Picture Credit: UGA Poultry Housing Showing 24” Circle Stir Fans

When hot weather occurs, it can compromise bird performance. Factors such as age, gender, body weight and previous exposure to warm weather can impact the bird’s ability to tolerate heat stress. Be prepared for hot weather:

Barn

• Be proactive when preparing for summer ventilation
• Inspect fans; motors, blades, belts and covers/louvers
• Perform system cleanup and tests prior to every chick or poult placement
• Ensure air inlets and static pressure are set correctly to maximize air speed and uniform distribution across the barn

Birds

• The main source of cooling for birds is through panting
• Excessive panting can cause dehydration and increased CO2 level
• Flush water lines regularly to provide fresh, cool water and encourage intake
• Birds will increase water consumption significantly during heat stress; water availability becomes critical
• Lower the barn set points at night to help lower birds’ internal temperature
• Limit your activities in the barn to cooler hours of the day to avoid additional disturbance.
• Run electrolytes prior to, and during heat waves (optional)

Ventilation

• Moving air at high speeds creates a wind chill effect, helping birds lose heat even when temperatures are elevated.
• The more air you exchange the more moisture you remove, lowering your relative humidity and improving evaporative cooling potential
• Lowering humidity improves the bird’s ability to cool through panting, as evaporation from the respiratory system becomes more efficient
• Evaporative cooling works best below 80% relative humidity; above this level, cooling efficiency drops significantly

Temperature Humidity Index (THI)

By planning ahead and understanding how temperature and humidity interact, you can use tools like Temperature Humidity Index (THI) to make more informed ventilation decisions, lessen the impact of heat stress and maintain bird performance during challenging summer conditions.

THI Equation:

= 0.8 x T + RH x (T-14.4) + 46.4

• Temperature – Celsius
• RH – Precent Relative Humidity

Have questions or concerns about your ventilation? Talk to a New-Life Mills Poultry Sales Specialist.