Broiler Brooding Best Management Practices

Summary

Dr. Scott Gillingham, a poultry veterinarian with over 30 years of experience, emphasizes the critical role of brooding in the poultry industry. He discusses the importance of starting chicks in the right environment to develop their immune and gastrointestinal systems. Key factors include biosecurity, barn dynamics, and an integrated approach to ensure the birds' health and growth. Dr. Gillingham uses the acronym FLAWSS (food, lighting, air, water, space, and sanitation) to evaluate barn conditions. He highlights the significance of feed quality, lighting intensity, and water line management. The video also covers monitoring chick behavior, temperature, and weight to ensure their comfort and health. Dr. Gillingham advocates for responsible antibiotic use and the importance of the first seven days in a chick's life for its future growth and well-being.

Takeaways

• 🌱 **Biosecurity is crucial**: Proper protective measures like coveralls, gloves, head nets, and boots must be worn to prevent environmental contaminants from infecting the birds.
• 📝 **Integrated Approach**: An auditing mindset is necessary, which includes inspecting, documenting, and proving practices for effective brooding.
• 🔍 **FLAWSS Evaluation**: The barn setup should be evaluated using the acronym FLAWSS, which stands for Food, Lighting, Air, Water, Space, and Sanitation.
• 🍚 **Feed Quality and Quantity**: At least 40 to 50 grams of feed per chick should be provided with crumb texture between 2mm and 3mm for consistency.
• 💡 **Lighting Considerations**: Bright light with good intensity is necessary for starting chicks, and the lighting should be at least 10 feet above the chicks.
• 🌡️ **Temperature and Humidity**: A CO2 and moisture meter can help in assessing the environment, aiming for a CO2 level of around 568 and humidity of about 22%.
• 🚿 **Water Line Management**: Water lines should be flushed before chicks arrive and activated to ensure a droplet from each nipple to encourage drinking.
• 📏 **Environmental Mimicry**: The barn environment should mimic the hatchery environment, especially for the first four to five days when chicks cannot thermoregulate.
• 📊 **Monitoring Weight and Health**: Regular weighing of chicks and monitoring their temperature, navel healing, and overall health is essential for early identification of issues.
• 🍽️ **Crop Fill Indicator**: The crop fill of chicks, which should be about 60% full a few hours after placement, is a good indicator of their comfort and access to food and water.
• 🏥 **Antibiotic Use**: Antibiotics should be used judiciously and only under the guidance of a veterinarian to address health issues in chicks.
• 📉 **Mortality Analysis**: Monitoring the pattern of chick mortality rather than just the percentage can provide insights into areas needing improvement.

Q & A

How long has Dr. Scott Gillingham been involved in the poultry industry?

Dr. Scott Gillingham has been involved in the poultry industry for over 30 years.

What is the primary focus of brooding parameters in the barn setup?

The primary focus of brooding parameters is to create an environment conducive to developing the chicks' immune system, getting the gastrointestinal system working, and preparing the bird for future growth in the barn through the production cycle.

Why is biosecurity critical in the barn?

Biosecurity is critical because it helps protect the birds from potential infections and challenges by minimizing contact with the environment that could carry diseases.

What does the acronym FLAWSS stand for in the context of barn evaluation?

FLAWSS stands for Food, Lighting, Air, Water, Space, and Sanitation, which are the key factors to consider when evaluating the quality of a brooding barn.

What is the recommended coverage of paper in the brooding space?

The recommended coverage of paper in the brooding space is at least 50 to 70% to provide insulation and a foundation for the feed.

What is the ideal texture for the feed given to starting chicks?

The ideal texture for the feed given to starting chicks is a crumb texture, with a size between two mm and three mm for consistency.

How is the CO2 level in the barn measured?

The CO2 level in the barn is measured using a CO2 and moisture meter, which is placed in different areas of the barn and read after 30 seconds.

What is the significance of marking the 90-degree area in the brooding chamber?

Marking the 90-degree area helps identify the comfort zone for the chicks, where they have access to feed and water, and where the temperature is optimal for their health and growth.

What should be the initial body temperature of chicks when they arrive at the barn?

