Dehydration (Post Hatch)

 Dehydration

                   Dehydration is condition that results when the body loses more water than it takes in. This imbalance disrupts the usual levels of salts and sugars present in the blood, which can interfere with the way the body functions.

                        It is founded that the dehydration is one of the swiftest killers of poultry. It sets in quickly and is difficult to fix if the bird is too far gone. A few hours in this situation and without water can mean death.

                                Dehydration is very serious situation for chickens and quickly turns from serious to deadly.

    








      

Pasted Vent

 The symptoms of dehydration in live birds are:

Ø    Panting

Ø    Pale comb and wattles

Ø   Spreading wings away from body

Ø    Diarrhea

Ø    Lethargic

Ø    Paleness or blackish legs

Ø    Limp

Ø    Seizures/convulsions

All birds start dehydrating at hatch Post Hatch

     (Post Hatch) important points

Ø  Try to squeeze a few more ( popcorn)

Ø  Timing from Ready to Delivery

Ø  Logistics-Labor-Trucking-Bottlenecks

Ø  Pull early-navels-not thirsty?

Dehydrated

Produce Good Quality

Ø  Compromise after hatch

Ø  Proper Chick Hold Space-Environment-black lights

Ø  Farm distance-20 min to 6 hours

Dehydrated Legs

Pre-Pull

Ø  Hatch Window-Hatch Spread

Ø  30 hours or less ( hatch starts)

Ø  23 hours- 30%

Ø  12 hours- 70 to 80%

Ø  Check Chick Temperatures before pull

Step Programs

Ø  Lower Temperature in Hatcher

Ø  Timing is important (step down before chick overheats)

Ø  Take temperatures at pre-pull and at pull times

Severe Dehydration

Remember

Step programs are designed to keep chicks from overheating

Not to cool down

Absorption of yolk 
The Yolk Sac 

Ø  Contains essentials

Ø  Nutrients (25% protein, 25% lipids)

Ø  This is just for maintenance, the yolk itself doesn’t provide enough alone for growth.

Ø  Water (50%)

Ø  Antibodies 

Stress in the first 5 days

Ø  Grading, sexing vaccination and de beaking in hatchery.

Ø  Transportation time to farm and Temperature.

Ø  Temperature at farm and fresh water availability.

Ø  Feeding and water space.

Ø  Vaccination

Key Point