Poultry Care Guide Getting Started Breeds Raising Healthy Chicks Keeping Layers Happy Disease Prevention Project and Daily Management Checklists
Getting Started Raising chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese and pheasants can be a rewarding experience. Some people raise them for the pure enjoyment of having them in the backyard. Others raise them for the eggs they lay or the meat they produce; some raise them for both. Good preparation will help you be successful in raising your own poultry. The Poultry Care Guide from Nutrena offers important lessons in poultry care and personal responsibility. In this booklet, you ll learn about the different types of poultry and how to feed and care for them from start to finish for optimum results. As you prepare to raise your flock, talk to your extension service representative, your Nutrena dealer and other people with expertise in raising poultry to get the best information available. The foundation for your project s success is built on good care and quality nutrition. That s why we designed our NatureWise and Country Feeds poultry feeds to meet your needs and your birds unique nutritional requirements. For more information, ask your expert Nutrena brand dealer or visit us online at www.nutrenapoultryfeed.com. Have fun! 2 Nutrena Poultry Care Guide
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Birds of a Different Feather Chickens Many different breeds of chickens have been developed for different purposes. For simplicity, you can place them into three general categories: Laying, meat-producing and dual-purpose breeds. Laying Breeds: These breeds are known for their egg-laying capacity. Popular laying breeds include the White Leghorn, Red Sex Link and Black Sex Link breeds. A healthy hen will lay eggs for several years. Hens begin to lay at approximately 16 20 weeks of age and will lay between 20 23 dozen eggs the first year. At 14 months, laying hens usually begin to molt, the process by which they drop their old feathers and grow new ones. No eggs are laid during this period. After molting, hens will lay larger but fewer eggs per year (about 16 18 dozen). Meat Breeds: Meat-producing breeds are very efficient at converting feed to meat, producing approximately one pound of bodyweight for every two pounds of feed they eat. A popular meat-producing breed is the Cornish breed. The Cornish game hen is a cross between the Cornish and the New Hampshire or Plymouth Rock breeds. Meat-producing chickens are broad breasted and larger than the laying breeds. They grow and feather rapidly and will weigh five pounds or more at eight weeks. Broilers and fryers are butchered at 31/2 to 5 pounds, while a roaster is butchered at 6 to 8 pounds. 4 Nutrena Poultry Care Guide
Dual-Purpose Breeds: The dual-purpose breed is the classic backyard chicken. These breeds are hardy, self-reliant and fairly large bodied. Most lay large brown-shelled eggs. Examples include Rhode Island Red and New Hampshire breeds. Some laying and dual-purpose hens tend to get broody, which means they will want to sit on and hatch eggs. Because broody hens don t lay eggs, egg production will be affected. Consult with your local extension agent or other poultry expert to help you choose the right breeds. Turkeys, Game Birds and Other Poultry Turkeys, geese, ducks and pheasants are often raised as pets or for their egg and meat-producing qualities. They also can make terrific projects for children to learn responsibility and animal husbandry skills. Your local Nutrena dealer and extension agent are excellent resources for information on breeds and species that are appropriate for your goals and geographic region. www.nutrenapoultryfeed.com 5
Helping Chicks Thrive Many people associate spring with fuzzy baby chicks but modern hatchery practices make chicks available year-round. Once you know which breed is right for you, select a reputable hatchery or dealer from which to purchase your chicks. Young chicks must have a brooder for warmth and protection. Prepare the brooder by cleaning and disinfecting it at least two days before the chicks arrive. Once it has dried, cover the floor with 4 to 6 inches of dry litter material. Pinewood shavings or sawdust is recommended to aid in disease prevention. Hardwood litter is not recommended. Place the brooder in a draft-free location. Carefully position an incandescent bulb about a foot above the box floor to provide heat and add a second light in case one bulb burns out. Newly hatched chicks will find their perfect temperature in the brooder. If it s too hot under the bulb chicks will move away from the heat; if too cool they ll move closer. Give chicks space to move about. Baby chicks huddle together when they re cold, which can cause smothering or suffocation, so check your chicks regularly to be sure they are comfortable. Raise the height of the lights as they grow, because their need for artificial heat will diminish as they grow feathers. Clean, fresh water is the most important thing to give your chicks. Make sure it is always available and that the waterers are clean. Check water levels daily to be sure your chicks are consuming enough. Chick starter grower rations are available in medicated and unmedicated formulas. Select one with the protein, vitamins and minerals chicks need to thrive. Sprinkle the feed on the brooder floor at first but use a chick feeder when the chicks are a few days old. Given a snug brooder, fresh water and good food, your chicks will soon be big enough to move into their coop. For more information about chick nutrition and feeding guidelines, visit www.nutrenapoultryfeed.com. 6 Nutrena Poultry Care Guide
