Suitability of hay-box brooding technology to rural household poultry production system

Solomon Demeke

Jimma University Collegeof Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine,
 P.O.Box 307 Jimma, Ethiopia
Solomon20089@yahoo.com

Abstract

In rural Ethiopia, baby chicks are raised by broody hen, since it is difficult to adopt artificial brooders by household poultry men. On station and on-farm studies were initiated to evaluate the suitability of home made hay-box chick brooders to local conditions aimed at developing baby chick's extension package. Two experiments were conducted to study the growth of batches of 50 and 70 White leghorn baby chicks raised in hay-box and electric brooders and survival rates of 6240 chicks distributed to urban dwellers and rural farmers in hay box brooders of 10, 30, 50 and 70 chicks capacity.

In Experiment 1, the growth of the hay-box groups was slower than the electric groups during the first four weeks of brooding, but quickly acclimatized and compensated than the electric groups thereafter. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) between the electric and the hay-box groups in mortality from hatching to an age of 8 weeks and in rate of maturity as measured by the age at first egg. In Experiment 2, about 95%, 88% and 80% of the distributed hay-box groups survived to an age of 2, 4, and 8 weeks respectively. About 41% of the total mortality occurred when chick brooding temperature is not critical in the tropics and unsuitable design of the technology was responsible for 10% of the mortality both of which confounded the results and under estimated the performance of the hay-boxes. The results of both experiments indicate that batches of 10-70 baby chicks could successfully be grown with the use of locally constructed and portable hay-box brooders in which no artificial heat is employed.

Key words: Baby chicks, growth, hay-box brooders, maturity, rate of survival

Introduction

Unlike most small animals, baby chicks are unable to live for any length of time without an additional source of heat other than their own bodies. Chick brooding refers to the early periods of growth (0-8 weeks), when young chicks are unable to maintain their normal body temperature without the aid of supplementary heat. It is by natural brooding that baby chicks are raised all over rural Ethiopia. The broody hen rearing and protecting few chicks ceases laying during the entire incubation and brooding periods of up to 81 days. Yet the success of the brooding process depends on the maternal instinct of the broody hen and the prevalence of predators such as birds of prey, pets and some wild animals, all of which are listed as the major causes of premature death of chicks in Ethiopia. Mean survival rate to an age 3-months of baby chicks reared under natural brooding condition in Ethiopia is about 40% (Sub Sector Review 1984; Hoyle 1992; Ethiopian Statistical Authority 1985-1996), indicating that the broody hen ceases egg laying for 2,7 months for the purpose of rearing 2.8 chicks to an age of 3 months. Artificial chick brooding should be adopted to initiate improvement in poultry production in Ethiopia.

There are several artificial chick brooders of every conceivable type and size, heated by oil, coal, wood, water gas and electricity. Unfortunately however, it is difficult to adopt these brooders by rural household poultry producers owing to unavailability of fuel, numbers of chicks to be raised and remote locations of the farm sites. It was on such a background that the ongoing national poultry extension package comprising of the distributions of 3 months old exotic pullets and cockerels was initiated in the early 1950s. But it seems to be difficult to expect rapid and positive change through the supply of 3 months old pullets and cockerels from the government poultry multiplication centers. The centers can not meet this demand due to the huge requirement in terms of brooding facilities even though they have adequate hatching capacity. These being the cases the major objective of these research projects was to develop. Construct and evaluate suitability of hay-box brooders to the Ethiopian local conditions aimed at developing national baby chick's extension package.

Materials and methods

Experimental site

The on-station trials were conducted at Jimma University, Collage of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine (JUCAVM) located 335 km southwest of the capital, Addis Ababa at an altitude of 1700m. The on-farm trials were conducted within Jimma town and in the Jimma zone within 50km radius from Jimma town. A total of 72 urban dwellers and 84 rural farmers were selected to participate in the on farm trials in three rounds. Selection of the trial sites and participating rural farmers were done by the extension agents of the Jimma zone, office of agriculture.

Construction of the hay-box brooders

A total of 100 hay box brooders of 10, 30, 50 and 70 chicks capacity were constructed adopting the dimensions recommended by Solomon (1999).  The constructional design and specifications of the hay-box brooders constructed and used in these trials are shown in Figure  1 and Table 1 and Photos 1 and 2. 

 

The hay-box brooders constructed consisted of 4-outer framing boards, mesh-wire floors, central nests, door and 4-small ventilation holes drilled at the top of each frame board (total of 16 holes per box). Hay was stuffed very loosely between the sides of the boxes and the central nests and the tops of the boxes were covered with sacks filled with hay. Chick runs of appropriate dimensions were constructed and fitted to each box. The boxes and runs were thoroughly cleaned, splashed with boiling water, repaired and re-used when required.