The initial body temperature of chicks when they arrive at the barn should be between 103 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

How often should the brooding equipment be readjusted?

The brooding equipment should be readjusted every two hours to ensure the chicks' comfort and well-being.

What is the goal for the chicks' body weight at day seven?

The goal for the chicks' body weight at day seven is four times their body weight at day zero, which is approximately 160 grams if their average weight at day zero is 40 grams.

Why is crop fill an important metric for evaluating the health and comfort of the chicks?

Crop fill is an important metric because it indicates whether the birds are finding and consuming feed and water, and it reflects their comfort in the brooding environment.

Outlines

00:00

🐓 Brooding Setup and Chicken Growth Dynamics

Dr. Scott Gillingham, a poultry veterinarian with over 30 years of experience, discusses the critical aspects of brooding in the poultry industry. He emphasizes the importance of starting chicks in the right environment to develop their immune and gastrointestinal systems. The focus is on biosecurity, barn dynamics, and an integrated approach to ensure the birds' health and future growth. Key factors such as feed, lighting, air quality, water, space, and sanitation are considered, with an acronym 'FLAWSS' to help evaluate these factors. The feed's quality and quantity, lighting intensity, and CO2 levels are particularly highlighted.

05:00

🌡️ Creating a Comfortable Brooding Chamber

The paragraph details the process of setting up a brooding chamber that mimics the hatchery environment to ensure the chicks' comfort and health. It covers the importance of water and feed lines, the height of water nipples, and the need for the barn to provide a suitable environment for chicks that cannot thermoregulate for the first few days. The space, sanitation, and the role of a farmer as a 'mother hen' are emphasized. The necessity of constant monitoring and adjustment of equipment every two hours is also discussed, along with the ideal behavior of chicks in the brooding chamber.

10:01

📈 Monitoring Chick Health and Growth

This section focuses on the growth metrics of chicks, such as weight and temperature, and the significance of the first seven days in their development. It discusses the goal of achieving four times the body weight by day seven and the correlation between seven-day body weights and end body weights. The importance of crop fill as an indicator of bird comfort and food acquisition is explained. The texture of the crop and how it reflects the birds' health are also covered. The paragraph concludes with the importance of observing bird behavior, listening for abnormal sounds, and the role of stockmanship in managing the brooding environment.

15:02

🛡️ Antibiotic Use and Mortality Patterns

Dr. Gillingham expresses his conservative stance on antibiotic use, stating they should only be used with professional veterinary support. He discusses the standard goals for chick mortality rates and the value of analyzing the pattern of mortality to identify areas for improvement. The importance of communication with hatcheries and enhancing brooding practices is highlighted. The paragraph concludes with gratitude towards the growers and an emphasis on the significance of the first seven days for the birds' future growth, health, and comfort, using the FLAWSS criteria for evaluation.

Keywords

💡Brooding

Brooding refers to the process of rearing young chicks in a controlled environment that mimics the conditions of a natural setting to ensure their health and growth. In the video, Dr. Scott emphasizes the importance of brooding for developing the chicks' immune system, gastrointestinal system, and overall growth, which is critical for their future development in the barn through the production cycle.

💡Biosecurity

Biosecurity involves the measures taken to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious diseases in poultry farming. The video highlights the necessity of practicing biosecurity at all levels, including using protective gear like coveralls, gloves, head nets, and boots to minimize the risk of infection to the birds from environmental contact.

💡Integrated Approach

An integrated approach in the context of the video means considering multiple factors and systems when managing a poultry barn. Dr. Scott talks about not just inspecting but auditing, writing down procedures, and proving their effectiveness. This approach is crucial for ensuring the health and welfare of the chicks.

💡FLAWSS

FLAWSS is an acronym that stands for Food, Lighting, Air, Water, Space, and Sanitation. It represents the key factors that need to be evaluated and optimized for effective brooding. Dr. Scott uses this acronym to guide his inspection and management of the brooding environment, emphasizing that no two barns are the same and each requires a tailored approach.

