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Raising Quail in the urban environment- Guide for quail pen and breeds

Raising chickens in the backyard of your home has always attracted many people. People who get retired or are very much in backyard chicken farming and adopt this as a hobby. Some even do this for getting fresh eggs for their breakfast. But this practice has raised some issues as well. Cases were reported in many different regions that people had started complaining in against those houses that were raising chickens in their backyards. The reason was the noise they use to make and even sometimes get into neighbors houses UN-invited. As a result of this, urban chicken keeping laws were formulated so as to keep the environment safe and peaceful. This resulted in making handicap to many chicken lovers. But life is not over yet. Still you can fulfill your desire of raising some birds and having fresh eggs in your breakfast. This can be done by raising quail. Quail’s have almost the same living habits as chickens have besides the fact that quails are much quieter as compared to chickens.

 Why quails

Besides being a silent creature, what else benefit quails can give that may encourage a chicken lover to plan to raise backyard quail instead of chickens. Currently, there are no such municipal limitations in keeping quails at the backyard of your home. This makes it easy in raising quail. Quails don’t need a larger space to live as compared to chickens. This is because quails are smaller in size than chickens but this does not effects on the eggs given by them. Quails lay high-quality eggs which are full of nutrition’s. Housing for quail is also quite easy as compared to chickens. If you had chickens in your backyard and now you are planning to have quails, so you can keep quails in your urban chicken coop without any hesitation.

 Coop or pen for your quail

Now after finally deciding the city farming of quail, it’s time to plan your quail coop. making coop or quail pen is not that hard. As mentioned earlier, if you had chicken coop, you can keep your quails in them. But having a separate quail coop would be much better. There are not much of very high requirements of keeping quails. A quail only requires about ½ sq ft of place on the floor. If you are planning to keep your quails indoor, than you should keep this in mind that quails require light. So you have to design your quail hutch accordingly. Now comes the bedding. The most effective bedding for quail is with fine wood shavings. Quails love to take bath in dust, so make sure you provide them dust in the wood shavings. One can opt to use wire mesh floor which has trays underneath as it allows the dropping to pass through but that trays must be regularly clean up. In case of bedding it should be overturned periodically. When feeding your quails, you can use a small pet bowl or a through feeder. Keeping the feeder outside the cage is more effective as it will help in saving some space within the quail cage and will also help in prevention of any contamination of feed by quails while messing with it. You can simply put some cuts out on the mesh so that quails could easily take their feed by bringing their heads. The width of the cute mesh should be 1.5” and 2” in height. This same procedure can be adopted for placing bowls of water for quails. It is advisable to not use pet bowls as they can bring any kind of unhygienic problems for quails.

For more information on quail housing you can download the following Quail Housing.doc

 Breeds of quail

Having quail in your backyard is sometimes just not enough. People also give specific priorities to some specific breeds of quail. Normally there are two breeds of quail that are more commonly raised. One is the coturnix quail while other is bobwhite quail. The Japanese quail that is more commonly known as coturnix quail is the bird found in East Asia. These quails are migratory species and breeds in southeastern Siberia, Manchurian, Korean peninsula and northern Japan. While they do wintering in southern china and south of Japan. This species is found in large quantity and can easily be raised as your backyard quails. These birds are usually raised for the purpose of production of egg and meat for families. While on the other hand, bobwhite quail are found in Mexico, U.S and Caribbean. These quails are the member of species generally known as New World quails. They are called bobwhite because of the characteristics of their whistling call. These quails feed on small bugs and plants. Their appearance is also a bit different to coturnix quail that has also attracted many people in raising bobwhite quails as their backyard quails.

Now these breeds that are mentioned above are the perfect replacement for keeping chickens in your backyard if you are hampered by city chickens ordinance. Birds of these breeds get mature quickly and can be much productive as compared to chickens. Quails can easily adjust themselves more quickly in the urban environment as compared to chickens. For chickens, you have to make many necessary arrangements so that they could feel comfy like home in order to keep them as your backyard chickens but that is not the case for quails. Much less arrangements have to be done for quails to keep them in your backyard. This makes quails the best alternative for your backyard chickens. Getting the same desired output with less input that was being done in chicken case can only be obtained if you are planning to keep quails.

