Don't Take For Granted

You always have to check caretakers, even after you have tried to teach them (granting that you know what you are doing too). We made a quick trip today to check on brooding this week in a new developed area. New caretaker too, so Doc Rey wanted to see how he followed...

Can you spot the mistakes from here?



Ok good. He has his hammock there. Radio playing...I forgot to tell him to tset it to the radio station where we broadcast our info ads in Isabela...that should be his audio bibles :) I take the radio was for him, and not for the chicks.

Maybe now at closer view, you can?

Maybe you can't tell too? Common sense in brooding is not really common sense to a non knowing like me also.

Since I have some knowledge already after all the seminars, farm visits, and listening to Doc Rey...this is what I can tell:

1) Infrared bulbs were sent to be used. What was sent was 150w each and I sent six (6) pcs. We were brooding five hundred (500). He just used four (4) all in one side and had incandescent bulbs on the other side. I heard Doc Rey asking him (his way of teaching the how and the why) if the chicks last night were bunched under the red bulbs and not merrily walking around.

2) The rat protection is better when there are no corners where there may be a tendency to group and they can get crushed. Doc Rey reminded him that he was told to make that in an Oval shape. Ideally round, but it will be difficult to go around the pen with a big circle in the middle.

3) There were no standby heaters. There were drums outside and the ricehull were ready in sacks too. He should have had them ready and staged on pedestal hollowblocks (w/c were sitting quite far so it will be difficult to put together incase of a power outage in the middle of the night).

Aside from the above, these I heard from Doc Rey:

1) Set the basin feeders near the heater bulbs. If it is cold, they will want to stay near the bulbs and of the food is far, they won't go to eat.

2) Set the drinkers horizontally instead of vertically. Again, set it under the bulbs. Same concept. Make food and water accessible to them even when the temperature is low.

As I was studying picture now as I used it for the topic....it dawned on me that it will be better it the grouping was divided into two (2) or three (3) of those iron sheets. That was, the caretaker goes around the groups, changed the water and cleans out basins with out stepping on beddings. Maybe that was the reason caretaker opted to set the waterers and basins near the edge...so he can easily reach out.

Oh well.....we will be back later at the farm to eat freshly picked veggies. I will discuss that with Doc Rey :)

Wet Season

We can't deny the rainy season is here.

What should you look after?

1) Are they feeling cold? They group/pile together to get heat from one another.
1watt per bird is the recommended for brooding them. Depending on the temperature, you may add more bulbs to keep them comfortable. Instead of using one 100watt bulb for 100 Sunshines, use 10 10watt bulbs or 4 25watt bulbs so the heat will be distributed well.

2) Are they getting wet?
Make sure their housing in not flooded. Elevate housing/flooring if you must. Change beddings often to keep them dry and clean.

3) Do they have fresh air? Is there a strong odor when you open their pens?
Most people make the mistake of enveloping the pen using sacks, curtains etc. The Sunshines need fresh air, even during rainy season. Remember that air comes from below and exits above. So make sure they have vents for the intake and exhaust of air. Do not suffocate them. Create wind breakers around the cages, but do not block off fresh air.

How you feel is how they feel also. Use your senses to guide you in looking after your Sunshines.

Brooding In Warm Weather Ala TJ

TJ knew how uncomfortable staying indoors are these days, for the caretaker and his Sunshine chicks. He decided to brood outdoors, in the very same ranging pen. He set up the infrared brooding bulbs, just a few and have planned fallback positions of the Sunshines needed more heat. The photo shows the bulbs are positioned too high and he had been advised.

He set up the metal sheet around the brooding space. What does the metal sheet do? Partition? Wall? More importantly, it secures the chicks from predators like rats, as they can't climb the slippery surface.

Earthlink Farm's 2nd 200

Earthlink is my evening chat over YM. Destresses me....makulit lang, but overall easy to deal with :)

We are now on vigil for the cute 2nd batch.

See the newly arrived chicks, infrared brooding bulbs ready and warmed brooders, feeders are filled, waterers checked.

Infrared Red Brooding Bulbs

When asked what we suggest to use for brooding, we reply that we personally like to use infrared red brooding bulbs.

These bulbs are designed to give out heat. Unlike the incandescent bulbs that were meant to emit light and expire in a few days, these infrared bulbs are built to last and come out to be very fairly priced in the long run.

Comes in clear and red. The red bulbs were designed for poultry use, to limit feather picking.

Take a peek at the Sunshine hatch of 30 November. We are now brooding 3000 heads for a Southern Luzon client who wanted ready to free range Sunshines. The photos were taken at day1 and day3.

See how they move at day4. For the Ilokanos out there....you might get brooding pointers here.