Ventilation | Winter Chicken Rearing: Pay Attention to Heating and Air Exchange

At this point, the contradiction between insulation and ventilation in the chicken coop once again becomes a headache for the chicken farmers. Due to the low temperature, it will cause a decline in the growth and egg production of the chickens. Therefore, the chickens will conserve energy to ensure their basic physiological needs and resist the cold.
To keep the chicken coop warm, the ventilation volume needs to be reduced, and the duration of fan operation should be shortened. This results in poor air quality inside the chicken coop, and the exhaust gases emitted by the chickens as well as the fermentation of chicken manure produce harmful gases such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon dioxide, which can irritate the respiratory tract of the chicken flock, causing symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, and breathing difficulties. Therefore, it is necessary to properly handle the relationship between ventilation and insulation, promptly remove chicken manure and debris in the chicken coop to make the air inside fresh and oxygenated.
When people talk about ventilation and air exchange, many are frightened. Here, it should be noted that ventilation includes air exchange, but the greater effect is to cool down through the wind cooling effect. Air exchange, on the other hand, the main purpose is to remove harmful gases from the chicken coop and to provide sufficient oxygen for the chickens to live normally. This is what must be done during the brooding stage when the chickens have not yet acclimatized to the temperature and in cold seasons.
Take the Heilan Brown breed as an example. The allowable gas levels in the chicken coop floor are: ammonia less than 25 ppm, carbon dioxide less than 5000 ppm (the best is below 3000 ppm under the condition of maintaining temperature), and carbon monoxide less than 50 ppm.

Therefore, in the cold winter, when it comes to the environmental control of the chicken coop, the following aspects need to be considered:
1. The setting of the minimum ventilation volume
The best way to use minimum ventilation is through lateral ventilation. The purpose is to minimize the ventilation volume for the chickens during the cold season and during the brooding period, in order to reduce heat loss in the chicken coop and ensure fresh air and dehumidification. Generally, the wind speed is relatively low (usually ≤ 0.20 meters/second), and the frequency of air exchange is long. It is required that the intake ports of the small windows on the side walls must allow the air to directly reach the roof of the chicken coop. The minimum ventilation configuration: the fan efficiency is the lowest for 8 minutes of air exchange once, and the highest for 5 minutes of air exchange once.
According to the calculation method of chicken flock breeding quantity, the ventilation volume required by the chicken coop per minute is given as an example. With a breeding quantity of 30,200, a weight of 1.7KG, and the current age ventilation standard of 0.63 cubic meters/hour per kilogram. The calculation value is 30,200 x 1.7 x 0.63 = 32,344 m3/h, converted to ventilation ratio = 32,344 / 36,000 x 20% = 18%.
2. Based on the chicken flock's perception
Based on the chicken flock's perception, it is not advisable to simply refer to the initial setting values of the environmental control manufacturer. Moreover, the temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide and other probes inside the chicken coop need to be checked regularly for their positions and whether they are operating normally.

3. Pay attention to weather forecasts
Every day, pay attention to the weather forecast. Even if the weather conditions change drastically, the chicken coop also needs to have a plan in place for adjusting the environmental control parameters in advance to minimize the risk of chicken infections caused by temperature fluctuations.
4. Make real-time measurements and adjustments
Due to the gradual decline in the working efficiency of the equipment over time, it is necessary to make timely measurements and adjustments. For example, as the fan operates for a longer period of time, its exhaust volume will decrease. At this point, by measuring the fan's wind speed and calculating the actual exhaust volume at the fan outlet area, the negative pressure value can be set.

5. Control dust in the chicken coop
Control the dust in the chicken coop. Clean the chicken coop promptly and ensure that the floor is watered during the cleaning process to reduce the occurrence of excessive dust, which may cause problems such as air sac inflammation and tracheal embolism in the chickens.
6. Regular equipment maintenance
Regularly inspect and maintain the heating equipment during the brooding stage, especially ensuring adequate fuel supply. Avoid insufficient heating, which may cause the temperature in the chicken coop to drop too low for a short period of time, leading to the occurrence of diseases such as colds.
7. Epidemiological investigation
Balance of temperature, humidity and air quality. Pay attention to adjusting the ventilation coefficient during the day and night when the temperature difference between day and night is large.