POULTRY

PRODUCTION
AND
MANAGEMENT
WMSU
MA. JOCELYN E.
CUADRA 1
The Poultry Industry in the Philippines
➢ Through R&D efforts, the number of
eggs laid by a hen in a year has
increased from 60 to about 300
pieces. Similarly, broilers which are
usually marketed at a weight of 1.3-
1.8 kg attained in 8-12 weeks of age
are now sold at 38-42 days old.

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The Poultry Industry in the Philippines
➢ In 2000, the industry contributed a
total of P73.6 B in gross value added
(GVA) in agriculture, constituting
about 12.2% of the total gross
earnings in agriculture.

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The Poultry Industry in the Philippines
➢The implementation of GATT-WTO in
1994 opened the country for the entry
of cheaper imported chicken products
(i.e. leg quarters) which prompted many
broiler farmers to stop operations or
scale down their volume of production.

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The Poultry Industry in the Philippines
➢From 1989 to 1998, population of
chicken and ducks steadily increased
with an average annual growth rate of
8.16% and 3.68%, respectively. In 1998
to 1999, a sharp decline (14%) in the
population of chicken was noted (from
134.32 M head in 1998 to 115.84 M in
1999).

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The Poultry Industry in the Philippines

➢Commercial production of broilers and

layers is import dependent and
competitiveness is largely influenced
by the foreign exchange.

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The Poultry Industry in the Philippines

➢The reduction in the broiler parent

stock loading and the importation of
chicken legs and wings led to the
“boom and bust cycle”of the industry.

➢In 2000, the per capita consumption of

dressed chicken, dressed duck,
chicken egg and duck egg were 7.12,
0.14, 2.93 and 0.66 kg/year, respectively.
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Trends in the Industry Worldwide
➢strong preference for native chickens
➢shifting from intensive and high density
production system to extensive
management system
➢advocating the production of chemical-
free meat and eggs

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Preferences Developed Countries Philippines

Cut-up parts Breast meat (white meat) Legs and

wings

Dressed chicken Frozen form Fresh &

fresh-
chilled form

Eggs Frozen broken-out Fresh eggs

eggs & eggs in
powdered form

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Poultry species Scientific name Incubation period
(days)
1. Chickens (wild) Gallus gallus
Domesticated chickenGallus domesticus 21
2. Ducks:
Mallard/Pekin Anas platyrhyncos 28
Muscovy Cairina moschata 35-37
3. Turkeys Meleagris gallopavo 28
4. Geese Anser anser A. cygnoide 30-34
5. Pigeons Columbia livia 18
6. Guinea fowls Numida meleagris 26-28
7. Pea fowls Pavo cristatus 28
8. Pheasants Phasianus colchicos 22-24
9. Swans Cygnus olor -
10. Ostriches Strauthos camilos 42
11. Quails Coturnix coturnix
Japanese quail Coturnix japonica 16-18

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New Trends in Poultry Production
There are three major areas of
specialization in the poultry business:

1. Breeding farm/ Hatcheries

2. Egg farm
3. Broiler farm

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Systems of Broiler Operation
• All-in-all-out system – 5 or 6 crops of
broilers per year
• Two-stage operation – double the all-in-
all-out system
• Multiple–stage broiler operation – for
frequent output of broilers
• Broilers in Cages – latest concept

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Origin of Fowl
It is believed that the modern breed of poultry
probably originated from wild species:
1. Red jungle fowl - Gallus gallus
2. Ceylon jungle fowl - Gallus lafayetti
3. Grey jungle fowl – Gallus sonnerati
4. Java jungle fowl - Gallus varius
• The center of domestication is unknown, but it is
said to have started in Asia over 3000 years ago.
• Today, there are more than 300 breeds of fowls
worldwide

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• The majority of breed used today by
commercial poultry keepers are hybrids that
have been bred by the large-scale international
poultry breeding corporations.
• Fertile eggs, day-old-chicks or parental
breeding stocks are usually imported to 3rd
world countries.
• Scheme of producing hybrids/strains is
shown below:
Nucleus lines A, B, C, D
Grandparents A xB CxD
Parents A.B x C.D
Progeny A.B.C.D (4-way cross)
• Cornish is the most popular or the basic breed
used for the male line.

