Avian Production Management

ROOF

• The roof may be thatched (straw, coconut leaves or palmyrah leaves), tiled or covered with light roof (asphalt or bitumen), asbestos or aluminium sheets.
• Thatched roofs are cheaper, but less durable and may leak. They provide a cooler environment during the hot summer.
• To prevent leakage, the slope of thatched roofs must be steeper. Asbestos or aluminium roofs are durable, but more costly.
• As houses with these roofs remain hot during summer, the height at the ridge should preferably be about 4.0-4.5 m.
• Tiled roofing is good for low-capacity farms, and asbestos roofing for larger farms.
• The broiler houses can also be two-storeyed, with the lower floor having a concrete roof which will serve as the floor for broilers raised on the first floor.
• The height of the roof should preferably be 2.40-3.00 m at the eaves, and 3.60-4.50 m at the ridge. Thatched roofs may have a lower height of 1.95 m at the eaves.
• The projection of the roof at the eaves (overhang) should be atleast 0.90-1.35 m on either side to prevent direct sunlight and the splashing of rain water into the buildings. It is better to adjust the overhang to be half the length between the eaves and the top of the sidewall (the height of the area covered by mesh).
• In regions of extreme climatic conditions, it is very useful to have the roof insulated. Insulation may be provided by a bed of straw on the top of the roof, or by having false roofing at the level of the eaves in the form of mats spread to cover the entire roof area.
• Plywood, coir or hardboard as a covering can also be useful. The roof may also be painted with white aluminium paint to reflect the sun's rays and thereby reduce the heat build-up within the house.
• In areas where the summer is severe, it is better to have high roofed broiler houses, or to provide ridge ventilation at the roof. Chimneys can also be provided on the roof at intervals.
• In areas where winter is severe, it is advisable to have square-shaped broiler houses which expose a smaller area and help to conserve the heat produced by birds within the building.