Gamecock Feeding Tips: Pay Attention to Temperature and Ventilation, Strengthen Daily Management

AbstractThe environment where gamecocks grow should be free of strongly irritating and volatile gases, and a suitable temperature must be ensured, neither too cold nor too hot. In the later stage, ventilation of the chicken house should be strengthened. During the feeding process of gamecocks, observe their eating, drinking, and droppings. If any abnormal conditions are found, deal with them promptly.

1. Ventilate in time

When the temperature is relatively low in winter, people generally focus on keeping warm without ventilating. When good ventilation is maintained, gamecocks are lively and active, and there is no peculiar smell in the gamecock house. When gamecocks are found to breathe slightly heavily and to be listless without illness, and the smell in the house is very strong with dust flying, ventilation and air exchange should be strengthened in time. When ventilating, be careful not to blow directly on the gamecocks.

2. Ensure a suitable temperature

Temperature is crucial when raising gamecocks. Generally, the level of temperature can be found by looking at their dispersion. When the gamecocks stay away from the heat source and scatter in groups, it means the temperature is on the high side. When the gamecocks huddle together in high density, it means the temperature is on the low side. You can also check the indoor thermometer to quickly know whether the temperature is high or low. If the thermometer reading does not match the suitable temperature, measures to raise or lower the temperature should be taken in time, and the temperature needs to be controlled within a reasonable range.

3. Adjust humidity well

Too high humidity in the chicken house will cause microorganisms to multiply, while low humidity makes the chicken house too dry, and gamecocks will be prone to respiratory diseases. A long-term dry environment will cause dehydration and weakness in chicks, so adjusting the humidity of the gamecock house is very important.

4. Pay attention to preventing the harm of harmful gases

1. Ammonia is a strongly irritating and volatile gas. If there is a large amount of ammonia where gamecocks live, and the smell of ammonia is detected when entering the gamecock house, it means the ammonia in the gamecock house has long exceeded the standard.

2. Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas. Especially in gamecock houses where coal stoves are used, prevent carbon monoxide poisoning of both the farmers and the chickens.

3. Hydrogen sulfide gives off the smell of rotten eggs and generally accumulates on the ground; the closer to the ground, the higher its concentration. If the smell of hydrogen sulfide is detected in the higher parts of the chicken house, it means the hydrogen sulfide in the chicken house has seriously exceeded the standard.

If the surface of copper utensils gradually turns black, white precipitates appear on the surface of galvanized ironware, or black art pigment slowly fades, then when these changes appear, you can judge whether the air contains too much hydrogen sulfide. When these three harmful gases are excessive, measures should be taken in time, such as appropriately increasing ventilation and replacing litter, so as to reduce the harm to gamecocks.

5. Pay timely attention to the state of droppings

The droppings of healthy gamecocks are soft and thin, in light gray strips, with some white urates on them. If the droppings contain blood and vary greatly in color, it means the gamecocks show signs of disease. Infectious bronchitis and infectious bursal disease will cause the droppings of gamecocks to be yellow-white. When gamecocks suffer from Newcastle disease, they will pass yellow-white and green watery droppings. If bloody droppings appear in the gamecock house, it means the gamecocks are infected with coccidiosis. When the above symptoms occur, find the sick chickens and isolate them for treatment.

6. Provide reasonable lighting

Besides the lighting needed for brooding, laying gamecocks also need a certain amount of light, and during this period attention must also be paid to the intensity of the light.

7. Pay attention to abnormal sounds

Healthy chickens will not make abnormal sounds, while sick gamecocks will make coughing sounds, which indicates chronic respiratory disease, infectious bronchitis, and Newcastle disease.

8. Isolate sick chickens in time

During the growth period of gamecocks, whether chicks, growing chickens, or laying chickens, there will be a small number of thin and weak chickens that die for various reasons. This is normal. Generally, the mortality rate of chicks does not exceed about 0.05%, that of growing chickens does not exceed about 0.01%, and that of laying chickens does not exceed about 0.03%. If a large number of dead chickens appear, isolate and treat them in time.