Keeping poultry healthy during hot weather is essential for smallholder farmers. Heat stress occurs when chickens struggle to regulate their body temperature, leading to reduced productivity and health issues. Understanding the signs and taking preventive measures can help protect your flock. In this article we explore what heat stress is, how to identify it, action steps to take, and how to prevent it in future.

How to help heat stressed chickens

• Provide the chickens with stress packs such as HydroVit to replenish electrolytes lost during heat stress.
• Ensure access to cool, clean water.
• Feed the chickens during the cooler times of the day.
• Do not handle or disturb the chickens during the hottest time of the day.
• Improve ventilation in the poultry house.
• Reduce stocking density.
• Ensure chickens are not in direct sunlight.
• Monitor closely.

How to prevent heat stress in future

• Do not handle or feed chickens during the hottest part of the day.
• Ensure chickens always have access to clean and cool drinking water.
• Ensure the house has enough shelter and that birds are not in direct sunlight.
• Monitor ventilation closely to ensure there is adequate ventilation in the house.
• Prevent overstocking. Too many birds in a small space increases the likelihood of heat stress.

Heat stress is a common phenomenon in poultry houses in many parts of Africa due to high temperatures and humidity. It is important for farmers to know how to identify, manage, and prevent heat stress. Ensure that you share this article with fellow farm workers so heat stress can be identified and managed quickly and effectively.

By Abdul Kiryowa

Keeping your chickens healthy is essential for any smallholder farmer. A single sick bird can result in disease spreading quickly through your house. Early detection is important, and it starts with noticing small changes. Early signs of illness can be easy to miss but catching them quickly can increase your recovery rate and minimise losses. Here’s what to watch for:

• Behaviour changes: Is your chicken appearing tired, not eating, or staying away from the others? These could be early warnings.
• Physical signs: Check for swelling, discharge from the dose, or a pale comb (the red part on their head). A chicken has bright and alert eyes when it is healthy. A chicken with dull eyes or eyes that are closed often might be sick. Ruffled feathers are also a clue.
• Breathing issues: Sneezing, coughing, or gasping for air can indicate a respiratory disease.
• Diarrhoea or Unusual Droppings: Watery, bloody, or green droppings can be a sign of illness.

If you notice any of these signs, act fast! Separate the sick chicken from the flock to stop the spread of disease. Keep them warm, hydrated, and comfortable. Call a vet for advice, and make sure to clean their coop, feeders, and drinkers thoroughly.

Healthy chickens are more profitable chickens. Remember that prevention is always better than cure. To prevent diseases on your farm, follow these steps:
• Always provide clean, quality water and feed.
• Practice good biosecurity on your farm.
• Source quality chicks that are vaccinated.
• Follow a vaccination program recommended by the hatchery or a local vet to protect your flock against common diseases. Do not vaccinate birds after your flock has shown signs of disease. Vaccines are a prevention, not a cure. Administering vaccines to sick chickens will increase the stress on the bird’s immune system and may not be effective in fighting the disease.

Should you detect diseases in within your flock, the sooner you can act, and receive help from a qualified veterinary adviser the better. Ensure that your flock is monitored closely and regularly to allow for early detection.

Written by Abdul Kiryowa

Litter and litter management are often underestimated aspects of poultry management. Good litter management is one of the keys to keeping your birds healthy and productive.

We understand that litter management is a difficult topic to find useful resources on, so we have combined a list of do’s and don’ts to guide your litter management practices on your farm.

The Do's

• Keep it dry: Wet litter can cause health problems like footpad issues(swelling) and respiratory diseases. Spread it evenly and ensure proper ventilation to reduce moisture. 
• Use quality material: Choose absorbent materials such as wood shavings. Absorbent material helps control moisture and odor. Ensure that your wood shavings don’t contain sawdust. Sawdust in litter can be inhaled by the birds which may result in respiratory problems. When selecting other materials ensure they are comfortable, absorbent, non-toxic, and show no signs of mold.
• Stir it regularly: Fluff the litter as frequently as required to prevent caking and improve airflow. In some cases, this might be as often as daily. This also helps distribute moisture evenly.  A garden rake is the ideal tool to use to fluff the litter.
• Add fresh litter when needed: If the litter gets too wet or dirty, add a fresh layer to keep it clean and dry. You can completely change the litter if it becomes necessary. Ensure that the litter depth is a minimum of 5cm (2 inches) deep.
•  Monitor ammonia levels: High ammonia can harm your birds. If you smell a pungent odor, then know ammonia is building up. Use products like lime or litter treatments to control it.

The Don'ts

• Don’t let it get too wet: Avoid spills from drinkers and clean and fix them immediately if they leak. Wet litter is a breeding ground for bacteria and parasites that can harm your birds.   

