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CHSE Odisha Small Poultry Farmer (AGP) study materials
CHSE Odisha Small Poultry Farmer (AGP) study resources

CHSE Odisha Small Poultry Farmer (AGP) practice questions

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Question 1Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

Which indigenous chicken breed of Odisha is well known for its small body size, hardiness and adaptation to backyard scavenging in coastal districts?

  1. Gramapriya
  2. Kadaknath
  3. Aseel
  4. Hansli Correct answer.

Explanation

Hansli is a local non-descript-type bird of Odisha recognised for small size, disease tolerance and efficient backyard scavenging under low-input village conditions. Kadaknath and Aseel are breeds of other states, and Gramapriya is a crossbred variety developed for improved egg production rather than a native Odisha breed.

Question 2Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

A small poultry farmer wants a breed mainly for table purpose with heavy body weight and good growth. Which type of chicken should be selected?

  1. Game type
  2. Broiler type Correct answer.
  3. Layer type
  4. Dual purpose type

Explanation

Broiler-type birds are bred for rapid growth and high body weight with efficient feed conversion, which suits meat production. Layer types are small-bodied with high egg output, dual-purpose types balance both traits, and game types are kept for fighting or hardiness rather than table weight.

Question 3Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

Which of the following is an important criterion for selecting pullets for retention as future layers in a backyard flock?

  1. Bright eyes, well-spread pelvic bones and active behaviour Correct answer.
  2. Very small body frame with pale comb
  3. Late sexual maturity with small pelvic width
  4. Heavy body weight with excessive abdominal fat

Explanation

Good layer candidates show alertness, bright eyes, a healthy red comb, and a wide, flexible pelvic opening that indicates readiness to lay. Late maturity, pale combs, poor frame and excess fat are culling indications rather than selection merits.

Question 4Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

Inbreeding in a small village poultry flock most commonly results in which outcome?

  1. Reduced fertility and expression of lethal genes Correct answer.
  2. Improved hatchability and vigour
  3. Higher egg weight in all progeny
  4. Complete elimination of disease susceptibility

Explanation

Continuous mating of closely related birds raises homozygosity, which exposes recessive lethal and deleterious genes and lowers fertility, hatchability and general vigour. It does not uniformly improve egg weight or confer disease resistance.

Question 5Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

Which mating system is recommended to avoid the harmful effects of close breeding in a small backyard flock?

  1. Keeping only one male and his daughters as breeders
  2. Mating full siblings generation after generation
  3. Replacing the male bird periodically with an unrelated male Correct answer.
  4. Mating father with daughter repeatedly

Explanation

Introducing an unrelated male from outside the flock at intervals breaks the accumulation of inbreeding and restores heterozygosity. Repeated sibling, parent-offspring or single-sire closed mating increases relatedness and inbreeding depression.

Question 6Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

Which of the following is a standard method of identifying and recording breeding birds in a small poultry unit?

  1. Trimming all flight feathers
  2. Feeding only at night
  3. Wing banding with numbered tags Correct answer.
  4. Deworming every fortnight

Explanation

Numbered wing bands or leg bands allow individual identification so that pedigree, egg records and mating can be tracked. Feather trimming, deworming schedules and feeding times are management practices that do not identify individual birds.

Question 7Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

The term 'hatchability' in poultry breeding refers to which measure?

  1. Weight of chick at one day old
  2. Number of eggs set in the incubator
  3. Percentage of fertile eggs that produce live chicks Correct answer.
  4. Percentage of eggs laid per hen per year

Explanation

Hatchability is the proportion of fertile eggs that hatch into live chicks and is a key reproductive trait in breeding flocks. Egg number, chick weight and eggs set are separate measures of production, growth and incubation capacity.

Question 8Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

A farmer notices that some hens in the flock consistently lay small eggs while others lay large eggs, and wants to improve egg size in the next generation. Which approach is most appropriate?

  1. Hatch chicks from all hens equally to maintain diversity
  2. Select chicks from the smallest eggs to reduce size
  3. Hatch chicks only from the hens that laid large eggs Correct answer.
  4. Select chicks from the youngest hens only

Explanation

Egg weight is moderately heritable, so selecting breeders from hens producing large eggs shifts the population mean upward over generations. Hatching all hens equally or selecting from small eggs will not move the trait in the desired direction.

Question 9Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

Which crossbreeding scheme involves mating two pure breeds to produce offspring that are then mated to a third breed?

