How to start 120,000 layers farm in Africa
Time : 2021-11-12

Basic information

The economical growing of 120,000 chickens starts from the correct and adequate design of the building, appropriate breed and the environment of the location. The designs of the poultry house for hens or broilers in some countries are not always based on engineering and scientific foundation, but on some incorrect information, and practices or lack of accurate information. For these reasons and others there is a high mortality rate

In absence of scientific and engineering aspects and rules in poultry housing design that led to different sizes and many non-standard types of sheds. In many situations, it is not adequate for large production, or using standard mechanization (feeding, drinking systems) for poultry production

Selecting the correct dimensions for the poultry house helps in use of standard mechanization and adequate design of the ventilation system. Not using scientific rules in poultry building design could create production problems, high production cost, lower returns, and wastage of different types of energy

A part of my company's chicken house design, for reference only

105,300 pullets H5 automatic pullet chicken cage's house drawing2.Jpeg


Features

1. To protect birds from adverse climatic conditions

2. To ensure easy and economic operation

3. To ensure scientific feeding in a controlled manner

4. To facilitate proper micro-climatic conditions in a near vicinity of bird

5. Effective disease control measures

6. To ensure proper supervision


Series of products to serve the poultry farm fully, click the name to learn more

1. Steel structure poultry house, opening type for hot countries and close type for cool countries

2. Poultry hatching equipment’s capacity of eggs up to 120,000+ to be hatching house

3. Chicken rearing cage and equipment of layer, day old chicken, brooder, broiler and chicken parents

4. Chicken feed processing equipment from feed crushing and mixing to stock to feeding chicken

5. Paper egg tray manufacturing equipment, the output from 1000 trays per hour to 6000 trays per hour

6. Egg processing equipment from automatic egg collection to packing egg to trays

7. Chicken slaughtering equipment from slaughter to vacuum package

8. Chicken manure cleaning and drying equipment to control the water content in chicken manure between 10% and 40%

9. Other poultry farm equipment are coming soon...

Bookmark our website and contact us now to discuss your modern poultry farm plan and quotation


Poultry house construction

1. Size

each of the chickens requires one square foot of floor space while a layer requires two square feet of floor space under deep litter system of rearing.  So the size of the house depends on the number of birds to be reared

2. Length

The length of the house can be of any extent.  The number of birds reared and availability of the land determines the length of poultry house

3. Width

The open sided poultry houses in tropical countries should have a width not more than 22 to 25 feet in order to allow ample ventilation and aeration at the mid portion.  Sheds wider than this will not provide adequate ventilation during the hot weather.  If the width of the shed is more than 25 feet, ridge ventilation at the middle line of the roof top with proper overhang is a must.  Hot air and obnoxious gases which are lighter than air move upward and escape through ridge ventilation.  In environmentally controlled poultry houses, the width of the house may be even 40 feet or more since the ventilation is controlled with the help of exhaust fans

4. Height

The height of the sides from foundation to the roof line should be 6 to 7 feet (eaves height) and at the center 10 to 12 feet.  In case of cage houses, the height is decided by the type of cage arrangements (3 tier or 4 tier)

5. Foundation

good foundation is essential to prevent seepage of water into the poultry sheds.  The foundation of the house should of concrete with 1 to 1.5 feet below the surface and 1 to 1.5 feet above the ground level

6. Floor

the floor should be made of concrete with rat proof device and free from dampness.  The floor of the house should be extended 1.5 feet outside the wall on all sides to prevent rat and snake problems

7. Doors

The door must be open outside in case of deep litter poultry houses. The size of door is preferably 6 x 2.5 feet.  At the entry, a foot bath should be constructed to fill with a disinfectant

8. Side walls

The side wall should be of 1 to 1.5 feet height, and generally at the level of bird’s back height.  This side wall protects the bird during rainy days or chill climate and also provides sufficient ventilation.  In case of cage houses, no side wall is needed

9. Roof

The roof of the poultry house may be thatched, tiled, asbestos or concrete one depending upon the cost involvement. Different types of roofs are shed, gable, half-monitor, full-monitor (monitor), flat concrete, gambrel, gothic etc.  Gable type is mostly preferred in tropical countries

10. Overhang

the overhang of the roof should not be less than 3.5 feet in order to prevent the entry of rain water into the shell

11. Lighting

Light should be provided at 7 to 8 feet above the ground level and must be hanged from ceiling.  If incandescent bulbs are used, the interval between two bulbs is 10 feet.  In case of fluorescent lights (tube lights) the interval is 15 feet


Principles

1. Poultry house should be located away from residential and industrial area

2. It should have proper road facilities

3. It should have the basic amenities like water and electricity

4. Availability of farm labourers at relatively cheaper wages

5. poultry house should be located in an elevated area and there should not be any water logging

6. It should have proper ventilation

7. Litter moisture should be around 15 to 25%

8. Air flow should be 10 to 30 meters/minute


Different types of poultry house

1. Free range or extensive system

The free range system of poultry housing refers to the method of housing birds so that they have the opportunity to roam around the farm. The free range poultry housing system is, in fact, the oldest system of housing birds in poultry farming. It is the oldest method of poultry rearing. Generally, a very small number of birds (say, maximum of 10 to 12 birds per farmer’s family) are reared in this system, though in totality a huge number of birds are reared in this system

