The climate inside the poultry house influences health and wellbeing of a chicken flock. When suboptimal climatic conditions are common, it is more likely to have disorders related to the respiratory and digestive system. Next to that behavioral troubles can occur with the flock. Growth and productivity can also be negatively impacted when the climatic conditions are not met according to the standard.
The best way to measure the climate is by having a look at the chickens and the way they behave, are they active, do they eat and drink normal levels, are egg production and mortality in line with the expectations, are they visibly panting, i.e. suffering from heat stress? The climate is defined by several factors:
House temperature
The relative humidity
Air movement and it’s speed
Air composition
Light
Always monitor and measure the climate at bird level! It can be very well possible that the climate inside the house is acceptable, but that it is unsuitable at bird level.
For example: CO₂ is a heavy gas, therefore the CO₂ levels can be much higher at floor level (bird level) compared to eye level (human level).
Another example is the temperature within the brooding rings, in the brooding rings, heat is trapped as there is less movement of ground air. This can save energy costs for heating as less energy is needed to heat up the entire house. On the other hand, material, time, and effort is needed to install these temporarily rings.
The climate of the house can be influenced via:
insulating the roofs,
walls and the flooring,
installing ventilation,
heating or cooling, and
even via the lighting.
Temperature
The critical temperature for adult laying hens is 18°C. For every 1°C lower than 18°C, the birds require an extra 1 g of feed per day. The critical temperature for chicks in rearing depends heavily on the age of the chicks. Measuring the temperature is one of the most common ways to assess the climate inside the poultry house. It is easy to measure the temperature, and it does not come at a high cost.
Different types of thermometers can be used, it is wise to have multiple thermometers inside the house so you can have a better view of possible temperature differences inside the house, and it is easier to find out if one got broken.
Where to place the thermometers?
First of all, place them on locations where you can easily read the temperature, i.e. do not place them too high.
As the temperature inside the house is not uniform, it is advised not...
