Most Poultry farmers have been wondering what exactly could be the cause of their chicks' death especially when they are at their tender age. The Quality of the birds and feeds you give to your chicks are the major cause of the high mortality rate farmers will experience here. Ensure you buy your birds from a trusted breeder who takes good care of their birds well. Poor breeding is one of the causes of your bird's mortality.
When it comes to feeds, if you have the wrong feeds for your birds, their chances of survival will be very minimal. So, it's very important to get the right feeds for your birds.
Solutions to the high mortality rate of your chicks.
- Choose the location of your brooders. There are people who would brood their birds from the same room where they're going to raise them. All you need to do is, divide the room into portions for instance, separate their sleeping area from their feeding area. As the birds grow, keep expanding their room.
- Make a separate house specifically for brooding (the process of raising chicks to the moment they can support themselves). Brooder is the mother of the chicks. Separate the broilers from the layers. Broilers grow faster compared to layers.
- High hygiene, warmth of the chicken house and sufficient aeration are the three factors that should remain constant.
- Separate the birds into smaller groups. You can probably form a circular structure where you can put your birds. You may decide to improvise these structures by the use of cardboard paper and make a good circle then put your birds into small manageable groups. Also you can use plywood to make a circle to house your chicks. Plywood is good because it bends easily to form a good circle.
- Avoid corners inside the brooders. When the birds feel cold, they will pile up in the corner hence they suffocate and eventually they’ll die.
- Give your birds a particular condition that will enable you as a poultry farmer raise them better.
- Litter needs to be about 3-4 inches thick. Put the litters inside before you bring in the birds. You can use sawdust or even sand soil as litter for your poultry.
The reasons to why your litter should be thick are;
- Absorbs ammonia. When chicks poops, it absorbs its waste which contains ammonia. Ammonia is a very toxic gas which may cause your birds respiratory diseases and within 2-3 weeks your birds may die.
- Provides warmth to the birds. Don’t leave your birds stay in plain concrete floor. They can die due to too much cold.
- Provides comfort to the birds. Your birds need to lay down in a soft surface so that they should enjoy hence making them comfortable.
The litter should be clean, dry and disinfected. Don’t bring in wet litter for your birds or litter that have been used for old chicken old chicken because you’ll be bringing in the infections from old chicks.
- Disinfect the brooders example of disinfectants are Bleach like Sodium Hypochlorite. Bleach can be used only if there are no life chicken in the place. Visit your closest vet shop and get your disinfectant from there. Disinfectant reduces chances of diseases.
- Provide sufficient lighting for the chicks. Light has to be present 24/7. This allows your birds to see their feeds clearly hence they mature quickly. Ensure the light is good enough for you to tread. If you cannot read properly, then it means the light is not good enough. Lamps, candles, electricity and solar are good sources for lighting.
- Ensure that there is enough heat in the brooder. Since the brooder have no mother to keep them warm using their wings, it is very important that you provide them adequate heat. Heat can be provided by charcoal, electricity and candle.
- For the feeders, ensure that you observe hygiene to prevent the chicks from contracting diseases. For every 20 birds, you’ll need one feeder.
- Also, for the drinkers, they should be low enough to ensure easy access of the birds. They shouldn’t be too big for the birds to drown. Ensure they are very clean and disinfected as well.
- Lastly, provide enough security for your birds. Wild animals, rodents and anything that would be of threat to your birds should not get access to their house.
For sure when you put all these in consideration, your delicate chicks will have very minimal mortality rate or even zero mortality rate. In case you've been thinking to start poultry farming however your major challenge has been space/land to carry out the activity, Baoriat Agencies has appropriate solution for you. We sell and lease land to our clients at a very affordable price. Just visit Juma Hajee Building in Eldoret town or call 0721-554-937.
Find Property in Uasin Gishu County
Baoriat AgenciesCall: +254 721-554-937
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