Poultry Housing

Poultry production systems should provide fresh air, clean feed and water, protection against predators, shelter from cold, rain, wind, sun and excessive heat; as well as a source of heat when birds are young. Basically, the birds need to be able to grow, sleep and lay eggs in comfort. The birds should also be free from stress and disease. The basic requirements for poultry housing are: Protection from weather Protection from predators Enough space Adequate ventilation A clean environment Access to dust bathing facilities Most of this section focuses on chickens, but some notes are included on other species of poultry.

Protection Space Requirements, or Density of Birds per Unit Area Ventilation Temperature Access to Feed and Water Dust Bathing Materials and Designs "Free Range" or Free to Range Improved Management of Free to Range or Scavenging Poultry References and Further Reading

A good poultry house protects the birds from the elements (weather), predators, injury and theft. The housing must also provide a stable environment in which the birds feel "comfortable" during the day and at night, are protected against potential predators, and are provided with secure nesting boxes.

Chickens require a dry, and largely draft-free house. In cooler climates, this can be accomplished by building a house with windows and/or doors which can be opened for ventilation when necessary. In hotter climates, windows, doors and even walls may not be necessary. Build the chicken house on higher, well-drained areas in order to prevent prolonged dampness and water saturation of the floor and outside areas. If necessary construct drainage channels and ditches to allow heavy rain to drain away quickly or prevent water flooding into the area. Allowing an adequate level of space per bird also helps keep the humidity level inside an enclosed chicken house to a minimum.

Simple Poultry house in the Bolivian Chaco

Complete Confinement - A Poultry House: Keeping chickens totally confined with a fenced and covered run are the best methods of protection against predators. For new constructions, and especially for larger installations, consider laying a concrete floor for the house. This helps to prevent rodents and snakes from entering, and other potential predators from digging under the walls and floors. Windows and doors must be securely covered with wire mesh. However, under these circumstances, chickens (and any other poultry kept under complete confinement) will need to be supplied with ALL of their daily requirements, and the house will need to be kept clean.

To be comfortable, chickens need a high and dark place for sleeping (on perches or a slatted floor 60 cm above the ground). Source: Oosterwijk et al. (2003)

Poultry House with Outside Run:
With outside runs, bury the wire along the edges of the pen at least 12 inches or 30 cm deep. Lay the buried fence outwards at a slight angle. This stops most predators from digging under the fence. Many predators will tend to dig at the base of a fence and by setting the fence at an angle under the ground. The animal will encounter the fencing and be deterred. If the outside runs are not predator-proof, the poultry will ned to be securely shut in before dark – and opened up again early in the morning, just after sunrise.

Flying predators can be a particular problem for young chicks. To prevent problems with hawks and owls, cover your outside runs with mesh wire or netting. In the absence of netting, a good substitute can be constructed from a mesh or grid made of string, and this will provide excellent protection against flying predators.

Build chicken houses to prevent possible injury to your birds. Remove any loose or projecting wire, nails, or other sharp-edged objects from the house and run. Except for purpose-made perches, remove any other projections where the birds could attempt to perch – they may damage themselves attempting to perch on inappropriate objects.

Chickens need a shelter with both fresh air and sufficient light. In hot climates, a galvanized or corrugated iron roof can make the house very hot during the day. Chickens are unable to sweat. By opening their beaks and panting they remove body heat. This panting can also be a sign of heat stress. Chickens in an excessively hot house suffer from heat stress. They eat less and thus become less productive (fewer eggs and less growth), and at high temperatures may die.

This is the most important basic principle in housing, as the space available determines the number and type of poultry that can be kept.

Birds need adequate space for movement and exercise as well as areas to nest and roost. Space requirements vary with the species, type or breed of birds that are raised, as well as the type of production system used.

Minimum space requirements are given by a number of sources, and these should be seen as the minimum space requirements – where the birds are supplied with all dietary needs, and do not have to search and forage for feed and water. Two systems of measurement are used in the literature, either number of birds per square metre, or the square feet required per bird. Examples from the literature are given below:

Minimum Space Requirements for different poultry

Source: Clauer, P.J. Small Scale Poultry Housing. Small Flock Factsheet, Number 10. Virginia Cooperative Extension. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Minimum Requirement of Chickens for floor and perch space

Source: FAO (2004). Small-scale Poultry Production: Technical Guide. FAO Animal Production and Health Manual 1. FAO, Rome.