Raising Chicken And Duck Together

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Ducks vs chicken and chicken vs ducks. Even though ducks and chickens are a lot a like in some ways, they are also very different in others, and it is this difference that does prompt the question of is it wise to be keeping ducks with chicken? Well, the answer to this question does vary in response, and it also tends to be a unique experience in raising for the backyard chicken and duck raiser who does their very best to raise both of these fine creatures side by side. Can a duck live with chicken? Both chickens and ducks do indeed have their very own special needs, and this means that each animal will be demanding in its own way, especially if these creatures are very young and require constant care. Raising ducks and chicken are something that is very possible, but it should only be attempted by someone who does know the ropes, and also has had the past experience to be very successful at raising these two types of species before.

 What are the differences that do make
 chicks and ducks different?

Sometimes, by knowing the differences that do make each of these two animals unique in their own ways, it is easier to understand them both and what makes them tick as individual species unto themselves in the bird world. Even though ducks and chickens are members of the genre called fowl, they are entirely two different types of bird species altogether. Also, ducks and chickens are very different in appearance, and they also behave differently from one another, in addition, as well. Ducklings tend to have very flat bills and broader bills than chickens do. Chickens possess a beak that is pointed and is pronounced in description. Ducklings also tend to waddle like other adults ducks do, and chickens don’t waddle, they just walk about jerking their heads in a funny motion and clucking up a storm. Ducks also tend to like water, and being in water, as much as possible. Chickens, on the other hand, don’t like water at all. A chicken also tends to be far more of a farmed animal than ducks are, and this is with good reason, because they do provide very delicious poultry, as well as tasty eggs to. Ducks can also fly and they have their wings. Chickens get their wings clipped and aren’t able to fly in the air, only able to clear fence or reaching to trees or roost. Ducks may not be creatures that are farmed like chickens are, but still people have partaken of duck eggs before, as well as duck meat which is delicious. A duck’s feathers are something that are waterproof by design, as well as nature, and chickens don’t have waterproof feathers. Chicken and duck meat have two different distinct tastes that are different and are their very own. Chickens and ducks also have very different bone structures, as well, which makes them very not so alike after all. Ducks also love to swim, and have the ability to swim, which is something chickens cannot do. Chickens prefer to sleep on a roost while ducks sleep on ground. Ducks are very sensitive to light and can’t sleep in light. Ducks are more vulnerable to attacks from predators like coons, skunks, possum, coyote.

 What are the similarities that do make
 ducks and chicks alike in some ways?

The very first thing, which does make ducks and chicks an awful lot alike is this, they are both members of the genre called fowl. Both species also lay eggs, in addition, as well. A duck uses its bill mainly to dig up mud, while the chicken on the other hand, does use its beak to catch prey with a good deal of the time. Ducks also build their nests on the ground, while chickens make them inside of chicken coops. Both of these species of very popular creatures are highly prized most for their skin and their eggs on the average. Despite the fact that chickens and ducks do have a lot in common, they are still very different, when it comes to nature and their particular defining characteristics and behavior.

 Can chickens and ducks be raised in a
 combined environment successfully or not?

Even though ducks and chickens are alike in some ways, and also are very different, the question that remains is this. Can chickens and ducks be raised in a combined environment successfully or not? It is through the understanding, as well as knowing that ducks and chickens are two different and very special kind of animals in their own rights. Duck and chicks can, and often have grown up together side by side. The only difference is that ducklings do tend to take to water, very early on, and baby chicks prefer dry bedding. Despite the facts that both are very different, when it comes to being babies, they are pretty much the same in a lot of ways. Ducklings and chicks cuddle together pretty much like newborn puppies or kittens in a litter. The only thing that is different about them is that ducklings like to get wet, and chickens not, so with this said. It is advisable to separate baby ducks and chicks in a separate brooder boxes until they are older, because little ducklings prefer to be damp and wet, and dam and wet is not very good for the health of small chicks. Nonetheless, once they are a bit older, chicks and ducklings can peacefully co-exist with each other, and they can both imprint one on the other. Can chickens and ducks be raised in the a combined environment successfully or not? The answer is yes, if the raising is done with a lot of excellent tips, knowledge, and most important experience on the subject. This can indeed prove to be a great hobby, but it still something, which must be handled with a lot of tremendous caring, determination, and patience to make the raising of these two individual creatures a real reality in every way that counts most.

