Maintaining hens in cold weather
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Transcript of Maintaining hens in cold weather
Canadian Housing
• Solid wall housing
• Built for winter conditions
• Insulated to help maintain temperature
– R20 in the walls
– R40 in the ceiling
– Curtain R values = 2-6
• Most use space heaters
– 175,000 BTU (2) for 13,000 sq. ft. pen
Canadian Housing
• Concrete floors have blue styrofoam
insulation to keep cold from coming up
through the floor
• Fans not used in the winter time have
insulated winter covers on them
• Well fitted doors with insulation around
them to keep them from leaking
Minimum Ventilation
• Continuous vents
– Long inlets that run almost the entire length
of the barn
– Difficult to manage for proper pressure and
throw
• Small fans
– Many 16”, 24” and a few 36” fans
– Variable speed
Inlet Management
• Air Mixing
• Temperature
• Moisture Removal
• Fuel Use
-1.1°C 4.4°C 10°C
15.5°C
21.1°C
26.6°C
Stratification (No Stir Fans - 13˚F Temperature Difference)
83.6°F
99.0°F
85
90
95
86.1
89.6
94.2
99.4
92.1
97.4
WITH STIR FANS = 2˚ F TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE
*Photo courtesy of Auburn University
Inlet Management & Fuel Usage
• Static good
• Temp good
• Air mixing poor
• Litter quality poor
• Need at least 2”
opening in most cases
to get the proper air
throw
*Photo courtesy of Auburn University
Energy needed for an egg
100
110
120
130
140
150
50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68
kcal/egg
Egg Weight (g)
Feeding Hens in the Wintertime
•With fall-to-winter drops in temperature, where
interior heaters are under-used or non-existent, more
maintenance energy will be expended by the bird
•Anticipate this! It happens every year
•Approach A: adjust daily allotment upward by 1 pound
per hundred per day. This provides another 13 calories
per hen per day
•Approach B (best): raise feed formula calories by 20-25
calories per pound of feed (not protein); this will
provide another 9 calories per hen per day
•THE GOAL: To prevent in-lay weight loss and
production drops
•With fall-to-winter drops in temperature, where
interior heaters are under-used or non-existent, more
maintenance energy will be expended by the bird
•Anticipate this! It happens every year
•Approach A: adjust daily allotment upward by 1 pound
per hundred per day. This provides another 13 calories
per hen per day
•Approach B (best): raise feed formula calories by 20-25
calories per pound of feed (not protein); this will
provide another 9 calories per hen per day
•THE GOAL: To prevent in-lay weight loss and
production drops
Feeding Hens in the Wintertime
•With fall-to-winter drops in temperature, where
interior heaters are under-used or non-existent, more
maintenance energy will be expended by the bird
•Anticipate this! It happens every year
•Approach A: adjust daily allotment upward by 1 pound
per hundred per day. This provides another 13 calories
per hen per day
•Approach B (best): raise feed formula calories by 20-25
calories per pound of feed (not protein); this will
provide another 9 calories per hen per day
•THE GOAL: To prevent in-lay weight loss and
production drops
Feeding Hens in the Wintertime
•With fall-to-winter drops in temperature, where
interior heaters are under-used or non-existent, more
maintenance energy will be expended by the bird
•Anticipate this! It happens every year
•Approach A: adjust daily allotment upward by 1 pound
per hundred per day. This provides another 13 calories
per hen per day
•Approach B (best): raise feed formula calories by 20-25
calories per pound of feed (not protein); this will
provide another 9 calories per hen per day
•THE GOAL: To prevent in-lay weight loss and
production drops
Feeding Hens in the Wintertime
•With fall-to-winter drops in temperature, where
interior heaters are under-used or non-existent, more
maintenance energy will be expended by the bird
•Anticipate this! It happens every year
•Approach A: adjust daily allotment upward by 1 pound
per hundred per day. This provides another 13 calories
per hen per day
•Approach B (best): raise feed formula calories by 20-25
calories per pound of feed (not protein); this will
provide another 9 calories per hen per day
•THE GOAL: To prevent in-lay weight loss and
production drops
Feeding Hens in the Wintertime
Bird Condition at Light Stimulation
• Females should be in the proper condition at
first light stimulation with >95% having a
fleshing of 3 & 4 and >90% having fat reserves
present
• A 33%-35% bodyweight gain from 16 to 20
weeks is needed
Summary
• Canadian houses are built for winter time
conditions, utilizing solid walls, very good
insulation and supplemental heat
• Minimum ventilation systems should allow for
you to utilize the “free” heat at the peak of the
ceiling
• When needed, feed amounts or feed
formulation (calories) should be increased to
help meet the birds energy requirements during
cold weather – ANTICIPATE THIS!!!
• The birds should be carrying the correct fleshing
and fat reserve at light stimulation