Level 2 — Managing a flock
From day 1 to sale, without losing track
Brooding, feed by phase, watering, litter, weekly weighing, mortality monitoring, the daily record sheet and the two-pairs-of-eyes check, end of the flock, cleaning and sanitary break.
- 1Brooding, from day 1 to day 14: this is where the flock is wonThe first two weeks make the chicken. A chick that has started well develops its gut, its skeleton and its appetite; a chick that has started badly will stay small and fragile until it is sold. In level 1, you got through the first 72 hours; here, you manage the first fourteen days methodically.10 min read · 5-question quiz
- 2Feed by phase: the right bag at the right age, properly storedFeed is the biggest expense of the flock and the first lever for results. Giving finisher feed to chicks, switching bags all at once, storing on the floor in a damp room: each of these mistakes is paid for in growth, in feed conversion ratio or in disease. This lesson puts the bags in order.10 min read · 5-question quiz
- 3Watering: cleanliness, height, flow rate, and products in the waterIn level 1, you secured the source and the reserve. Here, we set up what happens at the end of the pipe: clean drinkers, at the right height, in sufficient numbers, with a flow rate that keeps up with the flock. And the golden rule for any product put into the water.8 min read · 5-question quiz
- 4Litter: depth, moisture, turningLitter is the living floor of the house. Dry and loose, it absorbs droppings, insulates from the cold and keeps the birds busy. Wet and caked, it produces ammonia, coccidiosis, foot lesions and respiratory diseases. Ten minutes a day is enough to keep it in good condition.8 min read · 5-question quiz
- 5Weighing every week and reading the curveYou cannot manage what you do not measure. A well-done weekly weighing tells you whether the flock is ahead or behind, whether it is uniform, and whether the feed is being turned into meat. It is also the figure that sets the selling date and the price.8 min read · 5-question quiz
- 6Mortality: count, record, understand, actA dead bird is a piece of information. Counted, dated, looked at, it tells you where the flock is hurting: heat, water, brooding, disease. Not counted, it becomes a rumour (“we are losing a few”) that ends in disaster. This lesson gives the benchmarks, the alert thresholds and the right actions.8 min read · 5-question quiz
- 7The daily record sheet and the two pairs of eyesThe daily record sheet is the contract between the entrepreneur and their technician. It turns “it is fine” into figures: water, feed, deaths, weight, temperature, treatments. And it is only worth something if a second person reads and checks it. That is the principle of the two pairs of eyes.8 min read · 5-question quiz
- 8End of flock: when and how to sellSix weeks of work come down to two days: the day you decide to sell, and the day you catch, weigh and load. A flock sold one week too late has eaten the margin; a flock caught badly arrives damaged. This lesson organises the exit.9 min read · 5-question quiz
- 9Cleaning, disinfection, sanitary break: preparing the next flockThe next flock begins on the day the previous one leaves. The germs that grew alongside your chickens (coccidia, Gumboro virus, bacteria) are waiting in the litter, the dust, the drinkers and the cracks. Cleaning in the right order, disinfection done at the right time and a properly respected sanitary break are what break this chain.9 min read · 5-question quiz