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Economic/Utility Classification
• Egg type - Leghorn (Italy), Minorca
(Spain), Ancona (Italy).
• Meat type - Cornish, Jersey Black Giant,
Brahma, etc
• General/Dual purpose type - Rhode
Island Red, New Hampshire Red and
Australorp
• Fancy type/Ornamentals - Silkies,
Bantams and Frizzle
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Standard Classification
• American class - Plymouth Rock,
Wyandotte, Rhode Island Red, Jersey
Black Giant and New Hampshire
• Asiatic class - Brahma, Cochin and
Langshan
• English class - Orpington, Cornish,
Sussex and Australorp
• Mediterranean class - Leghorn, Minorca
and Ancona
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The following are the strains of day-old chicks
commercially available :
Egg Strains Source of Stock
• Arbor Acres San Miguel Corporation
• Babcock Sarmiento Agricultural
Devt. Corp.
• Kimber Lorenzo Poultry Farms
• Starcross Universal Robina Farms
• Hy-line Winmar Poultry Farms
• H&N RFM Corporation
• Dekalb General Milling
Corporation
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 Broiler Strains Source of Stock
• Arbor Acres San Miguel Corporation
• Cobb Color-Sex Sarmiento Agri. Devt. Corp.
Broiler Chicks
• Goto White Rock Dalisay Farms, Inc.
Broiler Chicks
• Hubbard Broiler Chicks Golden Country Farms
• Indian Runner Winmar Poultry Farms
Broiler Chicks
• Lohmann Console Farms
• Peterson RFM Corporation
• Pilch-Dekalb General Milling Corporation
Broiler Chicks
• Starbro 15 Universal Robina Farms

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Molting
– This is a physiological phenomenon which consists in
the shedding of feathers, followed by their renewal. It is
accompanied by slowing down of laying, or even a
complete halt. This takes place at several stages of life:
(1) first molt – change from down to juvenile plumage
(6-8 days to 4 weeks);
(2) second molt – change from the first juvenile
plumage to the second juvenile plumage (between 7 and
12 weeks);
(3) third molt – renewal of the plumage of the hen
between 16 to 18 months of age, commonly called ‘the
molt’. Shedding is first observed in the feathers of the
head and neck, then followed those of the breast, back,
fluff, abdomen, and finally, those of wings and tail. Poor
egg producers molt early and slowly.
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• Feather tracts: Feathers do not cover the
body uniformly, but grow in rows to
produce tracts or areas over the body.
There are 10 major feather tracts, as
follows: shoulder, thigh, rump, breast,
neck, abdomen, leg, back, wing and head.
• Parts of a feather: A feather is composed
of a root called the calamus; a long quill or
shaft, known as the rachis to give rigidity;
barbs extending from the quill; barbules
extending from the barbs; and barbicels
extending from the barbules.

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• Head: The head of the chicken is
represented by the following parts: comb,
eyes, eyelids, eye-rings (inner margin of
the eyelids), eyelashes (bristle feathers
composed of a straight shaft), ears,
earlobes, wattles and beak.
• Comb: There are several types of comb,
but only the first three of the following list
are common: single, rose, pea, cushion or
walnut, strawberry, V-shaped and
buttercup.

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• Respiratory System: The respiratory
system of the chicken consists of: nasal
cavities, larynx, trachea (windpipe), syrinx
(voice box), bronchi, lungs, air sacs and
certain air-containing bones.
• Urinary System: The urinary system is
basic to the two kidneys that are located just
behind the lungs. A single ureter connects
each kidney with the cloaca. The urine of
chicken is mainly uric acid which is mixed
with feces in the cloaca and evacuated in the
droppings as a white, pasty material. (Apart
from the ostrich, birds have no bladder.)

