Resources

Documents

Download training manuals, checklists, and instructional documents.

Videos

Our training video series explores topics in brooding, record keeping, poultry housing, and nutrition.

Apps & More

The FeedMix app will be available at no cost from app sites. The app will enable farmers to simply tick boxes of available feedstuffs (maize, cassava, etc.) and the type of birds being grown to calculate a basic diet.
Documents

The Poultry Multiplication Initiative Brooder Unit Manual

The World Poultry Foundation has developed this Brooding Manual to assist in the proper care and production of healthy dual-purpose chicks. This training manual has been developed to guide and assist in the proper management and care for flock of day-old chicks. It has been formatted in Chapter form to make navigation of the manual user-friendly. Each chapter is designated for a specific management category, although there will be some overlap among the chapters. The Brooder Unit is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic.

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Small-scale Producer (SSP) Training Resources

As part of the APMI Program, the Small-scale Producer (SSPs) Training Resources were created to provide SSPs with convenient visual and video guides to support dual-purpose poultry production. These resources serve as a visuals to assist SSPs in successfully raising dual-purpose poultry (DPP). Our Small-scale producer materials are now available in English, Bemba, Chinyanja, French, Mandinka, Ndebele, Jola Wolof, Krio, Shona, Swahili and Tonga.

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Field Service Representative Tip Cards

As part of the APMI Program, the Field Service Representative (FSRs) Tip Cards were created to provide on-the-ground FSRs with a convenient reference guide. These cards serve as a quick resource to assist FSRs in supporting Brooder Units and farmers who are raising dual-purpose poultry (DPP).

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Training Manual For Hatchery Operations In Vietnam

The World Poultry Foundation sponsored a multi-year hatchery improvement program for small independent owners in the northern region of Vietnam.

DOWNLOAD ENGLISH VERSION TẢI VỀ PHIÊN BẢN TIẾNG VIỆT READ MORE

Training Worksheets

The World Poultry Foundation prepared this set of worksheets to help manage a poultry house. The worksheets cover topics such as poultry house capacity, weighing chicks, crop fill and properly locating thermometers.

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Training Checklists

The World Poultry Foundation developed this collection of checklists to help manage poutlry houses, with helpful lists covering chick arrival, weighing your chicks, morning & evening recommended routines, feed, vaccinations and biosecurity.

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Manuel De Gestion Des Unités D’élevage (Manual for Livestock Farm Management)

The Manual for Livestock Farm Management (Manuel De Gestion Des Unités D’élevage) was produced as part of the “Conserving the Biodiversity of Northern Congo by Diversifying the Livelihoods of Bushmeat Value Chain Agents and Increasing Poultry Production” program in the Republic of Congo (RoC) to support production of dual-purpose Sasso birds in RoC.

TÉLÉCHARGER FRANÇAIS READ MORE
Videos
Brooding Record-Keeping Poultry Housing Small Scale Production Translated Playlists
Brooding

Introduction

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Preparing the House

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  • Cleaning and disinfecting the poultry house after each flock is a critical component of successful brooding
  • All organic matter must be removed from the house and disposed of properly
  • After the house is cleaned, make any necessary repairs to the floor, sidewalls, curtains, wire mesh, and roof
  • Proper and complete use of disinfectants must be utilized after all organic matter has been removed from the house
  • The house should sit empty for a recommended 14 days before your next flock

Zone of Comfort

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  • Have the house properly heated and all feed and water within the house prior to the arrival of the chicks
  • You need a minimum of 5 cm (2 inches) of bedding material
  • Have a minimum of one heat source for every 100 chicks
  • Eliminate cool spots and air drafts within the brooding chamber
  • Maintain a minimum of 29 degrees Celsius (84F) for the first week.
  • Observe your chick’s behaviors closely for signs of stress.

Feed

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  • Have feed and water out prior to the arrival of your birds
  • Avoid wastage of feed
  • Purchase blended feed from a reputable vendor
  • Make sure the particle size of the feed is appropriate for the age of your birds
  • Store feed in a dry rodent-proof area
  • After 5 weeks of age, only small amounts of supplemental feed may be required for dual-purpose breeds
  • Make sure birds always have access to clean water

Water Supply

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  • At normal temperatures, chickens typically consume twice as much water as feed and during periods of high temperature, water consumption can double or triple
  • The first water the chick sees and drinks upon arrival must be at room temperature to avoid chilling of the chicks and creating quality and stunting issues.
  • If the quality of water is such that you will not drink it, then it is not good enough for the chickens
  • Regularly wash the waterers in soap and water and apply any simple disinfectant that you have access to
  • Place 1 waterer for every 50 chicks, spaced evenly across the room.  Pay attention to the height of the waterers so birds can drink, but also keeps litter out of the drinker