  1. Three-breed cross Correct answer.
  2. Grading up
  3. Two-breed cross
  4. Crisscross breeding

Explanation

A three-breed cross uses crossbred females from two breeds mated to a male of a third breed, exploiting both maternal and paternal combining ability. A two-breed cross involves only two breeds, crisscross alternates sires of two breeds, and grading up repeatedly uses a purebred sire on local females.

Question 10Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

Sex-linked dwarfism in poultry breeding is useful to small farmers mainly because it allows which practice?

  1. Detection of disease carriers in the flock
  2. Identification of male and female chicks by growth rate at later stages Correct answer.
  3. Improvement of egg shell colour
  4. Separation of day-old chicks by feather colour only

Explanation

Sex-linked dwarf females can be mated with normal-sized males so that progeny differ in growth, helping identify sex or manage separate lines. It does not provide day-old colour sexing, disease detection or shell colour improvement.

Question 11Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

Which of the following best describes 'grading up' in village poultry improvement?

  1. Repeated mating of local females with purebred sires of a chosen breed to raise blood level Correct answer.
  2. Selecting birds purely on body colour
  3. Crossing two improved breeds to produce hybrids
  4. Mating birds of the same family to fix traits

Explanation

Grading up, or upgrading, uses successive generations of purebred sires on local females so that the exotic blood level rises gradually while retaining local adaptation. It is distinct from inbreeding, two-breed crossing and colour-based selection.

Question 12Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

A farmer wants to keep a dual-purpose breed that provides both reasonable eggs and meat for household use. Which choice is most suitable?

  1. Rhode Island Red type Correct answer.
  2. Broiler strain with very high growth
  3. Commercial white leghorn layer
  4. Pure game fowl

Explanation

Rhode Island Red is a classic dual-purpose breed giving moderate egg numbers and fair body weight. Leghorns are layer specialists, broiler strains are meat specialists, and game fowl grow slowly with poor table qualities.

Question 13Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

Which statement about the relationship between body weight and egg production in layer breeding is most accurate?

  1. Body weight has no relation to laying performance
  2. Moderate body weight with good frame supports sustained egg production Correct answer.
  3. Very heavy body weight always increases egg number
  4. Extremely low body weight improves persistency of lay

Explanation

Layers need adequate body reserves and frame to sustain long laying cycles, but extremes of heavy or very light weight reduce efficiency. Excess weight leads to fat-related problems, while very low weight reduces persistency.

Question 14Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

Which of these is an example of a sex-linked trait used in poultry breeding for identifying chick sex?

  1. Comb shape
  2. Egg shell thickness
  3. Body weight at market age
  4. Slow versus rapid feathering Correct answer.

Explanation

Feathering rate is controlled by a sex-linked gene, so crossing slow-feathering males with rapid-feathering females allows day-old chicks to be sexed by wing feather length. Comb shape, shell thickness and market weight are not sex-linked markers.

Question 15Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

A farmer wants to reduce the risk of inbreeding while keeping a closed flock. Which practical step is most effective?

  1. Hatch chicks from the same pair every season
  2. Retain several unrelated cockerels from different sources each year Correct answer.
  3. Use only the single best cockerel for many years
  4. Breed only from the oldest hens

Explanation

Maintaining several unrelated sires and rotating them increases effective population size and slows the rise in inbreeding. A single long-used sire, breeding only old hens, or repeated pair matings all concentrate relatedness.

Question 16Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

Which of the following is the correct description of 'progeny testing' in poultry breeding?

  1. Measuring feed intake of a single bird
  2. Evaluating a breeding bird by the performance of its offspring Correct answer.
  3. Judging a bird by its own appearance alone
  4. Selecting birds by the colour of their eggs

Explanation

Progeny testing assesses the genetic merit of a sire or dam from the performance of its offspring, which is especially useful for traits expressed in one sex or after slaughter. Judging by appearance, egg colour or individual feed intake does not measure transmitting ability.

Question 17Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

Which indigenous Indian breed is noted for its black skin and meat and is sometimes kept by small farmers for its perceived medicinal value?

  1. Cornish
  2. Leghorn
  3. Kadaknath Correct answer.
  4. Frizzle

Explanation

Kadaknath is an indigenous breed from Madhya Pradesh characterised by black plumage, black skin and blackish meat, and it commands premium prices. Leghorn and Cornish are exotic breeds, and Frizzle is a plumage type rather than a breed with black meat.

Question 18Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

In a selection programme for village chickens, which trait is most important to retain alongside improved egg production for long-term flock sustainability?

