Brooding Methods

Lamps

Infrared lamps provide a convenient heat source for brooding chicks. Use porcelain sockets approved for these lamps and suspend the lamps with chain or wire, not the electric cord. Ideally they should be no closer than 40 cms to the litter.

If the average brooder house temperature is 50 degrees F, one 250 watt infrared lamp is sufficient for 80 chicks. One chick can be added to this estimate for every degree over 50 degrees F. You should use more than one lamp so the chicks will not be without heat if a lamp burns out. Supply more heat by lowering the lamps to 35 cms above the litter or by using more or higher-wattage lamps. To reduce heat, turn off some lamps, use smaller lamps, or raise the lamps to 60 cms above the litter. You are heating the chicks only and not the air. Therefore air temperature measurements cannot be used as a guide to chick comfort when using infrared lamps.

Brooders

Small brooders with an electric heating element can be purchased for brooding small numbers of chicks. Variations of a simple light bulb brooder can be made using Figure 1 as a guide. Change the bulb size in this unit to adjust the temperature. Most of the larger brooders use gas or oil as fuel to more adequately supply heat.

 

 

Figure 1. Brooder for 25-50 chicks

 

 

When using a brooder, start the chicks at 90° to 95° F, measured 50 mm off the floor under the edge of the hover. Reduce the temperature by 5° per week until the supplemental heat is no longer needed. Observe the chicks to gauge their level of comfort. If they crowd together under the brooder, increase the heat. Lower the temperature if they tend to move away from the heat source.

Start the brooder the day before the chicks arrive and adjust to proper operating temperature.

Space and Equipment Recommendations

Provide half a square foot of brooder house space per chick from day 1 to 6 weeks of age. Allow 1 ½ to 2 square feet of floor space for Leghorn pullets. Allow 2 to 2 ½ square feet for heavier breed pullets confined during the growing period.

Place feed on chick box lids or trays from cut-down card-board boxes for the first few days. Alternatively use plastic trays that have many uses as a tray or turned upside down as a plinth etc.

Feed and water should be available to the chicks as soon as they arrive or have just hatched and dried of. Provide 25 cm of feeding space per chick at the hoppers at first. Increase to about 50 cm after chicks are 2 weeks old. After 8 weeks, provide 75 – 100 cm of feeding space for growing pullets. A hanging tube-type feeder 40 cm in diameter will feed about 30 birds. Less feed is wasted by filling hoppers only half full and adjusting feeder height or size to bird size.

Water fountains

Provide a 5 litre water fountain per 50 chicks during the first 2 weeks. Increase the number or size of waterers as they grow. Perches may be used with pullets after 6 weeks of age. Use poles of 50 cm with top edges rounded and placed 30 to 40 cm apart. The perches can be on a slant, from floor level to about 60 cm high at the rear. Alternatively it can be placed on a screened platform over a droppings pit. Allow 15 cm linear of roosting space for pullets.

Feeding

For the small flock owner, a complete feed obtained from your local feed dealer is convenient. Follow the directions provided by your local supplier. A starter mash is generally fed for the first 6 to 8 weeks. Pullets are then fed a grower/developer mash until they lay at about 20 weeks of age. They should be fed a laying mash when they start to lay eggs.

Pullets having access to a yard or range can supplement their diet with green feed. Chicks or pullets should have some chick- or pullet- size grit available at the appropriate age. Try to keep your growing pullets within body-weight guidelines provided by the breeder.

Health and Sanitation Practices

Isolation from other birds is the first rule in preventing disease. Restrict unnecessary traffic of people and pets into the poultry house. If different ages of chickens are present on the farm, physically separate the flocks as much as possible and care for the younger birds first. Disease and parasite control will be easier if the birds are kept confined. Rotate yard and range areas so that birds are not on the same ground year after year.

Keep the premises free of rodents and screen free-flying birds from the poultry house. Good sanitation and a low-level coccidiostat drug in the feed during the brooding and growing period will usually prevent coccidiosis.

Examine birds occasionally for lice and mites. A local veterinarian, can assist you with flock health and other management problems or will direct you to a competent source of help.

Clean waterers daily and periodically wash with a sanitizing solution. Maintain litter in good condition and remove caked and wet spots. Add additional litter as necessary. Adjust ventilation to avoid moisture and ammonia build-up in the house.

Cannibalism

Cannibalism often occurs in growing and laying flocks and is difficult to control once it has started. Various factors contribute to cannibalism, including crowding, nutrient deficiencies, inadequate ventilation, too little drinking and eating space. Other reasons are too much light, idleness, and the appearance of blood on injured birds. Good management can frequently control many of these contributing factors.

