In a brooding house, glucose, vitamin and antibiotics
are mixed in water and given to the birds for 5 consecutive days. After 5 days,
the chicks can now be provided with ordinary disinfected water brooding can be
a process or a procedure where by chicks are provided with adequate heart
through electric bulb or from other sources of heat such as lantern and stove.
The heaters are allowed to be on 24
hours for two weeks. The partitions are removed after about 10 days. The first
one-week is regarded as intensive brooding period. After one week, the
waterproof/ nylon used to cover the house will be folded a little bit to allow
air inside the pen, the nylon is then gradually folded until the house is fully
uncovered. The temperature of the house can be determined without thermometer
by observing the behaviour of the birds. Uniform scattering of the birds
indicates normal temperature; uneven scattering indicates high temperature
while clustering of birds near the heat source indicates cold temperature.
The kind of feed and the feeding programme determines
to a large extent how the birds perform. The feeding trough should not be let
empty unless on indication by the vertianrian in the case of medication.
The birds are fed with states from day old to 10 weeks
of age, from 10-16 weeks, they are fed with growers, then from 16 weeks and
above or when the birds drop, they are feed with layers mash. Good litter
management should be observed by avoiding water spillage on the litter. It
causes ammonia to build up and bad odour. It also encourages disease like
coccidiosis, which the causative organism grows well in damp liter materials.
Some of the indication for healthy birds includes:
·
Rate of feed
consumption, healthy birds consume feeds very well
·
Weight of the
bird
·
Rate of water
consumption
·
Body conformation
e.g. wrapped feathers
·
Colour of the
droppings.