  1. Early cessation of lay
  2. Uniform white plumage
  3. Maximum body fat
  4. Disease tolerance and ability to scavenge Correct answer.

Explanation

Backyard flocks depend on survival under low input, so disease tolerance and scavenging ability must be preserved while improving output. Uniform plumage, high fat and short laying cycles reduce fitness or productivity.

Question 19Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

Which of the following is a recognised advantage of crossbreeding over purebreeding for small commercial poultry units?

  1. Uniformity of all traits in later generations
  2. Elimination of the need for selection
  3. Exploitation of heterosis or hybrid vigour Correct answer.
  4. Permanent fixation of superior genes

Explanation

Crossbreeding exploits heterosis, giving crossbred progeny better vigour, growth and survival than the average of the parent lines. Crossbreds do not breed true, genes are not permanently fixed, and selection is still required in parent lines.

Question 20Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

Which statement correctly distinguishes 'breed' from 'variety' in poultry?

  1. A breed is a group with common ancestry and traits that breed true; a variety is a sub-group distinguished by colour or comb type Correct answer.
  2. Breed and variety are identical terms in poultry science
  3. A variety breeds true while a breed does not
  4. A breed is always smaller than a variety

Explanation

A breed is a population sharing ancestry and characteristics that reproduce true, while a variety is a recognised sub-group within a breed, such as a colour or comb variant. The two terms are not interchangeable, and breed size is unrelated to the distinction.

Question 21Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

A breeder observes that a desirable plumage trait appears in only one sex and is transmitted from sires to all daughters but no sons. This pattern indicates which type of inheritance?

  1. Autosomal recessive
  2. Sex-linked inheritance Correct answer.
  3. Mitochondrial inheritance
  4. Autosomal dominant

Explanation

Transmission from sires to all daughters and no sons is the hallmark of a sex-linked gene carried on the Z chromosome, since males are ZZ and females ZW. Autosomal traits affect both sexes, and mitochondrial traits pass through the dam.

Question 22Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

In a small flock, a farmer mates a hen with her own son and observes reduced hatchability and weak chicks over two generations. Which explanation best fits this observation?

  1. Inbreeding depression exposing recessive deleterious genes Correct answer.
  2. Improved combining ability of the pair
  3. Sex-linked dwarfism affecting hatch weight
  4. Increased heterozygosity from outcrossing

Explanation

Mother-son mating is close inbreeding that raises homozygosity, allowing recessive lethal and harmful alleles to be expressed as poor hatchability and weak chicks. Outcrossing increases heterozygosity, and neither combining ability nor dwarfism explains the decline.

Question 23Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

Which combination of selection criteria would best identify a superior breeding cock for a dual-purpose village flock?

  1. Smallest body size with slow feathering
  2. Largest comb only, regardless of body condition
  3. Longest tail feathers with aggressive behaviour
  4. Alertness, good body weight, strong legs, bright comb and healthy plumage Correct answer.

Explanation

A good dual-purpose sire should be healthy, alert and well built with strong legs and a bright comb, indicating vigour and fertility. Selecting on comb size alone, small size or aggressive display ignores fertility, growth and temperament.

Question 24Poultry breeds, selection and breeding

A farmer keeps 20 hens and 2 cockerels of the same family for five generations without introducing new blood. Which consequence is most likely, and what is the best remedy?

  1. Reduced fertility and hatchability; introduce unrelated sires Correct answer.
  2. Higher egg weight; cull all hens
  3. Better disease resistance; stop recording performance
  4. Improved vigour; continue the same mating

Explanation

Closed mating of related birds over many generations raises inbreeding and reduces fertility, hatchability and vigour. The practical remedy is to introduce unrelated sires or periodically bring in new blood while retaining performance records.

Question 25Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

For a small backyard poultry unit of about 20 adult birds in coastal Odisha, which floor space allowance per adult bird is most appropriate inside the shed?

  1. 0.5 to 0.7 sq ft per bird
  2. 8 to 10 sq ft per bird
  3. 15 to 20 sq ft per bird
  4. 3 to 4 sq ft per bird Correct answer.

Explanation

Adult backyard birds need roughly 3 to 4 sq ft of covered floor each so they can move, dust-bathe and reach feeders without crowding. Much smaller allowances cause litter wetting, feather pecking and disease spread, while much larger allowances waste scarce shed space and roofing money.