Raising chickens does indeed have its benefits and rewards, but so does the raising of ducks, in addition, as well. Both of these species are very excellent types of animals, and they each do matter a whole lot in their own ways, and this is something that must be realized whenever it is decided that they will be raised alongside of each other from start to finish.

10 Best Egg Laying Chickens To Keep In Your Backyard

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Poultry birds have been domesticated for thousands of years now. These birds have existed since times when the process of selective breeding was first initiated by man. The physical and physiological traits that are used for classifying and categorizing chicken breeds are size, skin color, levels and amounts of feathering, the color of the egg and plumage color. In the 21^st century, the chickens are being breed by making use of several standardized patterns of breeding, due to which a number of breeds of poultry have come into existence. These standards have been brought into practice by various countries including USA, UK, Russia, China, India and many more, just for the production of different breeds of chicken.

You may like to see other types of chicken breeds such as white and black chicken breeds, heritage chicken breeds, rare chicken breeds, and small chicken breeds.

Now here we have the 10 most famous and best egg laying chicken breeds.

Barnevelder

The reason, for which this best egg laying chickens breed has been named in this way, is due to its specific area of origin, which is situated in Holland. The city, after which it has been named, used to be a dominant and the primary center for egg production in the country. This chicken breed is able to lay nearly 200 caramel and brown colored eggs on an annual basis.

Rhode Island Red

This is one of the best egg laying chickens breed that is known to be the most famous farmyard class. It lays around 260 per eggs on a yearly basis, thus taking it to the number 1 spot in terms of the best laying chicken by any pure breed. The origin of this backyard chicken breed is the Rhode Island area in The United States.

Light Sussex

The eggs laid by this egg laying breed are light brown or cream colored being around 260 on annual basis. It is considered to be a well-known show bird and generally friendly in comparison to other common chicken breeds.

Buff Oprington

The egg laying capacity for this chicken is lower in comparison to the other breeds on the list but on the other hand are good mothers,as they often go broody.

Welsummer

The origins for this egg laying breed also traced in Holland, in the village named Welsum. They are able to lay nearly 200 eggs yearly and are in fact, a cross breed of Barnevlder and Rhode Island Breeds.

Black Rock-Hybrid

This one of the best egg laying chickens breed which is more like a hybrid of the Rhode Island and the breed of Plymouth Rock. Their plumage and the high egg laying rate make this breed as one of the most desirable as well as affectionate.

Specklady Hen-Hybrid

In addition to laying nearly 260 eggs per year, this egg laying breed was formed using the French Maran Hen. The eggs laid by them are dark brown in color. But it is imperative to remember here, that this breed consumes more food and nutrients in comparison to others.

Japanese Bantam

Being a Bantum Breed, these chickens are one of the small chicken breeds and also come to lay smaller number of eggs on a yearly basis. Most of the times, they are used as pets.

Polish Bantam

The reason, for which this breed is costly, is all because of its puffball crest. In addition to have a good egg laying capacity, this breed is also tamer than others.

Araucana

The eggs laid by this hen range from pale blue to green colors. It is marked by having no tail and is also a bit difficult to find, but is still included in the most popular chicken breeds.

Quail Farming-Guide for raising coturnix and Bob White Quail

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History and Origin

Quails are migratory game birds with mottled brown feathers and short tails, which are native to Europe, Asia and Africa. The origin of this bird dates back to the 11th century while it is also referred to, in the old testament of the bible. Egyptians caught Quails from their farmland for the purpose of meat while in china these birds were kept as pets and as “singing birds”. In the late 11th century quail was brought to Japan where it was first domesticated. Since the farming and breeding of quail is credited to the Japanese it’s called a Japanese quail or a Coturnix Quail.

