Stocking density: the manufacturers' figures, and why NEXTEKCI advises 5 per m² in hot periods
How many chickens in a house? It is the decision taken on the day the chicks are ordered, and it then weighs on the whole flock: heat, litter, mortality, final weight. The guides of the strain manufacturers give 8 to 10 broilers per m²; NEXTEKCI advises 5 per m² in hot periods in Côte d’Ivoire. This lesson explains where these two figures come from, why both are right in their context, and how to calculate the number of birds for your own house.
12 min read · 5-question quiz at the end
By Abdul Hussein ChoumanFounder of NEXTEKCI · Agnibilékrou hatchery since 2006Lesson reserved for students following the steps
This lesson is part of Level 8 — Climate control and housing in a hot climate. It opens to registered students who have passed the level 7 exam. Levels 1 to 5 and the tracks remain readable by everyone.
What you will learn
- ✓Explain what stocking density is, in birds per m² and in kilos per m², and why it governs the microclimate
- ✓Understand the difference between the manufacturers’ figures (8 to 10 per m²) and the NEXTEKCI advice (5 per m² in hot periods)
- ✓Calculate the heat given off by a flock and its effect on the house
- ✓Calculate the number of birds to order for a given house, broilers and layers alike