The hot weather in summer can bring heat stress to chicken flocks, leading to a decrease in feed intake, slow weight gain, and susceptibility to diseases, affecting the growth, development, production performance, and health of broilers. The high temperature in summer poses a serious threat to broilers. Improper feeding and management can cause economic losses to the farm. Therefore, it is important to raise seasonal broilers well in summer to improve economic efficiency.
Firstly, when cleaning the broiler cage equipment, along with accessories, scan or rake out old shavings and, if necessary, scrub the floor of the hen coop. A thick layer of pine shavings was sprinkled around the chicken coop, between 8 inches and 12 inches deep. From grains (chicken food) to the floor of chicken coops, encouraging hens to redistribute shavings to increase aeration and prevent stagnation. Added a thin layer of pine shavings to sprinkle more from the beginning whenever the chicken coop smells of ammonia.
When cleaning broiler cage equipment, it is also important to pay attention to scanning for old shavings and replacing them once a year. Old shavings will become very rich, and you can use compost in your garden. Keep the chicken coop slightly moist with pine shavings. If they become damp or odorous, add another layer of debris and some scratch particles. If the chips become too dry, mist and water gently.
Broilers have dense feathers and no sweat glands, making it difficult to dissipate heat from their bodies. High temperature environments can have adverse effects on the growth and development of broilers. Therefore, it is important to do a good job in heatstroke prevention and cooling when raising broilers in the hot summer. In hot weather, cold water can be sprayed directly onto the chicken body or coop, once every two hours. At the same time, it is necessary to do a good job in ventilation inside the chicken coop and install water curtains at the air inlet.
In the hot summer, it is even more important to strengthen the management of broiler chickens. When the temperature inside the house is too high, broiler chickens dissipate heat by constantly opening their mouths and panting to evaporate water from their bodies. Therefore, the demand for water is higher than usual. Therefore, in the summer, sufficient, clean, and cool drinking water is provided for broiler chickens. Short term water shortages can affect the growth of broiler chickens, while long-term water shortages can lead to heatstroke and death of broiler chickens. Water storage equipment and sinks should be kept clean and hygienic, and should be protected from direct sunlight as much as possible.