LESSON 3: COMMON TECHNICAL TERMS IN POULTRY PRODUCTION

STRUCTURE
• Poultry production
• Common technical terms frequently used in poultry production
• Summary

LEARNING OUTCOME
After going through this lesson, you will be able to:
• Know about poultry sector
• Describe various technical terms used in poultry farming

POULTRY
The term "Poultry" indicates all domesticated species of birds like chicken, duck, emu, geese,
guinea fowl, ostrich, pea fowl, pheasant, pigeon, quail and turkey. Commercial poultry
production in India is only 40 years old, although the poultry raising dates back to pre-
historic times. Hybrid layer strains were introduced into India in 1955 and broiler strains in
1961.

Poultry is one of the fastest growing segments of livestock/ agriculture industry and
contributes a major share in terms of protein supplementation from eggs & meat. At present,
the poultry industry is vibrant and self-reliant. In spite of global melt down the Poultry
Industry in India is growing and will continue to grow as the billion odd population has just
begin relishing the taste and importance of nutritional value of chicken and eggs. With 10 kg
of similar feed in each case, chicken (both meat & egg type) gives more protein than pig, cow
(milk) and sheep.

COMMON TECHNICAL TERMS FREQUENTLY USED IN POULTRY PRODUCTION

The rearing of poultry on scientific lines is not a single job. It required expertise, skill,
complete knowledge and several inputs on the farming systems. Several technical terms are
frequently used while describing the activities of poultry farming either to farmers, students
and trainees. Some of them are as follows:
Ad lib (Latin): Ad libitum (full feeding) means as much as desired. It is commonly used to
express the availability of feed on a free choice basis. It is a labour saving system under
which poultry help themselves and eat as much as they wish. This means that the feed should
be offerd always in the feeders.
Age at sexual maturity: Sexual maturity is the duration (number of days) between the date
of hatch and the date of first egg laid or date of 5% egg production as the case may be. The
younger the bird when she begins to produce eggs, greater the egg production will be during
her laying year. Early sexual maturity is always advisable but too early sexual maturity is also
not good because it produces more number of small sized eggs (peewee eggs) which fetches
lower price and more incidence of prolapse (falling down or slipping out of place of an organ
or part such as uterus). Light breeds like Leghorn mature about a month earlier than heavy
breeds. Age at sexual maturity is usually related with the production of eggs and finally with
the profitability of the farm.
Artificial Incubation: is the hatching of eggs through a mechanical equipment such as
incubator
Artificial Insemination: is the technique by which seminal fluid (semen) of male is
introduced or deposited into the female reproductive tract by a pipette. One cock will yield
about 0.5 to 1.0 ml of semen depending upon the body weight. About 0.05 to 0.10 ml of
semen is enough to inseminate one hen. Artificial insemination carries several plus points
over the natural mating. Among these points the more number of hens can be inseminated
with the collected volume of semen from each cock. The chances of more fertility and
hatchability are also ensured through artificial insemination.

Artificial Insemination of a hen Collection of semen from a cock

Automation: A process or system which operates by mechanical or electronic means which
replaces the human efforts and decisions. Though the automation is very expensive but its
need is very much essential in modern commercial poultry farming on a large scale.
Beak trimming (Debeaking): Removal of a part of upper and lower mandible (beak) by a
sharp knife and cauterizing by a soldering rod in order to minimize feed wastage and to
reduce the risk of feather pecking/cannibalism. This debeaking is very common in practical
poultry farming.
Bill: The beak of duck or geese. It is being used for picking up of feed particles and also for
self defence,