💡Feed Quality

Feed quality is critical for the health and growth of chicks. The video mentions the importance of the feed's texture (crumb) and size (between two mm and three mm), as well as the quantity (40 to 50 grams per chick). The right feed quality ensures that chicks receive the necessary nutrition for their development.

💡Lighting Intensity

Lighting intensity is a crucial aspect of the brooding environment, especially for newly hatched chicks. The video specifies that a bright light with good intensity is needed for the chicks to see and interact with their environment. The lighting also needs to be at an appropriate height to ensure the chicks can comfortably access food and water.

💡CO2 and Moisture Meter

A CO2 and moisture meter is a tool used to measure carbon dioxide levels and humidity in the brooding environment. Dr. Scott uses this tool to ensure that the air quality is suitable for the chicks, with the ideal CO2 level mentioned in the video being 568 ppm and a low humidity level of 22%.

💡Water Lines

Water lines are an essential part of the brooding setup, providing the chicks with access to water. The video discusses the importance of the water lines being at eye level to the chicks and being activated before the chicks arrive to ensure there is a droplet of water available from each nipple.

💡Thermoregulation

Thermoregulation refers to the ability of an organism to maintain its body temperature within certain boundaries, even when the外界 environment changes. Chicks, for the first four to five days, are compared to cold-blooded animals as they cannot thermoregulate well. The brooding chamber must mimic the hatchery environment to support the chicks until they can regulate their body temperature independently.

💡Crop Fill

Crop fill indicates how well the chicks are finding and consuming food. The crop is a storage chamber in birds where feed is temporarily stored before digestion. A full crop signifies that the chicks are comfortable, have found food and water, and are storing it for later consumption. The video mentions aiming for 60% crop fill shortly after placement and 80-100% crop fill 24 hours later.

💡Stockmanship

Stockmanship involves the art of understanding and managing livestock, in this case, chicks. It includes observing their behavior, feeling their feet for temperature, and assessing their health and vitality. Dr. Scott discusses the importance of stockmanship in conjunction with management tasks such as adjusting water lines and fan speeds to ensure the chicks' comfort and health.

Highlights

Dr. Scott Gillingham emphasizes the importance of starting chicks off in the right environment for their immune and gastrointestinal system development.

Discusses the critical nature of barn dynamics and biosecurity practices across Canada's diverse farming methods.

Introduces the FLAWSS acronym as a tool for evaluating brooding parameters: Food, Lighting, Air, Water, Space, and Sanitation.

Recommends at least 50 to 70% of brooding space to be covered with paper for insulation and as a feed medium.

Advises providing 40 to 50 grams of feed per chick and using satellite feeders to achieve this.

Highlights the significance of crumb texture in feed for consistency and chick preference.

Mentions the necessity of bright lighting with good intensity for the initial stages of chick development.

Uses a CO2 and moisture meter to evaluate the barn environment, aiming for optimal levels for chick comfort.

Suggests marking the 90-degree area in the brooding chamber to strategically place feed and water.

Advocates for flushing water lines before chick arrival and activating water nipples to encourage chick drinking.

Stresses the importance of water line height being at eye level to the chick for accessibility.

Explains the need to mimic the hatchery environment in the barn for the first four to five days of a chick's life.

Discusses the concept of 'spot brooding' and providing ample space for chicks to find a comfort zone.

Underlines the role of a farmer as a 'mother hen' in creating a conducive brooding chamber for chick health and welfare.

Advises readjusting brooding equipment every two hours and monitoring chick behavior for signs of feeding, drinking, resting, and playing.

Details the process of taking chick temperature and checking for signs of good health upon arrival.

Explains the significance of weighing chicks to assess average weight and uniformity, which correlates with end body weights.

Introduces the concept of crop fill as an indicator of chick comfort, feed and water acquisition, and overall health.

Advocates for using antibiotics only under the guidance of a veterinarian and when necessary, based on pathology and clinical pathology.

Discusses the importance of monitoring the pattern of chick mortality rather than just the percentage to identify areas for improvement.

Concludes with the importance of the first seven days in a chick's life for its future growth, health, and production potential.

Transcripts

(gentle music)

- Hi, I'm Dr. Scott Gillingham,

I'm a poultry veterinarian

involved in the poultry

industry across Canada

for over 30 years now.

