Poultry housing and equipment

Proper housing is essential for efficient poultry production.
Birds that are comfortable are healthier and performs better than birds kept under  improper conditions . With good housing production costs are lower.
The nature & size of the house constructed  will depend on many factors like Capital available, number and types of birds kept and climatic conditions.

Poultry housing should provide:
-Protection from harsh weather conditions  like  strong winds, rain & hot sun
-Protection from predators.

The following areas should be considered:
1.Location(site): Well drained area in order to prevent prolonged dampness & water saturation of the floor & outside areas.
-It should have east west orientation.
-The unit should be near the homestead.

2.Building materials: Farmers should aim at using readily available, cheap & durable materials e.g. papyrus thatch, off-cuts, stones, oil drums, earth walls, iron sheets.

3.Floor: Poultry house floor can be cemented if the farmer can afford, but normal earth floor is good enough.

4.Litter: Litter should be provided in the poultry unit floor. Where day old chicks are being brooded, wood shavings are used & not sawdust .Chicks can eat sawdust. For growers & layers, saw dust, shavings, straw & rice husks can be used.

5.Ventilation: Poultry unit should have free flow of fresh air. The building should have 0.6m wire mesh opening at the back & 1.0m opening in front of the building. However in hot areas ventilation should be made as big as 2 meters from the top. But if the places is very cold at night, it is advisable to cover the ventilation with gunny bags.

6.Lighting: There should be adequate natural light in the poultry unit. The light should be enough for a person to read newspaper at the centre of the building. In a crowded house, some transparent roofing sheets should be fitted to improve lighting. Broilers should have light for 24hrs throughout the production period. For layers throughout 24hrs of light during the brooding period.

7.House stock density:

a)Layers
•For deep litter- 4 to 6 birds per square meter should be allowed.
•For half deep litter and half slated floor,6 to 7 birds per square meter should be allowed.
b)Chicks & Growers
•Allow 25 chicks per square meter.
•Allow 4 to 6 birds per square meter for growers
c) Broilers
•Allow 25 chicks/meter squared between 4 to 7 weeks of age.
Note:
Brooding, plus keeping of growers in the same building is convenient for small holders. For large producers, a separate brooder has to be constructed.