Beak trimming using debeaker Bill

Bio-security: relates to maintenance of flock (birds) free of pathogens (diseases). Bio-
security is the key element in the triangle of disease control. Bio-security is a term that
includes all the measures taken to prevent pathogens (bacteria, fungi, parasite, virus) insects,
rodents and wild birds from entering or surviving and infecting the poultry flocks. Bio-
security literally means safety of living things, is a programme designed to prevent the
exposure of birds to disease causing organisms by reducing, introduction and spread of
pathogens into and between the farms. Strict following of biosecurity measures is a need of
modern commercial poultry farming. How to maintain biosecurity in the poultry farm you
can learn now a days through text books on poultry farming, illustrations and lectures
received through training programmes and also through audio and video materials available
on the internet.
Breed: A group of birds within a species having similar characteristics and are able to
produce off springs with similar characteristics.
Broiler (Fryer): Immature young chicken of either sex with tender meat, soft, pliable,
smooth textured skin and flexible breast bone cartilage of about 6 weeks of age.
Brood: A group of (baby) chicks from one hatch.
 Group of day-old chicks Brooder
Brooder: A metallic or wooden equipment used for artificial brooding of young chicks by
supplying the necessary heat. Management of brooder in a brooder house for rearing of baby
chicks is very much important and its application can also be learnt through several educative
materials and practicals observed through the trainers.
Brooder chick: A young chick of 0 to 8 weeks of age.
Broodiness: is a condition in which hen stops laying and show tendency to sit on eggs to
hatch them.
Broody hen: A hen which tends to sit on the egg to hatch them.
Cages: A system of housing poultry made up of steel and welded wire netting in horizontal,
stepped or vertical configuration usually in two or three tiers. Example: Californian and
Battery Cages. The size of cages depends on the type of birds to be housed.

Californian Cages Battery Cages

Candling: is the process of visual examination of an intact egg against a light emerging
through an aperture (opening) to determine the interior quality, shell soundness or stage of
embryonic development.
 Mass candling of eggs
Cannibalism: is the vice (Bad habit) that may occur in chickens of all ages. It is
characterized by pecking of head, feather, vent and wing due to over crowding, excess
lighting, lack of exercise and improper balanced ration. This vice may be overcome by
identifying and correcting the faulty management practices or by correcting feed, if it is
unbalanced and debeaking.
Capon: An young male bird whose testicles have been removed and usually below 8 to 10
months of age
Chick: A young one of poultry from day old to seven or eight weeks of age.
Chicken: The most widely domesticated fowl.
CLFMA: means Compounded Livestock Feed Manufacturers Association of India, which
enrols many feed manufacturing companies
Clutch: Eggs laid by a hen on consecutive days without a break.
Coccidiosis: A disease caused by coccidia (micro-organism) with symptoms of anaemia,
blood-mixed dysentery and death.
Cock (Rooster): A matured male chicken of above 20 weeks of age usually kept for
breeding.
Cockerel: An immature young male fowl from 5 to 8 months of age and reared for meat
purpose.
Comb: A fleshy protuberance (swelling) on the top of the fowl’s head varying in size and
shape.
 Chicks Comb
Coryza: is a type of disease in which membrane lining the upper part of respiratory tract that
is eye, nostrils and sinuses of head are inflammed.
Croiler: is a colour feathered broiler. It is not a hybrid; but developed from crosses of Barred
Plymouth Rock, Dark Cornish, New Hampshire and Sussex breeds. In general, the croilers
are having lesser growth rate and poorer feed efficiency compared to broilers. Therefore, they
are more suitable for backyard or free range or semi-intensive system of rearing rather than
intensive system. Even though they grow at a slower rate, they attain a body weight of 1.5 kg
at 8-10 weeks of age with FCR of 2.5-3.0; they fetch a higher price per kg compared to the
broiler. Some of the croiler varieties available in Indian Market are Giriraja, Nandanam
Chicken II and Vanaraja.
Culling: Removal of unproductive or undesirable birds from the flock which when judged
from their physical characteristics are found to lack the qualities for which they were reared,
whether it may be for egg production, table purposes or for show; an important and
continuous operation for profitable poultry farming.
Deep litter: Intensive type of rearing birds on floor covered with bedding material for the
birds like wood shavings, groundnut hulls, paddy husk etc. The deep litter system is less
expensive and needs less number of manpower for management when compared to cage
house system.

