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Publication #SSPSE806

Poultry Management Specifications1

H.R. Wilson, F. B. Mather, and J.P. Jacob2

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. 
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. 
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

1.

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.

2.

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.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

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-Chancy, Interim Dean.