Unit C: Field Records

Lesson 3: Poultry Production and Record Keeping

Student Learning Objectives:
Instruction in this lesson should result in students achieving the following objectives:
1. Understand the importance of record keeping in poultry production.
2. Identify record keeping systems used in poultry production.
3. Complete different record keeping forms used in poultry production.

Recommended Teaching Time: 1 hour

Recommended Resources: The following resources may be useful in teaching
this lesson:
4-H Poultry Production and Records. Cooperative Extension Service of Mississippi
State University. http://www.msstate.edu/dept/poultry/4hrecord.htm
Importance of Record Keeping. Poultry Industry Council.
http://poultryindustrycouncil.ca/compendium-record_keeping.html.

List of Equipment, Tools, Supplies, and Facilities:

Writing surface
PowerPoint Projector
PowerPoint Slides
Transparency Masters
Copies of student worksheets

Terms: The following terms are presented in this lesson (shown in bold italics and on
PowerPoint Slide 2):

Breeding stock
Broilers
Chicks
Layers
Mortality
Poults
Pullets

Interest Approach:
Begin a discussion about record keeping. Why do we need records? What
are the benefits? What industries use record keeping? What type of records
would poultry producers utilize? Bridge this discussion into the first objective.

SUMMARY OF CONTENT AND TEACHING STRATEGIES

Objective 1: Understand the importance of record keeping in poultry production.
Anticipated Problem: Why is record keeping in poultry production important?
(PowerPoint Slide 3)
I. Record keeping is extremely important to successful poultry production.
A. Financial decisions-before creating a budget or making important and costly
financial decisions, records need to be analyzed.
B. Feeding decisions-records are useful in deciding what types of feed rations,
the quantity of feed rations, and the effectiveness of a specific feed ration.
(PowerPoint Slide 4)
C. Breeding decisions-when deciding which birds to mate, past breeding records
can be put to use.
D. Productivity of birds-records should be kept on the productivity of birds (eggs,
reproduction, pounds of meat, etc.) to be used when the flock must be culled.
Use TM: 3-1 to further explain this objective. Engage students in a discussion
about the connection of records and their importance.

Objective 2: Identify record keeping systems used in poultry production.

Anticipated Problem: What systems of record keeping are used in poultry production?
II.
There are several different types of records to keep in poultry production.
(PowerPoint Slide 5)
A. These systems vary by many factors.
1. Species raised - The records kept for different species of poultry are going
to differ because of the different uses. For example chicken records are
going to be different from turkey records.
(PowerPoint Slide 6)
2. Breed raised - Certain breeds are raised for a specific purpose (laying,
broilers, breeding), and therefore need different records.
3. Type of bird - The type of bird raised is going to determine the record
keeping system. Some chickens are raised for egg production (for
consumption), egg production (for repopulating), meat production, etc.

(PowerPoint Slide 7)
B. There are different records to keep for chickens.
1. Chicks chicks are young birds before the growth process has started.
The records for chicks may include date hatched, date moved to
pullet/broiler house, feed consumption, and water consumption.
(PowerPoint Slide 8)
2. Pullets pullets are birds growing to become layers. Certain records to
be kept for these birds include feed consumption, water consumption, and
light-dark hours.
3. Layers layers are female birds that are in the stage of laying eggs.
Records needed include feed consumption, water consumption, and egg
production.
(PowerPoint Slide 9)
4. Broilers broilers are raised to be harvested for chicken meat to
consume. Specific records may include feed consumption, water
consumption, weight, average daily gain, days on feed, and processing
date.
5. Breeding stock breeding stock are used to produce birds to repopulate
the flock. Breeding date, birds mated, and hatching date are examples of
important records.
(PowerPoint Slide 10)
C. Turkeys require specific records.
1. Poults poults are young birds that will be raised to be harvested for
consumption. Specific records may include feed consumption, water
consumption, weight, average daily gain, days on feed, and processing
date.
2. Breeding Stock breeding stock are used to produce birds to repopulate
the flock. Breeding date, birds mated, and hatching date are examples of
important records to keep.
Use TM: 3-2 to check for student understanding. Tie this discussion in with the
next objective.

Objective 3: Complete different record keeping forms used in poultry production.