Deep litter system of rearing

Delouse: To eradicate lice (ectoparasite irritating to growing birds and affecting feed
consumption and egg production) from bird.
Desi fowl: Fowl indigenous to India; Not a pure breed. Exhibits great variation in size,
shape, colour and conformation. Best mother and ideal sitter (Broody in nature). Desi fowls
are preferable for opting of a backyard poultry farm on a small scale by land less, marginal
farmers.
Deworming: Act of removing or killing intestinal parasites (tapeworms) through drug.
Disinfection: is the method of reducing the amount of infection in flocks after an outbreak.
This is accomplished by mechanical, physical or chemical means.
Downtime: Period between removal of one batch and introduction of new batch of birds in
the shed (or) is the period of time between two batches when the house is depopulated,
disinfected, kept closed and empty.
Drake: Adult male duck
Dressed bird: A slaughtered bird with feathers, feet and head removed. In other words, a
ready-to-cook chicken.
Dressing percentage: Dressed weight divided by live weight of the bird multiplied by one
hundred.
Dressing Percentage = Dressed weight in kg x 100
Live weight in kg
Dubbing: Process of removal of comb and wattles of large combed males to prevent frost-
bite and to enhance fertility. It is done on day one of bird’s life with the help of scissors.
Duckling: Young one of the duck
Eaves: The point at which the roof project out from the side of the building.
Egg tooth: Small horny protrusion on the tip of chick’s beak used to pip the egg shell during
hatching. It drops off soon after chick hatches out of egg.
Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR): A ratio expressed in terms of kg feed consumed by the bird
divided by kg body weight gain in case of broiler and kg egg weight or dozen eggs laid in
case of layers.
Feed Conversion Efficiency (in layers) = __One kg feed consumed by the bird_
One kg egg weight or dozen eggs laid

Feed Conversion Efficiency (in broilers) = One kg feed consumed by the bird
One kg body weight gain
Feed Efficiency Ratio (FER): A ratio expressed in terms of kg body weight gain divided by
kg feed consumed in case of broiler and kg egg weight or dozen eggs laid divided by kg feed
consumed in case of layers.
Feed Efficiency Ratio (in layers) = One kg egg weight or dozen eggs laid
One kg feed consumed by the bird

