Comparison of Broiler Breeders Housed on Full and Partial Slat Floors

Abstract

Four experimental strains of Pilch-DeKalb broiler breeder females were housed at 23 weeks of age on full slat floors or partial slat floors (50–50 combination of slat-litter). Sixteen pens housing 40 females each were used in the study allowing 2.5 square feet (0.23 square meter) per female. Five males were added to each pen and maintained at that level by replacement. A commercial broiler breeder diet was fed on a restricted basis as recommended by the breeder. Records were kept on the basis of 28-day periods for egg production, mortality, fertility and hatchability. A sample of eggs was incubated each reporting period to test fertility and hatchability.Egg production was higher for hens housed on partial slat floors but it was not significant based upon P ≤ 0.05. Fertility was slightly lower initially for birds housed on the full slats and again during the last third of the trial. There were no significant differences in mortality for the breeder males or females housed on full slats as compared to partial slats.