Poultry Farming, Management of Poultry Farms, Practice Problems and FAQs

You must have seen people buying dozens of eggs from the supermarket while shopping for groceries. In fact, for most non-vegetarian people, meat and eggs are an essential part of their diet and they consume large quantities of meat and eggs throughout the year. In fact, a recent study says that in 2019 the per capita consumption of eggs in a year was around 81. So you can imagine how many eggs need to be produced per year to feed the entire egg-eating population of the world!

Same goes for meat as the world consumption of meat was estimated to be around 34 kg per capita per year in 2019. Meat that we consume comes from different sources but you will be amazed to know that the majority of it comes from poultry. Do you know what poultry is? Poultry refers to a class of domesticated birds that are reared for meat and eggs, e.g, hens, turkeys, ducks, etc.

Fig: Examples of poultry birds

In fact, many domestic animals are reared and bred for various products such as food, fibres, hides, physical work, etc. Such animals are known as livestock and the science of systematic breeding and raising of livestock is known as animal husbandry. You must have realised by now that poultry farming is also a part of animal husbandry. But have you ever been to a poultry farm?

What do you think are the things to keep in mind when you set up a poultry farm? How can poultry farms ensure high yields which can meet the high demands of eggs and poultry meat across the world? What conditions should the birds be kept in? How should they be looked after? If these are the questions in your mind then you are in the right place. In this article, we are going to discuss all that you need to know about poultry farming.

Introduction to poultry farming
Poultry farm management
Disease management
Practice Problems
FAQs

Introduction to poultry farming

Poultry farming refers to rearing, breeding and caring of poultry birds or fowls for their meat and eggs. Chicken or domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus) accounts for more than 90% of poultry farming.

According to the The Economic Survey 2021-22, India ranks third in egg production and eighth in meat production around the world. Annual production of eggs in India in 2021-22 was around 122.11 billion and that of meat was around 8.80 million tonnes. Andhra Pradesh is the largest egg producing state of India.

In poultry farming, rearing and management of fowls are done for two purposes-

Production of the eggs.
Production of meat or flesh.

Poultry birds that are grown exclusively for meat are called broilers, e.g, Plymouth Rock whereas female fowls that are raised mainly for egg production are called layers, e.g, White Leghorn. The eggs produced by these birds are mostly unfertilised eggs and are known as vegetarian eggs.

Fig: Broilers and layers

Layers start laying eggs in about 22 weeks and continue to lay eggs for about 12-15 months. When the yield of eggs from these birds becomes low, they are sold for their meat. Broilers, on the other hand, are grown for about 6-8 weeks and after they attain a weight of 1.2-1.5 kg, they are sold for their meat.

Apart from these, some birds are bred to produce eggs which can be fertilised to produce broilers or layers. Such birds are known as breeders.

Fig: Breeders

Breeds of poultry

Some of the common breeds of poultry chicken sold in India are -

Indian breeds - Aseel, Busra, Chittagong, Ghagus, etc.

Exotic breeds - White Leghorn, Plymouth Rock, New Hampshire, Australorp and Rhode Island Red.

Cross breeds

Cross breeding involves mating the superior males of one breed with the superior females of another breed to get a progeny with the combination of desirable characters of both the parents.

Indian Aseel and foreign Leghorn breeds were bred to raise a variety of cross breeds.

Crossbreeding in poultry farming helped to meet the commercial purpose and management easily. They focused on:

Quantity and quality of chicks
Dwarf broiler parents for more chick production
Adaptation/tolerance to high temperature
Low maintenance and minimum feeding requirements

Some common cross bred varieties of chicken in India are HN-260, Poona pearl, Keystone, etc.

Poultry Farm Management

For high yield of meat and eggs, proper management practices are needed to be followed in a poultry farm. The birds have to be provided with proper shelter, feed and good living conditions along with proper medical care to make sure they remain healthy and disease free and can yield products to the best of their potential. But the most important point to be kept in mind while managing a poultry farm is selection of the breeds that will be reared in the farm.

Selection of breeds

Disease free, high yielding breeds of poultry should be selected to make sure that they produce good quality and quantity of meat and eggs. For example, White Leghorn is usually selected for its high egg yielding characteristic and New Hampshire for its meat.

