Poultry Farming: Know Ways to Protect Chickens from Heat

Today, poultry farming is a profitable business. Many farmers in remote, as well as urban areas, raise chickens for their milk and meat. This way they earn huge profits from this business.

Chickens should be cared for and fed according to the season by everyone involved in poultry production. It is important to give extra attention to the chickens, especially during the summer.

Because the danger of illness in chickens is high in the summer, many chickens die in this season owing to a lack of adequate care and nourishment, causing poultry owners to suffer. Poultry is used for more than just eggs; chicken (meat) is also in high demand. We will provide you with information regarding chicken care and diet in this article.

Chickens, according to experts, have deeper issues in the summer. Their capacity to lay eggs begins to deteriorate. In addition, the death rate of chickens rises in the summer. Egg production begins to decline as a result of the reduced diet, and egg size also decreases. The cover over the eggs becomes fragile and thin, causing significant damage to the poultry farmer. It must be noted that the chickens have a lot of difficulties if the outdoor temperature exceeds 39 ° C. This condition is called heat stroke. In this situation, the chickens swell by playing their beak, become weak, start staggering and die due to paralysis.

The water intake in chickens’ doubles during summer. For this, the chicken house must always have a clean and cold-water system. At the same time, avoid using a plastic or zinc water vessel. Instead, an earthen pot should be utilized to keep the water cool for a longer period of time. The thickness of the chicken laying (litre) should not exceed 2 inches in the summer. Remove the old litre and replace it with a fresh one if necessary. This will lessen the likelihood of the illness spreading to the chickens.

Heatstroke is more common among adult chickens than in chicks. While chicks can endure temperatures up to 42 degrees, elder chickens cannot. The following are some precautions that may be considered to avoid this:

• The outer layer of the roof of the poultry house, i.e., the chicken house, should be painted white so that the sun's rays reach the roof and return.

• On the roof, asbestos sheets can be put to protect the roof from overheating.

• Put sackcloth curtains 3-5 feet away from the windows and sprinkle water on them to keep the chicken house cool.

• If foggers are available, they can help lower the temperature in the chicken house.

• Aside from that, fans and coolers can be used to regulate the temperature of the poultry house.