2.

Housing principles, space requirements for different species of livestock

Animal housing refers to the facilities that provide animals with the right environment and
behavioural needs to ensure their well-being. It also prevents animals from escaping or getting
injured.
Factors to be considered while designing a livestock farm
Different types of enterprises such as dairy, piggery, sheep and goat units need different
building design. So the design should be prepared to meet the need of a particular enterprise.
The following factors may be considered while designing a livestock farm
1. Designing for unit
- It is desirable to design the accommodation for a workable unit.
- It will give opportunity to study the need of smaller group with regard to floor space and
feeding space required for different kinds of animals.
2. Structural form
- Shape and design of building should meet the needs of all classes of livestock.
- Uniformity in the appearance should be maintained. We have to decide the number of
animals to be housed in the building and number of buildings to be constructed.
3. Designing for flexibility
- Animal building has to be designed to meet the requirement of changing enterprises.
- This will increase the utility of buildings. Spacious building without pillars can be easily
being adopted for different enterprises with little modifications in the building.
- For example large intensive dairy buildings can be used for rearing pig or sheep and goat
with little modification.
4. Shape of the roof
- It is designed to suit the local climatic conditions. Gable with roof ventilator is necessary
for hot condition.
- Monitor roof is suitable for building with smaller width.

5. Standard width of buildings

- Single row cow shed should have length of 3. 80 to 4.25
meters - Double row cow shed should have 7. 90 to 8.70
meters length.

6. Standard height of the building

- The standard height of the building may differ according to the roofing material and
agroclimatic condition.

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7. Length of building
- The standard length of building may be of any. It may vary depends upon the number of
animals housed.
- Length can be determined based on the total stock to be housed within the building.
- Example: In case of dairy 15-20 animals in single row system and 20-50 animals in double
row system and above 50 animals a separate shed should be provided.
Objectives
➢ To protect the animal from adverse environment
➢ To protect from diseases
➢ For controlled feeding and breeding
➢ To get more milk production
➢ To get clean milk production
➢ To increase the labour efficiency
➢ To protect animals from predators

Principles for selection of site

• Soil
• Elevation
• Topography
• Sunlight
• Protection from wind
• Market
• Durability
• Labour
• Accessibility
• Surrounding
• Electricity
Soil: selection of gravel or deep sand type of soil essential for building site and fertile soil for
cultivation. Elevation: A dairy building should be at a higher elevation than the surrounding ground
to offer a good slope for rainfall, drainage for wastes of dairy to avoid stagnation
Topography: A levelled area requires less site preparation and thus lesser cost of building.
Sunlight: A dairy building should be located to a maximum exposure to the sun in the north and
minimum exposure to the sun in the south.
Protection from wind: Protection from prevailing strong winds whether hot or cold.
Market: Dairy buildings should be near to the market so, owner can sell products profitably and
regularly.
Durability: Durability of the structure is obviously an important criteria in building a dairy.
Labour: Honest, economic and regular supply of labour be available.
Accessibility: Easy accessibility to the buildings is always desirable. Situation, a cattle shed by the
side of the main road preferably about 100 meters should be aimed
Surroundings: Wild animals and dacoits should be avoided. Narrow gates, high manger curbs, loose
hinges, protruding nails, smooth finished floors in the areas where the cows move
Electricity: Most important sanitary method of lighting a dairy. Since a modern dairy always handles
electric equipment so, need adequate supply of electricity.

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Housing of cattle and buffaloes
Under varied climatic, geographical and economic conditions prevailing in India, designing
an ideal set of building for dairy animals throughout the country is impossible. Hence, practically
there are two systems of housing for dairy animal’s viz. loose housing and conventional barns. The
loose housing being widely followed in our country.
1. Loose housing
It is a system of housing in which animals are kept loose in an open paddock throughout the
day and night except at the time of milking and treatment. In this system, shelter is provided
along one side of open paddock under which animals can retire when it is very hot or cold or
during rains. Common feed manger and water tank are provided and concentrates are fed at the
milking time which is done in a separate milking barn/ parlour in which cows are secured at
milking time and are milked. The open paddock is enclosed by means of half walls or plain wire
fences of convenient height.

