How to Rear Brooding? Broiler Brooding Rearing Tips

Farmers some times find it difficulties in rearing small chicks. So now please keep

your ear to the ground ...

Brooding the first 48 hours with a good start is a vital necessity for broiler chicks 

performance.

Remember that your Good Start is paving for great results

Your burds' subsequent health, welfare, uniformity and  performance  for the rest of

their life will be achieved if these factors are considered;

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1. Shed Preparation

House and farm cleaning / sanitation plus disinfection should be completed prior to 

receiving chicks. 

Pre heat brooder for 24 - 12 hours before chicks arrive

Air temp 32-35 C whole house

Spot Brooder edge 32C , 2 m from edge 29C.

Floor temp 29 – 31 C 

Relative humidity 50 – 60% RH. >45%

Chick stock density – max 35 chicks/m2

Food and water in pens on chick arrival

Light intensity >30 – 60lux over brood area

Also Read:  Vaccination Program for Layers and Broilers

2. Brooding Setup

Aim for maximum 35 chicks / m2

Pens should be set up as follows 

>50% of the brood area covered in paper, feed on the paper and in trays / pans / trough.

Allow 12 chicks per nipple or 50 chicks per baby drinker.

80 - 100 chicks automatic drinker.

50 chicks per supplementary feeder

3. Temperature

Follow Arbor Acres standard recommendations for brooding temperatures. Down load 

a * BROILER BROODING GUIDE*  Adjust if needed, but with help of a vet.

Temp and Relative Humidity % should be checked a minimum of 2-3 times a day inside

the brood area

Monitor temperature and Relative Humidity % with thermometers inside the brood pen

Monitor body temperature

Ideal first 7 day relative humidity should be 60% for DOC

Minimum ventilation should be running from Day 1. This includes opening the tarpaulins

for 2 hours a day!, at different times in a day.

Also Read: Indispensible nutrition for raising broiler

*Interaction of Temperature & Humidity*

Variation in humidity will influence the effective temperature experienced by the chicks

High humidity increases the apparent temperature

Low humidity decreases the apparent temperature

*Brooding Temperature Effects*

Too cold: - chicks will huddle and not start well. Chilled chicks will suffer and become un uniform

Too hot: - depressed appetite, dehydration and slow feathering

Variation from target temperature will cause uniformity problems

4. Feed

Chicks do not recognise ‘feed’ as ‘food’ – will peck at floor

Chicks will only pick up feed particles that are interesting. For this reason, start chicks on GALDUS 

STARTER crumbles from kafiika animal feeds for 6 days.

Fresh feed, and evenly spread available on chick arrival – flat surface

Available on paper and supplementary pans. Given 5-

6 times per day. This will help stimulate their appetite – fresh feed

Chicks should not travel more than 1 m for feed and water. Place feeds and water adjacent such 

that birds can easily locate them.

Also Read: How to improve feed efficiency in broiler

5. Water

Brooding area should contain a plentiful supply of fresh water

Use supplementary drinkers as well as the automatic drinking system.

Re-fill often and clean daily as open source drinkers are prone to bacteria rapidly multiplying in

brooding temperatures

gradually withdraw supplementary drinkers after 3 days

Water should be around 20 C in temperature – never give cold water to chicks

All water given to the chicks should be treated, chlorination is the most common method. Except

for when vaccinations will be administered

6. Light

 Bright light for the first 5 days – 30 – 60 lux in the brood area.

 23 hours light and 1 hours darkness for first 48 hours.

 Short periods of darkness can be given in the first few days to help stimulate appetite

 Light must be evenly spread throughout the brooding area.