Management of the experimental chicks

On station experiment

A total of 7200 White Leghorn baby chicks were used to evaluate the performance of hay-box brooders of 50 and 70 chicks capacity using a conventional infra red electric brooders as reference over two consecutive years. Six hundred randomly selected and weighed day old chicks were divided into batches of 50 and 70 and transferred to each of 5 brooders of 50 and 70 chick's capacity. Batches of the same size, age, average group weight and breed were also transferred to electric brooders for comparative study in completely randomized design with 5 replications. The same trial was repeated every two months with new batches of chicks and a total of 12 trials were conducted.

The hay-box groups were gently pushed out of the box for several times for feeding and watering in the run, during day times and during the first week of brooding. They were closed into the boxes only at night times after the first week of brooding. All the treatment groups were fed to appetite with commercial starters ration and water is made available all the times (during day times for the hay-box groups) Data on brooding temperature, body weight gain and rates of mortality and maturity were collected. Close observations were also made to detect the rate of feathering, degree of activity, vigor and any other abnormality of the experimental chicks.

On farm experiments

A total of 6240 baby chicks placed in hay-box chick brooders of 10, 30, 50 and 70 chicks capacity, each with 6 replications were distributed to selected urban dwellers and rural farmers (Photos 3 and 4).

The distribution was done over a year in 3-rounds along with data collection forms and commercial starters ration adequate for one month of feeding. Replicated batches of 200 chicks of similar characteristics were offered to volunteers who constructed their Owen electric brooders for comparative study each time the hay-box groups were distributed. Data on the rates of survival was collected through out the study period. Finally all the data collected were subjected to statistical analysis

Result and discussion

Brooding temperature

One of the critical requirements of successful chick brooding is regulation of brooding temperature. Generally there is no agreement among poultry men as to the exact brooding temperature of baby chicks just transferred from the incubator. According to Williamson and Payne (1984) the initial brooding temperature below the hover should be 35 at 5 cm from the floor and this initial brooding temperature should be reduced in the tropics by 2.8 each week until it equals the mean daily ambient temperature. In this study a range of mean brooding temperature 34-39 was maintained in the hay-box brooders during the first week of brooding. This initial brooding temperature of the hay-box brooders was weekly reduced, approximately to the desired level by reducing the amount of hay stuffed between the sides of the box and the central nest. This results agree with that of Nigussie et al (2003) who reported that the recommended levels of brooding temperature were successfully maintained in the hay-box brooders during the first week of brooding and this initial temperature levels were decreased to the desired levels by reducing the amount of insulation materials stuffed between the walls of the box and central nest area.

Chick growth and mortality

A mean body weight of 120 g per chick was attained by the groups assigned to the hay-box and electric brooders at an age 6 and 4 weeks respectively. The growth performance of the hay-box groups was significantly slower (P<0.05) than the electric groups during the first four weeks of brooding (Table 2).

The slower growth rate of the box groups was attributed to the fact that the box groups were fed to appetite during day times only and closed behind in the box at night as compared to the electric groups ,which were fed to appetite both day and night. Nevertheless comparatively faster growth rate were obtained from the hay-box groups after the first four weeks of brooding during which they doubled their body weight. When all the treatment groups were transferred to their respective rearing corners,(after the brooding period), the hay-box groups rapidly compensated the slow growth they experienced at the early phase of brooding and acclimatized quickly than the electric groups. There was no significant difference between the hay-box and electric groups in chick mortality from hatching to an age of 8 weeks (P>0.05), except during the big rainy season. Significantly higher (P<0.05) rate of mortality was recorded from the hay-box groups during June to August as compared to that of the electric groups. These groups were severely affected by heavy rains and were seldom outside in the run for feeding watering and foraging. Troubles arose from wetting in drinking water in the run which resulted in crawling accompanied by smothering. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) between the electric and hay-box groups in rate of survival during the other seasons of Ethiopia. During on-station trails conducted at Debre Ziet Agricultural Research Center mean mortality level of 18.7% and 19.6% were recorded from the electric and hay-box groups respectively indicating that the use of hay-box brooders insulated with any type of cereal residues to replace artificial electric heating could be considered as a simple and suitable techniques of brooding chicks with out electricity. The on-farm performance of chicks brooded using the hay-box brooders in the current trial can be rated excellent (Nigussie et al 2003). The results of the on station experiment also indicated that there was no significant difference (P>0.05) between the hay-box and electric groups in rate of maturity as measured by the age at first egg. Both the hay-box and electric groups were equally active, vigorous and comparable in the rate of feathering.

Survival rate

The weekly survival rates of the experimental chicks distributed to selected urban dwellers and rural farmers are shown in Table 3.

Although the indigenous flocks are said to be disease resistant and adapted to their environment the survival rates of the Ethiopian indigenous baby chicks kept under natural brooding conditions is considered to be low (Sub-Sector review 1984). Chick survival under village conditions in the central highland s of Ethiopia is about 39% in the first 8 weeks (Tadelle and Ogle  2001). Hoyle (1992) reported a mean survival rate to an age of 3 months ranging between 27% and 53% from a survey conducted on small scale poultry keeping in Weliata North Omo Region. All the other regions of Ethiopia are not exception to these conditions, since several years national poultry population data of the Ethiopian Statistical Authority (1985-1996) tends to indicate 36-41% survival rate to an age of 3 months. In this study, mean survival rate to an age of 2 months of all the hay-box groups was about 80%, the value of which is high by the Ethiopian standard as reported by Sub-Sector review (1984), Tadelle and Ogle (2001), Hoyle (1992) and the Ethiopia Statistical Authority (1985-1996).