Advantages:
• Cost of construction is cheaper.
• Future expansion is possible.
• Animals will move freely so that it will get sufficient exercise.
• Common feeding and watering arrangement is possible.
• Clean milk production is possible because the animals are milked in a separate milking barn.
• Oestrus detection is easy.
• At least 10-15 percent more stock than standard can be accommodated for shorter period.
Disadvantages:
• It is not suitable for temperate Himalayan region and heavy rainfall areas.
• It requires more floor space.
• There is competition for feed.
• Attention of individual animal is not possible.
• A separate milking barn is needed for milking of animals.
2. Conventional housing or conventional barns or tie barns or stanchion barns
Is this system of housing, the animals are confined together on a platform and secured at
neck by stanchions or neck chain. The animals are fed as well as milked in the same barn. These
barns are completely covered with roofs and side walls are closed with windows or ventilator
located at suitable places to get proper ventilation and lighting. It is applicable for temperate and
heavy rainfall region. The same type of housing can be utilized for tropical region with slight
modification side wall should be of 1.0 m.

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Advantages
- Protect cattle from harsh weather conditions, especially during prolonged or severe winters
- Animals can receive individual care
- Diseases can be better controlled
- Animals can be kept clean
- Milking is easier
- It's easier to supply feed to the animals
Disadvantages
- Construction costs are high
- Future expansion is difficult
- Not suitable for hot and humid climates
- If cattle are tied up all year, their feet can become stiff
- It can be difficult to detect oestrus in cattle
- Contagious diseases can spread - Ventilation problems can occur
- Animals may get less exercise
Animal Housing Systems
Single row system: In single row system, 12-16 numbers of animals can be kept.
Double row system: If it is greater than 16, then double row system is preferable. In double row
system up to 50 animals can be maintained in a single shed.
The distance between two sheds should be greater than 30 feet or it should be twice the height of
the building.
Tail to tail system Advantages
- Cleaning and milking of animals easy.
- Supervision of milking also easy.
- Less chance for transmission of diseases from animal to animal.
- Animals can get more fresh air from outside. - This system is more labour friendly system.

Disadvantages
- It is not suitable for temperate Himalayan region and heavy rainfall areas
- It requires more floor space
- There is a competition for feed
- Attention of individual animal is not possible
- A separate milking barn is needed for milking of animals
Head to head system Advantages
- Getting animals into the shed is easy.
- Feeding of animals also easy.
- Disinfection of gutter will be more due to the direct fall of sunrays over the gutter.
- Animals are better exhibited to visitors
Disadvantages
- Milking supervision is difficult.
- Possibilities of transmission of disease are more.
- Not labour friendly.

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Main building units:
Milking Barn / milk parlour
• This is a barn where milch animals are milked and is fully covered.
• It should be located at the centre of the farm with all other farm buildings arranged around it.
• There shall be an individual standing in the milking barns and the number of standings
required should be 25% of total number of milch animals in the herd. The milking operation
should be carried out in batches
Down calver shed / calving pen
• Pregnant animals are transferred to a calving pen 2 to 3 weeks before the expected date of
calving.
• Calving pen of 3m x 4m (12 m2) is essential to keep the animals in advanced stage of
pregnancy.
• It should be located nearer to the farmer’s quarters for better supervision.
• The number of calving pens required is 10% of the number of total breedable female stock in
the farm.
Calf pen
• This is meant for housing young calves separately.
• It can be located either at the end or on the side of the milking barn.
• This facilitates taking calves to their dams quickly.
• If there are large numbers of calves, the separate unit of calf shed should be arranged and
located nearer to the milking barn.
Young stock/ heifer shed
• It is meant for housing young heifers separately.
• Older heifers calves from about six months of age to breeding age are to be housed separately
from the suckling calves.
• When a large number of young stocks are there, they should be divided into different age
groups and each group housed separately to facilitate scientific feeding.
Dry animal shed
• In large farms, milch and dry cows are housed separately.
• The floor in the covered area should preferably be made of cement concrete.
• Under Indian conditions, in smaller farms, milch and dry animals can be housed together.
Normally, one third of the animals in a farm will be in dry or in dry cum pregnant stage
Bull shed
• It is meant for housing bulls separately in a farm.
• It should be constructed towards one end of the farm.
• There shall be one shed for each bull.
• The number of bulls required being one for every 50 breedable females on the farm, if natural
breeding is practiced.
• When artificial insemination service facilities are available, no necessary to keep the bulls on
the farm.
• The bull shed shall have covered 3x4 metre dimensions, leading into a paddock of 120 square
metres.
• The bull sheds shall be located in such a way that the bulls are able to see the cows and hear
their sounds.

