Hog Slat Inc. Newton Grove, NC USA August 2020 6 Poultry Feeding System Feeding the flock at Day 1: The flood windows allow large amounts of feed into the pans. This makes the “Classic Flood” an excellent feeder for starting baby chicks. However, this also can be a problem if the system is allowed to operate on “Full Automatic” DO NOT OPERATE THE SYSTEM IN FULL AUTOMATIC WITH THE FLOOD WINDOWS OPEN. THIS WILL CREATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EXCESSIVE FEED WASTAGE. We recommend that you “manually feed” the birds while the feed pans are in full flood with the windows open. By “manually feeding” we mean that the system is turned off and is operated 2 – 3 times per day for the first 5 – 7 days. After day 7 you will need to “manually feed” them 3 or more times per day through 14 days of age. A time clock or the timer on your existing controller can do this for you if you wish. You should consult with your integrator or breeder/genetics supplier for their feeding recommendations for your specific barns and climate. Even though the “Classic Flood” does an exceptional job of feeding young chicks, supplemental feeding is recommended. This is typically done through the aid of turn down spout type feed dispensers where by the feed is dispensed into a plastic or paper chick lid. Feed availability is the key to getting off to a good start and most producers incorporate this practice in modern chicken facilities. If you are not sure what you need, please contact your local Georgia Poultry or Hog Slat store for advice on what will work best for your situation. Moving on up: As the birds get taller, so too should the “Classic Flood” be raised to accommodate the larger size of your flock. When to go from “Flood” to “Non-Flood” is something that will change with each flock and is somewhat dependent on the time of year, breed of bird, feed density, and other variables. Basically you will decide to raise the feeders out of the “Flood” stage around day 15 of age. This is a simple process. When the line itself is raised, the windows will close to stop the flooding and now the feed enters the pan from underneath the “adjustment” cone. The first time you raise the lines to close the windows, you should do it when the birds have eaten down most of the feed from the pans. This will allow the windows to close easier. Raise the lines so that the bottom of the pans barely clear the litter. Sometimes there will be uneven places in your litter, don’t be alarmed, birds will quickly level out the litter. At this age and to market you want to use the birds’ neck to help you conserve feed. In other words, the birds can now reach into the pan for feed and so you want to operate your pans at the optimum height so as to insure good growth without feed wastage. Continue to raise your feed lines so that the pans are at the optimum height on a regular schedule. (At least 3 times per week, but consult with your integrator and/or genetics provider for specific recommendations) Note also, you have suspension system that is equipped with individual drops with cable adjusters. This is to fine tune the level of your pans with the contours of the floor to maximize performance.
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