Quail farming and benefits of raising quails

Quails are much easier to raise and breed than poultry. Along with the several benefits of the high protein meat they have to offer, these birds make excellent pets as they are skittish birds and with a little training they will let you coddle them and will be feeding out of your hand. For raising Quails one does not need special training or expertise. All you need is a well ventilated 8ft by 8ft room or pole building and an incubator and you can start raising them. An incubator can be created at home as well as bought online at a reasonable price. The most ideal feed for baby Quails is poultry starter feed like game bird starter and since these baby quails are so small, the feed can only be given to them in a crumbly state. As a beginner one may start with young coturnix quails which are ideal as they mature in 6 weeks and start laying eggs in 7 – 8 weeks. Most experts suggest the ratio of 1 male to 3 female quails for breeding as that produces the most fertilized eggs. To protect quails from predators like snakes it is ideal to use a wire mesh around their cages. Farming quails in your own backyard can provide you with free garden manure. Scoop up the quail droppings and let them age so they break down and then use them to fertilize your garden. These birds are diverse in their colors and it is often a brilliant pastime just to watch them in the summer. Raising them is very cheap because they can live in small spaces and do not smell as bad as chickens do; hence quail farming becomes even more feasible as it can be done outdoors as well as indoors. Unlike the roosters and their deadly morning crow, quails aren’t loud so the noise pollution is at a minimum. They are also hardy birds that can withstand the cold winter as long as their cage is protected from drafts and harsh winds. Quails lay eggs seasonally so they do not lay eggs in winter but they lay approx 300 eggs in one year; eggs which are 5 times healthier than chicken eggs. Quail chicks mature at around 6 weeks and a little longer for buttons.

Famous breeds of quail

Coturnix Quails as discussed in length above are the easiest to raise and breed, not too keen on flying inside aviaries and much gentler towards newcomers. The Bobwhite Quails are characterized by the “bobwhite call” given by the males in the summer months and are also easier to raise. Bobwhites are raised commercially on a large scale and so they are found in multiple varieties, the most common being the “red” bobwhite. The Gambel’s Quail and scaled quail crossbreed in the wild. These birds are aggressive and of nervous temperaments. Their chicks do not hatch easily and raising these birds requires a lot of patience and space as they are also keen fliers. Quail poultry farming is very profitable when these birds are raised as table birds; they produce high protein meat and tasty eggs with several dietary benefits. Poor families benefit a lot by raising Quail for meat as not only do they gain profits but also maintain a healthy protein diet for themselves. Due to high poverty rates in Africa raising Quail for profit is common in countries like Nigeria and Kenya. Quail farming in Kenya has attained much success as the healthy quail eggs are now regularly eaten by men to boost their vitality within. The business is expanding into a broader market as several orders have been placed from four star hotels in the capital Nairobi. Coturniculture (breeding quails) is becoming increasingly common in Nigeria particularly in the northern part of the country. The popularity of quail farming in Nigeria is due to its medicinal values and the highly nutritious Quail eggs that are much better than the normal poultry foul eggs. The business is getting increasingly popular with small farms springing throughout the country and professional council for quail keepers is soon to be formed in order to advise quail breeders and ensure successful business ventures. Due to the economical setup and huge profit gains Quail farming is becoming increasingly popular and the sooner one goes into a business like this, the better

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Rearing of Turkeys at Your Backyard

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Most of the private and home based farmers widely consider raising turkeys for meat. The best and most affordable manner in which the goal can be achieved is by making use of the day old turkeys. But before your consignment of turkeys arrives, you should prefer to set up an area for the brooding process. The same is done at the Locust Grove Farm, which is a top notch professional poultry producer. Moreover, it is also crucial for making arrangements for keeping the birds and other domesticated animals warm at all times. In lines to this, the temperature should be maintained in the range of 90 to 100 degree F. After keeping the birds in this temperature for a week, next you should make use of the lamps for lowering down the floor temperature.

At the same time, you also need to make use of some sufficient number of feeders and water kits for the birds. For example, if you have 25 birds to look after, 1 or 2 kits would be more than enough. For the second week, you would need to increase the roaming area of the birds. As the birds grow at an agile pace, their need for more open areas is notched. Very soon the birds start to climb the water kits and feeders which is a clear indicator that the birds need to roost. These facets hold a great deal of significance in terms of raising baby turkeys or raising turkey poults. The birds should only be confined after this time period if you feel the temperatures outside can get aversive and dangerous for them.

Pre-requisite Field Operations

Making use of a more developed roost assembly and allowing the birds with some more pen area is imperative for the normal growth of the animals. Now here, by growth, I mean the development in physical and psychological dimensions. The turkeys must be allowed to live outside in the range. Range is used to refer to the grazing or the area for pasture. For optimal results always make use of the area that has no sort of trees. The same applies for farm raised turkeys. Medium red clover together with the Kentucky bluegrass should be used for the pasture area. The idea here is to offer the birds with a humane treatment. The area which is allocated to the birds should be large enough for the needs of all the birds that are being domesticated in it. Nearly a dozen turkeys can be allowed to roam in an area which is about 1/8^th of an acre.

