Chapter 2: Carry out chick brooding

Chick brooding is a critical stage in poultry production, involving the care and management of day-old chicks to ensure their survival, health, and growth. In Kenya, where poultry farming ranges from smallholder setups to commercial farms, proper brooding practices significantly impact flock performance and farmer income. Effective brooding requires specialized tools, equipment, and materials tailored to provide optimal temperature, ventilation, hygiene, and nutrition. This chapter focuses on the essential brooder tools and equipment necessary for successful chick brooding in Kenyan poultry production systems.

2.1 Chick brooder tools, equipment and materials

Day-old chicks cannot keep their own body temperature steady, so for the first weeks the keeper supplies the warmth, feed, water and clean air that a hen would give. The brooder tools and equipment do that work, and a missing or poor item shows up quickly as chilled, crowded or thirsty chicks and early deaths. The table lists the items a brooder needs and the sections after it explain how each one is chosen and used.

Brooder thermometer

The brooder thermometer shows whether the brooder is giving the right warmth, and one in each brooding pen lets the keeper find cold or hot spots. It is hung at the height of the chicks' backs, near the edge of the warm area and away from direct heat, so that it reads the air the chicks breathe rather than the lamp. Read it at fixed times each day and compare it with the target for the age of the chicks given under monitoring of microclimate. A thermometer that has been dropped or that reads differently from a second one should be replaced.

Charcoal jiko

A charcoal jiko is a metal stove that burns charcoal. It suits a small brooder where there is no power, and it is cheap to run. It gives off carbon monoxide, so the house must be ventilated and the jiko must never be used in a sealed room. Place it on a firm, non-flammable base inside a metal guard or under a hover, away from litter and curtains, and have someone light it before the chicks arrive, so that the house is warm and any smoke has cleared. Do not leave it unattended for long, because a jiko cannot be thermostat controlled and needs topping up and adjusting through the night.

Infra-red bulb

An infra-red bulb warms the chicks directly under it, in the way a hen's body does. Bulbs of 175 W or 250 W are common in small brooders. Hang the lamp from a chain so that its height can be adjusted, and use a reflector shade and a ceramic holder that can take the heat. Chicks crowd under the lamp if it is too low or the house is cold, and they spread out and avoid it if it is too hot. The weakness of this heat source is that a power cut stops it, so a back-up such as a gas burner should be ready.

Gas burner

A gas burner brooder uses LPG from a cylinder and heats a larger group of chicks than a lamp does. It usually has a hover or canopy so that heat is spread over the chick area. Fit a regulator and a good hose, keep the cylinder outside the house or in a ventilated place, and test for leaks with soapy water, never with a flame. A burner needs a flame that burns blue and steady, and a yellow, smoking flame means poor combustion and carbon monoxide. Gas is easy to adjust, which makes it the more controllable of the fuel-burning heat sources.

Kerosene lamp

A kerosene lamp or stove burner is a simple heat source used when other sources are unavailable. Keep the wick trimmed and the glass clean so that the lamp burns without smoke, and fill the tank before lighting, never while it is burning. Place it on a stable surface under a guard and well away from litter, because a knocked-over lamp is a serious fire risk. Smoke and fumes irritate chicks' lungs, so keep fresh air moving through the house.

Chick feeder

Day-old chicks eat from shallow trays or low troughs that they can see and reach easily, which is why chick feeders are used instead of the larger feeders for grown birds. For the first days feed is often spread on paper or a tray beside the water, so chicks find it quickly. Low sides stop chicks scratching feed out, and a smooth surface washes clean. Add feed little and often so that it stays fresh, and give more feeder space as the flock grows so that all chicks can eat at the same time and grow evenly.

Chick drinker

Chick drinkers are small founts or bell drinkers with a narrow ring of water, so that chicks can reach the water without falling in. Chilled, wet chicks die, so spilled water that soaks the litter should be mopped up straight away, and pebbles or marbles in a drinker tray reduce the risk of drowning in very young chicks. Place drinkers near the heat source and between feeders, wash them daily, and raise them as the chicks grow so that the water is at the height of the chicks' backs.

Hygrometer

A hygrometer measures the relative humidity of the air in the brooder. Air that is too dry gives dusty air and dehydrated chicks, and air that is too wet gives damp litter, ammonia and disease. Hang it beside the thermometer and read both together, because the effect of humidity depends on the temperature. The reading is compared with the target for the age of the chicks, as described under monitoring of microclimate.

Other brooding materials

• Litter: dry, clean, dust-free wood shavings, rice husks or chopped dry straw spread on the floor to absorb moisture and give grip. Remove any wet or caked litter.
• Feed scoops and storage bins: a covered, rodent-proof bin keeps feed dry, and a scoop of fixed size gives equal portions each time.
• Brooder guard: a circular or rectangular barrier of cardboard, metal or plastic that keeps chicks close to the heat and food in the first days and keeps them out of corners where they can pile up.

Care of brooder tools and equipment

• Daily checks: look at drinkers for leaks and blocked nipples, at feeders for cracks and sharp edges, and at the heat source for damaged wires, hoses or wicks.
• Cleaning: wash feeders and drinkers every day, and wipe lamps and reflectors so that dust does not build up.
• Safety: keep fuel and lamps away from litter, keep a bucket of sand or a fire extinguisher close by, and never refill a hot burner.
• Spare parts: keep spare bulbs, wicks and drinker parts, because a failure at night leaves chicks cold.

Adapting brooder equipment to Kenyan conditions

• Where electricity is unreliable, keepers back up an infra-red lamp with a gas burner or a charcoal jiko, and plan for the colder hours before dawn.
• A guard made from timber, wire mesh or cardboard costs less than an imported plastic one and does the same job.
• A simple float valve on a header tank keeps the water level in a drinker steady without power.

Chapter Summary

This chapter covered the essential tools, equipment, and materials required for effective chick brooding, emphasizing their proper selection and use. It detailed the principles and methods for constructing a functional brooder that provides a safe and comfortable environment for young chicks. Procedures for disinfecting brooders and related equipment were explained to prevent disease outbreaks. The chapter also addressed the correct setup of brooder equipment to ensure optimal conditions for chick growth. Monitoring the microclimate inside the brooder was highlighted as crucial for maintaining appropriate temperature and humidity levels. Feeding practices tailored to the nutritional needs of brooding chicks were discussed to promote healthy development. The importance of bio-safety facilities and structures was outlined to minimize risks of contamination. Additionally, vaccination protocols during brooding were explained, alongside strategies for predator control to protect vulnerable chicks. Finally, the chapter underscored the need for accurate record-keeping and effective waste management to support sustainable and hygienic brooding operations.