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Our commitment to customer success drive us to provide tools and resources necessary for your poultry business to achieve profitability.

Technical Support

Feeding Programme

HEALTH MANAGEMENT

Hygiene & Sanitation

Placement

Brooding

Record Keeping

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

At Kenchic, we are committed to providing sound technical assistance to poultry farmers. We provide appropriate advice on bird housing, husbandry and health management. The information we share is based on actual flock performance results obtained under good environmental and management conditions in East Africa. Our recommendations are also based on current scientific knowledge and practical experience around the world.

The programmes we offer are suggestions, and should be modified according to the individual farmer’s needs. The information they contain does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of performance, but should instead be regarded as ideal performance objectives. Our technical team is available to assist in determining the appropriate poultry management programme for individual farmers’ needs.

VACCINATION

RECOMMENED LAYER/KENBRO VACCINATION PROGRAM

DAY	VACCINE	METHOD
1( done in the hatchery)	Mareks + IBD-Vaxxitek NCD+IB Live(Vitabron)	Intramuscular injection Spray( done in the hatchery)
15-18	NCD+IB Live	Eye drop/Drinking water
WK 6-8	NCD Killed or NCD+IB Live. Fowl typhoid	Intramuscular injection. Drinking water Intramuscular Injection
WK 8-10	Fowl pox Fowl cholera	Wing stab Subcutaneous injection
WK 12-14	Fowl typhoid	Intramuscular injection
WK 16-18	NCD+IB Live	Drinking water/spray
WK 16-18	Fowl cholera	Subcutaneous injection

FEEDING PROGRAMME

Day-old chicks must be handled with care. A flock that gets off to a good start is easier to control. It has a higher body weight at the start of the rearing process, is more uniform in size, has a better health status and reaches genetic potential more easily. There are a number of basic things for you to bear in mind;
Before chicks arrive, check that everything in the house is working properly: right temperature, there is enough fresh air coming in, feed and water and there is enough light.

REARING & FEEDING

Feed is the greatest expense in commercial poultry establishments. It is therefore important to buy feed from a reputable miller who can assure consistency in the quality and performance.

It is important to avoid mixing feeds from several millers, adding other protein sources (fish meal etc.) and mineral salts (DCP). This changes the balance in the feed, thereby affecting performance. Excess of some inputs also negatively affects the final product, for example, a fishy taste in eggs and meat caused by more than the recommended maximum of five per cent fish meal in feed.

To start a flock, feeder lids or plastic feeder trays (one per hundred chicks) should be used. The feed can also be spread on paper placed over the litter. Gradually, remove the feeder lids or trays, replacing them with adult feeders. By the time the birds are ten (I0) days old, all the lids and trays should have been removed. For healthy growth of the birds, it is important to provide adequate feeder space, as recommended below:

Type of feeder	Recommended feeder space
TROUGH	5.0 cm per bird (minimum)
PANS (33cm diameter)	30-50 birds per pan
TUBES (42cm diameter)	30-50 birds per tube

Each type of bird has feeds specific to their growth as indicated below:

Broilers – Broilers Starter Crumbs / Mash from day 1 to 3 weeks of age. Broiler Finisher Pellets I Crumbs / Mash from 4 to 6 weeks of age.
Layers- Chicks & Duck Mash from day 1 to 8 weeks of age. Growers Mash from 9 to 18 weeks of age. Layers Complete Meal-from point of lay to the end of lay.

During the changing period of the rations, mix the two rations so that the change is gradual. An abrupt change is stressful to the birds and can affect performance. Vitamins can be provided during this time to reduce stress levels.

