9.3 Pullets
They are usually raised indoors in the same way as broilers. They grow slowly and may need brooding until 4-6 weeks old. They are then given more space than broiler chickens. If there is an out doors fenced area, they can go there during the day.
They should be given 500 g of broiler starter feed for the first 4-6 weeks. When this feed is used up it is replaced with a lower-quality pullet-rearing diet until 17 weeks of age. They are then given a layer diet which is high in calcium (3%) and phosphorous (0.5%). This is needed so that they can lay eggs with hard shells. Pullets will now be transferred to their layer house as they will shortly come into lay.
9.4 Battery cages
can hold 1-5 hens per cage (50 x 40 cm x 45 cm high for each hen)
are expensive but can be made from local material
hens may peck one another and may need to have their beaks trimmed (a specialized job)
can scratch one another if claws are long with loss of feathers from the back
must be given a high-quality layer diet
will lay more eggs and eat less feed than hens in any other housed system
may be in future welfare issues as birds have little space. This worries the public
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9.4.1 Small scale semi-commercial cage unit
This is designed for a household wanting to keep only a few hens and have eggs for their family and to sell
a single cage unit of 3 compartments holding 12 layers. See trainer’s manual (10.3.1)
cage on legs or on a stand or legs constructed cheaply from bamboo
can be moved easily out of rain and bad weather to a safe place
thatched roof or without a roof if kept under cover
bamboo feeders and home-made drinkers (see illustrations 4.1, 4.2)
hens must receive high-quality feed to lay 9 - 10 eggs /day
system sustainable if 5 eggs sold and 4 - 5 eggs consumed by the household
money from egg sales is used to buy more feed
hens sold after 12 months for eating or force moulted (see section 9.7 )
money from egg and hen sales used to buy replacement birds or layer chicks and grown to pullets but starting these 20 weeks before selling old hens
9.5 Barn hens
hens kept indoors and on the floor with adequate floor space
house must be well constructed and safe from thieves
feeders, drinkers, perches and nest boxes must be provided
floor litter is necessary and later used for fertilizer or compost on gardens
some eggs will be laid on the floor and some of these will get dirty(should be cleaned)
green feed (grass, cassava, sweet potato tops) can be given to hens
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9.6 Free range
similar to the barn system except allowed outside
need a docile (quiet) breed who will not fly over the surrounding fence
hens are allowed to scavenge in a secure outdoor enclosure during the day
allowed to go indoors at any time. Floor space 7 - 8 hens per square metre
locked up at night
house similar to that for barn hens with nest boxes, drinkers and feeders
Drinkers are also provided in the outside enclosed area. Space per bird in the house is a little less than for barn hens
Advantage: free range system is that hens can scavenge for some of their feed and pick up some essential nutrients. Hens need green feed and there should be two separate outdoor pens which can be rotated. One will be rested to allow the grass to grow back. Sunlight provides birds with vitamin D.
Disadvantage: hens will eat a little more feed and lay fewer eggs than a battery (caged) hen. They are more likely to pick up a disease (parasites) outside. The hens will not get much nourishment from the pasture and if raining will stay indoors
EXERCISE
Do you understand the different systems of housing poultry? If not write down what you do not understand about them and what you do understand about them ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What system of keeping hens do you prefer. Why, and why will it suit you best? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Do you have the skills available in your village and the building materials locally to build a layer house and layer cages. Explain? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Are you interested in the small-scale 12 hen unit? Do you have space and the money to get started? What do you not have?
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9.7 Force moulting
This is to stop old hens from laying for about 4 weeks.
Reasons:
replacement pullets are expensive
egg production drops when hens get old (i.e. production is less than 1 egg/2days (uneconomical)
egg shells will get thin and break when birds get old
may be economical to put hens through a second laying cycle
hens are put out of lay by feeding a poor-quality diet for 3 - 4 weeks when about 60-70 weeks old but must always have water
very few hens will be now be laying. They are then put back on a layer diet and will come into lay 2-3 weeks later
eggs will now have sound, hard shells
hens will lay more eggs than before and for at least the next 20 weeks
will lay large eggs
Disadvantage: hens are out of lay for about 3 - 4 weeks during moulting and come into full lay over the next 3 - 4 weeks so there will be loss of income
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9.8 EGG QUALITY
9.8.1 Internal
eggs get stale quickly in hot weather
store eggs in a cool place
when the egg yolk spreads into the white the egg is stale
a stale egg may not taste different from a fresh egg
some people like eggs with a deep orange-yellow yolk
others like the yolk a pale yellow colour
colour can be measured with a yolk colour fan
there are sometimes blood spots in the egg yolk but we are not sure why
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9.8.2 External quality
eggs can be misshapen, soft-shelled, with pimples and rough surfaces
egg breakage occurs easily especially if the hens are old
these eggs are classified as seconds and fetch a much lower price in the market
dirty eggs, blood stained eggs and fly marks on the shell make the eggs unattractive to the customer should be cleaned before selling or eating
consumers prefer eggs that are either white or brown shelled but both have the same nutritional value
[END OF UNIT V]
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UNIT VI
10. RECORD KEEPING
It is essential that you keep good records of feed consumed, eggs produced, bird deaths and removal of sick hens and non layers. A sample record sheet is given so that you can know accurately how your flock is performing.
[Example of a layer record sheet at the end of this manual]
11. CONCLUSION
Keeping poultry is not easy. It is a learning process. You should start slowly and expand as you gain experience. You may have set backs but you must persevere and seek advice when you have problems and need help. If you are kind to your birds and treat them well they will respond.
12. FEASIBILITY STUDY
Before you decide that you want to become a poultry farmer you must undertake a feasibility study that is researched thoroughly into all aspects of meat production or egg production to determine if you are going to make a profit. Otherwise you may be wasting time and money. When you have done your research you can then make a business plan. Your business plan will allow you a better chance of borrowing money from the bank to get your enterprise started. The