Question 26Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

Which orientation is generally preferred for a poultry shed in Odisha so that direct sun does not fall inside the shed for long periods?

  1. Long axis running east to west Correct answer.
  2. Long axis running north to south
  3. Long axis running diagonally from north-east to south-west
  4. Any orientation, since roof overhang alone controls sunlight

Explanation

A shed whose long axis runs east to west presents its broad side to the north and south, so the low morning and evening sun strikes the short walls and the roof overhang shades most of the interior. A north-south long axis lets strong sun enter along the long side for much of the day, overheating the birds.

Question 27Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

What is the main purpose of keeping the plinth of a small poultry shed raised about 30 to 45 cm above ground level?

  1. To allow the birds to fly up to the roof
  2. To make the shed easier to shift to a new site
  3. To prevent rainwater entry and reduce dampness from the ground Correct answer.
  4. To increase the height available for cages

Explanation

A raised plinth lifts the floor above the surrounding ground, so rainwater drains away and ground moisture does not rise into the litter. Dry litter is central to controlling coccidiosis and respiratory problems in small flocks, especially in the heavy monsoon of coastal Odisha.

Question 28Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

In a small open-sided poultry shed, the eaves height on the long sides is usually kept around 2.1 to 2.4 m mainly to serve which function?

  1. To allow adequate air movement and let a person work comfortably inside Correct answer.
  2. To reduce the quantity of roofing sheets needed
  3. To keep the litter permanently wet
  4. To prevent wild birds from seeing the flock

Explanation

Eaves height of roughly 2.1 to 2.4 m gives enough headroom for airflow above the birds and lets a farmer walk in for feeding, cleaning and catching. Too low a roof traps hot, humid air and ammonia, which is harmful in a warm, humid state like Odisha.

Question 29Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

Which roofing material is most commonly recommended for a low-cost small poultry shed because it keeps the interior cooler in summer?

  1. Asbestos cement sheet
  2. Thatched or straw roofing over a frame Correct answer.
  3. Clear transparent plastic sheet
  4. Corrugated galvanised iron sheet without insulation

Explanation

Thatch or straw roofing has low heat transmission, so it keeps the shed cooler in hot weather and is cheap and locally available. However it is flammable and harbours vermin, so it must be kept dry and inspected regularly.

Question 30Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

What is the standard recommended mesh size for side wire netting in a poultry shed, so that birds are retained but ventilation is not blocked?

  1. About 2.5 cm (1 inch) square mesh Correct answer.
  2. About 1 cm square mesh
  3. About 25 cm square mesh
  4. About 10 cm square mesh

Explanation

Wire netting of about 2.5 cm square keeps birds in and most predators and wild birds out while allowing free air movement. Finer mesh blocks airflow and collects dust, while much coarser mesh lets rats and birds of prey through.

Question 31Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

A farmer wants to place a curtain on the open side of a shed to protect birds from driving rain during the monsoon. What is the most appropriate installation?

  1. Fit a curtain of wire mesh instead of fabric
  2. Fit the curtain only on the roof
  3. Fit a roll-up curtain on the outside of the mesh, opened by day and lowered during rain Correct answer.
  4. Fit the curtain on the inside, permanently closed

Explanation

A roll-up curtain fixed outside the wire mesh can be lowered during rain and raised in fair weather, so protection is combined with ventilation. Permanently closed curtains trap ammonia and moisture and are a common cause of respiratory disease.

Question 32Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

For a small flock where feed is given in open troughs, roughly how much linear feeding space per adult bird should be provided?

  1. About 25 to 30 cm
  2. About 50 cm
  3. About 8 to 10 cm Correct answer.
  4. About 2 to 3 cm

Explanation

About 8 to 10 cm of trough length per adult bird lets all birds feed at once without fighting, so growth and egg production stay uniform. Too little space means timid birds eat less, while excessive space wastes feeder material and floor area.

Question 33Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

Why are round hanging feeders usually preferred over open trough feeders in a small semi-intensive poultry unit?

  1. They reduce feed spillage and keep feed cleaner from litter and droppings Correct answer.
  2. They remove the need to provide drinking water
  3. They allow more birds to feed at once than any trough
  4. They cost less than any other feeder type

Explanation

A hanging round feeder has a lip and a central cone that limit billing out, so less feed is wasted and the feed stays off the litter. Cleaner feed reduces contamination and coccidiosis risk, and hanging height can be adjusted as birds grow.

Question 34Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

At what height should the lip of a hanging round feeder be set for growing birds?

