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Brooding management for Day Old Chicks (DOC)

The knowledge of proper brooding management is essential, yet many poultry breeders who have this knowledge, do not use it to the best advantage. So many times something will go wrong in the brooder house and either the breeder who supplied the chicks or the feed manufacturer who supplied the feed will be blamed. The old adage 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness' is well borne out in caring for poultry, especially young and growing stock. Therefore, the first job in brooding chicks is to have a clean brooding environment. Ensure that the brooder house is in good repair; sweep out the house thoroughly, including the walls, floor and ceiling. Make sure that all dirt of any description from previous occupants has been removed.

This attention to temperature in the house is essential, because the chicks’ thermoregulatory systems are not yet fully matured. Their body temperatures largely depend on environmental temperature, and if attention is paid to the temperature of the air only, the chicks can still become undercooled if too much heat is transferred to a cold floor through their legs or body or when exposed to draught. Once undercooling has occurred, the chicks huddle, lie down and remain inactive instead of seeking water and food.

Making the house too warm is not only costly in most instances, but also leads to risk of dehydration as a result of panting, especially in combination with low relative humidity. Again, the chicks will become inactive, resulting in so called “non-starters” and increased first week mortality.Advice
Clean and disinfect house and equipment thoroughly between flocks.
Take sufficient time to warm the floor underneath the litter to 28–30◦C/ 82.4–86.0◦F prior to chick arrival. Depending on floor characteristics and starting temperature, allow 24–48 hours.
Aim for an air temperature of 33–35 ◦C/ 91,4 – 95,0 ◦F at chick level depending on size of chicks (smaller chicks require a higher brooding temperature)
Take chicks out of boxes immediately on arrival in the house, to avoid them becoming overheated.
Start ventilation in good time to avoid high CO2-concentration, while preventing draught, at chick level.
Have fresh, clean water and feed easily accessible well distributed in the entire house. 
Ensure minimum light intensity of 20 Lux; 30–40 lux is recommended.
Evaluate brooding management by regularly observing chick behaviour and take corrective actions immediately when necessary.
Use 7-day weight and first week mortality as key indicators for the quality of chick reception and brooding management.

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