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Isolation shed
- It is the separation of sick animals from apparently healthy animals to avoid transmission of
diseases to healthy stock.
- It should be located at the corner of the shed so that these sheds are inaccessible to other
animals.
Quarantine shed
- It should be located at the entrance of the farm.
- The newly purchased animals entering into the farm should be kept in quarantine shed for a
minimum period of 30 to 40 days to watch out for any disease occurrence.
Accessory buildings Store room
• All the four walls should be closed and it should be rat proof.
• There should be one concrete store room with feed mixing unit at a distant place and a smaller feed
store room behind the milking parlour.
• The floor and walls of store room should be impervious and damp proof
Milk room
• It is essential to keep the milk and also to chill the milk in larger dairies having 400 to 700 litres
production capacity that requires 3.7 m x 5m size of room and an additional 0.37 m2 for every 40
litres of milk production.
• For a smaller dairy unit below 100 litres a small room with a dimension of 3.75m x 3m can be
sufficient for storing milk and concentrate feed.
Hay or straw shed
• An adult animal consume about 5 to 10 Kg of hay or straw per day, while young stock consume
about 2 to 5 kg of hay or straw per day.
• The annual requirement can be calculated and the space requirement can be arrived.

Table showing Floor space Requirement for Dairy Animals

[Link] Type of Floor space) per Feeding Water Mode of housing
animal animal (m2) (manger) trough
space per space/
animal (cm) animal (cm)
Covered
Open area
area
Young calves Individual or in
1 1.0 2.0 40- 50 10-15
(< 8 weeks) groups of below 5
Older calves
2 2.0 4.0 40-50 10-15 Groups of below 15
(> 8 wks)
3 Heifers 2.0 4.0-5.0 45-60 30-45 Groups of below 25
4 Adult cows 3.5 7.0 60-75 45-60 Groups of below 25
Adult Groups of below
5 4.0 8.0 60-75 60-75
Buffaloes 25-30
6 Down calvers 12.0 20-25 60-75 60-75 Individual
7 Bulls 12.0 120.0 60-75 60-75 Individual
8 Bullocks 3.5 7.0 60-75 60-75 Pairs

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 Floor Space Requirements

Maximum no of
Type of animal Floor space requirement (m2) Height of the shed ( cm)
animals / pen
Covered area Open area
Bulls 12.0 24.0 1

Cows 3.5 7.0 50

Buffaloes 4.0 8.0 50

175 cm. in medium and heavy
rain fall and 220 cm. in dry
Down – calver 12.0 12.0 1
areas.
Young – calves 1.0 2.0 30

Old – calves 2.0 4.0 30

Housing of Sheep and Goat

• Sheep and goats farm an integral part of the rural economy of the country.
• They provide wool, meat, milk, skin, hair and manure.
• In general for sheep and goat a well established shed is not required when compared to dairy cattle,
they need simple shelter.
Types of Housing
• Open shed
• Semi open shed
• Enclosed shed
Open shed
• It requires no special construction work except for roof and fencing.
• It requires only simple shelter with fences.
• During severe winter and summer time, we can provide some artificial protection with the help of
gunny bags, bamboo, straws.

Semi-open shed
• In this three walls are closed, one side kept opened for free movement of flock.

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Elevated shed
• Its initial investment is high.
• In the wooden floor sheds, in a distance of 3m from the floor, the animals are reared.
• This requires less labour and more irrigation land for the fodder production.
• The elevated sheds will be clean and urine and dung will be collected in the floor and
periodical removing is required once in six months