  1. Half a metre above the birds' heads
  2. Well above the birds' heads
  3. Level with the birds' backs Correct answer.
  4. Resting on the litter surface

Explanation

The feeder lip is kept roughly level with the birds' backs so they can reach feed easily and little is billed out onto the litter. The feeder is raised gradually as the birds grow, and the same rule applies to drinkers.

Question 35Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

How much drinking space per bird is generally adequate when bell-type drinkers are used for adult backyard birds?

  1. No drinker, if green forage is available
  2. One drinker per 5 birds
  3. One drinker per 200 birds
  4. One drinker of about 4 to 5 litre capacity per 40 to 50 birds Correct answer.

Explanation

A bell drinker of roughly 4 to 5 litres normally serves about 40 to 50 adult birds, with more drinkers placed in hot weather or when birds are crowded. Water must be available at all times, and green forage cannot substitute for drinking water.

Question 36Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

Which practice best keeps water in a small poultry shed cool and clean during Odisha summers?

  1. Placing drinkers in direct sunlight to dry the litter
  2. Filling drinkers to the brim and leaving them uncovered
  3. Adding jaggery to the drinking water daily
  4. Placing drinkers in shade, cleaning them daily and refilling with cool water Correct answer.

Explanation

Shaded drinkers that are cleaned and refilled daily stay cooler and free of algae and slime, so birds drink enough and heat stress is reduced. Warm, dirty water discourages drinking and can spread infections.

Question 37Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

A deep litter of about 5 to 8 cm is recommended for a small shed mainly because it does what?

  1. Absorbs droppings, insulates the floor and lets birds scratch and dust-bathe Correct answer.
  2. Removes the need for ventilation
  3. Prevents all diseases without any vaccination
  4. Keeps the shed permanently damp

Explanation

A properly managed deep litter of 5 to 8 cm absorbs moisture from droppings, insulates the floor and gives birds material for scratching and dust-bathing. It must be kept loose and dry by regular turning and by good ventilation.

Question 38Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

Which litter material is generally the best choice for a small poultry shed in Odisha?

  1. Dry paddy husk or sawdust Correct answer.
  2. Fresh green leaves
  3. Wet river sand
  4. Clay soil

Explanation

Dry paddy husk or sawdust is absorbent, loose and locally available, so it keeps the floor dry and is easy to replace. Wet or heavy materials pack down, stay damp and encourage coccidiosis and foot problems.

Question 39Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

For a small flock, why is a concrete floor usually preferred over an earthen floor in the poultry shed?

  1. It resists burrowing predators and can be washed and disinfected easily Correct answer.
  2. It keeps the shed warmer in winter
  3. It is cheaper than rammed earth
  4. It makes the litter unnecessary

Explanation

A concrete floor stops rats and other burrowers, can be scrubbed and disinfected between batches and does not turn to mud during the monsoon. Earthen floors are cheaper but are hard to clean and allow burrowing pests.

Question 40Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

How high should the bottom edge of the side wire mesh be kept above the floor line in a small shed?

  1. About 1.5 m above the floor
  2. At roof level only
  3. About 30 cm above the floor with a solid dwarf wall below Correct answer.
  4. Flush with the floor so litter can spill out

Explanation

A solid dwarf wall of about 30 cm below the mesh keeps litter in, blocks draughts at bird level and stops rats from pushing through. The mesh above it provides ventilation without letting birds or predators pass.

Question 41Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

A farmer in a hot coastal district finds the shed roof very hot at midday. Which low-cost measure gives the greatest relief to the birds?

  1. Spreading wet sand on the litter
  2. Whitewashing the roof and adding a thatch or straw layer beneath it Correct answer.
  3. Closing all side openings to keep hot air out
  4. Removing the side curtains permanently

Explanation

Whitewashing reflects sunlight and a thatch layer under the sheet reduces heat radiation into the shed, so the interior stays cooler. Closing the sides or wetting the litter would raise humidity and ammonia and worsen heat stress.

Question 42Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

Which arrangement of equipment best prevents feed and water from being wasted in a small shed?

  1. Feeders at one end and drinkers at the opposite end of the shed
  2. Feeders and drinkers alternating in a row, with drinkers kept close to feeders Correct answer.
  3. Feeders and drinkers scattered randomly across the litter
  4. Feeders and drinkers in a line along the centre, with drinkers far from feeders

Explanation

Alternating feeders and drinkers in a row lets birds eat and drink without long walks, and keeping drinkers near feeders reduces spillage and wet litter caused by birds moving between distant points. Spacing must still allow all birds access without crowding.