Fresh Supplies-Food and Water

For the free range turkeys, the feeders and water kits should be in access to the birds. Moreover, you are also required to ensure some fresh supplies of poultry feeds and water all around the day. For this reason, you can also make use of the automatic water kits which are going to cut down the time required to do the process manually. In case if you have a number of mature organic turkeys, then you should use at least 2 gallons of water for their needs. The feeders and turkey growers used should be able to load 100 pounds of feed. The mature turkeys demand the consumption of some large amounts of feed.

Visiting the Flocks

Rearing of turkeys also demands that you make regular visits to the animals, as they love to be in the company of some people. Moreover, backyard turkeys raising need company of human beings also happen to be well suited and adapted to all environments. At the same time, the strategy also ensures that no sort of violent behaviors are initiated in the mature turkeys.

Raising the Entire Roost

You should make use of a moveable turkey roost. In addition to ensuring the manure deposits do not get accumulated in a single area, the moveable roosts also come in handy for other purposes. For this reason, you will need to use a number of materials for raising the roost including frame supports, side frames, front and back end footers. In terms of the roof you can make use of the fiber glassed panels. The kind of roost you will need depends on the number of turkeys you plan to keep in the shelter.

Managing Health of Turkeys

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Early stage (starting) of brooding is of crucible importance for poults as they are reluctant to eat and drink, hence have more tendency to perish than chicks or ducklings for unknown reason. Therefore, they should be provided with ample facilities for feeding, drinking, and lighting.

Intensive rearing has made turkey more susceptible to various infections and control measures through preventive Managing Health of Turkey is the best principle to minimise disease risk. Turkeys must be immunised against diseases like RD, turkey rhinotracheitis, pox, pasteurellosis and erysipelas. The necessity for full or partial immunisation depends on disease prevalence in the area of turkey raising as well as on their population. In case of isolated rearing units little protection can suffice the purpose, while in thickly populated areas complete preventive vaccination protection may be essential.

In recent years, the main ailment affecting turkey badly is turkey rhinotracheitis, which is latest viral entity causing losses in turkeys all over the world. It leads to serious deleterious effects on birds of all ages predisposing them to secondary invaders like viruses, bacteria, etc. to cause severe trouble.

Mortality upto 25-30 per cent is common with heavy loss of production in survivals. Fruitfulness of treatment is uncertain. Management improvement by supplying increased floor space, adequate ventilation, fresh litter, better sanitation and hygiene along with toxic principles free enriched diets is of greater help to control the ailment.

10 Guiding Principles To Optimize Poultry Processing

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Poultry processing should be taken seriously, especially when you plan to optimize the yield and the profits. In other words, you need to make use of a number of standardized procedures and plans in order to get the best value for your investment in broiler processing. For example, if the lighting is too much in the farm setting, then there are high chances that the birds might come to be stressful and engage in irrational behaviors. For your convenience here are the 10 guiding principles to optimize poultry processing, all of which are to be used in an effective way for increasing the workflow and outputs from the processing plants.

1. Harvesting

Harvesting is one of the most crucial components in poultry and chicken processing. In caging the birds, it must be ensured that the cages are not too small and not damaged in any away. Furthermore, door less cages are also used, as having a door in them might slow down the output when closing and opening the cages. In times of transportation, it is better to make use of big cages for the accommodation of a large number of birds.

2. Transport

Having adequate and impressive transport facilities is another key to the success of the poultry processing. There are a number of broiler and chicken processing plants that are unable to obtain substantial results from the yield, all because of the limited transport facilities to various areas. The trucks should also be equipped with proper temperature control mechanisms in summer or winter, so that the birds might not be at risk. Furthermore, proper arrangements should also be made on the arrival of the birds at the respective locations.

3. Hanging the Birds

Before going to the full fledge chicken slaughtering process, the process of stunning is performed. So, here it is imperative that the route leading to the stunner should have moderate levels of light. The hanging should be done in a way that the birds may not damage their wings from the nearby metal and also kept safe through the use of breast comforters. The timing for reaching the stunning site is also important here and should not be prolonged.