In many small flocks, a pick-paste remedy can be used with success if the problem has not gotten out of hand. Beak trimming is a more permanent solution to the problem. Birds can be beak- trimmed at any age if done properly, but avoid times of stress or pullets production time.

Good layers develop from healthy, well-bred chicks raised under good feeding and management programs. The best hens for egg production are the small-bodied commercial Hybrid strains with a high rate of egg production. These also yields a lower production cost per dozen eggs. Popular hybrid layers are White Star, ISA Brown, Sussex Star, Blue Belle, Black Rock, Black Tails etc.

Housing and Equipment

Housing requirements for brooding and rearing chicks and pullets can be quite minimal if done in late spring and summer. Almost any small building that meets the floor-space requirements for the desired-size flock can be used. A small number of chicks can even be brooded in a corner of a garage. After the brooding period, pullets can be reared in a fenced yard and covered shelter for protection from the weather. You should though make sure you have adequate protection against the fox and other predators.

Brooding, feeding, and watering equipment can be purchased from local feed and farm supply outfits or mail-order houses. Much of the equipment can be home-built. Used equipment may be available locally from farmers who no longer keep poultry. Usually, three sizes of feed hoppers are recommended so birds, as they are growing, can easily eat without wasting feed.

Hanging tube-type feeders that can be adjusted in height as the birds grow are becoming very popular. It is desirable to place a platform under waterers to avoid wet litter. Automatic waterers save labour, even with small flocks.

Cleanliness

The house and equipment should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before starting chicks. If chicks have been in the shed previously, remove all the litter and wash the house and equipment with pressurized water. Scrub and scrape all organic matter from building and equipment surfaces. After cleaning, disinfect shed and equipment using an approved compound according to the product manufacturer’s directions.

Dry and air the building and then place 50  to 100 cm of wood shavings, straw, or other litter material on the floor. Place a cardboard fence around the brooding area to confine the chicks to the heat source for the first week. Figure 2 shows one suggested arrangement of the brooding area.

 

 

 

Figure 2. Diagram of Brooding Area

 

 

 

 

Food

Chickens are pretty omnivorous. I’ve even heard of one that specialised in catching mice. But it is very important for the chickens health to have a balanced diet. Unless you are very expert, the best way to achieve this is to base your chickens’ diet on one of the propriety pelleted feeds. This can be fed in conjunction with suitable grain such as corn or wheat. The consensus of opinion being to feed pellets in the morning via a protected feeder (to keep the food dry). Then the grain in the afternoon as a scatter food.

Feed at a rate which allows a little left over at the end of the day. This will assure you that every bird is getting enough. Fresh greens are very popular with the birds and certainly of benefit. Yolks won’t be yellow without them, unless you add a dye to the food, like many commercial egg producers. If you can’t get your birds onto grass regularly give them some cabbage or similar.

Once you’re sure the birds are properly nourished a few treats will do no harm and be much appreciated. Kitchen scraps such as bread and cereal for example, or sunflower seeds.

Drink

It is important for the health of your chickens to provide fresh, clean water which must be available during daylight hours. This is best achieved by one of the propriety drinking fountains. These keep a reserve of clean water which fills up a small trough, preventing the water to be fouled. If you lock your birds in at night, it is not necessary to make water available.

Grit

Hens need (flint) grit to grind food in their crop. Some will be included in a good quality food, but its a good idea to supply some ad-lib. Also in the food will be a source of calcium, necessary for eggshells. But many poultry keepers like to supply ground oyster shell, usually mixed in with the grit.

Cleaning

The chicken house will need to be cleaned regularly. Exactly how often depending on the density of birds and the time of year, but ideally once a week. The floor of the chicken house should be covered with sawdust, though this is a misnomer.

It is very important that it should be dust-free wood shavings as chickens have delicate respiratory systems. For the same reason clean, wheat straw, not hay, should be used in nesting boxes, on a layer of sawdust. The floor can be lined with old newspaper first, then sawdust, droppings and all can simply be rolled up. Even easier if your poultry house has sliding floors.

Manure

Poultry droppings make one of the best garden manures. Though used fresh and direct, in quantity, can be too strong for plants. So best allow them to rot down with the old straw and sawdust – it really shouldn’t smell. It is very important to keep all the crevices clean and watch for signs of infestation by red mite or fleas.

Red mite and fleas are covered in more detail in another blog. Please click http://perfectpoultry-co-uk.preview-domain.com/?p=189&preview=true to go to that page.