Enclosed shed
• Environmentally controlled shed for light and ventilation.
Functional unit of sheep and goat sheds
1. Lamb or kid shed
2. Ram or buck shed
3. Ewe or doe shed
4. Lambing or kidding shed
5. Shearing shed
6. Store shed
7. Dipping tank
8. Milk doe shed
9. Milk room
10. Isolation shed
11. Quarantine shed
Ewe/Doe shed
• Sheds shall be used for housing ewes or doe kept for breeding purpose.
• Shed shall be 15 x 4m size and 3m high and should accommodate not more than 60 ewe or doe.
Ram/ Buck shed
• Ram or Buck shed shall be used for housing rams or bucks kept for breeding purpose.
• Shed shall be 4 x 2.5m size and 3m high and should accommodate not more than three animals.
• Shed shall be partitioned length wise to form three equal compartments.
• Shed partition may be made up of wooden planks.
• Partition shall be not more than one meter high from the floor.
• Partition should have a gap of 10 to 15cm between each plank to enable the rams or buck to see
one another.
Lambing/Kidding shed
• Sheds shall be used as maternity room for ewes and doe. The shed shall be 1.5m x 1.2m size and
3m high.
• A manger for holding feed and a bucket for keeping water shall be provided in the shed.
Lamb/Kid shed
• The lamb or kid shed shall be used for housing lambs or kids until they attain maturity.
• The shed shall be 7.5 x 4m in size and 3m high to accommodate not more than 75 animals.
• The shed shall be partitioned breadth wise dividing it into two compartments.
• The compartment having dimensions as 5 x 4m shall be used to keep the un-weaned animals
• Other compartment having dimension of 2.5 x 4m shall be used for keeping the weaned but
immature animals.

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Shearing shed and store room
• Shearing and store room may consists of two compartments with a dividing wall one room may be
exclusively meant for storing wool and shearing equipment
• Other room for keeping feed and medicines.
• Room may be 6 x 2.5m size and 3m high with a door 1 meter wide and 2 meters high in the front
side of the room.
• One holding pen for at least 30 sheep in front of the shearing shed
• Another holding pen behind the shearing shed may be provided to hold shorn sheep after shearing.
Shepherd shed or house
• Shepherd's house meant for the caretaker shall be located at a convenient place in e yard.
• House may be 6 x 4m size and 3m high.
Dipping tank
• Dipping tank, to protect the animal from infection, may be either of galvanized steel sheets or
constructed of stone or brick in cement mortar, whichever is likely to economical according to
local conditions.
Foot-bath
• A foot-bath made of galvanized steel sheets, or brick in cement mortar shall be provided at the
entrance to the yard to protect the animals from foot-rot disease.
• Baths may be embedded in the soil suitably.
Milch doe shed
• Shed to keep milking doe.
• Stalls may be arranged in two rows with a passage in between them.
• Dimensions of each stall meant to keep a single milking doe may be 1.4m length and 1.2m wide
(1.4 x 1.2m).
• Length of the shed shall depend upon the number of milking doe kept for milk production.
Floor space requirements
Sl. Name of the No. of Animals
LxWxH(m) Remarks
No. Shed Housed
1 Ewe/Doe shed 15x4x3 60 -
2 Ram/Buck shed 4x2.5x3 8 Make partition length wise
3 Lamb/kid shed 7.5x4x3 75 Make partition width wise
4 Lambing/kidding
1.5x1.2x3 1 Provide manger and waterer
shed
5 Provide proper ventilation
Isolation shed 3x2x3 1
and bedding materials
6 Make arrangement for
Shearing shed 6x2.5x3 1
storage of wool
7 it should be located nearer to
Shepherd house 6x4x3 -
flock
8 Milch doe shed 1.2x0.8x3 1 -

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Pig Housing
• Good, efficient housing makes management easier
• Helps the farmer to successfully rear 85 % or more of all the live born piglets to market weight
• Pigs at different stages of growth need different environments (temperatures).
• Growing and reproducing pigs must be protected against high temperatures.
• Houses must be built in such a way that the pigs are protected against extreme temperatures and
other bad weather conditions such as cold winds and continuous rain.
Sty
• A sty or pig sty is a small scale outdoor enclosure for raising domestic pigs. It is sometimes referred
to as a hog pen, hog parlour, pig pen, pig parlour or pig cote.

Boar Pen
• Boars are kept separately in their own pen.
• One boar is kept for every 15 to 20 sows.
• On a pig farm with 20 sows, it is advisable to keep at least two boars
• Sows are brought to the boar to be served in the boar pen. Boar pen should be 9 to 10 m2, at least 2
m wide so that the boar can easily turn around in it.
• Floor should be made of cement and must not be slippery.
• Should have shallow towards the sides and front, so that urine and sty washings can drain into the
gutter at the front of the pen.
• Walls must be of solid concrete or cement plastered brick.
• Pen must be provided bedding with straw or sawdust for sleeping and resting.
• A feed trough is placed in the sleeping area
• Cool, clean water must be available at all times
• Pigs usually dung at gate area.
• Make sure that the boar pen is well ventilated and draught free.
• Temperature should not be raised higher than 22 °C for long periods.
• If the temperature rises above 32 °C the boar may become infertile for up to six weeks.
• On very hot days boars can be kept cool by sprinkling them with water.