Hen groups are comfortable at a stocking density of up three to four birds per square metre. However, if more space is allowed, a greater variety of behaviour can be expressed. Less space creates stressed social behaviour, allowing disease vulnerability and even cannibalism, with the weaker birds being deprived of feeding or perching space - or more likely both.

Individual birds need more room for normal behaviour and adequate exercise than the very high densities currently used in commercial intensive production of both egg laying birds and broiler chickens. Over recent decades, animal welfare concerns have encouraged research on laying cage structures to make designs better suited to the needs of hens, while retaining cost-effectiveness for production.

A good air circulation and movement, without a draft, is essential in any poultry house. Fresh air brings in oxygen while excess moisture, ammonia and carbon dioxide are removed. High levels of carbon dioxide and ammonia may cause significant problems in intensive chicken production, whilst excessive levels of poisonous carbon monoxide may also cause problems. For small poultry houses, windows or vents on one side of the house usually provide plenty of ventilation. In warmer climates a building with open sides is ideal.

Heat stress is a significant constraint to successful production and can lead to death. Although chickens can survive temperatures several degrees below freezing, they do not tolerate temperatures over 40°C. This also depends on the relative humidity. Poultry do not possess sweat glands and cool themselves by evaporative cooling via their breath - beaks open and a rapid movement of air. When the humidity is too high, this cooling mechanism does not work well.

Lethal temperatures for most chickens are 46°C upwards, and severe stress sets in above 40°C. In temperate regions, a chicken house can be constructed facing the rising morning sun to gain heat. In the tropics however, an east-west orientation of the length of the building helps to minimize exposure to direct sunlight. Building materials such as tin, corrugated iron or other metal should be avoided for this reason.

Ground cover can also reduce reflected heat. Shade should be provided, especially if there is little air movement or if humidity is high. With no shade, or when confined in higher temperatures, poultry become heat stressed and irritable, and are likely to start pecking at each other. Particularly in younger birds blood is easily drawn, and this can lead to cannibalism.

The effects of heat stress include:

• a progressive reduction in feed intake as ambient temperature rises
• an increase in water consumption in an attempt to lower temperature
• a progressive reduction in growth rate
• disturbances in reproduction (lower egg weight, smaller chicks, reduced sperm concentration and an increased level of abnormal sperm in cocks).

A good supply of clean water must always be supplied. This should be changed each day, and if necessary the supply should be topped up at intervals during the day.

Access to Feed and Water

Feeders and water should be placed conveniently within the outside pen. It is a good idea that these are covered to protect the feed from the rain. Where rodents become a problem, feeders should be taken out at night and stored or hung up in a secure location. Clean fresh water should be provided daily, and if necessary the supply should be topped up at intervals during the day.

Place the bottom of water containers and the top lip of the feeders at the approximately the height of the back of the birds. This will help to keep the feed and water clean and prevent spillage and wastage. When possible, place the water in the outside runs, especially for waterfowl. This helps to keep the humidity level lower inside the poultry house.

Dust bathing refers to the pattern of behaviour where chickens scratch in an area of fine, loose, dry soil and then takes a "bathe" in it - allowing the fine soil particles to trickle through the feathers. This is an instinctive action and helps to get rid of external parasites in the feathers and on the skin. Most freely ranging birds will find a dry, sunny spot where they can make their own dustbaths and use these repeatedly. However, if they are in a run where this is not possible, dust-bathing facilities must be provided.

A dust bath can be constructed using a large shallow box filled with fine sand or earth. The addition of ash from the fire provides extra fine material that is ideal for dust bathing - but make sure it is completely cold first!! This dust bath should be placed under cover or provided with its own roof, since it is more or less useless when wet.

In regions where it rains heavily, the floor should be raised with a generous roof overhang, particularly over the entrance. The raised floor can be made from either solid platform of earth or be constructed as a raised bamboo or similar platform. A raised bamboo platform has the added advantage of providing ventilation under the poultry, which helps cool them in hot weather and also keeps them out of flood water during heavy rain.

The walls of the building can be made of mud or bamboo, and the windows and door of bamboo slats. The house can be free-standing, or attached to other buildings. Such houses are suitable for semi-intensive production systems.

For examples of poultry house design, focusing especially on chickens, see the publication by Oosterwijk et al. (2003).
and FAO's (2004) Small-scale Poultry Production: Technical Guide.

There is a big difference between the term "Free Range", and the concept of a bird that is free to range within its environment. The term "Free Range" although widely used and generally accepted is actually very misleading, and in most European countries for example, has a specific set of recommended minimum criteria. The birds are not actually free to range. To complicate this even further there is another category called "Traditional Free Range".

