Poultry

History and Scientific Classification

The fowl has been domesticated since 3000 B.C.
History and Scientific Classification

* All domestic chickens originated from the Red Jungle

Fowl, from south eastern Asia

* The fowl belongs to family Phasianiae

* The Red Jungle Fowl Gallus gallus
* The domestic chicken Gallus domesticus
History of the Poultry Industry

 19th century poultry new breeds developed

 1st poultry show - 1849 in Boston
 American poultry association formed in 1873
 Standard of excellence published in 1874
 Chicks could be mailed – 1918
 American Poultry Association lists nearly 400
breeds of chickens most with several varieties
Poultry Classification

 Chicken  Turkeys  Ducks

 Geese  Guineas  Pheasent  Pigeons

Chicken Classification

Chicken may be classified on the basis of utility, economic

value or fancy purpose as:
 Meat type  Egg type  Dual purpose

 Game bird  Bantam  Ornamental

 Pheasant
 Quail

 Waterfowl
Important Terms and Definitions

Chicken

Young Female Male

Cock
Pullet
Chick Cockerl
Hen
Rooster
Important Terms and Definitions
Chick: Young Chicken
Cock: A male chicken over 1 year of age
Rooster: A male of chicken over 1 year of age
Cockerel: A male of chicken under 1 year of age
Capon: A castrated male fowl

Pullet: A female chicken under 1 year of age

Hen: A female chicken over 1 year of age
Roaster: A young meat-type chicken 3 – 5 month of age of
either sex
Bantam: A small version of the larger (standard size) breed, which
are almost always used exclusively for exhibition
Chicken classification

Class

Breed 1 ……… Breed n

Variety 1 ……. Variety n

 Chicken Classes

Class: A group of birds that has been developed in the

same geographical area

American
Asiatic
English
Mediterranean
 Chicken Breeds
Breed: A subdivision of a class composed of birds of
similar size and shape.
Leghorn Rhode Island Plymouth Rock

New Hampshire Cornish

 Chicken Variety

Variety: A subdivision of a breed composed of birds of the same

feather color and type of comb.

Leghorn

White Brown
Chicken Variety

Plymouth rock

Barred Rock
White Rock
Chicken Variety

Single Comb
Rose Comb Strawberry Comb
Poultry Industry Structure

 Three phases of industry

 Breeders – genetic selection
 Multiplier – increase numbers
 consumer product
Breeders

Multiplier

Consumer Products
(Eggs and Meat)
Poultry Breeding (Structure)

Pure Lines A B C D E F ……
Male Line Female Line
Grand Parent Stocks
A X B C X D
Farms

♂ ♀
Parent Stocks
Farms AB X CD

(♂ ♀)
Commercial Farms A BCD
Broiler Multiplication Process
Generation Population Size Generation Goal
Pure Line 90,000 hens Heavy selection and
culling (never sold)

Great grandparents 250,000 hens Some selection (never

(GGP) sold)

Grandparents (GP) 10,000,000 hens Sold as baby chicks in

global market

Parents (P) 400,000,000 hens Day-old parents are sold a

variety of companies

Broilers (B) 40,000,000,000 / yr Produced for

consumption
Average Performance of Broilers

Year Average Live Feed Mortality Age in

wt. (Ib) Conversion % Days

1925 2.2 4.7 18 112

1945 3.1 4.0 10 84

1965 3.5 2.4 6 63

1985 4.2 2.0 5 49

2005 5.5 1.8 5 40

Poultry Breeding
The most important factors for commercial egg producers
include:
Interior egg quality
Egg numbers

Feed efficiency
Egg size

Eggshell quality
Livability
Poultry Breeding
The most important factors for commercial broiler
producers include:

Growth rate Carcass quality

White plumage
Feed efficiency color and picking
quality

Livability
Poultry Breeding

The most important factors for parent stocks include:

Fertility Hatchability

Productivity
Poultry Management

Good quality
eggs for
Healthy hatchery
day-old chicks Feeding

Modern
Poultry Equipments
Vaccination Operations
program Success

Environmental Bio - security

Control Housing
Healthy Day-old Chicks

Temperature Humidity

Egg Turning Successful Ventilation

Incubation

O2 CO2
Position of Eggs

Sanitation Storage condition

Incubation management

Incubation Times for Various Birds

Type Incubation Period

(day)
Chicken 21
Turkey 28
Duck 28
Goose 28 – 34
Quail 17
Incubation management

 Storage condition
 Fertilized eggs should be stored no longer than a week
 Storage temperature (12 – 20 oC)
 Storage humidity (50 – 60 %)
Incubation management

 Temperature Control
 Range from 37.0 – 37.5 oC
Incubation management

 Humidity
 Relative humidity should be 55 - 60 %

 RH should be raised slightly during the last few

days
Incubation management

 Ventilation
 Supply of fresh air, exhausting CO2

 Oxygen percentage surrounding eggs in the incubator

should be 21%
 CO2 percentage in the incubator should not exceed
0.50%
Incubation management

 Egg turning
 For a better chance of hatchability, eggs should be
rotated 4 – 6 times a day through the first 18 days of
incubation.
Incubation management

 Sanitation
 Hatching compartments should be washed or steam-
cleaned and fumigated
 Fumigation usually done by using formalin
and potassium permanganate