It is generally agreed that the first four weeks comprise the most critical phase of artificial chick brooding (Nesheim et al 1979). The results of a survey conducted by Hoyle (1992) on small scale poultry keeping in Welaita, North Omo region also indicated that the most challenging period for indigenous baby chicks kept under natural brooding condition in Ethiopia is from is 2 to 4 weeks after hatching. In contrast to this objective local conditions, the result of this study clearly showed that about 95%, 88% and 80% of the hay-box groups distributed survived to an age of 2, 4 and 8 weeks respectively, the values of which are high by the Ethiopian standard. There was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) between the electric and all the hay-box groups distributed in rates of chick survival to an age of 3 weeks.

But the mean weekly survival rates of the hay-box groups distributed to the rural areas was significantly (P<0.05) lower than the others during the last 5 weeks of brooding.

The lower survival rates for the hay-box groups of rural areas could probably be attributed to several interrelated factors. Comparatively high rate of mortality was recorded from the hay-box groups in the third to fourth weeks of brooding during which times the experimental chicks were shifted from commercial starters ration locally available feed resources. About 41% of the mortality recorded from the hay-box groups distributed to rural areas occurred during the last 4 weeks of brooding when chick brooding temperature is not critical in the tropics (Ethiopia). The tops or roofs of both the hay-boxes and the runs used at the beginning were 15 cm high and failed to be comfortable to chicks older than 4 weeks and several chicks (10% of total mortality) died as a result of being neck-trapped in the mesh wire nettings used to cover the top of the run. All these conditions seem to confounded the results and under-estimated the brooding performances of the hay-box brooding technology, probably due to the confounding effects of disease conditions and predations, since the largest proportions of the losses caused by predation occurred during the last three weeks (5-8^th weeks) of brooding when the chicks got older and allowed to venture outside the safety of chick run.

There was no significant difference (P>0.05) between the hay-box groups distributed in batches of 10, 30, 50 and 70 chicks in rates of survival to an age of 8 weeks though retarded growth and high number of dead chicks were recorded from the hay-box groups distributed in batches of 70 chicks. Further more there were no significant difference (P>0.05) in rates of survival to an age of 8 weeks between the hay-box groups distributed to different rural localities on one side and between the hay-box groups distributed during different times of the year on the other side, except during big rainy season.

It seems to be difficult to suggest upper limits on the number of baby chicks or adult birds that could conveniently be kept by rural farmers from housing and feeding point of views. According to the results of this study all the selected participating urban dwellers and rural farmers were reluctant to accept the offer of hay-box groups of 10 baby chicks. All the rural farmers that were offered hay-box groups of 30-70 baby chicks either sold or released to other households in sharing agreements larger proportions of their chicks (at an age of 2 months) and all the observations made tends to indicate that 2-7 mature birds to be an appropriate flock size to be maintained. In summary the results of these trials clearly showed that locally constructed portable hay-box brooders in which no artificial heat is employed seems to be the brooders of choice for promotion of baby chick's poultry extension package under the Ethiopian household farming conditions. The initiation of such an extension package seems to be more appealing when

• Exotic baby chicks immunized against the common and rapidly fatal poultry diseases are made available.
• Combined with the governments extension activities including advises in the area poultry disease, housing and nutrition
• Research attempts are made in the area of developing least cost regional poultry ration using locally available feed ingredients.

Reference

Ethiopian Statistical Authority 1985-1996 Livestock, poultry and beehives population. Agricultural sample survey. Ethiopian Central Statistics Authority, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Hoyle E 1992 Small scale poultry keeping in Welaita, North Omo region. Farmers Research Project. Technical Pamphlet No 3, Farm Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Nesheim M C, Austic R E and Card L E 1979 Poultry production. 12^Th edition, Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia, USA

Nigussie D, Alemu Y, Tadelle D and Samual W Hana 2003 On station and on- farm evaluation of the hay-box chick brooder using different insulation materials at the Debre Ziet Agricultural Research Center and Denbi Village, Adaa Wereda. Proceedings of the 10^th annual conference of the Ethiopian Society of Animal Production. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Solomon 1999 Suitability of home made hay-box chick brooder to the Ethiopian household poultry production system. Proceedings of the 7^th annual Conference of the Ethiopian Society of Animal Production. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Sub-Sector Review 1984 The Ethiopian livestock sub-sector review. Volume 2 Annex 5. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Tadelle D and B Ogle 2001 Village poultry production systems in the central highlands of Ethiopia. Tropical Animal Health and Production 33 (6): 521-537

Williamson G and Payne J A 1984 An introduction to animal husbandry in the tropics. Longman, London and New York.

Received 10 October 2006; Accepted 10 November 2006; Published 1 January 2007

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