In livestock farming, floor space is very important. Spacing have a tremendous effect on the growth and general welfare of livestock. Poor performance cannot be avoided in an overcrowded pen. For laying birds (layers), the growth, laying and health performance would be greatly affected.
So a farmer or keeper needs to put the space requirements into serious consideration when planning the design and size of the pen where your flock will be kept.
The importance of spacing might not be well understood if the disadvantaged of over stocking is not well explained.
Problems of Overstocking or Overcrowding
Other problems associated with inadequate floor space for broilers includes;
- Unequal feeding and deprivation of the smaller or weak chickens
- Stunted or poor growth
- Poor health
- Poor feed conversion
- Poor laying or egg production efficiency
- Mortality due to heat stress
- Increased cases of bullying and cannibalism
- Rapid disease spread
- Incessant wetness of the litter and ammonia build-up
- Stuffy or smelly pen
Now, it is important to list the importance, benefits or advantages of knowing the floor spacing of chickens.
Advantages of Knowing Floor Spacing
- It helps in determining the holding capacity of a particular rearing pen and avoiding overstocking or understocking
- It helps to prevent space-related losses
- It enhances the welfare and performance of the flock
- It eases planning such as pen design plan and feeding plan
Having listed the salient points above, I will like to do mathematics and the answer to the popular question: what is the floor space requirement for broilers?
Floor Space Requirements for Broiler Chickens
The ideal floor space requirement per broiler chicken is 1-2 sqft (0.09-0.18 sqm), 1.5 sqft (0.14 sqm) on average. However, going as high as 2.5 sqft/bird (0.23 sqm/bird) is not bad, especially during the very hot seasons. Don’t forget this value is for adult birds (around 8 weeks), therefore, if you are looking at raising younger broiler chickens like 0-4 weeks old, then you can go for a lesser floor space such as 0.75 sqft/bird.
Floor Space Requirements for Layers
The ideal floor space requirement per broiler chicken is 1.7-1.9 sqft or 0.16-0.18 sqm. This is the recommended floor space for a layer chicken raised on deep-litter and above 18 weeks old.
You can also calculate the stocking density or floor space based on the live body weight of the broiler chickens.
Floor space for 1 broiler at 2.3 kg is 0.97 sqft (0.09 sqm). Therefore, for 100 broilers it is 0.97 X 100 = 97 sqft. It’s as simple as ABC.
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