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Gilts and dry sows
• Gilts should be brought to the boar for the first time when they are 7. 5 to eight months old.
• Dry sows come onto heat three to seven days after weaning when they have to be served by a boar
again.
• Keep gilts and dry sows to be served in pens next to or near the boar so that they can be checked
for heat daily until they are served.
• Do not keep more than five gilts or sows in one pen.
• Gilts and sows should not be kept in the same pen.
• Individual feeding is important to ensure that each pig receives the correct quantity of feed every
time.
• Enough trough space with partitions that allow the pigs to eat individually
• Nineteen days after the pigs have been served by a boar they are again brought into contact with a
boar for five to seven consecutive days to make sure that they are pregnant.
• If boar does not serve them again, it can be concluded that they are pregnant and they can then be
placed in the pregnant sow house.

Pregnant sows
• Pregnancy lasts 114 to 116 days.
• Sows are put in the pregnant sow pen about 24 days after service and are only moved to the
farrowing pen seven days before they give birth.
• They stay in these pens for about 85 days.
• Provided the sows are about the same size, up to five pregnant sows can be kept in one pen.
• Individual feeding is important to ensure that each pig receives the correct quantity of feed every
time.
Farrowing pens
• Farrowing pen is the most important pen on the farm.
• Proper design with right temperature is provided for the sow and her piglets during first 7 to 10
days after birth
• Trampling and overlying is prevented as far as possible.
• Advisable to build a farrowing house (large room) containing five or six farrowing pens.
Farrowing crate
• Each pen must have a farrowing crate where the sow is kept from one week before the piglets are
born until they are weaned when they are 28 or 35 days old.
• Crate is placed in the pen allowing a space of about 1 m on the one side and 0.5 m on the other
side.
• Feed trough for feed and water is on the feed passage side of the pen.
• A creep area must be provided for the piglets.
• Creep is important because it helps to reduce deaths as a result of crushing.

24
 • It also provides a draught-free area where the piglets heat one another.
• In this way the creep area provides the required temperature of 27 to 32 °C for piglets during the
first 10 days of life.
• Farrowing house must have windows on both sides to ventilate and cool the house.
• Temperature where the sow is kept (in the farrowing crate) should preferably not be higher than
about 21 °C.

Weaner and finishing house (growing pigs)

• Piglets are weaned when they are only 28 days old.
• They must therefore be looked after with care for at least another four to six weeks until they are 10
weeks old.
• Piglet must be kept in pens at a temperature of 17 to 25 °C
• It is advisable to keep the growing and finishing pigs in pens similar to those used for weaners.
• A weaner/finisher house with 20 pens must therefore be built.
• Each pen must be large enough to house a litter of 10 to 12 pigs, kept in the pen from the age of
four weeks until they are sold at a live weight of 90 to 110 kg.
• Two rows of 10 pens are built in the house with 40 m long and 9 m wide.
• Water troughs or drinking nipples are fixed to the pen walls
• Growing pigs must have access to feed at all times.
• It is therefore ideal to use self-feeders. An effective self-feeder can be set in such a way that feed
wastage is restricted to a minimum

Floor space requirements for Pigs

Type of Animal Floor space requirement Maximum no. of Height of
(m2) animals/pen shed in (cm)
Covered Open
Area Area
Boar 6.0 to 7.0 8.8 to ---- ----
12.0
Farrowing sow 7.0 to 8.0 8.8 to ---- ----
12.0
Weaner/fattening 0.9 to 1.8 0.9 to 1.8 30 200 to 250
pigs
Dry Sow/Gilt 1.8 to 2.7 1.4 to 1.8 10 ----