I'm here today because we're

looking at a barn set up

and the barn set up is

with respect to brooding.

Starting these chicks off

in the right environment.

So today we're going to spend the morning

and look at the brooding parameters

that are conducive to

developing immune system,

get the gastrointestinal system working,

but more importantly,

develop the bird for the future

and to grow in this barn

through the production cycle.

And when we work across

Canada from Newfoundland

to British Columbia, and

in this province alone,

you have about 1100 farmers.

And for me, there's 1100

different ways of growing chicken.

That's why the barn dynamics

are absolutely critical.

Biosecurity has to be

practiced at all levels.

We build up the of wall

protection through vaccination,

good nutrition,

but we need to also reduce

that wave of insult.

So we put on our coveralls,

we put on our gloves,

we put on her head net,

we put on our boots

because what is in contact

with the environment,

00:01:24:06 00:01:25:08 we need to understand,

could infect the birds

or caused challenges.

So biosecurity is critical.

When I come into a barn

the really important thing

is to look at an integrated approach.

You just don't want to inspect.

You have to have that

auditing kind of attitude,

write down what you do,

do what you write down,

and prove it.

(gentle music)

We have to evaluate, and I

like to use the acronym FLAWSS,

food, lighting, air, water

space, and sanitation,

'cause no barn is the same.

Different feed, different

lighting, different litter,

shavings, chop straw,

barley, wheat, long straw.

Looking at this barn right now,

it feels very comfortable at my level.

When I look at the parameters here,

the first and foremost is the feed.

What we like to see is at least 50 to 70%

of the brooding space covered with paper.

That paper then provides

a little bit of insulation

from the straw to the

chick, but also the medium

or the foundation for the feed.

We want at least 40 to 50 grams of feed

dispersed on the paper per chick.

These feed pans are in the litter.

They've also a spill over.

So we have to allocate

the feed in the pan,

which becomes a satellite feeder,

as well as the feed on the paper,

to get to that 40 to 50 grams per chick.

That's critical.

Now looking at the quality of the feed,

this looks like a crumb and

crumb texture becomes important.

So for starting chicks

you want consistency.

Science and research has proved

that chicks like a size

between two mm and three mm.

And these pans are shallow, which is good.

But more feed here in the center row

would be conducive to

possibly more crop fill.

When I look at the lighting,

the lighting is at least 10 feet above,

but the intensity from these

led lights is very bright.

It's a new barn, we got some reflection.

And when we start chicks, we

have to have a bright light,

a good intensity.

(gentle music)

There's a lot of tools that

can be used in the field

or investigation of evaluating

the brooding chamber.

A tool that I really like

is a CO2 and moisture meter

and what I'd like to do is

put it at an area in the barn,

you try to put in different areas

and then you can read the

CO2 and then the humidity.

So I usually put this out

and after 30 seconds read it.

Now, the CO2 is 568.

And we know that humidity

in this barn would be low,

and it's 22%.

CO2 is perfect, so they

might apply their misters on

in the non-brooding side

and try to generate some

opportunity for moisture.

(gentle music)

When those heaters are on,

I would like to go down

and find out exactly

where it's 90 degrees.

And I would paint every 10

feet, when those heaters are on,

exactly where it was, 90 degrees,

I would get my spray can

and do the same thing

when the heaters are off.

Now, your broody chamber is

between those two painted lines.

Where am I going to put my feed and water?

Where are the chicks going

to be in their comfort zone?

Between those two lines.

(gentle music)

Now the water lines.

They got three rows of water

lines, which is fantastic.

I like to see the lines

flushed a couple of hours

before the chicks come,

that alleviate some of the air pockets.

And then I'd like to activate

all the nipples with a broom

so that there's a droplet

of water from each nipple.

You can run a broom down

here, just like this,

and you can activate these water lines.

That droplet from the nipple

has to reflect from the light.

Chicks are very curious.

At eye level, they will

see that glistening drop

and run over and start picking at it.

You see that droplet,

which the chick perceives

and it drinks it.

