As it is known that broiler birds do not have sweat glands. In lieu of this, they seem to accumulate more heat as they grow bigger. There are many ways in which one can control heat stress in poultry farm. I have smaller birds that what they need right now is some amount of heat considering their age but for the bigger birds, what they need is controlling or reducing amount of heat in the farm. Heat stress could be so disturbing, can leads to high mortality rate. This can cause cadiac arrest in birds. On many occasions, I have seen some of my birds lying down and they look alive but were gone, I mean dead.
I live in Kwara state, a state that is part of the Northern central region of Nigeria. The degree of heat here is always high in the afternoon period. We are in harmattan period, in the morning it is always cold but in the afternoon the weather is always somehow unfriendly. So, for this I came up with this idea I learnt from a Veterinary doctor. Getting ice blocks and add it to the birds drinkers, when the water get get cold, it help and assist the birds reduce heat coming from their body,hence control their body temperature.
SIGNS OF HEAT STRESS ON
- Sitting in the corner of the pen.
- Heavy breathing.
- Cracking throat
- Stagnant mobility.
- Their armpits produce much heat.
- They consume double of water.
- They always look weak and inactive.
