Poultry Management Specifications1
These specifications are suggested based on normal, expected situations and the best available data. Although applicable to both commercial and home flocks, the variation in housing types, equipment, objectives and other factors may result in requirements that are different than those suggested herein. See Table 1 (chicken, turkey, ducks, geese) and Table 2 (pheasant, bobwhite, guinea, ostrich, emu).
Tables
| Table 1. Poultry management specifications for chicken, turkey, ducks, and geese. | |||||
| Requirement | Chicken (egg) | Chicken (meat) | Turkey (large) | Ducks | Geese |
| Floor Space | |||||
| Hover space | 4-8 in2/bird | 6-10 in2/bird | 12 in2/bird | 12 in2/bird | 14 in2/bird |
| 0-4 wk | 0.7 ft2/bird | 1.0 ft2/bird | 1.5 ft2/bird | 0.8 ft2/bird | 1.5 ft2/bird |
| 4-8 wk | 0.8 ft2/bird | 1.25 ft2/bird | 2.0 ft2/bird | 1.5 ft2/bird | 2.0 ft2/bird |
| 8-12 wk | 1.0 ft2/bird | 1.5 ft2/bird | 3.0 ft2/bird | 2.0 ft2/bird | 3.0 ft2/bird |
| >12 wk | 1.5 ft2/bird | 2.5 ft2/bird | 5.0 ft2/bird | 3.0 ft2/bird | 5.0 ft2/bird |
| Adult | 1.5-3.0 ft2/bird | 2.5-4.0 ft2/bird | 8.0 ft2/bird | 5.0-6.0 ft2/bird | 8.0 ft2/bird |
| Cage | 60-100 in2/bird | 200 in2/bird | 400 in2/bird | - - - - | - - - - |
| Feeder Space | |||||
| 0-1 wk | 1 feed lid/100 | 1 feed lid/100 | 2 feed lids/100 | 2.0 in/bird | 2.0 in/bird |
| 1-2 wk | 1.0 in/bird | 2.0 in/bird | 2.5 in/bird | 2.0 in/bird | 2.5 in/bird |
| 2-4 wk | 1.0 in/bird | 2.0 in/bird | 3.0 in/bird | 2.5 in/bird | 3.0 in/bird |
| 4-8 wk | 1.5 in/bird | 3.0 - 6.0* in/bird | 4.0 in/bird | 2.5 in/bird | 4.0 in/bird |
| >8 wk | 2.5 in/bird | 3.5 - 6.0* in/bird | 5.0 in/bird | 3.0 in/bird | 5.0 in/bird |
| Adult | 4.0 in/bird | 4.5 - 6.0* in/bird | 6.0 in/bird | 4.5 in/bird | 6.0 in/bird |
| *Restricted feed | |||||
| Waterer Space | |||||
| 0-1 wk | 15 1-gal/ 1000 or 0.6 in/bird |
15 1-gal/1000 or 0.7 in/bird |
20 1-gal/1000 or 1.0 in/bird |
15 1-gal/1000 or 0.7 in/bird |
20 1-gal/1000 or 0.7 in/bird |
| 1-4 wk | 0.6 in/bird | 0.7 in/bird | 1.0 in/bird | 0.7 in/bird | 1.0 in/bird |
| 4-8 wk | 0.6 in/bird | 0.8 in/bird | 1.0 in/bird | 0.7 in/bird | 1.0 in/bird |
| >8 wk | 0.8 in/bird | 1.0 in/bird | 1.2 in/bird | 0.8 in/bird | 1.2 in/bird |
| Adult | 1.0 in/bird | 1.5 in/bird | 1.4 in/bird | 1.0 in/bird | 1.4 in/bird |
| Brooding Temp. | |||||
| Brooder, 0-1 wk | 90-95¡F | 85-95¡F | 90-95¡F | 85-90¡F | 80-90¡F |
| Decrease/wk | 5¡F | 5¡F | 5¡F | 5¡F | 5¡F |
| Brooder room | 60-80¡F | 60-80¡F | 60-75¡F | 60-75¡F | 60-75¡F |
| Lights | |||||
| 0-2d | 24h, 25w/100ft2 | 24h, 25w/100ft2 | 24h, 25w/100ft2 | 24h, 10w | 24h, 10w |
| 2d-2wk | 23h, 25w/100ft2 | 23h, 25w/100ft2 | 23h, 25w/100ft2 | 23h, 10w | 23h, 10w |
| 2-10wk | Natural or <12h | Natural or <12h | Natural or <12h | Natural | Natural |
| 10-20wk | Decreasing or 8h | Decreasing or 8h | Decreasing or 8h | Natural | Natural |
| Layer or breeder | 15h, 1fc, or add 15min/wk |
16h, 3fc, or add 15min/wk |