Question 43Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

A small farmer wants to brood chicks in a corner of the shed. Which brooder arrangement is most appropriate?

  1. A brooder placed in the open field
  2. A brooder with the heat source switched off at night
  3. No guard, with the brooder placed in a corner against two walls
  4. A chick-guard ring around the brooder with feed and water just outside it Correct answer.

Explanation

A chick-guard ring keeps chicks near the heat source and away from draughts and walls, while feed and water just outside the ring teach them to move out and back. A brooder in a corner lets chicks pile against walls and smother.

Question 44Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

Which sign in a small flock suggests that the brooder temperature is too low?

  1. Chicks pant and move away from the heat source
  2. Chicks eat and drink normally in all parts of the ring
  3. Chicks spread evenly across the whole shed
  4. Chicks huddle together directly under the heat source and chirp loudly Correct answer.

Explanation

Chilled chicks crowd together under the heat source and chirp distress calls, which can lead to smothering. Panting and moving away from the heat indicate overheating, while even spread shows a comfortable temperature.

Question 45Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

Which equipment is essential for a small layer flock to encourage eggs to be laid in a clean, collectable place?

  1. A hanging bell drinker
  2. A metal feeding trough
  3. A nest box with dry litter, one for about five hens Correct answer.
  4. A feed grinder

Explanation

A nest box with dry litter and one box per roughly five hens gives hens a clean, dark, comfortable place to lay, so eggs stay clean and are easy to collect. Without nests, eggs are laid on the floor and get dirty or broken.

Question 46Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

A farmer plans a shed for 50 birds with 3 sq ft per bird and wants a rectangular shed about 10 ft wide. What length should the shed be?

  1. About 10 ft
  2. About 15 ft Correct answer.
  3. About 5 ft
  4. About 30 ft

Explanation

Fifty birds at 3 sq ft each need 150 sq ft of floor. A shed 10 ft wide must therefore be about 15 ft long, since 10 ft multiplied by 15 ft gives 150 sq ft.

Question 47Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

Which practice helps prevent rodents from entering a small poultry shed?

  1. Keeping the shed door open at night
  2. Keeping a solid plinth and fitting mesh or sheet at the base of all openings Correct answer.
  3. Storing feed bags against the wire mesh walls
  4. Leaving spilled feed on the floor overnight

Explanation

Rodents enter through gaps at the base of walls and doors, so a solid plinth with close-fitting mesh or sheet at all low openings blocks them. Spilled feed, open doors and feed bags against walls all attract and shelter rodents.

Question 48Housing, shed design and equipment for small flocks

A small farmer wants to raise the shed floor to reduce dampness but has limited budget. Which combination is the most cost-effective?

  1. A thick concrete floor over the whole shed with no litter
  2. A floor left at ground level with no plinth
  3. A floor of loose sand renewed monthly
  4. A raised earth plinth with a thin concrete or compacted murrum floor and dry litter Correct answer.

Explanation

A modest raised plinth with a thin concrete or compacted murrum floor gives drainage and a cleanable surface at low cost, and dry litter on top keeps birds comfortable. A full thick concrete floor is durable but costly, while sand or a ground-level floor stays damp.

Question 49Chick brooding and rearing management

In small-scale brooding of day-old chicks under a local (desi) broody hen, what is the main reason the hen is preferred over an artificial heat source in the first week?

  1. She lays eggs while the chicks are still under her
  2. She keeps the brooder litter completely dry at all times
  3. She provides steady warmth and teaches chicks to feed and drink Correct answer.
  4. She vaccinates the chicks through her body heat

Explanation

A broody hen gives even warmth, shelters chicks at night and models pecking and drinking behaviour, which helps chicks start feeding early. She does not lay during brooding and cannot replace vaccination or litter management.

Question 50Chick brooding and rearing management

What is the recommended brooding temperature for day-old chicks kept in a bamboo or litter brooder in the first week?

  1. About 40 degrees Celsius
  2. About 35 degrees Celsius Correct answer.
  3. About 26 degrees Celsius
  4. About 21 degrees Celsius

Explanation

Chicks cannot regulate body temperature well in the first week, so a hover temperature near 35 degrees Celsius at chick level is standard, lowered by roughly 2 to 3 degrees each week. Much lower values chill the chicks, while 40 degrees causes panting and heat stress.