Effective management practices to control

a. Housing

• The long axis of the house should run from east to west and the sides should face north to south to prevent direct sunshine falling in the house.
• The house should be situated away from other buildings in order to facilitate free movement of air. Distance between 2 houses for the birds of the same age group should also be at least 20 meter to allow proper ventilation.
• It is preferable to surround the house with tall trees, ideally canopy type shady trees.s
• High altitude of roofs is ordinarily 2.6 to 3.3 meter from foundation to the roof line is desirable to provide maximum ventilation.
• Provide 1-meter overhead to cut the direct sun and rain into the house.
• The thatched roof is suitable for hot areas particularly where rainfall is less. In such cases allowing pumpkin plants on the roof particularly during summer months is really a good proposition to keep the house cool. When the roof is built of asbestos apart from covering it with pumpkins, straw, coconut palms, or leaves etc. may also be spread to reduce roof heat.
• White washing of roof with a good coat of lime or aluminum painting of roof will reduce the temperature by about 100F as compared ordinary darker colored roof.
• If possible, spreading of a layer of thermocole under the ceiling leaving an air gap between the insulation material and the ceiling will prove to be of great relief.
• If necessary, use of fans, preferably of pedestal type at a time of maximum heating period will again be of much relief to the birds.
• Similarly during the hottest part of the day spraying of water on the roof may be of some help.
• Foggers may be used particularly when the temperature is too high (above1000F), or birds appear to become distressed. Heavy panting will indicate the necessity of using foggers.
• If foggers are not available putting up of curtains of gunny bags on the side from which hot winds are blowing and pouring water on these will help entry of cool breeze inside the house. Care should be taken to (i) keep the floor dry and (ii) not to put up curtains on all sides of the house as this will build up humidity in the shed with consequential bad result.
• Overcrowding must be checked by increasing floor space.
• Fermentation in the built up litter generate heat. Therefore, the thickness of the litter in summer mu8st be reduced to about 6 cm depth to get rid of excess heat. Raking of litter will prevent caking.

b. Water management

• Birds drink water roughly about 2 litres for every kg. Of feed at 700F. for each degree of temperature rise above 750F, birds will drink about 4 % more water.
• The normal intake of feed: water is 1:2. But this ratio to nearly 1:4 or even more when temperature exceeds 950F.
• Birds prefer cool water between 450F to 800F. Except for day old chicks, the temperature of drinking water for all categories of chickens should always be lower the room temperature.
• Provision of extra water on deep litter is a must along with filling up these with cold water for 4-5 times a day.
• Birds on cages should also get a continuous supply of fresh, cool water. Where there is a provision for automatic drinking devices. If necessary small ice pieces may be placed in drinking reservoirs.
• When using water medication during severe summer heat, recommended concentration must be reduced as high amount of water consumption may increase excess of the normal levels, resulting in an overdose of the drug.

c. Feed and nutrition

• Ensure steps to feed birds in the early hours of the morning and late evening so that the broilers can consume feed while the air is comparatively cooler.
• Provision of 10 % more feeders inside the house may encourage the birds to consume little more feed.
• Provision of wt mash during hotter parts of the day will result in higher intake. Wet mash should be made outside the house in a bucket instead of preparing it in the feeder. No wet mash should remain in the feeder overnight otherwise, molds begin to grow and cause serious fungi infection.
• Replacing carbohydrate calories suitably by fat calories will minimize extra heat generation inside gastrointestinal tract.
• Daily ration should be enriched with a marginal increase of protein, minerals and vitamins simultaneously with a reduction of 10 % energy,
• Use of pelleted feed in the summer may be beneficial as pelleting increases feed consumption and improves Metabolizable energy content of the diet. Pelleting increases feed consumption and improves Metabolizable energy content of the diet. Pelleting also eliminates selective feeding and minimizes load of microbes in poultry feed

d. Medication and other managerial practices

• Provision of glucose water (8gm. Glucose + 2gm electrol in 100 ml. Water) or 50 gm. Cane sugar molasses per litre of water during noontime will keep the bird in comfortable position.
• Vitamin C @ 10 mg per bird and Geriforte @ 1 ml per litre may be given with water.
• It is advisable to assess the strain susceptibility of birds. Those greater prone to heat stroke should not be raised.
• One should plan for lawns around the poultry house to reduce heat buildup by radiation as well as to impart beauty of the farm.
• In severe cases, birds may be dipped in cold water and left in open shady areas for drying.