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• Blood System: Blood is composed of fluid
plasma, salts and other chemicals, plus
erythrocytes (red cells) and leucocytes (white
cells). The spleen serves as a reservoir of
erythrocyted and expels its contents into the
circulatory system.
• Nervous System: The nervous system
regulates all organs and consists of many
parts. The brain represents highly
concentrated nerve cells, the basis for all
nerve stimuli. Hearing and sight are well-
developed, with the chicken being able to
distinguish colors; but the ability to smell is of
low magnitude.
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 Reproductive System:
• The male reproductive system consists of
two testicles located in the dorsal area of
the body cavity, just in front of the kidneys.
• The female reproductive system consists
of only one ovary and an oviduct. The
ovary is located high in the abdominal
cavity ventral to the kidney, and in mature
hen consists of a cluster of thousands of
follicles.
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 Section of oviduct and its Contribution
• Infundibulum - Catches ovum, sperm
storage & fertilization (11 cm long; stay of ¼
hr)
• Magnum - Secretes albumen; (longest part
of the tract) (34 cm long; stay of 3 hrs)
• Isthmus - Forms the shell membranes; (com-
posed of keratin) (11 cms long; stay of 1¼
hrs)
• Shell gland or uterus - Plumps the egg by
water transfer and secretes the shell;
chalazae also develops here; sperm storage
(10 cms long; a stay of 18-22 hrs)
• Vagina - Secretes mucus (cuticle); expels
egg (7cm long; stay of 1/60 hr)
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• The Chicken Egg - The egg is made up six
parts: embryo, vitellus or yolk, albumen or
‘egg white’, the two membranes and shell.
• Digestive System -The digestive system of
the fowl is made up of organs concerned
with: feed ingestion, storage, digestion and
excretion of waste products. It consists of the
alimentary tract and its accessory organs, the
liver and pancreas.
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• The alimentary tract is subdivided into: mouth,
gullet or esophagus, crop, glandular stomach or
proventriculus, gizzard, small intestine, ceca, large
intestine, cloaca and anus or vent.
• The liver comprises two lobes, brown in color,
which secretes the bile. The bile functions in the
digestion of fat. It incorporates a gall bladder
where bile is stored. The pancreas is a long flesh-
colored organ lying in the loop of the duodenum. It
secretes the pancreatic juice, which contains the
enzymes that act upon the proteins, carbohydrates
and fats.

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• The chicken relies almost exclusively on
enzymatic digestion of the food in the
proventriculus, gizzard and small intestine to
facilitate absorption of nutrients. Water, mineral
salts and vitamins reach the intestine directly and
pass into the blood which distributes them to the
organs.
• Other nutrients, classed as carbohydrates, fats
and proteins, are subject to the action of various
digestive juices and transformed into simple
sugars, fatty acids and glycerol, and into amino
acids, respectively, which also pass into the blood.

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Brooding Management
• Brooding is the process of supplying artificial
heat to the chicks from the time they are
taken out from the incubators up to the time
their bodies can control their heat
requirements and are covered with feathers.
This period is approximately 4 weeks.
• A brooder is the place where young chicks
from as early as after hatching (day-old-
chicks) are kept until they have grown to a
point where they will not need anymore
additional heat to keep them comfortable.

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The following set of temperatures have been
found to be ideal for brooding under
Philippine conditions:
Age of Chicks Brooding Temperature
(weeks)
0-1 32.2–35.0oC (90–95oF)
1-2 29.4–32.2oC (85–90oF)
2-4 26.7–29.4oC (80–85oF)
Above 4 weeks Remove the supply of heat

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Growing Management
• Range system – This is a good system but
because of the more land area required, this
system is commonly practiced by native chicken
growers and by duck raisers.
• Semi-confinement system – This is a system of
raising poultry where the birds are provided with
shed or housing and an area to graze or pasture,
i.e. in native chicken or organic chicken
production.
• Complete confinement – This is the modern trend
in raising commercial strains of chickens, which
could either be: (a) litter floor (b) slat floor (c)
combination of litter & slat floor (d) cages

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The following floor space requirements may serve as
guide for layers:

Age of chicks Floor area

1 day – 3 weeks 0.3 sq ft/bird (brooder)
3 weeks – 8 weeks 0.5 sq ft/bird
8 weeks – 12 weeks 1.0 sq ft/bird
12 weeks and above 2.0-2.5 sq ft/bird (litter floor)
12 weeks and above 1.5-2.0 sq ft/bird (slat floor)
12 weeks and above 0.75-1.0 sq ft/bird (cages)

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The following floor space requirements may
serve as guide for broilers:

Age of chicks Floor area

1 day – 2 weeks 0.3 sq ft/bird (brooder)
2 weeks – 8 weeks 1.0 sq ft/bird (litter floor)
2 weeks – 8 weeks 0.8 sq ft/bird (slat floor)
2 weeks – 8 weeks 0.5 sq ft/bird (cages)

