Cold brooding conditions result in decreased development

Carla van der Pol, MSc.

Suboptimal brooding conditions in chickens are known to impair growth performance and welfare. An important condition in early life that is known to influence later performance is the environmental temperature. At hatch, the thermoregulation of a chicken is not fully developed yet. Therefore, hatchlings are not able to regulate their own body temperature very well and they are largely dependent on the environmental temperature.

When brooding temperatures are too low, rectal temperatures will fall below the optimal average of 40.6ºC and chickens will decrease their feed and water intake. Their health, growth, and development will be negatively affected. Chickens gradually become more capable to regulate their own body temperature within a few days after hatch, but in those first days brooding temperature is critical. Download the entire article via the button below.