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Know How / Layers / Housing and handling

Choosing the system in which you house your birds represents a huge commitment. Modern multi-tier aviaries may seem similar on the surface, but in reality, will have quirks that require careful consideration.

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POULTRY

How a borehole is saving free-range egg producer £5,000/year

Installing a borehole to draw a private water supply is resulting in cost savings of about £5,000/year for a Pembrokeshire free-range egg business. Lyn and Carol Jenkins diversified from dairy…

POULTRY

How free-range egg unit slashed bills with solar electricity

When June and Frank Armstrong’s power supply company quoted a figure of £150,000 to hook up their new poultry shed to the mains electricity network, it forced a rethink. The…

POULTRY

How a layer unit expanded rapidly with focus on welfare

A Devon poultry farm has grown from 6,000 bird places to 22,000 in just eight months, and hopes its new modern unit will improve egg numbers and bird health. Clayewater…

LAYERS

Rearer's advice on getting pullets off to a good start

Modern hybrid hens are genetically sophisticated and achieving their productive potential will only be possible if the development period from chick to hen is carefully managed. Attention to detail is…

POULTRY

How a high-tech poultry unit is opening up to the public

If there is one criticism that can fairly be levelled at the commercial poultry sector in the UK, it is that engagement with its ultimate customer, the British public, can…

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BROILERS

How heat exchangers can benefit both environment and poultry

It makes a lot of sense to reuse heat that is present in poultry housing. Warming up the incoming fresh air to provide the necessary ventilation keeps the internal atmosphere…

POULTRY

The benefits and uses of lucerne in poultry production

Lucerne is becoming more commonplace in UK poultry systems because of the benefits the crop provides to the welfare and productivity of flocks. Lucerne bales provide hens with important foraging…

POULTRY

4 tips for effective cleaning between free-range flocks

A subdued supply of free-range eggs on the market is putting poultry producers under pressure to manage tighter turnarounds between flocks. At the same time, they are having to contend…

BROILERS

4-point control plan for managing heat stress in poultry

Climate change is driving increasing weather extremes, which has made heat stress more topical for UK poultry producers. “Last year, some broiler operations lost up to 30% of their flock…

POULTRY

New poultry units - planning and environmental permissions

Applicants seeking planning consents and environmental permits for poultry housing must meet increasingly tough pollution prevention regulations and high upfront costs for environmental mitigation measures. Some regions with an already…

LAYERS

9 poultry range jobs as housing order ends

With the flock housing order lifted on 18 April and avian influenza case numbers dropping, it is hoped the disease will revert to a more traditional spring/summer lull. So as…

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POULTRY

8 new products to enhance layer and broiler performance

Margins are under pressure like never before in the poultry sector, which faces high input costs and static prices, and some businesses are operating at a loss. Could it be…

POULTRY

A guide to improving poultry shed insulation

Good insulation will keep poultry housing at an even temperature throughout the seasons, reducing heating and ventilation costs. However, older types of insulation may be less efficient due to outdated…

LAYERS

A poultrykeeper's guide to ground-source heat pumps

With farm carbon emissions under the spotlight and an increasing emphasis on sustainable agriculture, many producers are moving away from fossil fuels. Ground-source heat pumps offer a good solution for…

PLANNING PERMISSION

Opposition and errors hamper poultry planning applications

Poultry farmers are finding it harder than ever to get planning applications for new buildings through the system. Local authorities are making too many mistakes in the planning process and…

LAYERS

How free-range layer multi-tier systems work

Free-range hens are increasingly reared on flat-deck systems before being transferred to multi-tier sheds when coming in to lay. One company argues there is a better way, as Jake Davies…

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