Advantages of free range poultry house

1. Free range poultry housing requires less capital investment to construct

Feed requirements are less since birds can consume a fairly good amount of feed from grassland

2. This system helps to maintain fertility as the bird droppings mix with the soil. So, instead of confining the birds to an enclosure for 24 hours, they have at least a part of the day to roam freely outdoors

3. This system is perfect for poultry farmers who own a very large portion of land.

4. One of the features of a free range pen is the provision of shelter, greens, feed, water, shade, etc. For the birds

2. Semi intensive poultry housing

The semi intensive poultry housing system is a system that is common among small scale poultry farmers. This system of poultry rearing is partly free range and partly intensive type. In this system, there is a poultry house followed by a run

Advantages of the semi intensive poultry housing system

1. It is a more economical use of land in comparison to the free range system

2. To an extent, you can apply scientific management operations in this system

3. Intensive system housing

This system is the most efficient, convenient, and economical system for modern poultry production with huge numbers. Commercial poultry farming is done only with this system. There are different types of intensive poultry housing systems such as

Deep litter system

Slated or wired floor system

Combination of the slatted floor and deep litter system

Cage system or battery system

Deep litter system

This system is widely used for scientific and successful poultry farming. It is very popular for small as well as large units of commercial poultry farms. In another word, it is known as the deep litter poultry system with a chicken coop

Requirements for deep litter system

1. The floor of the chicken house with beddings or good litter materials

2. A good litter material for your poultry farm could be straw, sawdust or leaves to the depth of 2 to 3 inches

3. The essence of the litter materials is to prevent the direct contact of the birds with the bare floor

4. This type of poultry house saves labour and time in the frequent cleaning of chicken droppings. However, it needs periodical stirring

5. Bird density for the deep litter system is about 4 to 6 birds per square meter

6. There is easy access to feed, water, and egg collection

7. With low masonry walls set on a concrete floor and wire mesh on the upper part of the walls, the building excludes rats and birds

4. Slatted or wire floor poultry system

When you don’t want to use a deep litter system, you can opt for slatted or wire floor poultry housing

General characteristics of slatted poultry house

1. You can build the house on treated wooden piers 0.8 to 1m above the ground

2. This system allows a lot of ventilation into the house and is easy for removing chicken droppings

3. The stocking for this system can be 6 to 8 per square meter

4. You may decide to roof the building with a thatch roof or corrugated iron roof

5. If you use the iron roof for the poultry pen, then you need to put some insulation under the roof

6. Because of the size of this type of building, feeding, watering & egg collection is done from outside the house

7. Cooler houses but expensive and suitable for the adult bird only

5. Slat floor cum litter system

This system combines both the features and advantages of the slat system with that of the deep litter system

General characteristics of slat floor cum litter system

1. This system combines both the features and advantages of the slat system with that of the deep litter system

2. It has slats on either side of the house against each side wall leaving the central portion for the littered floor

3. The water and feeding trough for this system are placed on the slatted area so that wastes can drop to the floor through the slots

4. You can also have drinkers and feeders in the litter area too

5. With this system, you can maintain a bird density up to 5 to 7 per square meter.

6. This system is actually good if you are producing broilers or going into the production of eggs for hatching

7. In the case of the latter, you will need to provide nest boxes on the litter area for the hens

6. Cage or battery system housing

It is the latest system of poultry rearing. Floor space requirement for birds is the least in this system. Floor space requirements; generally, the breadth and height of the cage are 1 foot and 1% foot respectively; and the length depends on the number of birds to be kept in the cage. However, it is better not to keep more than 10-12 birds per cage

Structure of the cages

The birds are confined in a cage just large enough to permit limited movement and allow them to stand and sit comfortably. The cage is made up of strong galvanized wire and a tray is fixed underneath the floor for the collection of droppings. The feeder and waterer remain outside the cage


Classifications of poultry house design

1. Open sided poultry house

Most of the poultry houses in the world are conventional or open sided that is, they rely on the free flow of air through the house for ventilation. Certain requirements must be met if such a ventilated house is to provide an adequate environment. Care in following these rules during the course of construction will avoid pitfalls later. The width of the open sided poultry house should be about 30 ft (9.8 m) and no more than 40 ft (12.2 m) wide. Houses that are wider will not provide ample ventilation during hot weather. Wide houses also require additional interior supports that may interfere with equipment or manure removal

This width recommendation is basic for growing birds, broilers, and laying hens. Most open sided houses have a stud that is 8 ft. (2.4 m) long. The stud represents the distance from the foundation to the roofline. In areas where the temperature is exceptionally high throughout the year, the stud length should be increased to 10 ft. (3 m). High rise houses, with manure storage areas below the cages or slats, should be as high as 14 ft. (4.3 m) or more at the eaves and length of the house. Poultry houses may be almost any convenient length. The terrain on which they are to be built often determines the length; rolling land means more grading before construction can start. Because automatic feeding equipment will limit the length of the poultry house, the equipment manufacturer should be consulted about the optimum length of the feeding system. Many times the feed hopper is placed in the center of long houses to provide better use of automatic feeders