Fig: Selection of good quality breeds

Shelter

One of the most important aspects of good poultry farming is to house the birds properly and provide them proper care, shelter (housing) and a hygienic disease free environment. In poultry farms, the birds are kept in spacious coops which protect them from harsh environmental conditions such as rain, cold, sun, etc and predators as well.

Fig: Coops for keeping poultry

Good housing conditions for poultry birds includes

avoiding overcrowding
good ventilation
appropriate lighting
maintenance of a clean, dry and hygienic environment
proper drainage to prevent water-logging
maintaining optimum temperature
spreading litter on the floor of the poultry houses
regular cleaning of the bird wastes
protection from predators
separate coops for birds of different ages

Avoiding overcrowding

Spacious coops should be made to avoid overcrowding of the birds which can otherwise lead to competition for food and space and hence emotionally stress the birds. Overcrowding can also lead to more bird fights and injuries. The coops should have proper resting place for each bird.

Good ventilation

For obtaining maximum yield of meat and eggs, it is essential that poultry birds are kept in a clean, dry and comfortable house that has good ventilation. Closed and poorly ventilated houses interfere with the breathing cycle of the birds which affects their health and productivity.

Optimum temperature

High air temperature accompanied with high relative humidity leads to the release of free radicals which lead to oxidative degradation of the cell membrane lipids. This causes damage at a cellular level in the birds.

High temperatures can create a stressful environment which would affect egg quantity and quality of layers and reduced growth rate in broiler production. Environmental stress during the growing period of broilers can result in low meat quality. Thus it is necessary to keep the poultry houses reasonably cool in the summers and warm in the winters.

Appropriate lighting

At least 14 -16 hours of light exposure during the egg-laying period of layers is required for a good quantity of eggs to be laid. This is because increased day-light exposure increases the release of FSH and LH hormones which causes the birds to lay more eggs.

Proper drainage

Water logging may lead to the growth of pathogens and vectors such as mosquitoes. This can lead to spread of diseases. A good drainage system is required to prevent water logging and ensure a clean, dry and hygienic environment. Floors are generally made sloping for this purpose.

Separate housing for birds of different ages

Housing birds of different ages separately helps in catering to the specific needs of the birds in their brooding or laying phase. A rearing house is needed for young birds up to 18 weeks of age who are in their brooding or growing phase.A laying house is needed for the birds (layers) who are matured enough to lay the eggs. It can not be used for rearing broilers.

Filling the floor with litter

The floor of the poultry house is filled with litter made up of chopped straw, paddy husk, dry leaves, wood shaving, etc. which act as bedding material. The bedding materials help to absorb moisture from the wastes excreted by the birds. This limits the production of ammonia and growth of harmful pathogens, thereby preventing diseases in the birds. Regular cleaning of bird wastes from poultry shades is also necessary to maintain proper hygiene.

Fig: Regular cleaning of poultry sheds is important

Protection against predators

Poultry houses should have proper protection against predators like cats, snakes, rats, foxes, dogs, etc. Good quality fencing not only protects from predators, but also keeps the poultry birds from running out. Wire mesh enclosures should have openings smaller than one inch to prevent predators from reaching and attacking the birds. Electric fencing is also an option to prevent the entry of ground predators. In case of avian predators like kites, hawks, etc a proper ceiling or wire mesh coverings can be effective.

Food and water

To maintain good health of the birds it is absolutely necessary that the birds are given a balanced and nutritious diet. It also ensures a good yield of eggs and good quality meat from the birds. The feed given to the birds consists of cereals such as corn, wheat, rice, millets, etc and cereal by products, oil cakes, protein concentrates, fish and meat meals, vitamins, minerals and green leaves or vegetables.

Along with proper feed, clean water supply is equally important for maintaining good health of the poultry and keeping them disease free. Contaminated water is a carrier of various types of pathogens. Hence it is important to ensure that the birds are provided with clean and fresh drinking water. Water helps in keeping the poultry hydrated and hence all poultry houses should have running water channels for freshwater service.

