Repsol YPF

Chicken farms

Heat needs

Temperature plays a fundmental role in raising chickens as it clearly influences growth and food transformation efficiency. 

We must differentiate between the temperature near the heat centre and the environment temperature. Chickens move closer to heat centre in the same way they move closer to the shelter of their mother. In that sense, a heat centre temperature that is 2 or 3°C lower than necessary is more dangerous than a room temperature that is 10°C too low.
For adult chickens, the most suitable temperatures are between 10°C and 20°C; optimum temperature is around 15°C. Critical low temperatures are between 5°C and 10°C, and critical high temperatures between 20°C and 25°C.

Temperatures above critical high are dangerous: high temperatures damage calcium formation. At temperatures above 25°C birds lose their appetite and drink a lot of water. At 30°C deep depression symptoms appear. Above 35°C they can faint and die. That is why farms are located especially in cold zones. 

The following graph shows optimum temperatures for raising chickens:

Heating in chicken farms

The heating systems used in chicken farms are:

• Infrared lamps with propane gas
  
• Warm air generators
  - Gas oil fuelled
  - Propane gas fuelled
  
• Radiant tubes