Begin transitioning chicks off feeder paper onto dedicated mini-pans and automated feed lines while auditing flock weight uniformity. Measure sample weights to confirm the 140g target, adjust drinker heights upward to match chick growth, and step temperature down to 28–30°C.
Removing soiled paper on Day 5 prevents ingestion of contaminated bedding fibers and drives birds to use mechanical feeders, maintaining high flock uniformity (CV <10%) ahead of the Week 1 milestone.
•Leaving dirty, manure-caked paper on the floor, exposing chicks to high bacterial loads and gut irritation.
•Failing to raise drinker lines as chicks grow, causing birds to crouch and spill water onto litter.
•Not providing enough mini-pans during the paper weaning transition, causing small chicks to lose weight.
•Monitor gut health during the paper-to-pan transition; examine droppings for undigested feed particles or excessive moisture.
•Do not administer prophylactic antibiotics to boost weight; maintain optimal feed hygiene and ensure water sanitation (ORP >650 mV or 2–4 ppm free chlorine).
•Inspect culled lightweight birds for subclinical systemic issues like rickets or enteritis and consult a veterinarian if cull rate exceeds 0.1% daily.
•Remove the dirtiest paper strips first (those under drinkers and near walkways) while leaving cleaner strips near automated pans for 24 more hours.
•When adjusting drinker height, use the tallest 25% of birds as your reference — chicks drink better reaching slightly up than bending down.
Weigh 50 to 100 individual chicks, calculate the average weight, and determine what percentage of weighed birds fall within ±10% of that average. A well-managed flock on Day 5 should have at least 80% of birds within the target range (126g to 154g if average is 140g).
Feeder paper becomes contaminated with manure, moisture, and dust within a few days. Leaving it down encourages chicks to eat dirty paper fibers, which can cause impaction, coccidiosis, and enteritis.
Tomorrow, your operation reaches Day 6. The primary management objective will be:
Maintain dry, friable litter with ammonia <15 ppm, step temperature to 28–29°C, achieve 46g/bird feed intake, and prepare for the Week 1 milestone weigh-in.
🌡️Brooding Phase Calculators
Verify Brooding Temperature & Chick Requirements
Cross-check target chamber temperature, humidity gradients, and feeder/drinker spacing for this brooding stage with our interactive poultry tools.