Eggs

Hens don’t need a cockerel with them to lay eggs, only for fertile eggs. If these are collected regularly are perfectly OK to eat. The rate of lay will depend on nutrition, contentment, age of the bird, day length and breed.

14 hours of daylight is the optimum day length, and commercial producers may use lights to extend their day. Dusk should be gradual on welfare grounds, to allow chickens time to roost.

Laying

Chickens traditionally start laying again after the winter hiatus on St Valentines day, but you will probably get the odd egg all year round. The proverbial china egg can help stimulate laying. It is very important for chickens to have the correct environment for laying eggs. It needs to be dark and reasonably out of view, like a nesting boxes that are available in many forms.

Traditional utility breeds are usually good layers, and you could expect perhaps 250+ eggs a year from Light Sussex. Some of the old breeds, those bred for meat and the ‘fancy’ show birds are not good layers. Some, like the Brahma, being known as rich men’s birds because they eat so much and produce so little. Brahmas have other qualities though, looks aplenty and they are one of my favourites!).

Collect your eggs at least once a day. You don’t want birds to start sitting on a clutch (unless you want to start breeding! Another reason is if they break an egg and eat it they may get a taste for eggs. Once they start it takes a while to stop them with pot or mustard eggs, trimming beaks etc

Whether to clean eggs is a matter for debate, if you do, wipe them with a clean damp cloth. Remember, eggs are porous and will absorb smells.

Mark the date on the shell with a pencil so you use the oldest first or stack in order. Then you can enjoy the incomparable taste of a really fresh egg.

The Moult

Once a year chickens lose their feathers (not all of them) and grow new ones. They go rather out of sorts and off the lay. But a few weeks will see them in a smart new outfit. It is advisable that birds are in tip top condition prior to the moult. The process takes a lot out of them, so ensure your worming/parasite control is up to date. No other action is required from the poultry keeper while they are moulting. If you do want to add some extra vitamins or ‘poultry spice’ as an encouragement they would be very appreciative.

Flock relations

Chickens have a hierarchical social system, with the stronger, more assertive birds having first crack at feeding. They generally boss the lower orders around and is know as the ‘pecking order’.

You will notice as you watch chickens the order of precedence. This behaviour becomes particularly obvious when new birds are introduced to an established flock. Until the order is re-established the new birds will be bullied, sometimes quite remorselessly. It is often necessary for their protection to segregate new birds whilst they get accustomed to each other. You can use an enclosure within the main run where they can see each other. Gradually they are accepted into the flock. Another method is to introduce the new chickens at night time when the others are asleep. Simply place the new ones onto the perch in the dark coop. When morning comes they do not have the same reaction as if you popped the new ones in daylight.

General well-being

Contented, busy chickens are much more likely to thrive and lay well. Chickens feed mainly by scratching the ground, then pecking (though it’s pretty amusing to watch them chase flies). So having an earth floor or a few inches of bark chippings or similar, will keep them occupied and happy. Another measure is to provide greens in a string bag or on a hook. They will then have to reach up to get at it keeping them active and entertained.

If possible, let them free range. With care, especially during summer through winter, a small number of chickens will not do much damage in a garden. On the contrary, they will eat up a lot of pests – they love slugs. So spread some very fine manure and they’ll be a pleasure to have around.

Keep an eye on your flock’s behaviour, droppings, food consumption. Also any bird that ‘goes quiet’, has a messy tail or loses feathers unusually should be investigated.

Take the time to watch your birds, just for the fun of it.

Comb Shapes.

 

I have recently been involved in an intriguing discussion regarding the types of comb that are allowed within different breeds.

 

The debate centred around the question. “How many breeds are standardised in this country to be exhibited with more than one type of comb?”

Rhode Island Reds

The first breed to come to my mind is the Rhode Island Red. Our family have been associated with the breed since the 1920s. They were one of my grandfathers favourite breeds and have existed in both single and rosecomb versions for many years.

The first RIR birds to be standardised were rosecombs. It is recorded that they were bred from Black/Red coloured Malay or Aseel cocks. Further research confirmed they arrived in the USA via the old Clipper Ships. In those days live poultry were often carried aboard the ships where they provided a supply of either meat or eggs. They could live on the kitchen waste and whilst alive avoided the problem of having to keep meat in salt tubs for it to remain edible.

Rosecombs were first standardised as ‘American Reds’ and in 1905 the single-comb was approved as the Rhode Island Red. In 1906 they were then both officially called Rhode Island Reds.

The first birds came to Britain via 36 eggs brought over by a Sidney Risden in 1903. For different reasons the resulting 25 chicks were almost lost forever. Eventually they and their progeny were finally accepted by the English breeders. As a result the British Rhode Island Red Club was formed in 1909. Such was their popularity their success is firmly embedded in Poultry history.