• Do not overstock your house: Too many birds in a small space produce too much waste for that space, making it more challenging to manage the litter well. Stick to the recommended stocking density. Place 10-12 birds per 1m² for broilers depending on the final weight, 12-15 birds per m² for caged layer birds and 6-9 birds per m² for free range birds.
• Don’t ignore pests: Dirty litter attracts flies and rodents. Keep the house clean and treat pests regularly with pesticides that are safe to use near chickens. Get advice from your agro-supplier when purchasing your pest control products.   
• Don’t reuse bad litter: If litter is too wet or contaminated, replace it entirely. Re-using it can spread diseases. 
• Do not dispose of litter near your poultry house: Litter contains parasites and bacteria that can be easily transferred back to the birds. If disposal on the farm is necessary, use a covered composting pit to minimise contamination risks.

These simple steps will assist you in managing your litter on your farm.

What is Biosecurity?

Biosecurity on a farm refers to a set of practices and measures implemented to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious diseases among the flock and between farms. It involves implementing various protocols, procedures, and preventive measures to reduce the risk of disease transmission, both from external sources and within the farm itself to keep your flock healthy and free from diseases that could negatively impact their growth and your farm's profitability.

Why is Biosecurity Important?

There are numerous health challenges in any form of livestock farming. Without proper biosecurity, the flock is vulnerable to diseases that can spread rapidly and cause significant losses. The lack of biosecurity measures can often be one of the main reasons for high mortality, high morbidity, and low productivity. Here are reasons why you need biosecurity on your farm:

• Disease Prevention: Farms are prone to a variety of diseases which can spread quickly, especially when hygiene and biosecurity protocols are not followed. Biosecurity minimises the risk of these diseases reaching your farm.
• Healthier Flock: A disease-free environment leads to healthier flock, reducing mortality rates and improving production.
• Better Farming:As a farmer, you’ll have better control of your farm. You will also produce safer products for consumption.

Benefits of Biosecurity

• Improved Production: Healthy flocks grow faster and produce more, boosting productivity and profitability.
• Reduced Costs: By preventing diseases, you can avoid expensive treatments or medication costs to treat sick birds on the farm.

• Enhanced Reputation: A reputation for having disease-free, high-quality produce can attract more customers and increase market access.

Types of Biosecurity

Biosecurity can be broken down into two main types: chemical and physical. Both types work together to form a robust defense system for your farm.

Chemical Biosecurity: involves the use of chemicals to control disease-causing agents like bacteria, viruses and fungi examples include;

• Disinfection: Regularly disinfect equipment, surfaces, and housing using effective chemicals like iodine or chlorine-based disinfectants. It is very important that the exact instructions and dilutions of the products are followed else they are not effective.

• Water: The water and drinkers on your farm can be a source of contamination. It is important to wash your drinkers frequently to avoid a biofilm from forming (a slimy layer where germs are present).

• Pest Control: Use insecticides or rodenticides to control pests like rats and flies, which can carry diseases into flock houses. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully.

• Medication and Vaccination: Administering appropriate medications and vaccines as part of a preventive health program to protect the flock from specific diseases.
• Foot Bath: A foot bath is a container placed at the entrance of the farm and the poultry house that contains a disinfection chemical that is diluted with water. A footbath is one of the most effective tools on a small scale farm to practice biosecurity.

Physical Biosecurity: Physical biosecurity involves strategies to physically prevent the introduction of pathogens into your farm

• Controlled Access: Controlling and limiting access to your poultry house by friends and family, vehicles, or animals to prevent the introduction of potential pathogens which may result in disease spread. It is important to keep your chickens away from members in your family and community as much as possible. Do not sell your chickens straight from your poultry house as this increases the risk of spreading disease to your birds.

• Perimeter Fencing and secure structures: Having a fence around your poultry house is helpful in keeping unwanted visitors outside the poultry house. It is important to keep other animals out of the poultry house such as dogs, cats, ducks, etc. Ensure the poultry house does not have holes where these animals can enter. Ensure that rodents such as mice and rats cannot enter the poultry house as they may also carry diseases to your flock.

• Isolation Areas: Implementing a separate area in your poultry house to isolate and quarantine sick or new animals before introducing them to the main flock. Always remember to wash your hands immediately after handling a sick bird.
• Sanitation and Hygiene: Regular cleaning and disinfection of houses, equipment, vehicles, and footwear to eliminate or reduce the presence of disease-causing organisms.

• Protective Clothing: It is common practice on large farms to have different clothing for entering the poultry houses and to take showers before and after entering the poultry house. In the smallholder setting, this is not always possible. We recommend that farmers keep a different set of shoes to wear in the poultry house that are never worn outside the poultry house. If it is possible to use a different set of clothes for the poultry house, it is advisable to do so. Wash the shoes and clothing regularly to keep them clean.