Now what's really important is

the height of the water line.

Those nipples have to be

at eye height to the chick.

The chicks are hatched in the hatchery,

there they have certain

temperatures and humidity.

Those are conducive for quality chicks.

The chicks then are sorted,

they're put on a truck,

and brought to the barn.

The barn somewhat has to mimic

the hatchery environment.

A chicken is like a cold-blooded animal

for the first four to five

days, it cannot thermo regulate.

The environment, the brooding

chamber becomes critical.

What we need to do is

create that brooding chamber

for the health and welfare of the chick.

(gentle music)

The space is great.

This is spot brooding.

We have three water lines,

we have two feed lines.

Excellent capacity here

for the birds to maneuver

and find a comfort zone

for feed and water.

Sanitation, wonderful.

So barn preparation, we have to remember.

We are the mother hen.

We have to create that brooding chamber

that is conducive with heat,

humidity, lighting, et cetera,

for that chick to what?

Get to feed and water.

Brooding, to me, is a full-time process.

We can't just put the

birds down and run away.

We need to come back every two hours

to readjust our equipment.

When these chicks arrive after two hours,

we should have 25% eating,

25% drinking, 25% resting,

25% playing.

(gentle music)

The key is what we want to do

is get the birds placed on the floor

and then get them into the broody chamber

as quickly as possible.

(chicks chirping)

So we handle them with

tender, loving care.

So when the chicks come off

the truck, just take a box,

take a few chicks, and

take their chick temp.

So the temps that we like to see are

more or less 103 to 105.

And so there's the vent, I

just open it a little bit,

put the thermometer at the skin,

press until the light goes green,

and then check the temp.

103.3.

Another way I look at,

besides looking at the beak,

the eyes, look at the navel for healing,

look at the vent, look at the legs.

I want to make sure there's no red hocks,

they're elastic and good color in nature.

And then, yeah, just look

at their general health.

(chicks chirping)

So, in this barn,

until they can thermoregulate

to about four days,

more or less acting as

cold-blooded animals,

the environment becomes critical.

I would, in a barn this size,

do five chicks, five chicks,

five chicks, five chicks,

same place down the length of the barn

and do it once or twice a day

for the first three to four days.

(chicks chirping)

So why do we weigh birds?

Well, we weigh birds, first of all,

it's to give that information

back to the hatchery.

(chicks chirping)

So here you would randomly

select birds and weigh them.

That information could be tabulated

and then get back to the hatchery.

So what we're looking

at is average weight,

and then we can do CVs or

uniformity on the bell curve.

We want a nice bell curve of weight.

So if the average weight is 40 grams

plus or minus four grams, we're

nicely in that bell curve.

So we'd weigh the birds at

day zero, average is 40 grams.

Our goal at day seven would

be four times body weight,

which is 160 grams.

Breeds of today,

we've seen anywhere from 4.5

to five times body weight,

five times body weight at day seven.

Take the bird, make

sure the scale is tared,

and, in this case, the cup was four grams,

gently placed the chicken in the cup,

it's in a closed environment, weight it.

This chick is 42 grams.

Put in the chick.

This one also 41 grams.

Seven day body weights,

they have shown great correlation

with end body weights.

So, if we can improve our

seven day body weight,

say by 10 grams,

the multiplication is

about seven or eight times.

So by improving our seven

day body weights by 10 grams,

by paying attention to

the brooding chamber,

that could relate to almost 70, 80 grams

at the processing date.

(chicks chirping)

So, the metrics that we've

looked at in the barns so far,

besides the barn parameters

in the environment,

is chick weight, chick temperature,

and another very, very, very

important tool, is crop fill.

And crop is that little storage chamber

that the birds can store feed in

before it goes through the

stomach into the intestine

to cecum and then out again.

It's filled with feed and water.

And that tells me the birds

are in a comfort zone,

they're finding feed and water,

they're storing it in the crop,

because usually chickens eat

every four hours, more or less.

So I like to evaluate crop fill.

Now these chicks were just placed.

So it's not fair to evaluate crop fill

until later on during the day,

or after two or three hours

you're looking for about 60% crop fill.

