When brooding chicks, floor temperature is crucial. Note that the temperatures in Table 1 refer to air temperatures that are designed to provide a 90 degrees F (32 degrees C) floor temperature. Brooding temperatures will vary depending on whether the heat source is air furnace, conventional brooder or radiant brooder (Table 1). Proper brooding not only consists of maintaining proper temperature but also the use of good husbandry practices. Thus, the environmental temperature plays a major role in determining the cost of producing a pound of meat or a started pullet. Therefore, the energy from the feed will be used to maintain body temperature instead of growth and development resulting in poorer feed conversion. ![]() This extra energy will ultimately be supplied by the feed consumed. When birds are kept in environmental temperatures above or below their comfort zone, more energy must be expended to maintain body temperature. One of the goals during brooding is to maintain chicks within their comfort zone, which is where they are not using energy to gain or lose heat to maintain body temperature. Not only do chicks exposed to low brooding temperatures have reduce growth rates, but they will consume more feed to keep themselves warm, reducing feed efficiency and increasing feed costs. The chicks reared under those temperatures did not catch up in body weight and as a result weighed less at market age than birds that were brooded properly. Chicks brooded under 80 degrees F experienced reduced growth compared to the high brooding temperature treatment. ![]() In research studies where groups of chicks were brooded at either 80 degrees F or 90 degrees F, the chicks reared under the warmer temperature had better weight gains, feed conversion and livability. Cold stressed chicks will exhibit higher incidence of ascites, a metabolic disorder that results in reduced performance, increased mortality and increased condemnations at the processing plant. As a result, cold stressed chicks have reduced growth and increased susceptibility to diseases. Research has shown that chicks that are subjected to cold temperature have impaired immune and digestive systems. While chicks are more tolerant of high temperatures than adult birds, high temperatures for extended periods of time increase mortality and have negative impact on performance. Extreme temperatures (high or low) often result in chick mortality, but even mild chilling or overheating can affect the performance of young chicks without causing death. The body temperature of a day-old chick is approximately 103 degrees F (39 degrees C), but by about five days of age body temperature is 106 degrees F (41.1 degrees C), the same as the adult. Once the body temperature changes the bird will try to compensate and in most cases this means that it will have a negative effect on performance. The chick can be easily stressed if its body temperature decreases or increases by as much as one degree. Research has shown that the chick develops the ability to regulate its body temperature around 12 to 14 days of age. Proper brooding practices must maintain the chick's body temperature so that it does not have to use energy to lose heat by panting or generate heat through metabolism. Chilling or overheating during this crucial period can result in poor growth, poor feed conversion and increased susceptibility to disease. Likewise, if room temperature increases, the chick body temperature will increase. ![]() If the room temperature decreases, the chick's body temperature will decrease. As a result, the young chick is dependent on environmental temperature to maintain optimal body temperature. Early in life, the chick is poorly equipped to regulate its metabolic processes to adequately control its body temperature. Maintaining the correct temperature is critical in chick brooding, especially during the first two weeks of the chick's life. Managing the house and chick correctly during the brooding period will get chicks off to a good start.
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