FEEDING PROGRAMS

Broilers
Fast Gro
Starter crumbs and mash (0 – 21 days)
Finisher pellets and mash (22 days to slaughter)
Fast Gro Advanced
Starter crumbs (0 – 10 days)
Grower pellets (11 – 24 days)
pellets (25 days to slaughter)

Layers
Chick & Duckling Mash (Week 1 – week 8)
Grower Mash (Week 9 – week 18 (Point of lay))
Layer compleat meal (From 18 weeks and during laying period)

Kenbro
Kienyeji Chick Mash (0-14 days)
Kienyeji Grower Mash
Day 15 to Day 28 day (meat producing)
Day 15 to point of lay (egg producing)
Kienyeji Finisher Mash (Day 29- slaughter) Kienyeji Layer Mash (Egg production)
Kienyeji Econ Mash (Day O to slaughter)

WATER

Distribute drinkers evenly throughout the whole house, alternating them with the feeders so that they are easily accessible to all birds. No bird should walk more than 1.5 m to get either feed or drink. Provide one chick fount for 75 chicks during the first week and gradually replace them with the regular drinkers allowing space.

Type of Drinker	Recommended water space
TROUGH	2.0 cm per bird
BELL SHAPE (35cms diameter)	6-9 per 1000 birds but not less than 4
NIPPLES	8-10 birds per nipple

Wash and disinfect chick drinkers daily. Ensure that the drinkers are filled with fresh water after washing. Ensure that the birds have access to wholesome drinking water at all times, and never allow the drinkers to go dry. In hot periods it is essential to provide the flock with cool water, as this will improve productivity. It is therefore extremely important to protect the water tanks from direct sunlight. Also, ensure that the tanks have a reflective surface.

Always adjust the drinker and feeder levels as the birds grow to ensure that the equipment is always slightly above the level of the birds’ backs. This minimises spillage. Use a reliable water sanitiser such as chlorine to control disease-producing organisms in the water.

HEALTH MANAGEMENT

Kenchic has introduced hatchery vaccination in all day-old broilers against Gumboro, Newcastle and Infectious Bronchitis diseases.
With intensification of broiler production, total or partial condemnation of carcasses has risen, owing to poor growth rates, cellulitis, water belly, downgrades and high mortality.
Because of these enormous losses, the broiler industry has constantly tried to improve the facilities, optimise the stocking densities and even improve some management techniques. Furthermore, broiler producers continuously seek new ways of reducing the condemnation rates at the slaughter house.
Recently, more and more trials have demonstrated that concentrating the vaccination in the hatchery could significantly improve the profitability to the farmers. Indeed, the reduction of vaccinations applied in the farms can contribute to reduced mortalities during growing, minimal condemnation at the processing plant and consequently avoidance of huge financial losses that farmers could experience.
The vaccination of the day-old chicks in the hatcheries effectively started in the 1970s with the use of Mareks vaccine. Now vaccines against Newcastle disease, IB and Gumboro are available for day-old vaccination.
Kenchic has subsequently introduced TRANSMUNE vaccination against Gumboro and VITABRON against Newcastle and Infectious Bronchitis diseases in day-old chicks at the hatchery. These vaccines have wide spread use in Europe, Brazil, China and emerging markets in Nigeria as well as the Middle East.

There are several benefits in moving vaccination from the farm towards the hatchery:

The vaccine is handled by a Kenchic team that is well trained and monitored. Centralisation of controls at the hatchery ensures that the vaccine is precisely administered according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
The vaccine’s cold chain storage guidelines are well adhered to at the hatchery level to match the producer’s requirements, whilst at the farm level, the chain could be broken.
Vaccination cover is 100% on all chicks at the hatchery, compared to 70-80% success rates at the farm. This further reduces stress on the birds in the farm and ensures early and improved disease resistance/immunity.
Sophisticated and consequently expensive equipment is more affordable and relevant for a big structure like a hatchery than for a poultry farm. Also, equipment can be better monitored and maintained in the hatchery than on the farm. Vaccine application thus becomes more effective. The farmer has more time left to look after the vaccinated birds instead of bothering on vaccination.
Spray vaccination, which is the best method for administration of respiratory vaccines like ND or IB, is much easier to apply – and is consequently more effective – when given in the hatchery than when applied on the farm. This vaccination requires a dust-free environment for effective immunisation. The farmer will only do one single Newcastle disease vaccination in the Broiler farm at day 14 instead of two vaccinations, as done previously. This will reduce stress for the birds, reduce the use of vitamins before and after vaccination, and reduce post-vaccination reactions as well as the cost of treatment.
There are better growth rates.
There is lower mortality in the event of disease outbreak.