4. Stunning and pre-wash before scalding

The place where the stunning is done should not be wet and it should also be ensured that the birds might not get an electric shock from the floor. In other words, the birds should be kept away from having a pre shock that might create a number of problems. When the chickens are slaughtered, a fecal material can be seen on the body, thus creating a need for washing.

5. Scalding

Afterwards, scalding is done to loosen the weather and for the dilation of the body parts, so that the slaughtering process might come in quick and easy. Moreover, the timing between the movements of the animal from scalding to plucking should also be minimal.

6. Plucking

The body temperature of the chicken should be higher on entering the plucking process. It is because the follicles tend to open and loosen on high temperature which makes the plucking process easier. If the body temperature of the animals falls before reaching the plucking machine, then this might lead to the deposition of the fecal material on various parts of the body.

7. Evisceration

In this phase, the organs and parts of the animal’s bodies are separated on the basis of suitability for human consumption. On collection of these parts, proper chilling should be done for the reduction of bacterial deposition and growth on these organs.

8. Chilling Carcasses and Giblets

The poultry processing plant managers should ensure that the water used for chilling should be maintained at 0C, in order to keep the body of the products are prepared for the next phase. Furthermore, an increase in the temperature should be controlled.

9. Packaging

On completion of the previous processes, the products are then selected for specific type of bins. Each of the products should be packed and processed properly for keeping the quality intact and for minimizing the bottlenecks. Extreme cold temperatures should also not be used, as this might lead to the darkening of the animal skins.

10. Coolers

The ideal temperature on which the carcasses and giblets should be allowed to enter into the coolers is about 4C. Here also, the temperature should always be monitored, as higher body temperatures might slow down the efficacy of all other processes.

These principles are going to act as a poultry processing management guide for you, but only if you follow them respectively and carefully.

Modern System For Drying Poultry Manure To Protect The Environment

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Numerous farmers are in search of solutions to decrease the emission Ammonia and other fly problems which are caused due to the layer operation they carry out. Many others are searching out for options to earn money by selling litter as a Chicken litter fertilzer. Chicken litter as fertilizer has some of its distinct benefits which are not found in other commercial fertilizers. VDL Agrotech has brought advantages to both the groups of farmers by devising a system for the purpose of drying of Poultry manure. It is important to carry out composting of Chicken litter because fresh manure should not be used as it contains different Bacteria. Chicken litter compost takes about 2 to 3 weeks before its ready. According toWiebe Van Der Sluis, Rooster45, Doetinchem, the Poultry litter of the Netherlands can prove a nuisance, and especially when they are not handled well or are left on some pile within or outside the poultry house. It emits high levels or concentrations of Ammonia in the environment and makes it unhealthy for birds, workers and the surrounding neighbors. Government also prohibits such emission of Ammonia into the atmosphere as it damages the environmental conditions. So proper litter management in Poultry is essential for preventing risks to both human and bird’s health.

Such a place becomes suitable for the growth of wet litter flies and their population increases in large numbers which is not liked by both farm workers and the neighbors. Therefore both large and medium scale producers of poultry are now showing keen interest in keeping the Poultry droppings dry whether they are in a poultry house or outside it. Majority of the housing systems of poultry provide means to drying out the droppings or Poultry Waste within the house at manure belt. However, the capacity of such Poultry waste management systems is a limited one and gives rise to large proportions of dust which is the reason why farmers normally opt for drying manure outside of the poultry or fowl house. The Fowl manure is transferred by farmers on daily basis or after two days in order to cut down on the emission of ammonia and dust production and to cut on the moisture which is produced in the house. Drying of manure in an environment which is specifically conditioned to capture dust and ammonia will call for lesser energy consumption.

Using steel plates to dry manure

Many systems are present in the market for drying out manure but they have their own features and drawbacks. VDL Agrotech Company which has rendered numerous installation of large and small scale projects of poultry have devised a new Poultry management system of manure drying and they have named the system as ‘PoulDry’. The manufacturing of this effective drying system from Agrotech is the result of cooperation of various experienced engineers who have also been behind the development of various other drying systems. A separate location close to the poultry house is normally chosen to place PoulDry system. The system comprises of one, two or more levels which are linked to direct chain that revolves around powder coated and galvanized steel plates. The plate’s compromise of perforations which keeps almost 35 percent of the systems surface open and this allows air to pop in easily and facilitate fast drying. The system has been designed in such a manner so that no moving part comes in contact with the manure, and this protects them from damage. Similarly the direct chain system driver ensures an easy motion of the drying system.