16h, 5fc, or add 15min/wk |
15h, 1fc, or add 15min/wk |
15h, 1fc, or add 15min/wk |
| Females/male | 12-15 | 10-12 | 7-10 | 5-6 | 2-5 |
| Females/nest | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| Sexual maturity | 5-6mo | 5-7mo | 7-8mo | 7-8mo | 6-9mo |
| Vaccinations | |||||
| Marek's | Day 1 | Day 1 | |||
Newcastle and inf. bronchitis1 |
1wk, 4wk, 16wk, then every 3mo | 1wk, 4wk, 16wk, then every 3mo | 4wk, housing | ||
| Fowl pox | 6-9wk | 6-9wk (breeders) | 5-10wk, 7mo | ||
| Enceph. (AE)2 | 10-16wk (breeders) | 10-16wk (breeders) | |||
| Inf. Bursal disease3 | 8-12wk (breeders) | 8-12wk (breeders) | |||
| Incubation | |||||
| Length | 21d | 21d | 28d | 28d or 35d | 30-35d |
| Setting temp. | 99.5¡F | 99.5¡F | 99.5¡F | 99.1¡F | 99.0¡F |
| Set humidity | 86-87¡F wet bulb | 86-87¡F wet bulb | 87-88¡F wet bulb | 94.0¡F wet bulb | 89-90¡F wet bulb |
| Hatching temp. | 98.5¡F | 98.5¡F | 98.0¡F | 98.4¡F | 99.0¡F |
| Hatch humidity | 90-92¡F wet bulb | 90-92¡F wet bulb | 90-93¡F wet bulb | 96.0¡F wet bulb | 89-90¡F wet bulb |
| Still air inc. | 102-103¡F | 102-103¡F | 102-103¡F | 102-103¡F | 101-102¡F |
| Fertile Egg Storage | |||||
| Time | 8d or less | 7d or less | 8d or less | 7d or less | 7d or less |
| Temperature | 55-65¡F | 55-65¡F | 55-65¡F | 55-65¡F | 55-65¡F |
| Humidity | 70-85% RH | 70-85% RH | 70-85% RH | 75-85% RH | 75-85% RH |
| 1Infectious bronchitis, 2Avian encephalitis, 3Infectious bursal disease | |||||
| w = watt, fc = foot candle, RH = relative humidity | |||||
| Table 2. Poultry management specifications for pheasant, bobwhite, guinea, ostrich, and emu. | |||||
| Requirement | Pheasant | Bobwhite | Guinea | Ostrich | Emu |
| Floor Space | |||||
| Hover space | 4-8 in2/bird | 4-6 in2/bird | 4-8 in2/bird | 2.0 ft2/bird | 1.5 ft2/bird |
| 0-4 wk | 1.0 ft2/bird | 0.25 ft2/bird | 0.5 ft2/bird | 10 ft2/bird | 8 ft2/bird |
| 4-8 wk | 2.0 ft2/bird | 0.3 ft2/bird | 0.8 ft2/bird | 20 ft2/bird | 15 ft2/bird |
| 8-12 wk | 3.0 ft2/bird | 0.5 ft2/bird | 1.0 ft2/bird | 40 ft2/bird | 30 ft2/bird |
| >12 wk | 3.0 ft2/bird | 0.5 ft2/bird | 1.5 ft2/bird | 80 ft2/bird | 60 ft2/bird |
| Adult | 3.0 ft2/bird | 1.0-1.5 ft2/bird | 1.5-3.0 ft2/bird | .25-3 acres/2-4 birds | .1-.3 acres/2-4 birds |
| Cage | 60-100 in2/bird | 50-100 in2/bird | 60-100 in2/bird | ---- | ---- |
| Feeder Space | |||||
| 0-1 wk | 2 feed lids/100 | 2 feed lids/100 | 1 feed lid/100 | 1 feed lid/5 birds | 1 feed lid/6 birds |
| 1-2 wk | 1.0 in/bird | 0.6 in/bird | 1.0 in/bird | 0.5 ft/bird | 0.5 ft/bird |
| 2-4 wk | 1.5 in/bird | 0.6 in/bird | 1.0 in/bird | 1.0 ft/bird | 0.75 ft/bird |
| 4-8 wk | 2.0 in/bird | 1.0 in/bird | 1.5 in/bird | 1.0 ft/bird | 1.0 ft/bird |
| >8 wk | 3.0 in/bird | 1.0 in/bird | 2.5 in/bird | 1.5 ft/bird | 1.5 ft/bird |
| Adult | 3.0 in/bird | 1.6 in/bird | 4.0 in/bird | 1.5 ft/bird | 1.5 ft/bird |
| Waterer Space | |||||
| 0-1 wk | 15 1-gal /1000 or 0.3 in/bird |
2 1-qt/100 or 0.2 in/bird |
2 1-gal /100 or 0.5 in/bird |
1 5-gal pan/10 | 1 5-gal pan/20 |