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Feeder and watering space requirement
The following allowances are considered
minimum per bird:

Age of chicks Feeder Waterer

1 day–2 weeks 2.5 cm 0.5 cm
2 weeks–6 weeks 4.5 cm 1.0 cm
6 weeks–20 weeks 7.5 cm 2.0 cm
20 weeks above 8.0 cm 2.5 cm
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Light Requirement
• During the first few days of brooding, lighting
the chicks throughout the night (24 hours
light) is favorable for growth because there is
more eating time.
• Increasing daylength (light) during the
growing period will hasten their sexual
maturity which will result to production of
more pullet eggs (small eggs).
• To delay sexual maturity, it is recommended
that daylength must be reduced to 8 to 9
hours during the growing stage (4-18 weeks)
of the developing pullets.
• After egg-laying starts, a 13-14 hour light
period every 24 hour is optimum.

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Cannibalism Among Growing Chickens

• One of the common problems

encountered in raising pullets is feather-
picking which almost always results to
more serious problem – cannibalism, and
death of birds.
• To remedy, provide proper feed and
housing condition, or beak trimming as
preventive measure.
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Rearing of the Growing Stock
• Broilers are marketed when they reach 5 to 8
weeks of age, depending on strain.
• For the egg type, chicks are transferred to the
growing houses or pens at 6-8 weeks old.
They are kept in these quarters until they are
16-18 weeks old, at which time they are
transferred to the laying house.
• Birds are given anti-stress drugs, either in the
feed or in the drinking water, 2-5 days before
and after they are transferred to the growing
houses.
• Provide clean, fresh drinking water at all
times.
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Management of the Layer Flock
• Pullets are transferred to the laying house at the
age of 16-18 weeks or at least 3 weeks before the
onset of egg production.
• Birds will start laying when they are 20-22 weeks
old. Generally, pullets reach maximum egg
production when they are between 30-36 weeks
old.
• After the first year of laying, the layers undergo a
physiological process called molting. Early molters
are poor layers while late molters are good ones.
• During the 2nd year of production, the layers
usually average about 10-20% fewer eggs as
compared to the first year, but the eggs are bigger.
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Culling Poor Layers
• Culling is the removal of obviously or potentially unproductive
birds from the flock.

Reference Points Description of Poor Layers

Comb, wattle, earlobe Small, pale, cold, shrunken
and dry
Pubic bones Close together, only one finger
can be placed between them,
thick and hard
Vent Small, dry, puckered and round
Abdomen Hard, with thick skin, contracted
Span About 1-2 fingers in width
Pigmentation Remains yellow even after
months in laying pens

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Feeding Management of Broilers (Meat type)

• Pre-starter or Chick Booster is given to the

chicks from day-old to 2 weeks.
• Broiler Starter Mash characterized by a high
protein (22-23%) are fed to the birds from 2
weeks to 4 weeks and from then on are
replaced by the broiler finisher ration (19-20%
protein) up to marketing age of 5-6 weeks.
• It can also be given straight broiler ration with
about 21% protein from the start to the
marketing age of 5-6 weeks.
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Suggested Feeding Guide for Broilers

Age (days) Kinds of Feeds

1-7 Chick Booster Mash
8-21 Broiler Starter Mash
22-28 Broiler grower mash/
pellets/crumbles
29-market Broiler finisher mash/
pellets/crumbles
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Feeding Management of Layers (Egg type)
• Starter mash is given to the chicks from day-
old to 8-10 weeks old.
• Growing mash is given to birds aged 8-10
weeks old until they are 5 months old or
when egg production reaches 10%.
• The birds should not be allowed to get fat
during the growing period because this
causes poor egg production and high
mortality rate among layers. A good way of
preventing fatness among pullets is to restrict
their feed to 85% of normal consumption
when they are 12-16 weeks, then full-fed
them at 16-20 weeks.
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Suggested Feeding Guide for Layer