Forcing of tilt

The droppings in the poultry house which comes via the manure belt are dispersed on the top layer of the drying tunnel which is in circular motion. When the Chook manure is on the edge of the top layer, the perforations on the layers tilt and drop the manure on plates which are at the second level below and this continues its movement to the opposite path via the tunnel so that more moisture can be released. Clogging and sticking of the manure on the plates is prevented by forcing the perforated plates to tilt. High pressure of air is blown throughout the system which results in 80 to 85 percent dryer manure within maximum 72 hours which also depends on the humidity in the atmosphere. The process also causes a reduction in the release of dust particles by almost 70 percent. It has now been learned through experience that the process requires a lesser consumption of energy and can be controlled very easily and effectively via touch screen system. A system with a length up to 40 meters can be installed easily and it has the capacity to dry 200,000 layers of manure. 80 percent drying of manure content which is facilitated through this system reduces fly problems, Ammonia and odor, and such content can be sold easily as field fertilizer. A Poultry management guide should always be consulted for various aspects of poultry such as Chicken litter, manure nutrients analysis etc, and many such guides are available in the market and on the internet.

E:mail:g.camps@vdlagrotech.nl

Karin Jonkers
Marketing Communications Manager
VDL Agrotech
Phonen: : +31(0)40 29 25 577
E-mail: k.jonkers@vdlagrotech.n

Guide for raising pheasants as a backyard flock

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Pheasants, just like other game birds are liked worldwide. They are among-st the category of upland game birds – in simpler words, it means all those birds that are perfect for poultry and require relative simpler living. You must be thinking that people have pet flocks that include guinea fowl, pigeons, turkey, ducks and chickens, but not really heard about pheasants. Do not worry, this excerpt is all about the basic knowledge that you would require for raising pheasants as a backyard flock.

Pheasant types:

Just like all the other poultry flocks, there are different breeds for pheasants and you can willingly choose which one to rise. The most popular types include;

Golden Pheasants
White-eared pheasants
Ring-necked pheasants

There was a time when people used to have these as pets – in fact, pheasants were used for their exceptional ornamental plumage. However, now the masses have differing reasons and mostly use pheasants for profits. Many breed pheasants for its eggs; similarly, pheasants are raised for meats and hunting purposes

Feeding:

Your little fellows need hundred percent attention and quality food, they don’t seem to compromise on it. Therefore, for better development and growth you must provide the right kind of pheasant nutrition and food. You must be thinking that you know much regarding feeding pheasants but make sure you provide them with a complete meal. It must include minerals, vitamins and proteins.

You can get some amazing ready made branded products in the market; it’s even better to order online as you can reap maximum discounts.

In case you want to prepare pheasant food on your own, you must keep in mind the following essential facts;

Mixture of grains that include vitamins – it must have vitamin B, E, C; also, sodium and calcium would help in better growth of the bird.

Housing for pheasants:

Pheasants must have a perfect pheasant coop so that they can be kept safe. Not only the predators are their enemy but the harsh weather also affects the health greatly. Well, you really do not need a brand new coop, you can even use your old chicken coop with a few amendments; you can get one customized or make one on your own. Whatever option you opt, it is very important to make in mind all the features that please the pheasants.

The coop space:

Make sure there is enough space inside the coop so that birds can thrive. Whenever you are checking out the coop plans, make sure you inquire about the bird’s space from the provider. It is said that 1/2 square meter per bird is sufficient.

The coop ventilation:

Without proper ventilation, your pheasants would feel suffocated and annoyed. If proper ventilation you can easily overcome the problem of dirt, smell, moisture and diseases. In addition, you must necessary measures to overcome the seasonal variations – indeed; you would not want your birds to freeze to death in chillers. Similarly, you would never want to see any bird dead in the coop’s run due to heat stroke. If the pheasant coop has big, wired windows and fans, things would remain just perfect.

Breeding:

Breeding Pheasants are always a fun activity – it is like growing a pheasant family with grandparents and their kids running here and there. However, you cannot breed this bird like other poultry birds – they produce babies during a specific time and that is between February and May. Now, you know this so you can easily start breeding the same types or cross breeds to have a big flock.

