Poultry Husbandry

What are meat-producing and egg-producing chickens known as?

Meat producing = broilers, egg producing = layers.

What is a rooster?

An adult male chicken

What is a cock?

An adult male chicken

What is a cockerel?

A juvenile male chicken

What is a pullet?

A young bird.

What is a chook?

A domestic bird kept for meat.

What is the poultry breeding pyramid?

1% of the chicken population are the elite pure lines. Offspring (the grand-parents) are cross-bred to produce parents which are a mix of the 2 breeds. Crossbreed parents are bred with cross-breed parents from different lines, to give production birds which are a 4-way cross hybrid. There are 2 main broiler and 4 main layer breeding companies that control the breeding market globally. They sell chicken ‘strains’ without giving the buyer information about genetics.

How quickly do the fastest growing broiler chicken strains grow?

They can reach table weight (2.5-2.7kgs) within 35-42 days.

How long are laying chickens kept?

For only one cyle. This is because they tend to moult, during which they will go off their food and stop laying.

Who produces broilers in the UK?

90% of broilers are produced on large integrated farms, and 10% are produced by small independents.

Who produces layers in the UK?

80% of layers are produced by large companies. 20% are produced by small independents.

What are some standards that can be applied to chicken meat and egg production?

• The Red Tractor Farm Assurance Poultry Scheme

• RSPCA Assurance Scheme

• 2026 Better Chicken Commitment

• The British Lion egg scheme (egg safety)

Should eggs be stored in the fridge?

If an egg has been washed it will need to be stored in the fridge as the outer cuticle which protects the egg from pathogens has been removed. If you keep eggs over 20C, they could develop if fertilised.

What is hatchery waste?

Male chicks are euthanised at birth by gassing, mincing etc. They are used to make bonemeal to feed reptiles, birds of prey.

What is ovo-sexing technology?

A new process of detecting the sex of the embryo before it is hatched, so a male embryo is destroyed rather than a chick.

What are the different broiler housing systems?

• Standard deep-litter intensive: Chickens are put into the shed with shavings/straw. This mixes with the chicken’s waste and is not cleaned out until the chickens are slaughtered in 35-40 days.

• Free range. Chickens are kept in barns but have access to pasture for at least 50% of their lifespan.

• Free range organic. Chickens have continuous access to the outdoors, with suitable vegetation. There is no routine use of antibiotics.

What are the lighting requirements for broilers?

Minimum of 20 lux at bird-eye height illuminating at least 80% of the usable area. Temporary reduction of lighting to reduce cannibalism is acceptable on veterinary advice. Lighting must follow a 24-hour rhythm including 6 hours of darkness.

What are some layer housing systems?

• Battery cages have been banned in the EU since 2012

• Enriched cages house up to 80 birds with a shared nest box and littered scratching area. There is little intervention and the eggs roll away, while droppings fall through the mesh floor.

• Layer barn housing: Poultry are kept in a barn with perching platforms. Deep litter is often used.

• Free range. Birds are housed indoors with day access to pasture.

• Free range organic. Birds have large perches indoors and constant access to the outdoors.

What are the lighting requirements for layer hens?

• Minimum of 12lux at bird-eye height.

• Light must be uniformly distributed.

What temperatures should chickens be kept at?

Not well defined, but as a general rule of thumb, birds should be evenly distributed and not huddled around or away from a heat source/draft.

What are some welfare indicators for layers?

• Feather loss

• Antagonistic behaviours

• Sickness, injury and mortality

• Use of perches and nest boxes

• Dustbathing and foraging behaviour.

What are some welfare indicators for broilers?

• Disease

• Mortality, culling

• Parasite incidences

• Feather condition

• Spatial distribution

• Performance

What are the main issues at slaughter?

• Contact dermatitis

• Feather condition

• Injury rate

• Emaciation

• Respiratory problems

• Dead on arrival