Maintaining Hens in Cold

Weather

David Engel

Technical Manager – Eastern Canada & NE U.S.

Points to Cover

• Canadian housing

• Ventilation

• Feeding

• Bird condition

Ontario Breeder Farm

January 14, 2015

Canadian Housing

Canadian Housing

• Solid wall housing

• Built for winter conditions

• Insulated to help maintain temperature

– R20 in the walls

– R40 in the ceiling

– Curtain R values = 2-6

• Most use space heaters

– 175,000 BTU (2) for 13,000 sq. ft. pen

Canadian Housing

• Concrete floors have blue styrofoam

insulation to keep cold from coming up

through the floor

• Fans not used in the winter time have

insulated winter covers on them

• Well fitted doors with insulation around

them to keep them from leaking

Covered Fan

Minimum Ventilation

• Continuous vents

– Long inlets that run almost the entire length

of the barn

– Difficult to manage for proper pressure and

throw

• Small fans

– Many 16”, 24” and a few 36” fans

– Variable speed

Barn Layout

Continuous Vent

Continuous Vent

Continuous Inlet w/Minimum Vent Insert

New Brunswick Breeder Barn

Attic Inlets

Ventilation

POOR INLET VIDEO

*Video courtesy of Auburn University

GOOD INLET VIDEO

*Video courtesy of Auburn University

Inlet Management

• Air Mixing

• Temperature

• Moisture Removal

• Fuel Use

-1.1°C 4.4°C 10°C

15.5°C

21.1°C

26.6°C

Stratification (No Stir Fans - 13˚F Temperature Difference)

83.6°F

99.0°F

85

90

95

86.1

89.6

94.2

99.4

92.1

97.4

WITH STIR FANS = 2˚ F TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE

*Photo courtesy of Auburn University

STIR FAN VIDEO CLIP

*Video courtesy of Auburn University

Inlet Management & Fuel Usage

• Static good

• Temp good

• Air mixing poor

• Litter quality poor

• Need at least 2”

opening in most cases

to get the proper air

throw

*Photo courtesy of Auburn University

Spray Foam on Curtains

*Photo courtesy of Auburn University

Energy Requirements

Hen’s energy requirement

•Maintenance

•Growth

•Egg Production

•Activity

Maintenance energy

0

100

200

300

400

2 2.5 3 3.5 4

kcal/day

Body Weight (kg)

Energy needed for an egg

100

110

120

130

140

150

50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68

kcal/egg

Egg Weight (g)

Feeding Hens in the Wintertime

•With fall-to-winter drops in temperature, where

interior heaters are under-used or non-existent, more

maintenance energy will be expended by the bird

•Anticipate this! It happens every year

•Approach A: adjust daily allotment upward by 1 pound

per hundred per day. This provides another 13 calories

per hen per day

•Approach B (best): raise feed formula calories by 20-25

calories per pound of feed (not protein); this will

provide another 9 calories per hen per day

•THE GOAL: To prevent in-lay weight loss and

production drops

•With fall-to-winter drops in temperature, where

interior heaters are under-used or non-existent, more

maintenance energy will be expended by the bird

•Anticipate this! It happens every year

•Approach A: adjust daily allotment upward by 1 pound

per hundred per day. This provides another 13 calories

per hen per day

•Approach B (best): raise feed formula calories by 20-25

calories per pound of feed (not protein); this will

provide another 9 calories per hen per day

•THE GOAL: To prevent in-lay weight loss and

production drops

Feeding Hens in the Wintertime

•With fall-to-winter drops in temperature, where

interior heaters are under-used or non-existent, more

maintenance energy will be expended by the bird

•Anticipate this! It happens every year

•Approach A: adjust daily allotment upward by 1 pound

per hundred per day. This provides another 13 calories

per hen per day

•Approach B (best): raise feed formula calories by 20-25

calories per pound of feed (not protein); this will

provide another 9 calories per hen per day

•THE GOAL: To prevent in-lay weight loss and

production drops

Feeding Hens in the Wintertime

•With fall-to-winter drops in temperature, where

interior heaters are under-used or non-existent, more

maintenance energy will be expended by the bird

•Anticipate this! It happens every year

•Approach A: adjust daily allotment upward by 1 pound

per hundred per day. This provides another 13 calories

per hen per day

•Approach B (best): raise feed formula calories by 20-25

calories per pound of feed (not protein); this will

provide another 9 calories per hen per day

•THE GOAL: To prevent in-lay weight loss and

production drops

Feeding Hens in the Wintertime

•With fall-to-winter drops in temperature, where

interior heaters are under-used or non-existent, more

maintenance energy will be expended by the bird

•Anticipate this! It happens every year

•Approach A: adjust daily allotment upward by 1 pound

per hundred per day. This provides another 13 calories

per hen per day

•Approach B (best): raise feed formula calories by 20-25

calories per pound of feed (not protein); this will

provide another 9 calories per hen per day

•THE GOAL: To prevent in-lay weight loss and

production drops

Feeding Hens in the Wintertime

Bird Condition

Bird Condition at Light Stimulation

• Females should be in the proper condition at

first light stimulation with >95% having a

fleshing of 3 & 4 and >90% having fat reserves

present

• A 33%-35% bodyweight gain from 16 to 20

weeks is needed

Female Fleshing

95%

41

At lighting

Fat reserve

Fleshing and Fat Scores

Summary

• Canadian houses are built for winter time

conditions, utilizing solid walls, very good

insulation and supplemental heat

• Minimum ventilation systems should allow for

you to utilize the “free” heat at the peak of the

ceiling

• When needed, feed amounts or feed

formulation (calories) should be increased to

help meet the birds energy requirements during

cold weather – ANTICIPATE THIS!!!

• The birds should be carrying the correct fleshing

and fat reserve at light stimulation

Questions?