Disease Management

Fowls are vulnerable to numerous diseases like chicken cholera, bird flu etc which can be caused due to infections by virus, bacteria, fungus and other agents. Some of the common diseases in poultry are -

Bacterial - cholera, pullorum disease, etc
Viral - Ranikhet disease, fowl pox, bird flu, etc.
Protozoal - bloody diarrhoea, etc.
Fungal - candidiasis or thrush brooder diseases, etc.

Maintenance of proper hygiene is essential to prevent the breeding of pathogens in the farms. The birds should be provided with nutritious diet in order to build a strong immune system and should be adequately vaccinated to prevent diseases. Regular vet visits for routine check-ups is important for ensuring the health of the poultry.

In case a bird gets infected by a pathogen, it should be immediately isolated to avoid the spread of the disease and duly treated with medicines to cure the infection. Birds which are sick beyond treatment are often euthanised.

Bird flu

Bird flu is an avian influenza which can also affect human beings. It is caused by the H5N1 virus. It attacks and kills monocytes in the body. Migratory birds seem to be the reservoir for the virus. The virus can be air borne and mutates very often which is why no vaccine or medicine is effective against it. Consumption of raw eggs and meat may lead to infection by the virus. Poultry workers also run a risk of encountering the virus as it can be air borne.

Practice problems

Q1. Which of the following is an Indian breed of poultry chicken?

(a) White Leghorn
(b) Rhode Island red
(c) Aseel
(d) Minorca

Solution: Aseel is an Indian pure breed of chicken that is famous for its flavoured flesh. Aseel is commonly found in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, tribal areas of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha and in Pakistan’s Punjab area.

Thus, the correct option is c.

Q2. Which of the following is not true regarding broilers?

(a) Broilers are generally females.
(b) Their meat is sold both in fresh or frozen form.
(c) They are grown till they attain a weight of 1.2-1.5 kg.
(d) Both a and c.

Solution: Broilers are generally males but can also be female. They are used for their meat. They are grown for 6-7 weeks. After they attain a weight of 1.2-1.5 kg, their meat is sold either in fresh or frozen form. They are often referred to as table birds as they are served as food on dinner tables.

Thus, the correct option is a.

Q3. Which of the following is not true with respect to good housing conditions of poultry?

(a) Poultry sheds should have a minimum 14-16 hours of light exposure.
(b) Birds of different ages should be kept together.
(c) Sheds should be well ventilated.
(d) Sheds should have sloping floors.

Solution: Ideally in a poultry farm, birds of different ages should be kept separately. Housing birds of different ages separately helps in catering to the specific needs of the birds in their brooding or laying phase. A rearing house is needed for young birds up to 18 weeks of age who are in their brooding or growing phase. A laying house is needed for the birds (layers) who are matured enough to lay the eggs.

Thus, the correct option is b.

Q4. Which of the following is the poultry disease that is caused by the H5N1 virus?

(a) Bird flu
(b) Ranikhet disease
(c) Fowl pox
(d) Pullorum disease

Solution: Bird flu is an avian influenza which can also affect human beings. It is caused by the H5N1 virus which attacks and kills monocytes in the body. Migratory birds seem to be the reservoir for the virus.

Thus, the correct option is a.

FAQs

Question 1. How much space is needed for setting up a poultry farm with 100 chickens?
Answer: Ideally each bird should have at least 2 sq ft of coop space and 8-10 sq ft of outside pen space. So for 100 chickens the farm should have at least 200 sq ft coop space and 800-1000 sq ft outside pen space.

Question 2. Where does the word poultry come from?
Answer: The word "poultry" comes from the French word poule, which in turn is derived from the Latin word pullus, meaning small animal.

Question 3. Can bird flu spread from one human to another?
Answer: Bird flu rarely spreads from one human to another. The major carriers are migratory waterfowls. Rare cases of human to human transmission were seen during the 2014 outbreak of bird flu due to extremely close contact between the individuals, for example, mothers carrying their infected children.

Question 4. What is the nutritive value of egg?
Answer: Each egg provides around 85Kcal of energy when cooked without oil. Egg contains 12.9% proteins, 11.5% lipids and 0.2-0.7% carbohydrates. It is often considered as a complete food as it also contains almost all varieties of vitamins and minerals. Calcium, iron and phosphorus are present in good quantity.

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