For effective and efficient ventilation, the system should be properly designed, maintained, controlled and used as per the needs. This will help to provide an environment, which maximizes birds’ performance.

Maintain 21°C to 27°C (70°C – 80°C) temperature.

Aids for Cooling

• Water sprinklers can be used over the roof of the poultry house to reduce temperature
• The external surface of the sheds’ roof should be painted to reduce inside temperature
• Construct a maximum overhang on the roof to keep sun off the walls
• Use good insulation materials for roof and walls e.g. sugarcane or paddy straw thatch

The need for ventilation of poultry houses today is greater than it has ever been before. Because of the fast growth of broilers we have now, the air quality and oxygen demand for the birds has increased two or three times. We must provide a good ventilation system in the house in order to insure that there is good air quality. Every house should have two separate ventilation systems in it. One should be for minimum ventilation and the other for summer ventilation.

Following are the reasons why we should have a proper ventilation system.

• To have continous adequate supply of fresh air and oxygen to the birds
• Removal of foul air, harmful gases like ammonia, carbon-mono-oxide and carbon-di-oxide, etc.
• Maintaining required correct temperature and humidity as per the age of birds
• Dilute disease causing infective agents like bacteria and maintain healthy environment in poultry house
• To maintain good litter conditions
• To increase housing capacity of the house and to achieve optimum performance

Ventilation Systems

Natural or Open house

In Indian conditions, because of the climate we do have poultry houses with both sides open. Temperature is controlled with the help of curtains. Depending upon the season one has to operate the curtains or use heaters or brooders to increase the temperature. In summer season, we recommend fans, sprinklers, foggers where the temperatures are higher. One can either use low-pressure fogger nozzles or high-pressure fogger nozzles for these houses.

Mechanical/Tunnel Ventilations

In recent years, stress created by greater bird density, rapid growth rate, increased metabolic activity, higher body weights, etc. have caused the need of environment control systems. Air movement over the flock increases the birds comfort level tremendously hence, environmentally controlled houses are designed to satisfy maximum requirements of the birds.