Poultry Production Course For Beginning class By Geoffrey Kashindi

geese Pigeon

POULTRY PRODUCTION Poultry refers to birds within the scientific order “Galliformes”. This order is broken up into a number of families. The family Phasianidae includes the common domestic fowl, as well as pheasants, partridge, quail and pea fowl. The family Numididae encompasses the guinea fowl The family Meleagridae encompasses turkeys. Waterfowl, including ducks and geese, belong to the family Anatidae

Poultry ancestors Poultry originated from four wild ancestors 8000 years ago namely. Gallus gallus- red jungle fowl Gallus sonneratti- red jungle fowl of india. Gallus Lafayette - leylon jungle fowl. Gallus bankera- African jungle fowl.

images re Red jungle fowl

nb The domesticated chicken (Gallus domesticus) is the most reared poultry type. Others include turkey, guinea fowl, pigeons, geese, ducks, doves e.t.c. others not common include the swan, pheasants ,ostrich e.t.c.

Some terminologies POULTRY TYPE MALE FEMALE YOUNG ONE Chicken Cock/cockerel/capon Hen/ pullet/grower Chick Ducks Drake Duck Duckling Geese Gander Goose/geese hen Gosling Turkey Turkey cock/ Tom Turkey hen Poult Guinea fowl Guinea Cock Guinea hen Keet Pea fowl Peacock Peahen Pea chicks

Con’t cock- a male breeding chicken more than one year old. cockerel- young male chicken less than one year old. capon-castrated male cockerel . caponisation-castration in cockerel – surgical removal of testis , Hormone administration-stolbisterol. pullet – female chicken less than one year old.

Con’t hen- female chicken more than one year old. pullet year- egg production period between laying of the 1st egg up to the end of 12 month. broiler- table bird/chicken slaughter at 7-8 weeks weighing 1.8-2.0 kg. roaster – table birds slaughtered at 6 months. spring chicken- young birds from egg industry slaughtered at 8-10 weeks. Are for roasting. Hatchery: A facility for hatching eggs Plumage - The total set of feathers covering a chicken or other fowl. Prolapsed vent -A portion of the oviduct extending outside the vent caused by laying of an oversized egg.

poultry uses food- eggs and meat. An egg is almost a complete meal Industrial uses- egg Yolk used in the manufacture of paints and cosmetics, preservation of semen. Research /laboratory use chicks are preferred in vitamins and minerals trials because they are very sensitive and shows immediate effect. egg yolk is also used in vaccine production and embryonical studies manure- guano very rich in nitrogen. feathers- manufacture feeds and ornaments. offals-food eaten by pets

Poultry industry is a well organized compared to other livestock enterprise. Breeders multipliers Commercial breeders Farmers packers

Con’t breeders- are geneticist who carry out extensive selection and breeding to improve the existing stock or develop new hybrid multipliers – get selected lines from breeders , multiply them and sell them as grand parental stock. commercial breeders- Buy grand parental stock, and from their eggs they sell day old chick to farmers. farmers-Buy day old chicks from commercial breeders ,rear them for eggs or meat. packers- buy meat , eggs, ex-layers from farmers and deliver them to market outlets. Nb – there are few breeders who are specialized .

SYSTEM OF PRODUCTION a) SUBSISTENCE PRODUCTION Also called village flock. Indigenous birds kept range between 5- 30. Are allowed to scavenge for food around the homestead and the farmers farm. No special medical attention is given. A lot of inbreeding- low productivity. No feed supplementation is done. They feed on insects, grasses, weeds and water wherever they can get. Sleep in kitchen or small structure overnight or in trees within the home stead.

Con’t b) SMALL SCALE INTENSIVE SYSTEM Common in settled communities. Flock size range from 50 -500 birds. Keep mostly exotic – broilers or layers. A lot of improvisation- prefabricated houses off-cuts, concrete floor e.t.c. c) LARGE SCALE INTENSIVE PRODUCTION Farmers keep more than 500 birds – broilers or layers. Scale of production vary from 500-50,000 birds or more. Management is completely intensive. properly designed houses with specialized equipment. Use commercial feeds – concentrates . Common in big institutions, companies, hatchery, research centers e.t.c.

Hatcheries Obtain their stock from multipliers and they hatch egg into chicks. Examples include: Kenchic, Muguku , Bixa Farm, Kenbrid,Sigma Feeds, Kigwaru, Ideal Farm e.t.c.

Structures for rearing birds a) fold/ark rear up to 12 mature birds The ark is moved daily for birds to access new and fresh grasses. 4 m length 1.5m height 1.5m wide

Fold / ark

chicken runs b) Are chicken enclosures measuring 5-10 m in width and 10-30 m in length. This enclosure should have a house at one end for sheltering the birds at night. Laying nest box, water and feed trough are also distributed within the run.  size of chicken run depends on: availability of land, farmers preference, size of flock e.t.c.

Chicken runs

c) deep litter house Concrete house without partition for rearing broilers or layers. Birds are confined in this structure thought their life. Broiler- 6-8 weeks, layers- 36 months. Has an absorbent litter – sawdust, wood shavings, grass straws e.t.c. intensive system of production.

Con’t D) INDOOR CAGES cages are arranged in a well ventilated house. are automated in most of the commercial farms each cage houses 2-3 birds depending on farmers preference , the size of the cage and bird. the eggs rolls out from the cage to where are collected. is also an intensive system of production

Con’t e) RAISED FLOOR SYSTEM Is an improvement of deep litter system but the structure is raised about 1 m from the ground.. Made up of off-cuts and chicken wire. Has feed trough infront and laying nest at the back along the margin.   Several floors can be erected where bird are reared. Can accommodate large stock of birds.

Battery cage system