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 3. Housing principles, space requirements for different species poultry
A chicken coop or hen house is a structure where chickens or other fowl are kept safe and secure
Poultry house Objectives:
• To protect birds from adverse climatic conditions
• To ensure easy and economic operation
• To ensure scientific feeding in a controlled manner
• To facilitate proper micro-climatic conditions in a near vicinity of bird
• For effective disease control measures
• To ensure proper supervision
Selection of location
• Poultry house should be located away from residential and industrial area.
• It should have proper road facilities.
• It should have the basic amenities like water and electricity.
• Availability of farm labourers at relatively cheaper wages.
• Poultry house should be located in an elevated area and there should not be any water- logging.
• It should have proper ventilation.
Layout of poultry farm
A small size poultry farm doesn’t require any special layout as it involves construction of only one
house. The medium and large size farms require special considerations for placement of building in the
farm premises. The basic principles to be observed for layout are
• Layout should not allow visitors or outside vehicles near the birds.
• The sheds should be so located that the fresh air first passes through the brooder shed, followed by
grower and layer sheds. This prevents the spread of diseases from layer houses to brooder house.
• There should be a minimum distance of 50-100 feet between chick and grower shed and the distance
between grower and layer sheds should be of minimum 100 metre.
• The egg store room, office room and the feed store room should be located near entrance to minimize the
movement of people around the poultry sheds.
• The disposal pit and sick room should be constructed only at the extreme end of the site.
Different types of poultry houses
• Brooder / chick house: It is used to brood and rear egg-type chicks from 0 to 8 weeks of age.
• Grower house: It is used to grow egg-type birds from 9 to 18 weeks of age.
• Brooders cum grower house: Here, the birds are reared from 0 to 18 weeks of age (entire brooding and
growing period of egg type chicken).
• Layer house: In which birds over 18 weeks of age are reared, usually up to 72 weeks of age.
• Broiler house: In which broilers are reared up to 6 weeks of age.
• Breeder house: In which both male and female breeders are maintained at appropriate sex ratio.
• Environmentally controlled (EC) house: In which, entire environment is manipulated in such a way that
is optimum for the birds growth.
Principles of poultry housing
House Orientation (Direction): The poultry house should be located in such a way that long axis is in
east-west direction. This will prevent the direct sunshine over the birds.

26
Size: Each broiler require one square foot of floor space while a layer requires two square feet of floor
space under deep-litter system of rearing. So the size of the house depends on the number of birds to be
reared.
Length: The length of the house can be of any extent. The number of birds reared and availability of the
land determines the length of poultry house.
Width: The open sided poultry houses in tropical countries should have a width not more than 22 to 25 feet
in order to allow ample ventilation and aeration at the mid-portion. Sheds wider than this will not provide
adequate ventilation during the hot weather. If the width of the shed is more than 25 feet, ridge ventilation
at the middle line of the roof top with proper overhang is a must. Hot air and obnoxious gases which are
lighter than air move upward and escape through ridge ventilation. In environmentally controlled poultry
houses, the width of the house may be even 40 feet or more since the ventilation is controlled with the help
of exhaust fans.
Height: The height of the sides from foundation to the roof line should be 6 to 7 feet (eaves height) and at
the centre 10 to 12 feet. In case of cage houses, the height is decided by the type of cage arrangements (3
tier or 4 tier).
Foundation: Good foundation is essential to prevent seepage of water into the poultry sheds. The
foundation of the house should of concrete with 1 to 1.5 feet below the surface and 1 to 1.5 feet above the
ground level.
Floor: The floor should be made of concrete with rat proof device and free from dampness. The floor of
the house should be extended 1.5 feet outside the wall on all sides to prevent rat and snake problems.
Doors: The door must be open outside in case of deep-litter poultry houses. The size of door is preferably
6 x 2.5 feet. At the entry, a foot bath should be constructed to fill with a disinfectant.
Side walls: The side wall should be of 1-1.5 feet height, and generally at the level of bird’s back height.
This side wall protects the bird during rainy days or chill climate and also provides sufficient ventilation.
In case of cage houses, no side wall is needed.
Roof: The roof of the poultry house may be thatched, tiled, asbestos or concrete one depending upon the
cost involvement. Different types of roofs are Shed, Gable, half-monitor, full-monitor (Monitor), Flat
concrete, Gambrel, Gothic etc. Gable type is mostly preferred in tropical countries like India.
Overhang: The overhang of the roof should not be less than 3.5 feet in order to prevent the entry of rain
water into the shed.
Lighting: Light should be provided at 7-8 feet above the ground level and must be hanged from ceiling. If
incandescent bulbs are used, the interval between two bulbs is 10 feet. In case of fluorescent lights (tube
lights) the interval is 15 feet.