KENCHIC ADOPTS A TWO-PRONG APPROACH IN DEALING WITH GUMBORO AND NEWCASTLE DISEASES OF POULTRY AT HATCHERY

Gumboro disease

The disease was first isolated in a village called Gumboro in USA in early 1960s, but by the 1980s the virus had spread to the rest of the world.

This viral infection attacks the immune system of young birds by destroying the B lymphocytes in their immature stages in the Bursa. The virus is hard to kill and can survive in moist old litter for up to four months. The virus can mutate and change its form, thus defeating the immune system of the bird. It is common in huge poultry complexes, where birds are raised in multi-age systems. Chickens are more susceptible at 3-6 weeks of age when Bursa is at its maximum rate of development and filled with B cells.

The affected birds discharge whitish diarrhoea, huddle together. Massive mortality is observed in non-vaccinated flocks. This mortality pattern has a bell shape curve and disappears in seven days.

Newcastle disease

This is a disease of poultry caused by a Ribulavirus, causing both respiratory and enteric infection in chickens of all ages. The virus enters via any mucosal surface: it multiplies in the epithelium, spreading via the bloodstream to other organs, where fast multiplication occurs, ultimately leading to increased concentration in the blood. It multiplies in all organs, especially in the respiratory and intestinal tract. The most virulent strains also affect the nervous system.

Virus shedding occurs by faeces and through aerosol and dust loadings in the air. The most obvious clinical signs are sudden and massive mortality, with neurological signs like star gazing, limb paralysis, twisted necks and the inability to feed, resulting in greenish diarrhoea. For birds in production, there is a significant drop in egg production.

HYGIENE & SANITATION

As soon as the previous flock has been cropped/depleted, the house and equipment must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Allow the house to remain empty for a minimum of two weeks before the next flock arrives. This reduces the buildup of disease-causing organisms. After the birds have been removed from the house, remove all equipment and dampen the ceiling, wall, and litter with water. This minimises dust during litter removal. Remove all old litter and dispose of it at least 1.5 km from the farm.

Do not store it on, or spread it near the flock house, as it can re-contaminate the clean house. To minimize the chances of disease transmission, all unused feed should be disposed of, and not stored for the next flock. Only feed in bags that are stored separately from the house can be kept. Wash the house with water and soap. Start with the roof, the walls and then the floor, in that order.

Allow the house to dry before spraying with disinfectant solution, again starting from the roof. Wash and disinfect all equipment from the house. Repair and maintenance of equipment should also be carried out during this time. You can also apply effective broad-spectrum disinfectant through a pressure washer with a jet nozzle. Thoroughly soak all the interior surfaces and equipment, working from top to bottom.

Common Disinfectants

Common Disinfectants	Advantages	Disadvantages
Oxidizers e.g.Hydrogen peroxide	Broad-spectrum activity	Corrosive, not effective in an organic matter
Alcohols (e.g. Ethanol)	Broad-spectrum,cheap	Evaporates, flammable
Halogens e.g. Iodine	Broad-spectrum,cheap	Corrosive
Phenolics e.g. Phenols	Effective in footbaths	Limited action
QAC e.g. TH4	Broad-spectrum activity	Expensive
Ad-spectrum activity	Toxic, aldehydes e.g. Formalin	Expensive

The most important factor in keeping poultry healthy is maintaining good hygiene. Healthy parents and hygienic hatchery conditions contribute greatly to disease-free chicks. Farm sanitation means choosing a good disinfectant and effective cleaning. Disinfectants will be inactivated by organic material.