A study by Dawkins et al. (2003) found that chickens prefer ranging areas with trees, they avoid bright sun and that, within their paddocks, they either stay close to the house or they seek tree cover. This is hardly surprising in view of the fact that domestic birds are descended from red jungle fowl, which inhabit the dry forests of southeast Asia and are also known as "bamboo fowl". A wide open field without any cover is not a preferred habitat. This has important implications for the design of free-range poultry systems and makes it clear that tree cover is something that should be provided to encourage ranging. A fruit orchard, for example, would be an ideal ranging area. The forests where jungle fowl occur frequently consist of thick clumps of bamboo separated by small clearings, so that the birds can see the approach of predators but are rarely far from cover into which they disappear at the sign of danger.

Free Range

A label of "Free Range" on an egg or poultry meat product is a specific marketing term indicating that the product has been produced in compliance with the criteria set-out in the respective marketing regulations. In the UK, and elsewhere in the EU for example, a product described a as Free Range egg must comply with basic management criteria providing the birds with a maximum stocking density inside the poultry house (9 per m²), as well as a stated feeder space per bird (10 cm of feeder/bird) and drinker space per bird (one drinker/10 birds). In addition birds must have continuous daytime access to open runs which are mainly covered with vegetation and with a maximum stocking density of 2,500 birds per hectare. There are also specific requirements in terms of the age at slaughter.

Optionally, producers may make further provision for the birds, which will in turn lead to a tastier product, grown in a less intensive, more welfare-friendly way. Traditional Free Range requirements differ from Free Range by requiring more extensive open-air access, a lower stocking density, and a greater minimum age at slaughter. Free Range - Total Freedom has similar requirements, but birds must have unrestricted day-time open-air access.

Traditional Free Range

Traditional free-range typically involves smaller flocks than Free Range and these are often kept in moveable houses. Their position is changed on a regular basis, often daily, so that the birds have access to a more or less constant supply of fresh green vegetation, with some insects, worms and other natural food. This is similar to systems in North America called Range Poultry, or Pasture Poultry.

From a production viewpoint, the reasons for providing pasture to the birds are to:

• obtain feed from the pasture (young growing vegetation, insects, worms, etc.)
• to improve land fertility (e.g. for subsequent grazing by ruminants)
• to improve bird health
• to improve the general welfare of the birds
• and to provide products for specific markets (normally fetching a higher price).

Poultry obtain nutrients from young, vegetative forage plants. This results, for example, in eggs with a deep yellow colour. Poultry on pasture also forage for seeds and live protein such as worms and insects. Larger chickens will even catch and eat small rodents and lizards if given the chance.

Extensive range poultry production requires a more land and is usually part of a diversified operation with ruminant and this mixed husbandry can be very important in range poultry production. Soil fertility is a major motivation and producers are able to take advantage of the poultry manure to improve their pastures for ruminants.

Free to Range

Poultry that are actually free to range, tend to be the village poultry, or scavenging poultry, kept by smallholders and households in tropical areas. Smallholders in Europe and North America may also keep poultry that are in effect free to range over considerable areas. It has been estimated that 80% of the poultry population in Africa is found in these traditional production systems, sometimes called low input/output systems. Little attention is given to this means of production by authorities and many development programmes even though between 30% to 100% of the animal protein consumed is from this source. These low input/output systems have been a traditional component of small farms all over the developing world for centuries and is likely to continue as such in the future.

The flocks are small in size but are an important asset providing their owners with meat and eggs that can be consumed by the family. They are also bartered or sold to provide additional income, and may also be used to fulfil social obligations. Rural poultry provide manure, whilst they are active in pest control. In many countries the birds are owned and managed by women and children.

There are a number of basic options for improvement of the management of scavenging poultry, with the aim of increasing production. In terms of housing, the birds can either be confined or can remain free-ranging. Improved management is a combination of better feeding and better housing, whilst also paying attention to the health care needs of the birds (especially vaccination against Newcastle Disease).

Birds that are not confined

The unrestricted free-ranging of poultry is often a problem. They trespass onto neighbouring fields and gardens, and are constantly at risk from predators. Confinement may not be practical because of the additional costs of feed and fencing. Surveillance is only feasible where the very old or very young of the household have time to help. Fencing of vegetable plots is in many cases the best option. Placing more cocks in the village may reduce the movements of the chickens, as cocks and hens of each flock are more likely to keep to their own territory.