What does female pheasant require?

The basic need is the pheasant-nesting box because the bird feels secure and safe. The female would sit in the box and brood the fertile eggs – after the mating process, new babies would join the league. It is said that the box must be 40 centimeters wide, 40 centimeters long and 20 centimeters high. The base of the box must have a layer of clean soil and upper layer must have straw covering.

Hatching:

The number of fertile eggs varies from breed to breed, but it is seen that, on an average 24 eggs are laid from the pair. This process is followed by incubation until the eggs hatch. Almost one-month duration is needed for incubation and after 25 days almost new pheasant chicks are born.

Many farmers, who do not have a broody pheasant, look for an artificial way to incubate the eggs. This is one of the most common ways used to hatch the fertile eggs in poultry. However, once the babies are hatched, they must be kept in the light for some more hours so that they can be kept warm. It is essential to do so, otherwise they would be prone to multiple problems.

Raising Chickens for Dummies

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Raising chickens for dummies is quite an easy process, but only if you make use of some expert advice and specialized measures for the betterment of the animals in the farmhouse environment. There are some useful techniques and tips which might come in handy in bringing up chickens in the best manner possible. More or less, the tips I would be sharing you are like the ones that are used in the commercial poultry farms. First things first, so before you go on for buying chickens to be kept in your home or near to your home, you should first make sure whether or not there are certain laws that prevent you from keeping chickens in the home based settings. The good news here is that almost all of the cities in the US are allowed to keep chickens at any place they want. Furthermore, you should know about the chicken feeds and the way they should be given to the animals. One reason for this can be the growing pressure from the side of the public who want to earn some money from the chickens they keep. Below are the steps you need to follow before you buy some chickens for your home or any other setting.

Familiarizing yourself

It is meant here that you must have all forms of information about the chickens you would be keeping. Most of the farmers and poultry house owners do have sound levels of knowledge about the chickens , they keep. At the time of raising the chickens, you should also be able to tell that whether or not the chicken is healthy. In short, in order to know about the exact needs of the chickens, you should keep track about they eat, drink and sleep. The same applies to having an understanding about the chicken’s behaviors, so that you may know in advance about their complex behavioral patterns.

Knowledge about the different type of Chicken Breeds

As you start to explore the complex world of the type of chicken breeds, you are more likely to find a number of terms which are used for them like hybrids, pure breeds, mixed breed and mutations. In simple, pure breeds are those who are bred to chickens that are similar and have been in the process for generations and generations. Most of the breeds we know these days are in fact hybrid breeds i.e. they are resulted from the crossing of two pure breeds. They come in handy for end use or in other words, they can be used best for a single purpose only. Moreover, both the pure and hybrids can be further categorized as strains. Mutations are the breeds that appear to be different from the breeds they were produced. In other words, they behave in a manner which is quite different from the original breeds. Lastly, mixed breeds in simple are those whose blood lines or ancestry are not known, as they have originated from various breeds. In all, taking care for chickens and all their breeds is crucial.

Number of Chickens and Cost

If you are new in the business, then it is always thoughtful to start out small. After having some experience with these birds, you would be able to slowly increase the number of chickens you can keep. Even if you are equipped with sound levels of experience, still you would need to go to the larger numbers in steps. As chickens are social animals like us, it is better to start with a minimum of 2 chickens. In terms of cost, you can start a flock with minimal cash of $ 50, unless you do not want to keep some rare and expensive breeds. Furthermore, for saving some money try to share your order with someone at the time of transport and also try to make use of a hatchery for placing the order. You can use this strategy for raising backyard chickens.

Building a Housing System or Chicken Coop for dummies

At the time of buying a chicken coop or making one on your own, you should consider the following factors in mind for building chicken coops for dummies:

Shelter from the rain and all changes in weather
24/7 protection from the predators
Mechanisms for temperature control
Sufficient space for the movement of the chickens
Fresh air and optimal levels of lighting
Clean surroundings
Choosing the right location and material for the coop
Always go for the materials that are inexpensive and at the same time sufficient for the protection of the animals
Relaxation of the animals
Being mindful and equipped with knowledge about the materials

All these tips would really prove to be helpful in keeping chickens for dummies if you are able to follow them strategically.

The Poultry Guide

A Free Source Of Information for poultry Keepers,Raisers, Beginners and poultry food lovers

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