Mediterranean

Mediterranean breeds are probably the ones which most fanciers will quickly remember as having both types of comb.

Anconas have scheduled classes in both the Large Fowl and Miniature for single and rosecombs versions at their club shows.

Game birds

It has been common procedure during the last few centuries to use a cross with an Aseel type of Game Fowl. Consequently it is quite common for Old English Game breeders to hatch a few chicks displaying a ‘Pea Comb’. These birds were alright to use as breeders but could not be exhibited.

In an early edition of Fancy Fowl, Owen Dickey wrote about his favourite ‘Irish Game’ which have been bred there for centuries. He commented that it was quite common for Pea Combed birds to be reared.

In 2005 Owen published a wonderful book called The Game Fowl Colour Guide. He describes all the colours within Game Fowl and supported them with some beautiful photographs. Right at the beginning of the book there is the photograph of a painting by J H Moore of ‘The Guv’nor’. He was a first cross between an Asil and an Irish Game, and he looks fantastic.

 

An Australian, James Bishop wrote an excellent book called; A Game Fanciers Short Handbook. One of the chapters gives the description of their Australian Pit Game. These birds are not to be confused with the much larger and more Shamo type Australian Game.

 

These birds are standardised as being single combed. They are also though standardised in many of the States with a pea or triple combed as a variation. It will be interesting to observe what, if any, influence the acceptance of pea combs eventually has amongst the Old English Game birds in Great Britain.

More reading

More information on Gamefowl, including Oxfords, Carlisle, Indian/Cornish and Modern Game are in a book written by my father. Ian Kay wrote British Game fowl and it’s a comprehensive, well illustrated book that is a pleasure to read. You can find out more information on this book by clicking here

Araucanas are a rare breed of chicken originally from Chile that lay blue/green eggs, with the colour permeating throughout the shell. They have head feathers that look like earmuffs.

They were first imported into the United States in the early 1930’s. A variety of them are rumpless and have tufts of feathers protruding from each side of the neck.

The characteristic for blue egg colour is dominant and will occur in the offspring when this fowl is crossed with another breed of domestic chickens. Hence, cross-breeds which lay blue or tinted eggs are often mistaken for Araucanas.

Sexing Araucana’s

Araucanas cannot be sexed accurately before about 14 weeks. Whilst we will do our best below this age, no guarantees can be given.

Black birds are the most prolific layers and produce the best coloured eggs. Bred primarily for its novel charcteristic of blue eggs. The Araucana is, nevertheless, a dual purpose fowl that carries a plump, well-fleshed carcass. The hens are good layers of medium sized eggs.

Overview

ORIGIN – Chile

COMB -Pea

COLOURS Black, Lavender, Red/Black, White and Gold and Silver Duckwings

Legbars were created by Professor R.C. Punnet and Mr M Pease at Cambridge University in the first half of the 20th century.

Russian Orloffe

If you are interested in keeping a breed that is full of history then look no further than the Russian Orloffe. The birds take their name from Count Orloffe.

He was a Prussian and laid claim to having created them and also a breed of horse. Historians were sceptical believing that the birds were in existence many centuries before the count was born. Quite probably the count was instrumental in organising the breeding of the birds using several different breeds.

Firstly a Russian breed called the Ushanki and the result being a very striking bird full of character. The breed is actually classified as being Soft Feathered but the birds have a definite game bird stance about them. This probably being obtained from the Bruge, which is a large upstanding beak fighter from Belgium.

Features

One of the striking features of the Orloffe is their beard and very full muffling around their throat. The dense feathering extends well into their neck hackles. This feature was almost certainly due to the introduction of blood from the Thuringian. These birds are credited as being of German origin; they exist in a range of colours. One of which is the Mahogany Spangled. This is the colour that I consider to be the most successful in the Orloffe and again suggests their relationship.

 

Whatever the combination of breeds involved in the development of the Orloffe the result is a magnificent bird. They warrant a larger number of breeders than it has at the present time.

Colours

There are currently 6 colours that are recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain. Black, Black Mottled, Cuckoo, Spangled, Mahagony and White.

Bantams

The first miniature Orloffes were brought into this country by Rex Woods, who was a good friend of my father. They were Mahogany Spangled and looked magnificent with their rich yellow legs contrasting with their body colouring.

 

The bantams are hardy and good layers with a docile temperament. When they are running on a grass lawn, they look a picture of health and beauty. They were one of the breeds chosen to be in the pack of cigarette cards produced by Players. The images of those cards illustrate the breed to perfection.