| 1-4 wk | 0.5 in/bird | 0.25 in/bird | 0.5 in/bird | " | " |
| 4-8 wk | 0.6 in/bird | 0.3 in/bird | 0.5 in/bird | " | " |
| >8 wk | 1.0 in/bird | 0.3 in/bird | 0.8 in/bird | " | " |
| Adult | 1.0 in/bird | 0.3 in/bird | 1.0 in/bird | " | " |
| Brooding Temp. | |||||
| Brooder, 0-1 wk | 95¡F | 95-100¡F | 95-100¡F | 85-90¡F | 90-95¡F |
| Decrease/wk | 5¡F | 5¡F | 5¡F | 5-8¡F | 3-5¡F |
| Brooder room | 60-85¡F | 60-85¡F | 60-80¡F | 60-75¡F | 60-75¡F |
| Lights | |||||
| 0-2d | 24h, 10w/100ft2 | 24h, 10w/100ft2 | 24h, 25w/100ft2 | 24h, 10w/100ft2 | 24h, 10w/100ft2 |
| 2d-2wk | Natural or <12h | Natural or <12h | Natural or <12h | Natural | Natural |
| 2-10wk | Natural or decreasing | Natural or decreasing | Natural or decreasing | Natural | Natural |
| 10-20wk | Natural or decreasing | Natural or decreasing | Natural or decreasing | Natural | Natural |
| Layer or breeder | 17h, 5fc, or add 30min/wk |
17h, 5fc, or add 30min/wk |
16h, 5fc, or add 15min/wk |
Natural or 16h, 5fc |
Natural |
| Females/male | 6-8 | 1-4 | 4-8 | 1-4 | 1-2 |
| Females/nest | 5-6 | 3-5 | 3-5 | 1-4 | 1-2 |
| Sexual maturity | 4-5mo | 5-6mo | 5-6mo | 20-36mo | 20-36mo |
| Vaccinations | |||||
| Marek's | |||||
Newcastle and inf. bronchitis1 |
|||||
| Fowl pox | |||||
| Enceph. (AE)2 | 5-10wk | 6-10wk | |||
| Inf. Bursal disease3 | |||||
| Incubation | |||||
| Length | 24d | 24d | 28d | 42d | 52-56d |
| Setting temp. | 99.5¡F | 100.0¡F | 99.5¡F | 97.4¡F | 97.5-98.0¡F |
| Set humidity | 89-90¡F wet bulb | 85-86¡F wet bulb | 85-86¡F wet bulb | 68¡F wet bulb, 20% | 75¡F wet bulb, 34% |
| Hatching temp. | 99.0¡F | 99.0¡F | 98¡F | 96.5¡F | 97.0¡F |
| Hatch humidity | 82-85¡F wet bulb | 88-92¡F wet bulb | 85-86¡F wet bulb |
77¡F wet bulb, 40% | 81¡F wet bulb, 50% |
| Still air inc. | 102-103¡F | 102-103¡F | 102-103¡F | 99.5¡F | 99.5¡F |
| Fertile Egg Storage | |||||
| Time | 8d or less | 14d or less | 8d or less | 7d or less | 7d or less |
| Temperature | 55-65¡F | 55-65¡F | 55-65¡F | 55-65¡F | 55-65¡F |
| Humidity | 70-85% RH | 70-85% RH | 70-85% RH | 60-75% RH | 60-75% RH |
| 1 Infectious bronchitis, 2 Avian encephalitis, 3 Infectious bursal disease | |||||
| w = watt, fc = foot candle, RH = relative humidity | |||||
Footnotes
This document is SSPSE806, one of a series of the Animal Science Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date 1984. Reviewed June 2003. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
H.R. Wilson, professor of the Dairy and Poultry Sciences Department, F. B. Mather, associate professor of the Dairy and Poultry Sciences Department, and J.P. Jacob, poultry extension coordinator of the Dairy and poultry Sciences Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611.
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U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service,
University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative
Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer, Interim Dean.