Systems of Poultry Housing

Poultry can be housed under different systems based on following factors,
1. Availability of land
2. Cost of land
3. Type of farming activity
4. Climatic condition
5. Labour availability
Broadly, poultry housing systems are classified into three systems:
1. Free range or extensive system
2. Semi-intensive system
3. Intensive system
27
 a. Deep-litter system
b. Slatted floor system
c. Slat cum litter system
d. Cage system
1) Free range system
This system is adopted only when adequate land is available to ensure desired stocking density by
avoiding overcrowding. We can rear about 250 adult birds per hectare. A range provides shelter, greens,
feed, water and shade. Foraging is the major source of feeding for birds. Shelter is usually provided by
temporary roofing supported by ordinary poles. The fields are generally used on rotational basis after
harvesting of crops by moving of birds from one field to another depending on cropping programme. All
categories of birds can be reared in this system. This system is most preferred for organic egg production.
Advantages
• Less capital investment
• Cost of housing is least.
• Feed requirements are less since birds can consume fairly good amount of feed from grass land.
• Fertility of soil can be maintained.
Disadvantages
• The scientific management practices cannot be adopted.
• Eggs are lost when laid inside the dense grasses unless special nests are provided.
• Losses due to predatory animals are more.
• Wild birds may bring diseases unless proper care is taken.
2) Semi-intensive system
As the name indicates birds are half-way reared in houses and half-way on ground or range, i.e. birds
are confined to houses in night or as per need and they are also given access to runs. The houses are with
solid floors while runs are fields only. The success of rearing depends on maintenance of condition of runs
to reduce the contamination. Runs can also be used on turn basis. The stocking density rate on an average
for adult birds is 750 per hectare. This system is usually adopted for duck rearing. The feeding and
watering facilities are provided in the pen.
Advantages
• More economical use of land compared to free range system
• Protection of birds from extreme climatic conditions
• Control over scientific operation is some extent possible
Disadvantages
• High cost for fencing.
• Need for routine cleaning and removal of litter material from the pen.
3) Intensive system
Birds are totally confined to houses either on ground / floor or on wire-netting floor in cages or on
slats. It is the most efficient, convenient and economical system for modern poultry production with huge
numbers.

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Advantages:
• Minimum land is required for farming.
• Farms can be located near market area.
• Day-to-day management is easier.
• The production performance is higher as more energy is saved due to restricted movements.
• Scientific management practices like breeding, feeding, medication, culling etc. can be applied easily and
accurately.
• The sick birds can be detected, isolated and treated easily.
Disadvantages:
• Birds’ welfare is affected. They cannot perform the natural behaviour like roosting, spreading wings,
scratching the floor with legs etc.
• Since they are not exposed to outside sunlight and feed sources, all the nutrients should be provided in
balanced manner to avoid nutritionally deficient diseases.
• Chances for spreading of diseases are more. Floor space requirements
Type Age (in weeks) Deep-litter (ft2) Cages(ft2)
0-8 0.60 0.20
9-18 1.25 0.30
Egg-type chicken
>18 1.50 0.50

0-4 0.30 -
Meat-type chicken
4-8 0.75 -
Deep Litter System
In this system the birds are kept inside the house all the time. Arrangement for feed, water and nest
are made inside the house. The birds are kept on suitable litter material of about 3” to 5” depth. The word
litter is used for fresh litter material spread on the floor. Usually paddy husk, saw dust, ground nut hulls,
chopped paddy straw or wood shavings are used as litter materials. This arrangement saves labour
involved in frequent cleaning of faecal matter (droppings), however it needs periodical stirring. The litter is
spread on the floor in layers of 2” height every fortnightly till the required is achieved.
Advantages:
- Vit B2 and Vit B12 are made available to birds from the litter material by the bacterial action. - The
welfare of birds is maintained to some extend - The deep litter manure is a useful fertilizer.
- Lesser nuisance from flies when compared to cage system.
Disadvantages:
- Because of the direct contact between bird and litter, bacterial and parasitic disease may be a problem.
- Respiratory problems may emerge due to dust from the litter.
- The cost of litter is an additional expenditure on production cost.
- Faults in ventilation can have more serious consequences than in the cage system

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The built up litter
Deep litter or built up litter is accumulation and decomposition of litter material and excreta
until it reaches a depth of 8” to 12”, after an original start of 3” to 5” depth. Bacterial action decomposes
litter and excreta into crumble form and heat is produced during decomposition which keeps litter dry and
warm. If the amount of droppings exceeds the litter, fresh litter will be added to lower the amount of
droppings. Periodical stirring of the litter should be carried out for an effective functioning of built-up
litter. After one year, the litter is changed and the decomposed litter is used as good quality manure. The
best built-up litter should be dry, friable and free from obnoxious odour.