A day later after placement, 24 hours,

I'd like to see about 80

or 90 to a hundred percent crop fill.

And I always shoot for a hundred percent.

So crop fill can be taken in

different areas of the house

because in this brooding chamber

there could be areas that

are not as comfortable

for acquiring food and waters,

others and crop fill will

give you that indication.

I'm using my stockmanship of

feel and/or touch, observe,

et cetera.

Now, the next most important thing is

the texture of the crop.

When you take feed and

water and mix it together

it's like oatmeal or porridge,

is going to be a nice, about

the size of my thumbnail

or size of my thumb, depending

on the age of the bird,

it's going to have that

nice, soft pliable feeling.

If I pick up the bird and I

feel and it feels like shavings

or feels like straw,

that tells me the birds are litter eating.

That means they could be sick,

they haven't found their comfort zone,

they're they're huddling,

and they're hungry

but they're eating the litter.

So crop fill is a very good

indication of bird comfort,

seeking and finding or

acquisition of food.

(chicks chirping)

So what I do is I usually do

it before the chicks arrive

because, as you see now,

I got all these wonderful

little chicks running around me

and I gotta be conscious of where I step,

but I like to do it in three

or four different areas

in the barn.

I like to do it directly under the bulb.

Seven and a half foot candle.

And then I'd like to do

it between the bulbs.

6.1.

For LEDs here, the brooding,

the lighting, the intensity,

is fantastic.

We can tell.

(chicks chirping)

I want to see how curious they are.

They're pecking at my wedding band, right?

What's the other thing too?

Their feet.

If their feet are cold,

I'm going to feel it.

And when I checked their body temps,

they were all about 103, 104 degrees,

which is wonderful, off the truck.

It's fantastic.

It's a gift.

It's a living creature.

(whistling)

(chicks chirping)

These birds were dumped

only 15 minutes ago

and they're already drinking and eating,

you know, searching.

It's fantastic.

(chicks chirping)

This is a brooding chamber.

This is what we want.

(chicks chirping)

As stockman, we have eyes,

so I want to look at their behavior.

I want to see how they disperse,

seeking and finding food.

I want to hear.

What am I listening to?

Abnormal sounds.

Is there a fan that just went

off and bearings are gone

and it's loud in the background?

Are they really noisy or there's no noise?

I want to smell.

Is there ammonia?

Is there any disease that I can smell?

And sometimes with yolk sac infection

you can almost smell it in the barn.

And you want to feel.

Pick up the birds, look for

chick quality, health, vitality.

Feel their feet for temperature.

Stockmanship understands bird behavior

and then you get into the management role

of lowering the water lines

or raising the water lines

or change the fan speed

or putting more feed down.

That's the management part,

but stockmanship is critical.

As a veterinarian, I am not a

big fan of using antibiotics.

Antibiotics should only be used

when you have the professional

support of a veterinarian.

If there's malaise and health issues here,

chicks need to be brought

to a veterinarian,

a veterinarian will perform

pathology and clinical pathology

to evaluate whether or not

there's a recommendation

for antibiotics.

When we talk about mortality in chicks,

usually there's a standard

where our goal would be to have

less than 1% at seven days.

Many hatcheries strive

for even better than such.

I don't like to just look

at what the percentage

seven-day mortality is,

I like to look at the pattern of mortality

because it gives me an idea

of where I need to focus

for improvement.

Whether it be more

communication with the hatchery,

but also more importantly,

improvement of brooding

practices on a farm.

(gentle music)

We had a wonderful morning,

a great thanks and

appreciation to the growers

for allowing us to come into

the barn and the operation.

We had a great crew today.

Most importantly,

we're here to evaluate

early chick performance

using some of the standard

acronyms like FLAWSS,

food, lighting, air, water,

space, and sanitation.

We went through all the metrics.

We talked about data,

decision, direction, dialogue,

how important it is for the future,

for the growth and the

potential of these birds

in the first seven days.

We realize after this first few hours

that anything that we can

do in the first seven days

will extrapolate to optimal production

and benefits at the backend,

but more importantly,

for the health and comfort of the chick.

(gentle music)