Age (days) Kinds of Feeds

1-7Chick Booster Mash
8-98 Chick Starter Mash
99-112 Grower mash/
pellets/ crumbles
113-140 Pullet developer
pellets/crumbles
141-culling Layer mash/
pellets/crumbles
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Hatchery Management
Incubation - During incubation, the essential
requirements are:
(1) there should be sufficient oxygen in circulation to
supply the needs of the growing embryo; carbon
dioxide resulting from embryonic metabolism
should not exceed 1.5%.
(2) relative humidity should be such as to allow not
more than 10% of the water content of the egg to
be lost
(3) temperature should be such that life within the o
egg is maintained
o
at an optimum level 37 to 38 C
(oro99.7 to 102
o
F) from day 1 to 18, and 36 to
37 C (or 99 F) during hatching
(4) eggs should be turned at an angle of 45o at least
6 to 8 times daily (or every 3 to 4 hours) up to the
18th day.
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Candling
• During the 4th, 7th and 14th day of
incubation, it is customary to check and
remove all infertile eggs and those with dead
embryo. This is done by candling, which is
accomplished by passing a beam of light
through the eggs
(a) infertile eggs show up as ‘clears’
(b) dead embryos are seen as dark spot of
varying size and degree of density
(c) live embryos cast a cobweb-like structures
from which radiates blood vessels.
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Sexing Chicks – Layer strain chicks are sexed at
hatching by one of three methods:
• (1) instrument sexing – where a small light-
emitting scope is inserted into the rectum of the
chick and the trained operator can distinguish
between the rudimentary testes in the male and
the ovary in the female;
• (2) cloacal or vent sexing – where the cloaca is
everted and the trained operator can distinguish
the male from the female by its shape as affected
by the rudimentary copulatory organ in the male;
and
• (3) feather sexing – using the sex-linked genes ‘k’
for rapid vs ‘K’ for slow feathering rate.
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Methods of Mating
(1) Pen mating – in single mating pen, a pen of 8-12
hens with one male (usual method of pedigree
breeding in chickens);
(2) Stud mating – males are penned and females
are brought to them (two matings per week or
once every five days);
(3) Flock mating – means that a number of males
are allowed to run with the entire flock of hen. It is
to use one male for every 10-15 hens.
(4) Artificial insemination – when hens are kept in
cages, this system of breeding works.
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Production Efficiency Indicators

Meat production:
• Feed conversion ratio (FCR)
• Dressing percentage (%)
• Livability (%)

Egg production:
• Hen-housed basis or HH (%)
• Hen-day basis or HD (%)
• Feed conversion ratio (FCR)
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Health Management
• The most economical and ideal method to control
diseases is through prevention, which could be
achieved through proper management, good
sanitation and having an effective vaccination
program.
• Young chicks must be subjected to available vaccines
against some poultry diseases. The most common
practice is a program against:
(a) Newcatle Disease or Avian Pest
(b) Fowl Pox and
(c) Marek’s Disease (usually done at the
hatchery).
• The pullets must also be revaccinated specifically
against Newcastle Disease or Avian pest and Fowl
Pox between 4 to 5 months of age or before they are
transferred to the laying house.
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Disease outbreak can be prevented by
instituting the following vaccination program:

Age of Birds Type of Vaccine Route of Administration

7-10 days NCD (B1 strain) + Intraocular
IB (live vaccine) (eye drop)
Intranasal (nose drop)
7-15 days IBD, mild or intermediate
strain (live vaccine) Via drinking water
21-24 days Fowl Pox Vaccine Wingweb
21-28 days NCD (La Sota strain) Via drinking water
+ IB (live vaccine

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Some Common Diseases of Poultry
Poultry Disease Causal Organism
Avian Pest (New Castle Disease) a paramyxovirus
Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD) Mycoplasma gallisepticum
Coccidiosis Protozoa Eimeria tenella, etc.
Marek’s Disease (Neurolymphomatosis) Virus
Avian Malaria Protozoa - Leucocytozoon
caulleryi
Fowl Pox Avipox virus
Infectious Coryza (colds or “sipon”) Bacteria - Hemophilus
paragallinarum
Gumburo Disease (IBD) IBDV – a birnavirus
Pullorum Diseases White Diarrhea) Bacteria - Salmonela pullorum
Fowl Typhoid (Salmonellosis) Bacteria – Salmonella spp.
Fowl Cholera (Pasteurellosis) Bacteria – Pasteurella spp.
Infectious BronchitisIBV a coronavirus
Avian Encephalomyelitis Specific virus transmitted by eggs
Aspergillosis (Brooder pneumonia) Fungus – Aspergillus fumigatus

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