INTRODUCTION

Poultry require carbohydrates, protein, minerals, vitamins, and water in order to grow and
remain healthy. The highest cost in poultry production is the expense of feed. Smaller flock
owners generally find it easier to use a complete commercial feed, while large commercial flock
owners usually use some system of mixing ingredients to make a complete feed. Two ingredients
commonly added to chicken feed are grit and oyster shells. Grit is used to help the bird grind the
feed in the gizzard, and oyster shell provides calcium for egg production.
Water is an essential part of a poultry operation. Controlling the amount and quality of water
can affect the profitability of the flock directly. Understanding the expected water consumption
rates and the acceptable levels of compounds in the water is essential when raising poultry. Light
and temperature have a significant effect on the growth of poultry. Light affects the sexual maturity
and egg production rates of poultry. Proper temperatures are required for successful brooding,
meat production and egg production. Many poultry production buildings are equipped with
tunnel ventilation fans to maintain an adequate temperature.
Poultry may be brooded on the floor or in cages. Chickens raised for meat production are
usually raised in confinement, unless supplying a niche market such a free range chicken. Laying
flocks may be handled using floor systems or in cages. Automation has been utilized in a majority
oflaying operations to reduce labor and human error. Eggs must be carefully handled to maintain
quality. Chickens raised for meat production are usually raised in confinement.
Housing and equipment requirements differ greatly depending on the size, age, species,
breed, and purpose that poultry are raised for. Turkeys, geese, and ducks generally require less
investment in facilities and equipment. Automatic or semiautomatic feeding, watering, and
cleaning equipment are frequently used in the commercial poultry industry. The standards
demanded through vertical integration require most poultry producers to eliminate any areas of
inefficiency in the operation.
This chapter provides two exercises that develop an understanding of poultry requirements.

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 CHAPTER 36 Feeding, Management, Housing, and Equipment 271

Name____________________ Date _________

•:ttt!Ri�� I WATER CONSUMPTION LAB

Water is a critical nutrient that receives little attention until a problem arises. Not only should producers make an effort
to provide water in adequate quantity, but they should also know what is in the water that will be consumed by the
poultry. In this three-part exercise, students will study the water consumption levels of birds at different sizes and stages
of life, as well as analyze the quality of the water being provided to the poultry.

Part 1
Directions: Use information from the textbook to determine how much water should be consumed each day by different
groups of chickens. For each of the following types of chicken and groups, determine the needed water consumption to
keep the entire flock hydrated.
A flock of 500, 1-week-old broilers:

A flock of 100, 4-week-old white leg horn hens:

A flock of 400, 1-week-old brown hens:

A flock of 5000, 8-week-old broilers:

A flock of 2000, 16-week-old white leghorn hens:

A flock of 1500, 20-week-old brown hens:

A flock of 750, 4-week-old broilers:

A flock of 2500, 1-week-old brown hens:

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 CHAPTER 36 Feeding, Management, Housing, and Equipment 273

N ame_____________________ Date_________

Part 3
The quality of water provided to poultry is just as important as providing the adequate amount. In this exercise,
contact NTUA and request a standard water quality test report from your community to determine the level of
various substances in the water.

Directions: Table 36-1 is a guideline for acceptable levels of compounds found in drinking water. Compare the levels
of compounds in the NTUA drinking water report to the levels given in the guidelines. Create an analysis report and
determine if the NTUA water is acceptable for poultry to consume. Present your findings.

Table 36-1
Characteristic or Mineral Maximum Accee_table Levels
pH 6.0-8.0
Hardness ll0ppm

Naturally Occurring Compou_n_d_s _______________

Calcium 500ppm
Chloride 250ppm
Copper 0.6 ppm
Iron 0.03 ppm
Magnesium 125 ppm
Manganese 0.05 ppm
N itrate 25ppm
Phosphorus 0.1 ppm
Potassium 500ppm
Sodium 50ppm

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274 SECTION 8 Poultry

Name____________________ Date_________

MANAGEMENT LAB: BROILERS vs. LAYERS

Managing chicken operations for meat production and egg production requires two very different management
strategies. The requirements for feed, housing, equipment, animal health, labor, growth, and product processing are
completely different in laying operations compared to a meat production operation.

Directions: In the space provided, highlight the major differences in management requirements for an egg production
operation and a meat production operation. Include specific requirements recommended in the textbook. Also include
any similarities in requirements.

Egg production system requirements:

Meat production system requirements:

List any similarities between production systems:

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 CHAPTER 36 Feeding, Management, Housing, and Equipment 275

Name____________________ Date_________

l�M MATCHING ACTIVITY

Term Definition
1. ad libitum a. the number of pounds (kilograms) of feed required to produce a
2. grit dozen eggs
3. phase feeding b. a male chicken that has been surgically castrated
4. feeding efficiency c. a young turkey
S. poult d. when chickens are given all they will eat
6. hover guard e. the cutting off of one-third to one-half of the upper beak and one-fourth
of the lower beak
7. trimming
f. a unit of luminance on a surface that is 1 ft from a point source of a candle
8. foot-candle
or light
9. capon
g. used for the first week of brooding to prevent the chicks from wandering
10. broodiness away from the heat and becoming chilled
h. a system of making specific feeds to be used to meet the changing
nutritional requirements of chickens
i. when a hen stops laying eggs and wants to sit on a nest of eggs to hatch
them
j. small particles of granite; comes in small, medium, and large sizes for use
with chicks, growing chickens, and adult chickens, respectively

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276 SECTION 8 Poultry

Name-------------------- Date---------

LAB QUESTIONS
1. What are the major requirements for raising poultry?

2. How does light affect poultry production?

3. What are three types of confinement structures for poultry? Explain each one.

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