In a typical breeder house, 2/3 of the floor is covered by wooden or plastic slats located on each side of the house and the center 1/3 of the floor consists of a litter-covered scratch and breeding area in the center of the house.
Slat and litter houses allow for a higher stocking density, which reduces the housing cost per bird.Rows of automated mechanical nests are located on the slats near the edge of the scratch areas on each side of the house.
Slats extend beyond the front of the automated nests and waterlines and female feeding lines are placed over the slats.
Fewer eggs are laid on slat and litter floors than on all-litter floors, especially in houses with mechanical nest systems.
Floor eggs should not be set because they are heavily contaminated with bacteria on the surface of the shells. Bacteria can invade the eggs, multiply, and potentially cause eggs to explode, which contaminates the incubator.
In addition, a relatively high percentage of floor eggs may be broken, destroyed, or eaten. Most droppings are collected in an area beneath the slats which helps maintain the quality of litter in the centrally located scratch area.
Temperature in the breeding house should be maintained between 59°F and 77°F.
Biosecurity is higher on breeder farms than it generally is on commercial broiler farms, but it is not as stringently applied as on primary breeder farms.
Breeder farms play a critical role in the operation of an integrated broiler company.
Loss of a breeder flock to disease is not only costly, but loss of projected production from that flock makes losses much greater.
