Proper Pullets Management Practices for Better Performance

Pullets are young chickens that are grown to start laying eggs by the time they are 20 – 24 weeks old. The primary goal of the pullet grower is to produce a lean, large-framed pullet that will become an economical and profitable layer.

1. Housing and Equipment

Housing: Pullets like broilers are most often reared on deep litter floors. The discussion on housing under brooding is therefore relevant to pullet housing. However, it is important for the farmer to decide whether to have separate brooding and pullet rearing houses or use the same facility to brood, grow and lay.

For ease of management, it is better to have a separate house for brooding and rearing. Since it takes four – five months to brood and grow pullets to point of lay, one brood and grow house can be used to produce pullets that will occupy three or four laying houses.

For a farm that plans to produce eggs year round, the first set of pullets would be brought in January and be transferred into a laying house in April; the second set begins in April/May which would be transferred into a second laying house in August.

The third would be started in August/September, which would be transferred into a third laying house December.

Brooding-grow pullet rearing houses should be designed to give a space allowance of 0.14sq m/bird (1.5sq. ft). The floor space requirements/bird for chickens of varying ages is given in table below.

Table: Floor Space Requirements/Bird for Chickens of Varying Ages

In order to produce pullets that will be economical and profitable layers, great care must be taken to provide the management that will enhance good body development without accumulating fat.

It is therefore necessary for the pullet grower to periodically (two weeks intervals) monitors their growth and compares with acceptable growth standards for his breed.

It is desirable that 80 per cent of birds weighed must weigh within 10 per cent of the mean weight of the sample because the uniformity of individual weights is just as important as the average flock weight. The sample should be a random selection of about 100 birds per house.

Delaying sexual maturity is often a desirable goal because this helps to reduce the number of small eggs/bird. Mortality rate from day old to 20 weeks should not exceed five – six per
cent.

2. Feeds and Feeding

Feeds: There is a tendency to think that pullet feeding is not critical since rapid growth is not a priority; more so that delay in sexual maturity is often a desirable goal. This is an erroneous concept because a badly reared pullet can never be a good layer.

Commercially, growers’ mash is the available feed for pullets from about eight weeks old to between 18 – 20 weeks of age. Chick mash would have been fed fro 0 – eight weeks.

However, the present trend worldwide is to have two types of pullet developer ratios, one to be fed from eight up to about 14 weeks and second from 14 weeks to point of lay. Table 11. 4 gives the feed names and quantities per 100 birds based on the two feeding regimes with no feed restriction.

Table: Pullet Growing Feeds and Feed Requirements per 100 Birds

Feeding Restriction: When pullets are full fed, they tend to mature early and may begin to lay from 18 weeks of age.

Most of these eggs would be too small to fetch good prices. It has therefore become a common practice to restrict feeds for growing pullets the advantages of feed restriction are:

a) It reduces the number of small eggs because the birds produce larger eggs soon after the commencement of lay

b) Trends to reduce laying house mortality

Read Also: Methods of Preparation for the Arrival of Poultry Chicks

c) It often produces a bird with a larger frame and capacity at point of lay

d) May result in increased egg production

e) May produce significant savings in feed cost/pullet.

Feed restriction however, should be practiced only when sample weighing indicates that the birds are growing too rapidly. One of three methods can be used:

1. Skip-a-day: Full feed for two days and then skip a day without feed. This is the easiest method and it also tends to be less harsh on the birds.

2. Restrict total feed intake: Feed only about 80 per cent of the regular feed intake on a daily basis

3. Restrict the intake of protein or energy: This method can be applied if the farmer mixes his own feeds or is custom mixed.

Although feed restriction is a good management practice for pullets it must be applied only if a definite need for it has been established.

The fact is that most commercial grower mashes are already restricted in energy and protein, this means that further physical restriction of feed intake would lead to excessive feed restriction that will be harmful to the birds.

Precautionary measures necessary for effective application of feed restriction procedures include the following:

a) Be sure to have adequate feeder space, especially if daily physical feed restriction is adopted.

b) Birds must be properly debeaked as there is a tendency towards increased incidence of cannibalism could be a serious threat.

Table: Pullet Management Guide

Introduce layers mash after 19 weeks but before 21 weeks.

Debeaking: This is very important pullet management practice which if properly done have the following advantages:

a) Reduces mortality due to feather and vent pecking

b) Decreases egg pecking

c) Improves feed efficiency by decreasing feed wastage

Early debeaking at six – 10 days is the most preferred because chicks are easier to handle than pullets, it prevents the cannibalistic habit at an early age, there is less interference with later vaccinations and there will be greater bird uniformity in the flock. Debeaking may also be done at four – six weeks and from 14 – 16 weeks.

The debeaking process is a major stress factor regardless of the age of birds on which it is done. It is therefore important that it is done with cold scissors but this often leads to excessive bleeding and high mortality. The best method is to use an electric debeaker. The procedure for debeaking is summarised as follows:

1. Mobilise a sufficient numner of staff for holding the birds and trained personnel for debeaking

2. Work during the cooler periods of the day. If possible avoid debeaking during the hotter periods of the year

3. Work out a system for the most efficient and rapid handling of birds during the process

4. Cut between 1/2 to 1/3 of the upper and lower beaks. Cut sharply and cauterise properly to avoid excessive bleeding

5. Provide plenty of feed and water after debeaking

6. Use anti-stress feed or water additives for about three days after debeaking

7. Do not debeak birds that are already under some kind of stress e.g. vaccinations.

Moving Pullets into laying Houses: The movement of pullets from a rearing house into laying facilities is a significant stress factor.

Care must therefore be taken to ensure that the effect of such a stress is minimal. Movement should take place between 18 – 20 weeks old i.e. before the birds begin laying. This procedure should be followed:

1. Move birds during the cooler periods of the day, best of all in the evening

2. Get the laying facility fully supplied with feed and water prior to stocking. Use anti-stress feed or water additives

3. Eliminating feed 12 hours before moving may be helpful in decreasing pullet dehydration

4. Birds should be handled gently. Scratches or bruises can produce cage layer fatigue

5. Avoid overcrowding. Provide a minimum of 150 sq m. (2sq ft.) of space per bird in the laying house if deep litter is to be used.

Read Also: Proper Broiler Management Practices for Better Performance