Characteristics of open-sided poultry house

Shape of roof

Practically all poultry houses built today have a gable roof, the pitch varying from one-quarter to one third. A good overhang should be provided to protect the inside from driving rains and to afford interior shade

Roof exhausts

Houses should be equipped with a covered exhaust area at the peak of the roof to allow excess heat to escape. Various systems are available to close the exhaust during the colder months in order to conserve heat

Insulation

Even with the conventional poultry house, it is well to provide some type of insulation. The roof may be insulated, using special products for this purpose, or an attic, or partial attic, may be installed. Attics should be ventilated with suction cupolas, or by vents

Raw materials

Open sided and environmentally controlled houses use a variety of building materials. The choice is dependent on the structural strength required, insulates characteristics of the material, material availability, and material cost. Galvanized steel or aluminum is most commonly used for roofing and siding. Framing is usually done with wood or steel and some houses constructed recently have used the tilt up concrete wall method of construction, cages and other equipment can be supported either from the roof trusses or from the ground. However, most of the newer multiple deck cage units are supported from the ground because of their weight

Foundation

A solid and adequate foundation should support the building

Accessories

Concrete, concrete blocks, bricks, or other permanent and termite-proof material should be used. Evenness of the foundation is important, for it will determine the evenness of the completed structure

Floor

With certain disease-control programs, a concrete or similar floor is mandatory. It is also necessary when the soil is very dense and can absorb and transfer moisture from lower subsoil, but in certain areas, where the soil is sandy, and where commercial broilers or commercial layers or breeders are kept, a concrete slab is not used when birds are placed on the floor. Cage houses usually have concrete walks to facilitate the movement of hand egg collection carts and mobile feed carts. The area beneath the cages may or may not be paved depending on the manure removal program and method

Doors

Doors at the end of the house should be large enough for a truck, tractor, or manure handling equipment to pass through. Such equipment will be used when the house is cleaned

Orientation

Houses must be oriented in a direction to take advantage of prevailing airflow patterns, orientation must also be considered relative to solar heat transfer into the building from exposed roofs or sidewalls. Pullet rearing areas should always be located upwind from adult birds

2. Open front and back sides

With this type of house most of the side areas are open. The height of the opening will be determined by climatic conditions, and by the type of bird being housed, as follows

1. Broilers and young chicks from one half to two thirds of each side is left open, the exact amount being determined by summer and winter temperatures. When both heat and cold are to be dealt with, the size of the opening should be medium. Where heat is continuous, the opening should be larger; sometimes almost all of the side is left open

2. Growing birds and layers in the opening size is greater for older birds. They should be provided with more air because bird density is greater and more ventilation is necessary, cage houses. Houses equipped with cages necessitate is the greatest amount of air movement, the bird density is the greatest of any type of flock. Sides’ should be almost completely open

3. Curtains during cold weather are necessary for young chicks and older birds should be given some protection during periods of cold weather and extreme winds. Curtains made of some durable and plastic like material usually provide this protection. They are installed down the length of the building and hung so that the entire curtain may be rolled up or down by cables and a winch located at one end of the building or by thermostatically controlled automatic winches. This construction makes it easy to regulate the size of the opening according to weather conditions an almost indispensable provision

3. Controlled environment house

A controlled environment house is one in which inside conditions are maintained as near as possible to the bird's optimum requirements. Doing so usually necessitates a completely enclosed insulated house with no windows. Air is removed from the house by exhaust fans and fresh air is brought in through intake openings. Artificial, rather than natural daylight is used to illuminate the interior. Where high outside temperatures are involved, some method of controlling the temperature inside of the house is provided. The houses are not heated except for brooders. The heat from the birds is used to keep inside temperature within the range required for maximum feed efficiencies. Much of the structural makeup of the environmentally controlled poultry house is similar to that of the house with open sides. It should have a good foundation and a gable roof. Insulation is a must; both the sides and the top should be given protection. The overhang of the roof need not be as great because the sides are completely covered. But ventilating a completely enclosed house is difficult. Details must be worked out so that air movement is adequate and evenly distributed during both hot and cold weather, a complicated procedure


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1. We provide follow up on technical support services to ensure there is a stable operation on the poultry equipment purchased by our customers

2. We offer the best equipment which can meet our customers every requirement

3. We have long time and rich experience on the products manufacturing. If any machine operation questions after sales, we will reply you within 24 hours with solutions. And customer can be rest assured

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6. We recommend suitable products based on customer’s availability resources


Frequently ask questions

Q: What is to be considered when constructing a poultry house in Africa?

A: The major things you have to look out for when constructing a poultry house in  Africa is to know the size of land that can contain the amount of birds you want to rear, the location and the environment

Q: What is the best poultry housing for poultry?

A: Battery cages remain the best poultry house for birds

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