The brooder crew in August have only a distant memory of grasses, trees, and shrubs turning green with the longer days and feeling the excitement of the first hatches. The final Ringneck hatches occur the week of August 15th. It is still hot and humid in August but we realize that it is time to shift gears and think about preparations for fall and winter.
We develop a new mindset when preparing for a new season. We go into maintenance mode and make barn conditions the best possible while waiting for the last hatch to move outside. We concentrate on bird densities during this time which means we thin flocks by moving some birds to open rooms and pens to keep them stress free. Stress free birds are less susceptible to diseases! The pace of our day may slow without preparations for new hatches driving our work day, but daily chores become critical to protecting our birds. Cleaning, looking for problems with equipment, and repairing are major priorities!
Shipping season is ramping up, so our crew may be asked to help in other areas of the farm, like peeping and preparing birds for shipments. We are also focusing on other fall and winter preparations during August and early fall. Imagine turning the pages of a book from spring to summer to fall and finally winter. Our brooder crew has that vision in their heads as the seasons change. The beauty of nature’s changes is connected to the changing chores! It is a beautiful time of year to visit MacFarlane Farms!