Slatted (Slotted) Floor System:-

In a slatted floor, iron rods or wood reapers are used as floor, usually 2-3 feet above the ground
level to facilitate fall of droppings through slats. Wooden reapers or iron rods of 2” diameter can be used
on lengthwise of the house with interspaces of 1” between rods.
Advantages:
- Less floor space per bird is needed when compared to solid floor system.
- Bedding is eliminated
- Manure handling is avoided
- Increased sanitation
- Saving in labour
- Soil borne infection is controlled
Disadvantages:
- Higher initial cost than conventional solid floors
- Less flexibility in the use of the building - Any spilled feed is lost
through the slots - More fly problem.
Slat (Slot) Cum Litter System:-
This system is commonly practiced for rearing birds for hatching eggs production, particularly
meat-type breeders. Here, a part of the floor area is covered with slats. Usually, 60% of the floor area is
covered with slats and rest with litter. Feeders and waterers are arranged in both slat and litter area. In case
of breeder flock, nest boxes are usually kept on litter area.
Advantages:
- More eggs can be produced per unit of floor space than all solid floors.
- Fertility is better with the slat cum litter house than with the all-slat house.
Disadvantages:
- Housing investment is higher with the slat cum litter house than with the all-litter house.
- The separation of birds from the manure beneath the slats commonly results in fly problems.
Cage System
This system involves rearing of poultry on raised wire netting floor in smaller compartments, called
cages, either fitted with stands on floor of house or hanged from the roof. It has been proved very efficient
for laying operations, right from day-old to till disposal. At present, 75% of commercial layers in the world
are kept in cages. Feeders and waterers are attached to cages from outside except nipple waterers, for
which pipeline is installed through or above cages. Auto-operated feeding trolleys and egg collection belts
can also be used in this rearing system. The droppings are either collected in trays underneath cages or on
belts or on the floor or deep pit under cages, depending on type of cages.

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Advantages:
- Minimum floor space is needed
- More number of eggs per hen can be received
- Less feed wastage
- Better feed efficiency
- Protection from internal parasites and soil borne illnesses
- Sick and unproductive birds can be easily identified and eliminated.
- Clean eggs production
- Vices like egg eating, pecking is minimal.
- Broodiness is minimal
- No need of litter material
- Artificial Insemination (AI) can be adopted.
Disadvantages:
- High initial investment cost.
- Handling of manure may be problem. Generally, flies become a greater nuisance.
- The incidence of blood spots in egg is more
- Problem of cage layer fatigue. (It is a condition, in which laying birds in cages develop lameness.
It may be due to Ca and P deficiency but the exact reason is not known)
- In case of broilers, incidence of breast blisters is more, especially when the broilers weight is
more than 1.5 kg.
Types of cages
Based on the number of birds in a cage, it is classified as
- Single or individual bird cage (Only one bird in a cage)
- Multiple bird cage (From 2 to 10 birds, usually 3 or 4 birds per cage)
- Colony cages (Holding birds more than 11 per cage)
Based on the number of rows
- Single-deck
- Double-deck
- Triple-deck
- Four-deck
- Flat-deck
Elevated cage layer house
The height of the shed is raised by 6-7 feet using concrete pillars. The distance between two pillars
is 10 feet. Two feet wide concrete platforms are made over the pillars. When 3 ‘M’ type cages are arranged
4 platforms are needed. In case of 2 ‘M’ and 2 ‘L’ type cages are arranged 3 platforms are needed. When
constructing platforms projecting angles or iron rods to be provided to fix the cages. The inter-platform
distance is 6-7 feet depending upon the type of the cages used. The total height of the house is 20-25 feet
and the width is 30-33 feet. This type of houses provides sufficient ventilation in tropical countries.

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