POULTRY

Fortica® 2.0 release for the poultry market

Hotraco Agri is launched new release of the innovative Fortica® system. This Fortica® 2.0 release is packed with new solutions and functionalities that support poultry farmers in improving their operations. The most important changes are highlighted for you here.

Flock chart for broilers

With this release, we are launching a completely new module for the Fortica®, namely the flock chart for broilers. This allows you to quickly and easily view the data per day of the complete cycle. You can also look back at the history of several parameters from 5 days before the start date of the cycle. This flock chart for broilers was previously only available in Novus Farm Management, but from now on you can also view it on the Fortica® .

Change in modules

In addition to the flock chart module, two more modules became available namely “Energy Mode“ and “3 extra Heat Exchangers”. Previously, these options could be purchased as part of the XL module, but from now on you can purchase these 2 modules separately. This eliminates the XL module. “Energy mode” (also called Orange Fan Control) is a module that provides energyefficient ventilation control

that helps save energy costs. The “3 extra Heat Exchangers” is a module with which you can control a total of 4 heat exchangers per Fortica®. This is often used in ECO-Zero houses.

Fortica® now even better suited for Split Feeding

With Split Feeding, your laying hens get exactly the right feed ingredients at the right time. Split Feeding does this by matching the ingredients (nutrients) in the feed to the hen’s needs at different stages of the cycle. Fortica® is now even better suited to this process so you can feed a different composition in the morning than in the afternoon. This gives you higher feed efficiency, optimizes egg (shell) quality and you feed your layers according to their needs for a better yield.

Temperature control expanded considerably

The possibilities with room temperature sensors in the barn have expanded considerably. For example, it is now possible to turn room temperature sensors on or off easily. When a sensor is faulty, it can be disabled quickly so this sensor is no longer included in the average temperature determination of the control. This is highly efficient because it makes the ventilation control even more precise.

Room temperature in zones

To avoid having to warm up the whole house, it can be divided into zones. This now makes it possible to measure and heat or preheat different zones/areas in the house. This saves significant heating and energy costs. In America, this is already widely used for broilers. Up to 5 zones can be displayed and each zone is assigned to its own sensor. Fortica® has also integrated new overview screens that give an attractive graphic display of the room temperature for each zone.

Heat exchanger & system ventilation

The Fortica® is the ideal system if you are working with heat exchanger ventilation or system ventilation. With the Fortica® system, as a poultry farmer you can flawlessly control the heat exchangers to create the optimal climate at low heating costs. The integrated heat exchanger and system ventilation control are now even more user-friendly and visible because they can be accessed from the main group. Furthermore, from here you can easily swipe to the individual diagram of the heat exchanger or the system ventilation overview.

Higher user convenience through thumbnail improvement

Ease of use for the poultry farmer is very important to Hotraco Agri, which is why this component has also been improved where possible. For instance, it is now possible to duplicate thumbnails. With this, you can quickly and easily make an overview of your current situation on the home screen. The minimum and maximum temperature values have also been added to the thumbnail for room temperature. This is very convenient because it allows you to see all the relevant temperature information of the barn at a glance.

For more information, visit www.hotraco-agri.com

When Do Chickens Start Laying Eggs?

Finding the first egg from a group of new pullets is one of the most exciting parts of raising chickens for eggs. Whether this is your first flock or your 100th flock, finding that first egg is so exciting EVERY SINGLE TIME! Trust me, it never gets old and I am always so proud of my girls every time I find that first BEAUTIFUL egg.

What age do new chickens start laying eggs?

While we eagerly watch for the first egg, it’s important to know that the age in which a newlymatured hen will lay can vary greatly based on their breed. Some hens will begin laying eggs as early as 4 months of age while others may not reach maturity (i.e., laying eggs) until closer to 6 or 8 months of age.

Many types of chickens are prolific layers and have a strong genetic predisposition to maturing early. Under ideal conditions, you can anticipate your first egg from these breeds as early as 4 months. Examples of early-maturing layers include, but are not limited to, Single Comb White Leghorns, New Hampshires, Red Island Reds, and many of our egg-type hybrids (ISA Browns, Red Sex Links, Golden Comets, etc.).

However, don’t be alarmed if your new girls aren’t laying at 4 months. Many of our slowergrowing breeds and most of our colorful-egg laying types, won’t reach maturity until 5 to 6 months of age. Examples of these layers include, but are not limited to, Polish, Buff Orpingtons, Olive Eggers, and Ameraucanas.

What to feed chickens to lay eggs

There is a wide range in which you can anticipate your first egg. Continue to feed a well-balanced chick feed like Kalmbach 18% All-Natural Start Right Chick until your birds are 16 weeks of age. Once your hens reach 16 weeks OR you see the first egg, make the switch to a complete layer feed.

For more information, visit www.kalmbachfeeds.com