Day 20 prioritizes intensive floor and litter management. As broilers reach nearly 1 kg, daily manure output reaches peak intensity. Active litter conditioning, crust decaking, and targeted ventilation are mandatory to safeguard footpads and breast blisters.
Wet, compacted litter releases high ammonia and creates chemical burns on footpads (pododermatitis) and hocks. Clean, dry litter preserves bird mobility, prevents downgrades at processing, and keeps the shed environment healthy.
•Veterinary Escalation: Contact veterinarian immediately if flock mortality exceeds 0.1%/day, if severe footpad ulceration (>score 2) affects >10% of birds, or if birds exhibit systemic staphylococcal/bacterial synovitis.
•Always shovel out wet cake before adding fresh bedding — adding dry shavings over wet cake creates a sponge that rots underneath.
•Rake litter between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM when house humidity is lowest to maximize moisture evaporation.
Wet cake contains high concentrations of moisture, uric acid, and bacteria. If tilled into the dry substrate, it contaminates the entire bed, generates intense ammonia gas, and accelerates bacterial proliferation across the entire house.
Keep litter moisture between 25% and 30%, ensure nipple drinkers do not leak, calibrate drinker height to bird eye level, and maintain adequate air exchange to dry the litter surface.