Feed Efficiency Ratio (in broilers) = One kg body weight gain

One kg feed consumed
Fecundity: Producing many offspring (young ones).
Fertility: refers to capacity to reproduce. It is the factor which determines the successful
offspring that may be obtained from a given number of eggs.
Fertility per cent: Expressed as % of fertile eggs divided by total number of eggs set and
multiplied by one hundred.
Filler flats: A card board or plastic made tray used for collection, storage and transport of
eggs. Thirty eggs can be kept in one filler flat.
Flock: A group of birds or animals of one kind, esp. birds or sheep
Franchise: An agreement between a breeding organization, breeder and hatchery.
Fumigation: A method of disinfection using disinfecting gases especially Formaldehyde gas
produced by mixing formalin and potassium permanganate. Normally used in hatcheries and
in poultry farms where there is a severe disease problem.
Gosling: Young one of the Goose
Gander: Adult male goose
Green Duck: is a duckling, which is grown rapidly and marketed from 9 to 16 weeks of age
for meat.
Grower: Pullets between 9 to 20 weeks of age or at the point of lay.
Hatchability: may be defined as % of fertile eggs hatched (or) % of chicks hatched from all
eggs placed in the incubator.
Hatchability % = % of fertile eggs or chicks hatched_
Number of eggs placed in the incubator
Hatcher: A machine or that portion of incubator that is used for the last 2 or 3 days of
incubation and hatching of eggs. No turning of the egg is required.
Hatchery: A building equipped with incubators used for hatching of day old chicks from
fertile eggs through artificial incubation.
Hen: A matured female chicken of usually over 20 weeks old, and raised for egg production
purposes.
Hen-day-production: This is arrived by dividing total eggs laid in the season by the average
number of birds in the house.
Hen-housed-average: This is arrived at by dividing the total number of eggs laid in the
season by the number of birds originally placed in the house. No deductions are made for
any losses from the flocks.
Hover: An equipment with incandescent bulbs for heating element to keep chicks warm.
Incubate: To maintain favourable condition for developing and hatching fertile eggs.
Incubation: is the act of bringing an egg to hatching i.e. providing suitable warmth, humidity
and turning movement to facilitate growth and development of embryo inside the egg.
Incubation period: is the period between setting and hatching out of eggs which vary from
species to species.
Incubator: A machine developed to provide the proper environment for the development of
the fertile egg and embryo into a chick or poult.
Keet: Young one of the Guinea fowl
Layer: A mature female fowl which has been kept for egg-laying purpose (21-72 weeks of
age) especially those are in current production (or) an adult commercial chicken of 21 – 72
weeks of age and produces most of the eggs for consumption.
Leeward: A side sheltered from the wind.
Litter: An absorbent bedding material used to cover the floor in poultry houses.
Live weight: A term associated with the meat bird to indicate its weight before slaughter.
Liveability: Ability of individual bird to live and remain vigorous and productive.
Liveability = Number of birds alive at market age x 100
Number of chicks purchased
Moulting: The process of shading old feathers and growth of new feather in their place
moulting normally occurs once in a year.
Natural Incubation: In this method, broody hens are made to sit over the hatching eggs to
hatch out chicks.
Nest Box: Boxes provided for layer or breeder hens inside their house to lay eggs.
 Nest box
Overhang: Outward projection of the roof at eaves.
Oviparous: Producing offspring from egg that hatch outside the body.
Pause: Any cessation (stoppage) of egg laying for a period of 7 days or more is called pause.
Pen: An enclosed area where birds are housed.
Photo-period: A period of illumination by both natural and artificial means.
Pipping: The act of pecking the shell and shell membranes by the chick in order to break and
hatch out of the shell.
Poult: After hatching, a young turkey of either sex that is between one day and a couple
weeks old.
Poultry: Although the term poultry is very often used as synonymous to chicken, it includes
a number of avian species such as chicken, duck, geese, guinea fowl, quail, turkey, etc. that
are domesticated for economic (egg or meat) purpose.
Poultry management: The science and art of organization and operation of poultry farms to
obtain the maximum returns or constant income.
Poultry Science: is the study of principles and practices involved in the production and
marketing of poultry and poultry products.
Pullet: An young female chicken of 9 to 20 weeks of age and that has not yet started to lay
eggs.
Ration: A measured amount of feed allowed to a bird during a particular period of time.
Roaster: A broiler grown up to the age of 9-11 weeks with a body weight of 2.5 to 3.0 kg.
Shank: Legs
Snood: A fleshy protuberance (swelling) hanging from the base of the beak in turkeys or a
fleshy wrinkled fold of skin that hangs down over a turkey's beak.
 Snood
Spent Hen: A breeder or commercial type egg hen that no longer performs at desired
production levels.
Sterile: Not capable of reproducing or incapable of producing offspring (young ones); not
producing offspring.
Tom: Male turkey
Trap nest: A laying nest where the layer gets trapped when she enters to lay eggs. It is used
to identify the layer for the pedigree studies.
Vent: The common external opening from the cloaca for the digestive system, urinary system
and reproductive system.

REFERENCES
http://www.agriinfo.in/?page=topic&superid=9&topicid=90
http://thepoultryguide.com/poultry-dictionary/
http://www.poultryhub.org/production/husbandry-management/list-of-poultry-husbandry-
terms/
http://www.growelagrovet.com/poultry-science/
http://www.agriinfo.in/?page=topic&superid=9&topicid=90
https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/stutsmancountyextension/news-articles/poultry-terminology
http://www.poultryhub.org/production/husbandry-management/list-of-poultry-husbandry-
terms/