Anticipated Problem: How do you complete record keeping forms used in poultry
production?
(PowerPoint Slides 11 and 12)
III. Whenever you begin a record keeping system, you must learn about the
information requested on each form.
A. Mortality (death) of birds every day a record should be taken of any birds
that did not survive.
B. Feed used daily records need to be taken on the quantity of feed fed to
birds.
C. Cost Financial records must be kept of any items bought or sold, e.g. feed,
veterinary costs, equipment, supplies, birds, etc.

D. Vaccinations Specific vaccinations may be needed, depending on the bird

and location of production facility. An accurate record must be kept to insure
sufficient withdrawal times.
(PowerPoint Slide 13)
E. Hens removed Periodically hens must be removed from the flock when their
productivity is too low. Be sure to keep record of which bird, when she was
removed, and the reason for removal.
F. Eggs produced Eggs must be collected and recorded daily. Be sure to
include any inconsistency noticed.
Use WS: 3-1, WS: 3-2, and WS: 3-3 for a hands-on approach to this objective.

Review/Summary: Focus the review and summary of the lesson around the
student learning objectives (PowerPoint Slide 14). Call on students to explain the
content associated with each objective.

Application: Application can involve one or more of the following student activities
using attached lab sheets:
WS: 3-1 Brooding Record
WS: 3-2 Pullet Growing Record
WS: 3-3 Monthly Laying Flock Record

Evaluation: Evaluation should focus on student achievement of the objectives for

the lesson. Various techniques can be used, such as student performance on the
application activity. A sample written test is included.

Answers to Sample Test:

Matching
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

C
F
D
B
A
E

Fill-in-the-blank
1. Mortality
2. Poults, breeding stock
3. Species, breed, bird
Short Answer
1. Use Objective 1 for scoring.
2. Use Objective 3 for scoring.

Sample Test

Poultry Production and Record Keeping

Name:
Matching: Match each word with the correct definition.
a. breeding stock
b. broilers
c. chicks

d. layers
e. poults
f. pullets

1. Young birds.
2. Birds growing to become layers.
3. Female birds that are in the stage of laying eggs.
4. Raised to be processed for meat to be consumed.
5. Used to produce birds to repopulate the flock.
6. Young birds that will be raised to be processed for consumption.

Fill-in-the-blank: Complete the following statements.

1. ____________ is death of birds.
2. Turkeys require specific records for ____________ and ______________
___________.
3. The record keeping systems differ based on _________________ raised,
______________ raised, and type of ______________.
Short Answer: Answer the following questions.
1. What are four reasons to use record keeping in poultry production?

2. What are five different pieces of information requested on record keeping

forms for poultry production?

TM: 3-1

IMPORTANCE OF RECORDS
Financial decisions
Feeding decisions
Breeding decisions
Productivity of birds

TM: 3-2

RECORD KEEPING SYSTEMS

Vary Depending Upon:
Species
Breed
Type of bird
Chickens
Chicks
Pullets
Layers
Broilers
Breeding stock
Turkeys
Poults
Breeding stock

TM: 3-3

INFORMATION ON FORMS
Mortality
Feed used
Cost
Vaccinations
Hens removed
Eggs produced

Utilize the following story to fill in WS: 3-1.

On April 1, you travelled 30 km to buy twenty-five local-grown chicks which were bought
for 20000 AFN. They were raised for the next 4 weeks on a chick starter diet. From
there, you fed them a grower ration until week 9, when you fed a broiler feed. For the
total length of these ten weeks, a total of 12.5 kg of chick starter was used, 25 kg of
grower was fed, and 50 kg of broiler feed. The chick starter was 400 AFN, 600 AFN
was the cost of the grower, and the broiler feed cost 800 AFN. All the prices are for 25
kg of feed. Each time you needed to buy another bag (25kg of feed), you drove to the
local feed store 15 km away using 25 AFN worth of fuel.
As these chicks grew for 10 weeks, some did not survive. During week 1, you lost 1
bird on Tuesday and another on Thursday. Week 2 brought on 1 death on Saturday.
During week 3, no birds were lost; however 3 birds were lost during week 4, one on
Sunday, one on Wednesday, and one on Friday. Week 5 again brought no deaths, but
during week 6, 2 birds were lost on Wednesday. During the remaining weeks, one bird
was lost each week. During week 7, the death occurred on Monday. Tuesday of week
8 and Thursday of week 9, 1 death was found. And the last bird lost was found on
Friday of week 10. At the conclusion of week 10, you sold six birds for 7000 AFN total.
Footnote: This story may not be an accurate representation of poultry production in
Afghanistan. Please substitute real data if it is available.

