Tom Tabler discusses poultry litter and water quality

Changing litter depends on the situation. In Mississippi, poultry growers go for years and never change the litter unless there is a disease problem or other issue that may require changing it. Growers remove a certain amount of litter when it gets too deep in the house and then even back out what remains and keep growing birds. Some growers have gone 8-10 years and never totally cleaned out to the floor and replaced litter with new bedding. In Arkansas, where I grew up, many growers clean out to the floor once each year and replace the old litter with new bedding material (pine shavings, rice hulls, etc.). So again, it depends on the situation and what the company that owns the birds is asking of their contract growers.

Regarding water quality testing. Do you test water pH and/or hardness, and can you give us a picture of the normal ranges you see in the samples you collect?

Thank you so much for such detailed information.

I am from Zimbabwe, where grass is commonly used by farmers as litter, however, it has been observed that when litter is not changed in a single scale high morality rate is experienced, what could be the cause of high mortality rate.

The bed material instead of rice husk, grass, etc., it is better to collect Rice Husk Ash or bagasse Ash and put on the ground and allow litter to be collected. To prevent the birds from diseases, it is better to remove occasionally with the above materials. Husk ash acts as semi-activated carbon absorbs foul odours, moisture and prevent ammonia smell.

Regarding water purification, don't use chlorine based chemicals as they destroy both useful and harmful bacteria. The immune power will be affected.