VICTOR MAKAHAMADZEWHEN chicks have developed wings and they can regulate their own temperature, they no longer need the brooder and they can now be placed in the chicken coup.
The standard practice is that every chicken coop must be rectangular with the shorter sides having an east and west orientation to allow sunlight to penetrate when the chickens are at their weakest (morning and evening).
The front side must be taller than the back to allow rainwater to flow off the roof to the back of the fowl run. The floor must be made of concrete with a rough finish to allow cleaning from time to time with a gentle slope towards the back to allow water to drain to the back.
The fowl run must be built to secure the birds against snake and rodent intrusion, which often results in death and the spread of diseases. Thus it is important to check the poultry houses for any weaknesses in their structure to minimise the entry of natural enemies and thieves.
A storm drain can also be made to collect rain water from the roof during rainy days and the water can be used for cleaning the fowl run.
In principle, the carrying capacity for chickens for any fowl run is between 10 and 12 birds per square metre. Exceeding the stipulated carrying capacity may result in the emergence and rapid spread of diseases due to overcrowding.
Farmers are advised to place footbaths at all chicken house entrances to minimise the spread of chicken diseases from one batch to the other. It is also advisable to allow one worker to take care of same-sized chickens in order to minimise the spread of diseases from one batch to another.
Farmers rearing indigenous breeds and layer chickens will need to provide perching or roosting poles for their chickens due to the fact that indigenous breeds and layer chickens prefer to sleep above ground level (perch), a natural defence instinct against predators such as snakes.
Farmers are advised to use planks of about 4cm wide that allow comfortable and effective perching and to ensure that all perches are of uniform heights so that birds do not fight for the highest spots. Perches should allow for at least 20cm per bird to discourage fighting for space.
Feeding equipment
After brooding, chickens can now migrate to large feeding equipment such as the 8-9kg feeders and 10-12 litre drinkers. All feeding equipment must be adjusted to the level of the neck to minimise chances of chickens putting droppings in feed and water which could lead to the easy spread of diseases.
Since the ideal floors are made of concrete with a rough finish to allow easy cleaning, farmers are advised to insulate the floors with grass cuttings or wooden shavings. Wooden shavings absorb accidental water spillages and droppings, thus reducing odours. On the other hand, bedding also allows chicks to be kept warm due to insulated floors. Care must be taken, however, to change the bedding as the need arises.
The ideal bedding depth is 30cm which will be further compressed by chickens and workers as they walk around the chicken houses.
Farmers are advised to disinfect the chicken houses monthly and after every cycle to disrupt the lifecycle of pests and diseases.
It is important to note that some disinfectants such as Viru-kill can be used even while chickens are in the fowl run.
Regular monitoring and supervision
While some farmers may have workers who look after their chickens from time to time, they are encouraged to personally take time to monitor their flocks daily as they are the ones who will feel the pinch should losses occur.
Monitoring allows potential threats to be nipped in the bud before they can cause large problems or inconveniences. For example, farmers may detect the emergence of a disease just by monitoring changes in feed consumption and habits of their flocks.
Changes in important aspects such as feed consumption and use of chemicals can only be detected when close monitoring and supervision are done.
Farmers are advised to embrace bio-security practices such as;
• Restricted entry,
• Wearing of PPE designated for poultry use,
• Footbaths at all entry points,
• Not bringing chickens from other places to the main flock,
• Fencing off the poultry houses,