In poultry farms, an all-in-all-out system is the best management practice: it prevents the buildup of disease-causing organisms and disease outbreaks. In cases where farmers want to keep flocks of different ages, then each flock must be housed on its own.

Only staff should enter the flock house. When visitors are allowed access, ensure the following is recorded:

Name, address and telephone number
Where she/he is from
Purpose of visit
The previous farm visited

Poultry workers should always wear disinfected clothing and footwear. When visiting birds of different ages, start with the youngest and always visit sick flocks last, irrespective of their age. Take measures to control all rodents, wild birds and insects, as they are known vectors of poultry diseases. Such measures can be mechanical, biological or chemical. Do not permit the introduction of materials and/ or equipment into the poultry house without thorough cleaning and disinfection.

If a water storage or header tank is present, where possible, open it and scrub it clean with a detergent. Drain the drinking system and header tank completely before adding a cleaning solution. It is best, if possible, to circulate the sanitizing solution in your drinking system. If not, leave it to stand in the drinking system for a minimum of twelve hours before completely flushing the system with clean water.

After disinfection, bio-security controls at house entrances must be reinstated. Once the house is dry, place four inches of litter material and put back all the clean and disinfected equipment into the house. Common types of litter are wood shavings, straw, rice and coffee husks. Good litter should insulate the floor and absorb moisture from chicken droppings. Prepare the brooder area at least 24 hours before the chicks arrive (see brooder area arrangement below).

To monitor the effectiveness of the sanitation programme, a visual inspection and microbial culture are suggested. One can also use quantitative laboratory tests. Sterilization of the facilities is not realistic, but microbiological monitoring can confirm that undesired organisms such as salmonella have been eliminated. For more information, contact the Kenchic team in any of our poultry centres countrywide.

PLACEMENT

As soon as the previous flock has been cropped/depleted, the flock house and equipment must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. It is important to allow the house to remain empty for at least two weeks before the next flock is placed. This allows time to reduce the build-up of disease-causing organisms and to prepare the house effectively for the next flock.

After the birds have been removed from the house, remove all the equipment and dampen the ceiling, wall, and litter with water. This helps to minimise dust during litter removal
Remove all old litter and dispose of it at least 1.5 km away from the farm
Wash the house with water and soap starting from the roof followed by the walls and finally the floor. Allow the house to dry before finally spraying the whole house with disinfectant solution starting from the roof
Wash and disinfect all the equipment from the house
Repair and maintenance of the house and equipment should be carried out during this time

Litter Management

Once the house is dry place four inches (4) of litter material. Common types of litter are wood shavings, straw, rice husks and coffee husks. Good litter material should insulate the floor and absorb moisture from chicken droppings. Correct litter management is fundamental to bird health, performance and final carcass quality which subsequently impacts the profit.

Pre-placement Checklist

The key to successful broiler rearing starts with having a systematic and efficient management program in place. This program must start well before the chicks arrive on-site. Pre-placement house preparation as part of a management program provides a basis for an efficient and profitable flock of broilers. The following checks need to be made:

Curtain installation check
Litter material check
Floor temperature check
Minimum ventilation check
Drinker check
Feeder check

CHICK PLACEMENT

Key management requirements:

Place chicks from a similar age and flock source in a single house
Placement per farm should ensure an all-in and all-out regime
Delays in placement can contribute to dehydration of chicks, resulting in higher chick mortality and reduced growth rate
Transportation must provide ideal conditions for the chicks, and the delivery time should be as short as possible
To reduce stress, lower the light intensity during placement
Chicks must be carefully placed and evenly distributed near feed and water throughout the brooding area
When using the supplemental feed on paper, place chicks on the paper
Weigh 5% of the boxes to determine day-old chick weight
Lights should be brought to full intensity within the brooding area once all chicks have been placed
Following a 1-2 hour acclimatisation period, check all systems and make adjustments if necessary
Monitor the distribution of the chicks closely during the first few days. This can be used as an indicator of any problems in feeder, drinker, ventilation or heating systems