Litter

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  • Always keep litter dry
  • Dry litter hinders bacteria and mold growth and helps control ammonia levels
  • Material used for litter should be highly absorbent, lightweight, and non-toxic
  • Check regularly to assure drinkers are properly maintained and not leaking water
  • Used litter has value as a fertilizer for crop production
Record-Keeping

Vaccinations

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  • Purchasing a hatchery-vaccinated day-old chick for brooding provides a healthier bird
  • Although the hatchery will vaccinate the chick, booster vaccinations at the brooder unit may also be required
  • Consultation with a poultry health professional will provide insight into booster timing and need for your flock
  • Vaccines stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies in chicks, providing them immunity to diseases and should be given to healthy birds
  • Vaccines need to be transported and stored at certain temperatures (between 2 – 8 degrees C) or their quality/effectiveness may be affected
  • Vaccines do have expiration dates, be sure to check your expiration date before use
  • Most vaccines can be delivered through water, but directions for doing so must be followed exactly
  • After vaccinating or giving a vaccination booster, keep record of the date and lot number for your vaccine

Managing for Success

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  • You cannot manage what you do not measure
  • Keeping records and checking for FLAWS provides you the opportunity to become a better manager and produce healthier birds
  • You should keep daily and weekly records and observational notes when you are in the poultry house – do not rely on your memory to fill in the form at a later time
  • Keeping records allows you to compare one flock to another, and identify and correct any production or management problems
  • Keeping records will allow you to calculate the amount of income you have made on each flock
Poultry Housing

Biosecurity

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  • Biosecurity on the farm is important for your family’s health as well as the health of your chickens
  • Biosecurity is a set of preventive measures designed to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious diseases between people and livestock
  • Immediately repair any holes in the walls, wire mesh and roof which may allow for rodents, snakes, birds and other animals to enter the poultry house
  • Before you or anyone else enters the poultry house be certain that everyone has washed their hands with soap and water.  Also wash after leaving the house.
  • Have a set of plastic boots just outside the poultry house door to wear when entering the house.  These boots should be cleaned daily.

Poultry Housing

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  • All poultry houses must protect chickens from unfavorable weather conditions, provide good ventilation, and have some means to control the temperature
  • All houses should have solid floors and walls which can easily be cleaned and disinfected
  • All houses must protect the chickens from predators, water leaks, wild birds, snakes, rodents, and diseases
  • You must inspect the house on a regular basis and repair any holes in walls, curtains, screens, and cracks in the floor
  • The house needs to have electricity and a close, clean water source
Small Scale Production

Small-Scale Production

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  • Purchase birds from a brooder to assure you acquired chickens which have been properly brooded and vaccinated
  • At night, take care to confine the birds in an area with access to fresh water
  • Train hens to lay in the coop and collect eggs every day
  • It is best not to try and hatch eggs from dual-purpose birds as offspring will not perform to your expectations
  • Keeping birds is a way to enhance family income and improve diets

Diet Diversity

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  • Dual-purpose breeds grow faster and produce more eggs than local breeds
  • Additional egg production should first be consumed at home, especially by young children, pregnant women and new mothers
  • Excess eggs and market weight males may be sold to pay fees, expand the current flock and provide for diet diversity
  • Young children should always be kept away from chickens, especially when the birds are confined, to reduce the chance of transmission of disease to the child
  • Store eggs in a clean, dry and cool place to protect their quality and food safety
  • Eggs with cracked and broken shells should be discarded
Translated Playlists

Poultry Training Videos in French

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Poultry Training Videos in Swahili

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Poultry Training Videos in Spanish

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Thank you to Silverlands for their support in creating the videos.

Apps & More

New FeedMixer App Create New FeedMix My Saved FeedMixes View Ingredients Library

The FeedMixer App

Feed quality and access in the rural areas is a challenge for farmers and producers in the developing countries. Due to this, many producers blend their own feed from locally available feedstuffs for their livestock. This presents a problem, not only in formulation accuracy for the nutritional needs for their locally produced poultry, but also in the use of optimal ingredients for poultry diets.

Recognizing this challenge, the World Poultry Foundation funded the development of a Feed App through partnership with the University of Georgia. This feed App (FeedMixer), is now available at no cost from App sites, allowing farmers a simple way to mix a nutritious and cost effective feed mixes for their birds.

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