iGallus Limited

What should an African poultry house look like?

"If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito." – the Dalai Lama

What do we need to consider when designing a poultry house for African conditions?

1) Altitude - Altitude (Height above sea level) is the single most important aspect of poultry house design in Africa. Temperatures in general go from hot at the coast to cooler more temperate climates at 600 meters + in altitude.

Why does altitude play a part in design?

At low altitude, average temperatures are likely to be high with high humidity (excluding northern Africa) Brooding temperatures will be easy to maintain and heating costs will be low. Houses will need to be adequately insulated against high temperatures particularly as the bird gets older. Open naturally ventilated housing is not advised, at a minimum the house can have an insulated curtain system. At best the house should have a thermal barrier in the walls and ceilings with an adequate cooling system. The aim would be to reduce heat transfer from the outside through the walls and roof. Hot air brought into the house must be through a cooling system and transferred through the house at speed.

At high altitude 600m +, average temperatures are lower and the air drier. Air movement tends to be more during the day and night. Brooding temperatures will be more difficult to control particularly also because of more profound seasonal influences at higher altitudes. Heat stress during the hot season will be less and house designs using low budgets, can allow for open sided naturally ventilated houses. Thermal insulation in the roof is still required to keep brooding heat in and direct sunshine heat out during the day.

2) Structure materials - both bio-security and security from theft from unauthorized access is important to consider. Modern poultry houses made from materials such as polystyrene panels or polyurethane panels can be easily prone to fire and are easier to break into. However they provide a easy to clean surface and insulation from extreme temperatures.

Does what the poultry house is made from influence the production performance of the birds?

Some key elements that a poultry house should have:

a) Floors should be smooth and without cracks.

b) Side walls and roofing should have a thermal barrier according to the type of poultry, site, area and altitude.

c) Security and fire, side walls and roofing that does not allow access from thieves. Concrete walls are in most cases cheaper, stronger, hard wearing and longer lasting than panels. Attention to orientating the house correctly to avoid side walls heating up from direct sunlight. Fires are a constant threat in Africa and panel housing is more prone to fire than concrete.

d) The main frame of the house can be a treated pole structure or galvanized light steel frame. What is required is a well designed structure that is according to your budget. Often a perfectly good poultry house can be built using all local materials and often cheaper than imported prefabricated steel and panel structures.

The width and length of the poultry house must be according to the type of house to be used.

In my experience economics plays a big part in design decisions in large scale African poultry projects. House design is important according to the conditions.

How we achieve this and at what cost is even more important in Africa. The success of the enterprise as a whole in the African market is deeply rooted in how much we are willing to invest first. Under correct management, with good genetics, feed and water, outstanding production can be achieved from a wooden pole naturally ventilated house.

Thanks again for reading!

Hope to hear from you with questions or comments.