Birds need proper care as excessive heat may lead to deaths

Summers hit us hard and birds are no exception to the heat. Birds do not have sweat glands and have their heat managing mechanisms. In general, chickens can withstand the thermoneutral zone of 18 to 28° C. High temperatures above 29°C leads to heat stress. Body temperature for a domestic fowl is between 40°C and 41.7°C. Since the bird’s metabolism is strong, it must be able to lose heat, which it does by radiation, conduction and water evaporation. But, as the bird grows in size, this ratio shifts and radiation of heat through the skin may not be enough to hold the temperature down for the hefty three kg broiler. Hot weather can have a severe impact on poultry performance and heat stress is a major concern during summer. 

Heat stress 

Birds are ‘heat stressed’ if they have difficulty achieving a balance between body heat production and body heat loss. This can occur at all ages and in all types of poultry.

In the thermoneutral zone, birds can lose heat at a controlled rate using normal behaviour. There is no heat stress and body temperature is held constant. When conditions like the upper critical temperature exceed, birds lose heat actively by panting. Panting is a normal response to heat and is not initially considered welfare.

But as temperatures increase, the rate of panting increases. If heat production becomes greater than ‘maximum heat loss’ either in intensity (acute heat stress) or over long periods (chronic heat stress), birds may die. The body temperature of the broiler must remain very close to 41°C (106°F). If the body temperature rises more than 40°C above this, the bird will die.

Steps to be taken in keeping chickens and feed-in moderate temperature:

Arrangement of roof and side mesh

• Spread the grass/agro waste/thatches/asbestos of about three inches thickness on the roof to lower the temperature from 5°F to 9°F inside the shed.
• Whitewash the tiles to reduce the temperature to 9°F with 25 litre of water + 10 kg limestone + 2 kg cement

 Fogger and sprinkler

• Use sprinklers often. Separate 200-litre tank /10000 litre for single-use fogger.
• M4 model for every 5 feet (1 line of sprinkler for 20 feet width shed) or could use a fogger.

 Ceiling fan and curtain management

• Ceiling fans are placed at the top of the roof within the shed to reduce the temperature up to 9° F (Every 150 sq. ft/fan, Height 6 feet from the floor]
• Fix the curtains with a gap of 1 to 1.5 feet from the top mesh for good and free air circulation in brooding time and maintain a temperature of 90°F.

 Free land growing

• A part of the birds (1/3rd of the birds] are allowed into the free land growing area.

 Feed management:

Give fresh feed from 22nd to 28th day. Feed Control: 

• from 12 pm to 4 pm.
• From 29th day onwards Feed Control: from 9 am to 5 pm.
• For weak birds, mix the liver tonic, vitamins, growth promoters with the feed during cool hours.

 Water management and motivator

• Cover the main water tank with a thatched roof, whitewash, clean it and monitor periodically. The water in the drinker must be maintained at 2/3rd level and pH of 5.5 to 6.5.
• Giver amla, lemon juice, buttermilk, green gram, vetiver with nanari and electrol for the first three days, monitor their heat after attaining 1kg weight.

 Medication and other measures during summer

• Based on body weight the antibiotics like paracetamol can be given to reduce temperature.
• Growing trees on both sides of the shed would reduce temperature. Spray acetic acid @1-2ml/lit of water.