Care Tips for Healthy Hens Raising layer hens is an investment in fresh, wholesome eggs. Your hens will perform best if they have room to live and roam, nutritious feed, fresh water, and a safe, comfortable coop to nest and roost. Your coop should have a minimum of four square feet of space per hen, and one perch and one nest box for every four or five hens. Spread a 6-inch layer of shavings or sawdust on the floor to absorb droppings and give the birds a place to take a dust bath. Chickens tolerate temperature extremes but will suffer in cold winter drafts or stifling summer heat. Make sure the coop is free of drafts during the winter and well ventilated in the summer. Protect your chickens from predators by keeping them penned within good, sturdy fencing and closing the coop door each evening after your flock goes to roost. Because hens rarely find enough nutrients on their own for a complete, balanced diet, your choice of feed is important. Select one with the protein, vitamins and minerals they need to meet their unique nutritional requirements. Keep feed and fresh, clean water available at all times. Give your hens oyster shell or coarse-ground limestone to help maintain their calcium levels and grit to help them digest their food. An occasional treat of scratch grains will satisfy their pecking instincts and keep them busy. For more information about layer hen nutrition and feeding guidelines, visit www.nutrenapoultryfeed.com. www.nutrenapoultryfeed.com 7
Know Your Birds Inside & Out From beaks to vents, chickens have one of the most efficient digestive systems in the animal kingdom. Very little of the food they eat goes to waste. Here s a quick lesson in anatomy: Mouth: It all starts here. Esophagus (Gullet): Transports food from the mouth to the stomach. Crop: A pouch in the esophagus used to store food temporarily before moving it on to the stomach. Stomach (Proventriculus/Gizzard): Principally the organ where food is broken into smaller units. It has two parts: the proventriculus for storage and the gizzard. The gizzard is a muscular part of the stomach that uses grit to grind grains and fiber into smaller particles. Small Intestine: Aids in digestion and nutrient absorption. Composed of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Liver: The largest glandular organ in the body. Aids in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Ceca: Bacterial action in the ceca helps break down undigested food passing through the intestine. The ceca turns into the large intestine, which connects with the cloaca. Large Intestine: Functions primarily to absorb water, dry out indigestible foods and eliminate waste products. Cloaca: Where the digestive, urinary and reproductive systems meet. Crop Urinary System: Consists of two kidneys and two ureters. The kidneys are located in the pelvic bones. They filter waste from the blood and pass it through the ureter to the outside via the cloaca/vent. Vent: The external opening of the cloaca that passes waste to the outside. Esophagus (Gullet) Liver Proventriculus Gizzard Duodenum (Small Intestine) 8 Nutrena Poultry Care Guide
Disease Prevention For most backyard poultry enthusiasts, diseases are rare as long as the flock doesn t come into contact with other flocks. The most common disease for young, unmedicated flocks is coccidiosis, which is characterized by diarrhea, unthriftiness and some mortality. A medicated chick feed can help prevent coccidiosis. Nutritious feed, access to fresh, clean water, and adequate housing are important to the health of your flock. Good management and sanitation practices are essential as well. Proper ventilation in the brooder and coop will reduce moisture and disease organisms. Caked or wet litter should be removed as soon as it forms to keep the house clean and dry. Ceca Large Intestine Cloaca/ Vent A rigid sanitation program can help prevent parasites. If internal parasites become a problem, products to treat them are available from your feed dealer. Check your flock daily to spot diseases or parasites so you can start treatment right away. For more information about identifying, preventing and treating poultry diseases and parasites, contact your local veterinarian. Your Nutrena dealer can help you choose the right feed to support the nutritional needs of your flock. www.nutrenapoultryfeed.com 9
Project Checklist Healthy Chicks: Buy chicks from a reputable supplier. Starting healthy is the first step toward keeping them healthy. Brooder (electric or gas): Use one 250-watt heat lamp for every 50 chicks. Always use two lamps in case one burns out. Brooder Guard: Can be made of any stiff material to protect chicks from wind drafts and keep them near the brooder lamp for the first 7 10 days. Litter (bedding material): Dry and clean pinewood shavings, sawdust, straw, crushed corncobs or shredded paper. NOT hardwood shavings. Feeders: Smaller feeders for young chicks, replaced with larger feeders as birds grow. Waterers: Start chicks on small waterers and replace with larger waterers as chicks grow. Fencing: If chickens are allowed outdoors, be sure to install sturdy fencing to keep them confined and to keep predators, especially dogs, out. Feed: A complete balanced diet, designed for your type of poultry and its life stage, is essential to your success. 10 Nutrena Poultry Care Guide
Daily Management Activities Checklist Feed available at all times Clean, fresh water available at all times Proper temperature and ventilation Brooder and coop conditions Litter conditions Flock appearance and health Eggs gathered Records updated 11
Complete, quality poultry nutrition from Nutrena We ve been helping people raise healthy poultry with our wholesome, nutritious feeds for more than 85 years. Nutrena is unique in its disciplined, scientific approach to animal nutrition. At our Innovation Campus, more than 75 members of our expert team of researchers and scientists hold PhDs from all over the world. This team is focused on one thing: using sound science to create superior nutritional solutions. Nutrena poultry feeds will continue to feature the best thinking available from the resources at the Innovation Campus. And continue to bring you extraordinary nutrition for your poultry. For more information on our high-quality poultry feeds, talk to your expert Nutrena brand dealer or visit us online at www.nutrenapoultryfeed.com. General Office Minneapolis, MN 55440 www.nutrenaworld.com 2011 Cargill, Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. NFG-385