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WS: 3-1

BROODING RECORD
Date chicks started: ________ No. chicks started: ________ Breed or cross: _______
Mortality (number of chicks that died)
Week
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Total

Total: _________
Feed Used
Chick starter _______kg

Cost ________AFN

Cost of fuel

________AFN

Grower

_______kg

Cost ________AFN

Cost of chicks ________AFN

Broiler Feed

_______kg

Cost ________AFN

Cost of feed

________AFN

Other

_______kg

Cost ________AFN

Other

________AFN

TOTAL

_______kg

Cost ________AFN

Total

________AFN

Chicks dead to end of brooding period _________

Weight of feed used per chick started __________
Weight of feed used per chick raised ___________
Income (birds sold or used as broilers)__________
Expenses ________________________________
Net profit or loss ____________________

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WS KEY: 3-1

BROODING RECORD
Date chicks started: April 1 No. chicks started: 50

Breed or cross: local grown

Mortality (number of chicks that died)

Week
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th

Sun

Mon

Tue
1

Wed

Thu
1

Fri

2
1
1
1
1

Sat

Total
2
1
1
0
3
0
2
1
1
1
1
Total: _12______

Feed Used
Chick starter _12.5__kg

Cost _200____AFN

Cost of fuel

_75_____AFN

Grower

_25____kg

Cost _600____AFN

Cost of chicks _20000__AFN

Broiler Feed

_50____kg

Cost _1600___AFN

Cost of feed

_2400___AFN

Other

_0_____kg

Cost _0______AFN

Other

_0______AFN

TOTAL

_82.5__kg

Cost _2400__AFN

Total

_22475__AFN

Chicks dead to end of brooding period _12______

Weight of feed used per chick started 82.5/50=1.65
Weight of feed used per chick raised 82.5/38=2.17
Income (birds sold or used as broilers)_7000_____
Expenses ______________________22475_____
Net profit or loss _________-15475_____

12

Utilize the following story to fill in WS: 3-2.

At the 10th week of growing, you have 32 birds. Mortality through the pullet
growing stage is extremely decreased. One death during the 12 th week and 2 during
the 14th week. No deaths until one during the 18th week and two more during the 21st
week. The final death was during the 25th week.
Vaccinations began during this time. During the 12 th week, you administered 2
fowl pox vaccines at 250 AFN each. The 16th week brought on 2 Newcastle
vaccinations at 600 AFN each. 4 Bronchitis vaccines were given during the 20 th week
that each cost 400 AFN. The final vaccinations of Fowl Pox were given to 3 birds,
costing 350 AFN, during the 24th week.
Feeding during this period was on five week intervals. For weeks 10 through 14,
20 kg of grower was fed. For weeks 15 through 19, 25 kg of grower was fed. Finally 30
kg of grower was fed for weeks 20 through 25. The grower feed cost 600 AFN per 25
kg. No other feed was used.
Footnote: This story may not be an accurate representation of poultry production in
Afghanistan. Please substitute real data if it is available.

13

WS: 3-2

PULLET GROWING RECORD

(Starts at 10th week and ends at the completion of week first eggs were laid)
Number of birds at 10 weeks ___________

Mortality (number of pullets that died)

10th week __________
11th week __________
12th week __________
13th week __________
14th week __________
15th week __________
Date

Fowl Pox

16th week __________

17th week __________
18th week __________
19th week __________
20th week __________
21st week __________
Vaccination Record
Bronchitis

22nd week __________

23rd week __________
24th week __________
25th week __________
TOTAL

__________

Newcastle

Cost

Total Cost of Vaccination __________

Grower

Weight Feed Used

Other

Cost

10th week
11th week
12th week
13th week
14th week
15th week
16th week
17th week
18th week
19th week
20th week
21st week
22nd week
23rd week
24th week
25th week
Total Feed Costs ____________________

Number of birds that died during growing period __________

Pounds weight per pullet for the growing period __________
Brooding costs
__________AFN
Pullet growing costs
__________AFN

14

Total cost to date

__________AFN

15

WS KEY: 3-2

PULLET GROWING RECORD

(Starts at 10th week and ends at the completion of week first eggs were laid)
Number of birds at 10 weeks _32________

Mortality (number of pullets that died)

10th week _0________
11th week _0________
12th week _1________
13th week _0________
14th week _2________
15th week _0________
Date
12th week
16th week
20th week
24th week

