Aviagen - How To...Set up a spot brooding circle
The brooding period is the first 7 to 10 days of a chick’s life. The objective during this period is to provide the optimum conditions for the development of appetite and feeding behavior. Setting up the brooding area correctly will give chicks a good start, helping to attain future high levels of flock performance, uniformity and welfare. With spot brooding the heat source is local so, chicks are able to select a preferred temperature.

Aviagen Broiler How Tos
This information is taken from Broiler How To 1 – How to set up a spot brooding circle.
The Broiler How To series provides practical, hands-on, step-by-step advice on key management topics for broilers.
- How to set up a spot brooding circle
- How to set up whole-house brooding
- How to monitor temperature and relative humidity (RH)
- How to assess crop fill
- How to bulk weigh broilers between 0 and 21 days
- How to individually weigh broilers from 21-28 days onwards
- How to take a representative feed sample on farm using a sampling spear
Please visit www.aviagen.com or contact your local representative to get copies of the Broiler How To documents or to obtain further information.
Correct
set up
Calculate the size of the brooding area required, cover the area with paper (at least 80%), then position the feeding and drinking equipment.

Optimum environment
Achieve optimum environment at least 24 hours prior to chick placement.


Feed, water
Spread feed onto paper, fill supplementary feeders and turn on automated systems. Flush automated drinkers and fill supplementary drinkers.

Monitor and act
Monitor chick behavior, vent temperatures and crop fill.
Adjust house environment if necessary.