Pheasant Brooding Facilities
This content delves into the intricacies of pheasant breeding and brooding, providing an overview of the equipment and techniques used to create a safe and healthy environment for the birds. With a capacity of 70,000 birds during peak months, the barns act as a simulated environment for the birds. The article explores the use of proportioners for providing electrolytes and vitamins, brooder scheduling, and climate-controlled rooms. The content also provides information on manually controlled areas, food, and water arrangements, automatic feed systems, and ventilation methods for pheasant brooding barns.
MacFarlane Pheasants Farm Tour – Brooder Barn
During peak months, 70,000 birds will be housed in the barns. That number will stay consistent for 2-3 months. These barns act as a staged environment that the birds would encounter if they were just born.
Proportioners are used to provide the birds with electrolytes and vitamins in the beginning and during times of stress in their life. They are also used to help maintain a healthy PH level in the water lines. Chlorine at 2 ounces per 126 ounces of water is pumped through at 1 ounce per gallon to help minimize bacteria build up in the lines.
Some of our brooders are set to use a highlow or onoff method of heating the chicks. These brooders work with the fans, instead of against the fans, and reduce heating costs.
Our rooms are controlled by a variety of different methods. Some are controlled by thermostats in the room and variable speed fans, while others are controlled by digital controllers that activate the fans and heat in a coordinated method. All barns are monitored by alarm units that can be programmed by phones.
Some areas are still controlled using manual methods.
In any case, the food and water should be arranged around the heat source, not under it. Light source near the heat helps draw the birds to the water and heat.
Feed flats are used to help the birds find feed during the first week of their life. This is the most critical point in their life. The more feed available, the greater the chance of them eating and living.
Mini drinkers that siphon out of the larger “plus-one” waterers are used during the first week of brooding. This keeps the birds from drowning and allows the waterers to fill the room in a better manner.
Nipple lines are also used in the larger rooms at the farm. These waterers are dust free and at eye level and provide a clean and sanitary method of providing more water space for the first week.
Automatic feed systems are used in the larger barns. These barns hold around 7,000 birds each up to three weeks of age. The food and water are close together to allow the birds to find the food easily.
Our smaller barns are designed to hold birds until they are three weeks of age.
They also have the ability to draw air from a hallway that stays either warm or cool depending on the time of year. In the winter, warm air is drawn over the birds and during the summer, cooler air is pulled in to lower the temperature in the rooms.
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