Fowl Pox
2 @250
0
0
3@350

16th week _0________

17th week _0________
18th week _1_________
19th week _0_______
20th week _0________
21st week _2________
Vaccination Record
Bronchitis
0
0
4@400
0

22nd week _0________

23rd week _0________
24th week _0________
25th week _1________
TOTAL

Newcastle
0
2@600
0
0

_7________
Cost
500
1200
800
700

Total Cost of Vaccination _3200_____

10th week
11th week
12th week
13th week
14th week
15th week
16th week
17th week
18th week
19th week
20th week
21st week
22nd week
23rd week
24th week
25th week

Grower
20 kg
20 kg
20 kg
20 kg
20 kg
25 kg
25 kg
25 kg
25 kg
25 kg
30 kg
30 kg
30 kg
30 kg
30 kg
30 kg

Weight Feed Used

Other
Cost
0
480 AFN
0
480 AFN
0
480 AFN
0
480 AFN
0
480 AFN
0
600 AFN
0
600 AFN
0
600 AFN
0
600 AFN
0
600 AFN
0
720 AFN
0
720 AFN
0
720 AFN
0
720 AFN
0
720 AFN
0
720 AFN
Total Feed Costs _9720 AFN__________

Number of birds that died during growing period _7________

Feed weight per pullet for the growing period
_16.2 kg___
Brooding costs
_12920____AFN
Pullet growing costs
_15475____AFN (from WS: 3-2)

16

Total cost to date

_28395____AFN

17

Utilize the following story to fill in WS: 3-3.

Beginning October 10, you had 27 hens that began laying. You lost one bird during the
1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th month. Your monthly totals for egg production are as follows:
811, 783, 779, 742, 739, 706, 707, 675, 674, 642, 638, and 632. Each egg was sold for
3 AFNS. During this time, you feed 1200 kg of layer feed and 600 kg of oyster shell.
The layer feed cost 600 AFN per 25 kg, and the oyster shell cost 700 AFN per 25 kg.
Footnote: This story may not be an accurate representation of poultry production in
Afghanistan. Please substitute real data if it is available.

18

WS: 3-3

MONTHLY LAYING FLOCK RECORD

Date hens started to lay __________

Number hens at start of laying __________

Number hens that died or were removed from the flock

1st month ____________________

7th month ____________________

2nd month ____________________

8th month ____________________

3rd month ____________________

9th month ____________________

4th month ____________________

10th month ___________________

5th month ____________________

11th month ___________________

6th month ____________________

12th month ___________________

Eggs Produced
Monthly
Totals

Layer
Egg
Sales

1st month
2nd month
3rd month
4th month
5th month
6th month
7th month
8th month
9th month
10th month
11th month
12th month

Feed Used

________kg ________AFN

Oyster shell ________kg ________AFN

Other

________kg

________AFN

Total

________kg ________AFN

Feed per hen for period

__________

Average number eggs per hen

Total egg sales

_______AFN

Total costs at start of lay

_______AFN

Feed & other costs during lay _______AFN

Cost

Total

_______AFN

Net profit or loss

_______AFN

(Include in your records the value of all eggs used at home. Calculate value based on retail
market price at time of use.)

19

WS KEY: 3-3

MONTHLY LAYING FLOCK RECORD

Date hens started to lay _October 10_ Number hens at start of laying _27_______
Number hens that died or were removed from the flock
1st month _1__________________

7th month _1__________________

2nd month ____________________

8th month ____________________

3rd month _1__________________

9th month _1__________________

4th month ____________________

10th month ___________________

5th month _1__________________

11th month _1_________________

6th month ____________________

12th month ___________________

Eggs Produced

1st month
2nd month
3rd month
4th month
5th month
6th month
7th month
8th month
9th month
10th month
11th month
12th month

Monthly
Totals
811
783
779
742
739
706
707
675
674
642
638
632

Feed Used

Layer
Egg
Sales
2433
2349
2337
2226
2217
2118
2121
2025
2022
1926
1914
1896

Cost

_1200___kg _28800__AFN

Oyster shell _600____kg _16800__AFN

Other

_0______kg _0______AFN

Total

_1800___kg _45600__AFN

Feed per hen for period

_85.7 kg___

Average number eggs per hen _30.1_____

Total egg sales

_25584_AFN

Total costs at start of lay

_28395_AFN

Feed & other costs during lay _45600_AFN

Total

_73995_AFN

Net profit or loss

_-48411_AFN

(Include in your records the value of all eggs used at home. Calculate value based on retail
market price at time of use.)

20