Poultry Your Way - Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems ...

MANAGEMENT
ALTERNATIVES
TRADITIONAL: CONFINEMENT AND SEMI-CONFINEMENT
Traditional Management: Confinement and Semi-confinement
Traditional poultry management is the system that has been used for generations by commercial poultry growers.
Houses may be newly constructed barns or renovated outbuildings. Hens and broilers, in flocks of 500 to 5,000,
are stocked at a rate of up to six square feet per bird and allowed to roam a well-littered barn floor. They are
given continuous access to complete feed and water. In some cases, birds may be allowed to scratch in a small,
adjacent yard. Generally the birds spend most of their time confined indoors, making the traditional management
alternative a suitable choice for year-round production.
Traditional Management Overview
Birds: Chickens, turkeys, and waterfowl
Land: Level area to accommodate barn and yard size
Stocking density: Four to six square feet per hen or broiler
Buildings: Retrofitted barn; new insulated and ventilated house
Equipment: Automated or non-automated feeders and waterers
Labor: Semi-intensive
Operation: Year-round
Marketing: Moderate capital investments, low return on equity, predictable annual income
Advantages: Relatively inexpensive compared to industrial alternative; can use existing
housing and used equipment
Disadvantages: Increased risk of parasite/pathogen build-up in house; air quality must be
managed carefully; independent marketing.
Birds and Performance. Broilers, turkeys, and laying hens are the most common birds reared under
traditional management. Growers can mail-order day-old chicks from independent hatcheries or breed their own
replacements on the farm. Favored breeds include the Cornish Cross for broilers and the Gold Star, Red Sex-Link,
and Black Sex-Link for layers. These breeds are known for their quick growth rates and productivity. Layers are
managed on an “all-in-all-out” practice. Producers try to time laying so that all hens reach their peak within a few
days of one another. This makes it easier to control the hens’ molt and induce a second laying period among the
entire flock. After second lay, most commercial growers replace their flocks.
Housing. Traditionally managed birds are housed indoors in nonportable buildings year-round (though some
producers provide access to dirt or cement yards). Floors may be covered in two to three inches of litter
or bedding material. No cages are used; broilers and hens are free to move about inside the building with
considerably more space than that given to industrial flocks (approximately one-and-a-half square feet per bird
for broilers and up to six square feet per bird for geese). Plastic pools or swimming tanks may be added for
waterfowl. In some cases, the building may be divided to provide separate brooding, laying, or grow-out space
(see traditional chicken coop housing diagrams in Carol Ekarius’ How to Build Animal Housing in Resources
under Housing). One or more raised feeding and watering stations (located in the middle of the house) are
shared by the flock. Water lines are buried to prevent freezing during winter. Air quality is controlled using
automated and/or natural ventilation systems. Most layer houses are windowless. Artificial light is used with layer
flocks to control molting and maximize egg production.
Houses may be constructed new or retrofitted from an older barn. New houses are often built upon a concrete
slab or gravel/earth floor foundation. Wooden floors are not used, as they can become damp and rot. Materials
such as two-by-four and two-by-six wood studs are used for framing the walls and roof, which can be covered with
shingles or tin. Walls are usually sided with plywood, covered with 6-mil polyethylene film inside, and insulated.
Supplemental heat may or may not be required depending on insulation, site location, and stocking density. If you
are building from scratch, you will need to obtain a building permit from your municipal government office.
Poultry Your Way 57
MANAGEMENT
ALTERNATIVES