Dr Ben South BSc (Hons) BVetMed PGCertVPS CertAVP MRCVS
Q. Why is chick brooding the most important stage of game bird rearing?
A. This period of time creates the foundation for bird health longer term. The most important day in a bird’s life is the day of placement, as a newly hatched chick’s gut is a blank canvas. The chick will arrive to site with a ‘bonus pack’ of ‘friendly bacteria’ in their gut – passed on from their mother.
After placement, the bacterial population of a bird’s gut is heavily dependent on what happens in the first few days of life. A chick with poor gut health development at this stage will be much more susceptible to gut health challenges later in life. This is when you have the biggest opportunity to favourably influence this.
Q. What are the main factors to be aware of during chick brooding?
A. Within the first 24 hours of a chick hatching food and water consumption is vital, it is extremely important that they have unlimited uncontaminated water and crumb which is easily identifiable. Another key factor is the environment, make sure it is stress-free by providing the correct temperature, ventilation and lighting. All of which should be discussed with your vet.
Q. How important is monitoring the temperature?
A. The monitoring of brooding temperature is crucial as young chicks are very poor at controlling their own body temperature. Thermal laser guns or temperature loggers can be useful aids.
Q. I know I should heat my sheds but is it possible for chicks to get too hot?
A. Chicks have an internal temperature between 39oC and 40.1oC and a higher surface area to volume ratio which leads to rapid heat loss. However, they can also be easily overheated, and we tend to see more chicks that have been overheated than we do those who have been chilled. It is harder to spot when a chick is too hot, when the chicks are cold you will see them starting to pile which is easily recognised. Secondary poor gut health can also be related to chicks that have been overheated in transport or the first week of life
Q. What is the best way to supply water to chicks?
A. It is important that day old chicks are given every opportunity to find water. In the commercial poultry industry nipple bars are used from day one with great success and these are now often successfully used on game sites Chicks are attracted to the bright metal nipple and hanging water droplet and soon peck at it causing the water to spill over their beaks.
Open floor drinkers can also be used, however, even if they are cleaned twice a day the levels of bacteria can exceed 1.2 billion bacteria units. Although the small ‘runts’ might be saved by providing an open water source, it does not equate to the damage to the gut and body system of the entire shed that can come from poor contaminate water.
Adequate drinker space required (pheasants/partridges/ducks) is:
Q. Why aren’t my chicks eating?
A. A chick will instinctively peck at its environment once it has hatched to investigate potential feed and water sources. Ensuring that your chicks consume a good level of crumb in the first 24 hours is vital. Using commercial chick paper in your sheds with a fine layer of crumb across a large area allows chicks to find feed more effectively and express a more natural feeding behaviour.
Q. How do I get my chicks to eat more?
A. As mentioned previously, the best method, and one that has been used in the poultry industry for years, is the use of chick paper as this will give the chicks every chance of isolating single crumbs of feed. Chick paper is a fine, biodegradable paper that is laid down on top of the bedding and chick crumb is spread out across it.
Chick gel can also be a useful to prevent dehydration and weight loss in chicks, as well as provide essential early nutrition. It comes as a powder that when added to fresh clean drinking water, produces a bright green gel that the chicks are attracted to. Our chick gel comes in two different sizes – 500g that is enough for 10,000 chicks or 100g for 1,000 chicks.
Q. What proactive methods can I take to keep my birds healthy?
A. Throughout the years we have trialled new products and methods with the aim of improving bird health. Our focus has been gut health and encouraging a good start from the beginning, often before the chicks have even hit the floor. We have found that providing the chicks with pre and probiotic work best.
As there are several combinations that work differently, your vet will be able to advise what will work best for you depending on the system, shed set-up and any challenges on site. Our range of supplements have been developed, tried and tested by our vets. Visit www.poultrypharm.co.uk to find out more.