Cleaning your Poultry House Between Flocks

In future articles we will discuss the detailed steps of cleaning a poultry house. Keep in mind it is strongly advised to clear a poultry house entirely between flocks. A wet wash and disinfection procedure should be followed and the poultry house should be left empty to dry. The poultry house should be empty for 14 days between flocks wherever possible to eradicate any diseases from the previous flock.

Conclusion

Biosecurity is essential in poultry management. It not only protects birds from disease, but also protects the production and profitability of the farm. Biosecurity is not only about the farm, but it is also about caring for our neighboring farms and limiting the spread of disease between farms as much as possible.

Have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes when you buy a bag of animal feed? Animal feed in every form is the result of a carefully crafted process designed to meet the nutritional needs of animals. Feed production is both a science and an art, combining knowledge of animal biology, ingredient quality, and precise formulation.

In this article, we'll break down the journey of animal feed manufacturing into five simple steps.

1. Requirements: Understanding Nutritional Needs

If we think about us as humans and the way we eat, we notice that a baby requires different nutrition than a young adult or an elderly person. Animals are the same.

Every animal species has unique nutritional requirements. Nutritional requirements within the same species can be influenced by factors such as:

·       Genetics 

·       Age

·       Weight

·       Production goals

·       Environmental factors such as temperature

·      Sex

For example, a broiler chicken needs a high-protein diet to support rapid growth, while a layer bird requires a feed rich in calcium and energy to sustain egg production and maintain strong eggshell quality

Feed manufacturers work closely with veterinarians, nutritionists, and farmers to determine these needs. They focus on essential nutrients such as:

• Proteins for growth and repair
• Carbohydrates for energy
• Fats for calorie-dense energy
• Vitamins and minerals for overall health
• Fibre for digestive health (especially for ruminants)

Understanding these requirements ensures animals are healthy, productive, and that they produce and perform efficiently.

2. Ingredients: Choosing the Right Raw Materials

Once nutritional needs are identified, the next step is to identify the best ingredients to meet those nutritional requirements. Common ingredients in animal feed include:

• Energy sources from like maize, wheat, and barley
• Protein sources such as soybean meal, fish meal, or sunflower cake
• Fats and oils for additional energy
• Minerals and vitamins like calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin A

Quality control is critical at this stage as it influences the overall feed quality and performance. Raw materials that are moulded or show any signs of contamination should be disregarded in this stage.  Nutritionists evaluate the nutritional contribution of the raw materials towards the overall requirements of the animal and then select the raw materials included in the formulation.

3. Formulation: Creating the Perfect Mix

This step is where science meets art. Formulation involves calculating the exact amounts of each ingredient to meet the animal's nutritional requirements while keeping costs in mind. Feed manufacturers use software to balance:

• Nutrient levels to avoid deficiencies or excesses, making sure not too little nor too much of an ingredient is supplied
• Digestibility to ensure animals can absorb the nutrients efficiently
• Palatability to make sure animals will eat the feed

A carefully formulated feed maximises growth, health, and productivity while minimising waste and cost.

What is formulated is called a balanced feed or a balanced ration meaning that the recipe meets the requirements in a cost-effective way.

4. Production: Turning the Formula into Feed

With the formula finalised, it’s time for production. The process involves several key stages:

• Grinding: Ingredients are ground into a consistent size to ensure even mixing.
• Mixing: All ingredients are blended thoroughly to ensure uniformity.
• Pelleting: The feed is compressed into pellets, crumbles, or mash, depending on the target animal. Not all animal feed is required to go through this process. U-MIX feeds, for example, are all fed as a mash and do not require pelletising. 
• Cooling and drying: If the feed is pelleted, pellets are cooled and dried to ensure they retain their shape and have a long shelf life.

Feed production can take place in an automated manner with machinery. Alternatively, the feed can be mixed in smaller quantities using simpler solutions such as manual mixing or using smaller, simple mixing machinery.

5. Presentation

The final step is presenting the feed to the animals for consumption. This step is critical to the production of the animals. The right type of feed needs to be presented to the animals in the right quantities, at the right time, in the right way. Careful attention needs to be paid to ensuring animals have adequate access to clean, fresh feed in the right quantities.

Conclusion

The journey from raw materials to a bag of high-quality animal feed is complex but essential. By understanding these five steps—requirements, ingredients, formulation, production, and presentation—you can appreciate the science and care that go into ensuring animals receive optimal nutrition.

Whether you’re a farmer, agripreneur, or curious reader, the next time you see a bag of feed, you'll know the expertise that went into its creation—and the vital role it plays in livestock production success.

Can Smallholder Farmers Make Their Own Feed?

Yes! At U-MIX we are dedicated to assisting smallholder farmers to make their own feed. We strive to help them overcome the obstacles in these steps such as formulating feed and accessing raw materials such as vitamins and minerals in the small quantities they require.

To find out more about the U-MIX Solution watch our demonstration video here or read about our products here.