BROODING

Brooding is the provision of artificial heat to help the chicks in temperature regulation. The heat can be provided by gas or electricity. The brooder area should be ready at least 24 hours before the chicks arrive. Below is a checklist of the things that need to be done before the chicks arrive:

Provide the chicks with biosecure, clean housing.
Arrange equipment to enable the chicks to access feed and water easily upon arrival.
Chicks should not have to move more than 1m (3ft) to find water or feed in the first 24 hours.
Position supplementary feeders and drinkers near the main feeding and drinking systems.
Pre-heat the house and stabilize temperature and humidity before chicks arrival.
Achieve a floor temperature of 28°c and 30°c

On arrival at the farm unload and place chicks quickly. Ensure feed and water is available immediately. Allow chicks to settle for 1-2 hours then check behavior. During brooding emphasis should be on the following:

Temperature
Spacing
Ventilation
Feed and water.

1. TEMPERATURE

During brooding it is important to maintain the proper temperature in the brooder. Below are the guidelines of the temperature to be maintained:

AGE (weeks)	TEMPERATURE (^oC)	At chick level TEMPERATURE (^oC) In the house
1	33 to 35	30 to 32
2	30 to 32	27 to 29
3	27 to 29	24 to 26
4	24 to 26	21 to 23

The temperature should be monitored by installing brooder thermometers at the height of the chicks. Also, use chick behaviour to determine if the temperature is correct. Excessive chick noise during brooding is an indication that the chicks are uncomfortable.

Symptoms of improper brooder temperatures include:

Low temperatures (chilled chicks)

Chicks huddle together especially under the brooder
Watery intestinal and fecal contents leading to watery/wet droppings and wet pasted vents.

High temperatures (overheated)

Chicks lie prostrate with their head, neck and legs stretched out on the floor.
Chicks pant
Increased water consumption by the chicks, leading to distention of the crop and intestines.
Chicks move away from the heat source and seek cooler parts of the brooder.

It is essential to maintain the proper temperatures during brooding as chicks which are chilled in the first day of life will be stressed, have increased mortality, get dehydrated, slow growth and a higher incidence of ascites. While overheated chicks will be dehydrated, resulting in high mortality, runting/stunting syndrome and poor flock uniformity. In severe cases, there will be higher mortality due to cardiovascular failure (flip over).

2. SPACING

The brooding area should occupy one third of the house during the first week of life. Expand the brooder area after every two (2) days and the birds should occupy 2/3 of the house by the time they are 14 days old. The birds should be allowed to occupy the whole house by the time they are three (3) weeks old. Proper spacing in the brooder ensures easy accessibility to feed and water hence good uniformity. Congestion in the brooder leads to high mortality due to starving out, poor uniformity and stunted birds.

3. VENTILATION

During brooding it is essential to maintain proper ventilation regardless of the cost of maintaining the brooder temperatures. Ventilation is important in removing the ammonia from the house and ensuring that the litter is fresh and dry, thereby reducing disease challenges.

Chicks also need fresh air to grow and be productive. For proper ventilation allow 1 ft minimum ventilation from the top. In high temperatures open the curtains from the top and not from the bottom. This is to avoid drafts. Chicks are susceptible to wind chill effects.

4. FEEDING

When chicks start to feed, they tend to eat a good meal. If chicks are feeding and drinking properly the crop fills with a mixture of feed and water. Gentle handling within the first 24 hours can indicate the chicks’ progress.

Check a sample of birds two hours after arrival to ensure all chicks have found feed and water. Gently sample the crop of 30-40 chicks from three or four different places in the brooder.

Rearing and feeding:

Time of crop fill check after placement	Target crop fill (% of chicks with full crops)
2 hours	75%
12 hours	>85%
24 hours	>95%

RECORD KEEPING

Accurate record keeping is essential to monitor the performance and profitability of a flock and to enable forecasting, programming, and cash flow projections to be made. It also serves to provide an early warning of potential problems.The daily records should be on display for each house.