infection in your birds.

Some prevention method include: Controlling moisture with the appropriate installation and management of watering systems. 

Mainly, using nipple drinkers to reduce spillage of water onto litter instead of bell and trough drinkers. If at all possible, periodically move the location of your chickens. 

Any area that is consistently covered with manure will eventually have a high load of bacteria, viruses, and parasites like coccidia. 

Leaving land fallow for several weeks is one of the most effective ways to reduce the pathogen load in the environment.

Another effective way including anticoccidials such as medicated feed,into diets at recommended levels will prevent clinical infection. 

This is very important for the first month of the chick’s life since her immune system hasn’t fully developed. 

Treatment

Coxoid is a widely available treatment and other treatments are available from a Vet or licensed supplier e.g. Baycox. 

Egg withdrawal periods (i.e. eggs must not be eaten) are normally needed with treatments and then followed up with a health tonic e.g. Lifeguard Poultry Tonic.

Coxoid is administered in their drinking water for seven days, egg withdrawal period 28 days.

Clean their house, run and the ground they live on, and all utensils with Bi-OO-Cyst Coccidial Disinfectant which will kill all coccidial parasites. 

For the ground we recommend Stalosan F Powder or Net-tex Ground Sanitising Powder which dries up the area where they live and prevent the dampness that oocysts thrive in. 

Regular use of this will prevent any further infections. Parasites can live in empty houses, and the ground, for several months.

Conclusion

Conclusively, as it is possible for cocci to impact negative effect on the development and the production of the birds and the management of the farm as a whole, so it is very important to do all you could in making sure those cocci will not show up. If they show up, try your effort to prevent its occurrence in the farm.