However, poultry can be a significant benefit within the vegetable plot if they are given access at the right times during the growing season. Chickens peck at the ground, eating weeds and they can consume large numbers of insect pests. The birds get plenty of sunlight, exercise and fresh air. The manure helps to fertilize the soil, replacing nutrients so that the next crop will grow strong and healthy. In planted orchards, or under fruit trees, birds will also clean up windfalls whilst also fertilizing the trees.

For more on the use of chickens within the vegetable plot, including practical methods, see a Radio Script titled "Chickens fertilize and weed the garden". A related radio script titled "Chickens eat ticks on cattle" is also relevant.

Under a free-to-range or scavenging system, the difference between the amounts of food gathered through scavenging and the total food requirement for maximum production should be balanced with nutrients supplied by a supplementary feed. To make up a properly balanced supplement, it is of course necessary to know how much and what types of nutrients the birds are obtaining from the wild (technically termed the scavenger feed resource base). This is not normally known, and it is recommended that the birds be given access (using a free-choice cafeteria system) to three containers (or three compartments of a bamboo stem feeder) of ingredients comprising a protein concentrate, a carbohydrate source (for energy) and a mineral source (mainly for calcium carbonate for egg shell formation for the hen). Poultry should have free access to this cafeteria system for two to three hours in the evening to supplement the day’s scavenging.

Backyard Extensive Systems

Under these systems, poultry are housed at night but allowed free-range during the day. They are usually fed grain in the morning and evening to supplement scavenging. Regular provision of food at the house will ensure that the birds return at night. Improvements in housing will provide benefits. If birds feel more comfortable in the nest boxes provided, they are less likely to nest and lay eggs in the bush.

With largely scavenging poultry, a workable system is to confine them in a secure shelter at night, to protect them from natural predators, while allowing them to roam freely around the home compound during the day, when the predators are less active. In this way, the birds will have ready access to their main diet of insects and seeds that they obtain for themselves and the amount of supplementary feed to be provided by the farm family will be reduced. Any feed of grain or household scraps that is offered should be given inside the shelter. If this is regularly provided in the evening, it will help to train the birds to willingly enter the enclosure before nightfall.

If the shelter is left open during the day, the birds will be able to seek shelter from excessively hot, cold or wet weather, as needed. Chickens need green leafy vegetation, and if confined they should be provided with this - preferably on a daily basis. This needs to be secured, and not simply left loose on the floor of the chicken run. Under free-ranging conditions the birds would peck at leaves and pull off pieces, and if leaves are not secured this becomes very difficult.

Green leafy vegetation, such as outer leaves from cabbage, can be tied in bunches to the edge of a chicken run.

Increased Confinement: Semi-Intensive Systems

These are a combination of the extensive and intensive systems, where birds are confined to an area with access to shelter. Where confinement in the form of fencing is possible and the costs can be afforded, the smallholder can also for example move towards the systems used under Traditional Free Range poultry production, in combination with grazing ruminants.

The most common family poultry flock size that can be maintained by a family without special inputs in terms of additional feeding, housing and labour is up to about 20 birds. Small flocks of this size are able to scavenge sufficient feed in the household surroundings to survive and to reproduce. Any attempt to increase flock size above these levels is likely to result in malnutrition and/or in a increase in the required daily foraging distances.

Fencing or confinement introduces the need to provide a supplemental feed in order to provide a balanced diet. In most cases this additional feed will need to be purchased.

Intensive Systems

These systems are used by medium to large-scale commercial enterprises, and are also used at the household level. Birds are fully confined either in houses or cages. Capital outlay is higher and the birds are totally dependent on their owners for all their requirements; production however is higher. Intensive systems of rearing indigenous chickens commercially is uncommon. Instead, large and medium scale commercial production relies on the use of hybrid birds.

There are three types of intensive systems:

Production and reproduction per hen per year
under different management systems

Source: adapted from FAO (2004)

When constructing a poultry house and run, use common sense in designing the structure. Build the roof high enough and situate permanent structures such as nests, roosts, and feeding areas so that they are easy to access and that it is easy to clean all areas of the house. Where fully enclosed poultry houses are used, install doors so that they open inward. The door to an outside run can open outwards, so that when opening the door one does not push against and possibly damage any birds inside the run.

Proverbs, G.A. and Patterson, H.C. (1992). A design for a poultry barn. CARDI Factsheet AP-F/10-83. Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute.