HOW TO USE THIS COMPETENCY BASED LEARNING MATERIAL

Welcome to this Competency Based learning material for the Module Raising
Organic Chicken.

This learning material contains activities for you to complete. It covers the
knowledge, skills and attitudes required to complete the competency. Raising
Organic Chicken is one of the modules in the Core Competencies for ORGANIC
AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION NC II.

You are required to go through a series of learning activities in order to

complete each of the learning outcomes of this module. In each learning
outcome, learning elements and reference materials are provided for your
further reading to assist you in the required activities. You are expected to
accomplish all the required activities and to answer the self-check after each
learning element. Please note that you need to have 100% correct answers to
each self-check to pass the activity. You are required to obtain answer sheets,
which are available from your trainer or at the end of each learning element,
to reflect your answers for each self-check. If you have questions, please do
not hesitate to ask your facilitator for assistance.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

You have acquired some or most of the knowledge and skills covered in this
learning material because you have:

 Actual experience on the job;

 Already completed training in this area.

So, if you can demonstrate to your trainer that you are competent in a
particular skill, you do not have to do the same training again. Or, if you feel
you have the skills, talk to your trainer about having them formally
recognized. You may also show certificates of Competence from previous
training. And if your acquired skills are still updated/relevant to the module,
that may become part of the evidence you can present for RPL.

A Learner’s Diary can be found at the end of this learning material. Use this
diary to record important dates, jobs undertaken and other workplace
events that will assist you in providing further details to your
 ORGANIC AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION NC II.

COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING MATERIALS

List of Competencies

No. Unit of Competency Module Title

Code
(Core)

Raise Organic AGR612301

1. Raising Organic Chicken
Chicken

Produce Organic
Producing Organic AGR611306
2. Vegetable
Vegetable

Produce Organic
Producing Organic
3. Fertilizer AGR611301
Fertilizer

Produce Organic
Producing Organic
4. Concoctions and AGR611301
Concoctions and Extract
Extract

No. Unit of Competency Module Title

Code
(Elective)

Raise Organic Hogs

1. Raising Organic Hog AGR611302

Raise Organic Small

Raising Organic Small AGR612303
2. Ruminants (Goat)
Ruminants (Goat)
 MODULE CONTENT

UNIT OF COMPETENCY: RAISE ORGANIC CHICKEN

MODULE TITLE: RAISING ORGANIC CHICKEN

MODULE DESCRIPTION: This unit covers the knowledge, skills and

attitudes required to raise organic chicken
efficiently and effectively. It includes selecting
healthy stocks, determine suitable chicken
house requirements, install cage equipment,
feed chicken, manage health and growth of
chicken and harvesting activities.

NOMINAL DURATION : 24 hours

SUMMARY OF LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the completion of the module the trainees/students must be able to:

1. Select healthy stocks and suitable housing

2. Set-up cage equipment
3. Feed chicken
4. Grow and harvest chicken
 LEARNING OUTCOME 1
SELECTION OF HEALTHY STOCKS AND SUITABLE HOUSING
Learning Objective:
The learner demonstrates an understanding of the basic concepts,
concept underlying principles and theories in raising organic chicken.

1.1. IDENTIFY BREED/STRAIN

CLASSES, BREEDS, AND VARIETIES OF POULTRY

Chickens are classified into two production types:
• Egg type - for commercial egg production, and
• Meat type - for commercial meat production.
Class - a group of breeds developed in a particular geographical area.
Twelve classes of chickens are listed in the American Standard of Perfection:
• American, • Mediterranean, • English, • Asiatic, • Polish, • Hamburg,
• French, • Continental, • Game and Game Bantam, • Oriental, • Oriental
Bantam, and • Miscellaneous.
The American, Mediterranean, English, and Asiatic classes represent the
largest population of chickens.
Breed of chickens designates a group of chickens within a class that are
similar in body, shape, and form.
Variety is a subdivision of a breed, identified by color or comb type.
Strain is a closed population within a breed or variety that possess specific
characteristics to meet certain performance objectives.
Strain crosses are offspring that result from mating between two or more
unrelated strains of birds. The strains or lines of birds used to produce a
strain cross usually are not highly inbred.
American Class
All breeds of chickens in this class are bred for both egg and meat
production.
 Jersey Giant is the largest of the American
breeds, weighing 10 to 13 pounds.
There are two varieties of Jersey Giants:
Jersey Black Giants and Jersey White
Giants.
 New Hampshire Originally developed from
the Rhode Island Red, the New Hampshire is
used for both
meat and egg production.
 Plymouth Rock oldest and most popular of
the American breeds, the Plymouth Rock
exhibits excellent meat properties and laying
capabilities.
  Rhode Island Red First developed for utility
purposes and later becoming a fancier’s breed,
the Rhode Island Red is rangier looking
than the Plymouth Rock.
 Wyandotte is a general-purpose breed, well
adapted for meat production and egg
production.

Asiatic Class
Breeds of the Asiatic class were used to develop breeds of American and English
classes.

Asiatic breeds are characterized by large bodies, heavy bones, and feathered
shanks.

 Brahma breed originated in India and was

brought to the American continent more than a
century ago.
 Cochin breed was imported into the United
States about 1847.

 Langshan This
single-combed breed
originated in China, but
was imported to the U. S. from England.

English Class Breeds

Bred and produced largely for their meat qualities, seven breeds of the English
class are known for their size and fleshing properties.
All English breeds have white skin except the Cornish, which has yellow skin. The
three breeds lay brownshelled eggs.
 Australorp breed was developed in Australia
from the Black Orpington and is noted for its
black plumage.
  Cornish Several varieties of the Cornish breed
have been produced with the Dark and White
varieties being most popular.

 Orpington breed’s popularity has decreased

because of the broiler industry’s development of
crossbreeds with yellow skin.

Mediterranean Class
Breeds in the Mediterranean class are smaller in size
than the previous three classes discussed. All birds in this class are
characterized by white ear lobes, large combs, and clean (non-feathered)
legs. Mediterranean breeds are early-maturing and lay whiteshelled eggs.
 Ancona resembles the Leghorn in body conformation.

 Leghorn make up most of the egg

production market.
 Minorca is the largest of the
Mediterranean breeds.

Five varieties of turkeys are considered because of their relative

commercial importance. These varieties are: Broad Breasted White,
Broad Breasted Bronze, White Holland, Beltsville Small White, and
Bourbon Red.
 Broad Breasted White originates from the
Broad Breasted Bronze and has all
characteristics of the bronze variety except
for plumage color.
 Broad Breasted Bronze,
originating in the United States,
was very popular as a heavy market
turkey during the 1940 – 1960 era.
  White Holland originated in Europe,
but it exhibits characteristics very
similar to the Broad Breasted Bronze,
except for its white color.

 Beltsville Small White The USDA

developed the Beltsville Small White.

 Bourbon Red was developed in

Kentucky. A Bourbon Red tom weighs
from 23 to 33 pounds; a hen weighs
from 14 to 18 pounds.

Breeds of Captive Game Birds

Captive game birds are raised for the meat market, egg market, hunting
preserves, taxidermy market, and exhibition.

 Quail
Numerous species
and subspecies of
quail exist, but only
the most commonly
used quail are
discussed in this lesson.
Two main genera of quail raised by producers include the Bobwhite
(Colinus ) and the Coturnix Quail (Coturnix)
 Bobwhite the most commonly raised
game bird, used primarily for the meat
and hunting preserve markets in the
United States.
 Coturnix Species and subspecies of the
genus Coturnix are native to all
continents, except the Americas. The Japanese Quail (Coturnix
coturnix japonica) is a subspecies of the genus Coturnix.

There are more than 12 other subspecies of the Coturnix quail recognized.
The most common subspecies of Coturnix quail are: • Pharaoh or Eurasian
Quail ( Coturnix coturnix coturnix ), • Common or European Quail, and •
Button or Chinese Quail.
 Japanese Quail These quail are raised for either eggs or meat. This is
the most common kind of game bird raised for the quail egg market.
Their eggs are often hard-boiled, pickled, and then featured as hors
d’oeurves.
 Chukars are raised mainly for the hunting
preserve market. The major breed of Chukar
raised commercially is the
Chukar Partridge ( Alectoris graeca
chukar ).
 Chukar Partridge
( Alectoris graeca chukar )
is larger than
the quail, but
smaller than
the pheasant,
weighing about one pound at ten to
fourteen weeks of age.
 Pheasants
The two major subspecies of pheasants
raised in captivity are the Southern
Caucasian Pheasant ( Phasianus colchicus
colchicus ) and the Chinese Ring-necked
Pheasant ( Phasianus colchicus
torquatas).
 SELF-CHECK 1.1

1. Give atleast 5 strains of Chicken.

 1.2. SELECT HEALTHY CHICKS

CHICKEN FAMILY

There are approximately 150 different breeds of chicken around the world with
various colors, patterns and sizes.
EGG EVOLUTION

NOTE: When taking care of the day old chick, it will only last for 3days for the
chick until it starts to starve.

BROODING STAGE
Housing Features
Food and Water it should be accessible all the time to ensure their proper
growth and secure them from starvation and dehydration that will cause mortality
on our new batch.
 Proper Ventilation should be provided for the growth and oxygen of the
chick.

Light or Heat should always be present in the house for it will help them
build their feathers and keeping them dry all the time.
Importance

To reduce Mortality Rate when in brooding and when we start to put them in
a group on free range stage.
Light and heat proportion
Automatic 31˚-33˚ on their housing.
Manual observe their activities in the brooding area.
Food and water intake
Food should be unlimited
Water should always be fresh at all times
Note:

Water and food dispenser should always be cleaned before using.

Cleanliness on brooding houses should properly observed all the time. In order to
lessen the mortality rate on this stage.
Stocking Density
From day-old chick it should be 30 or 33 max stocking density per square-
foot. To enhance their growth and spacing.
IMPORTANT:
With good air circulation whole day and away from pest like rats, ants, and
other unwanted things.
SELECTING GOOD STOCKS
From brooding and hardening stage, we select good chicks to be group as our
Grow-out or Breeder flocks.
STOCK SELECTION

Improve Breeds
Grimaud (meat type) Dominant CZ (layer type)
 Native
 Broiler
BREEDER STOCKS
• Select pullets that have good characteristics and it came from the
flocks of good laying performance
• Select rooster that shows aggressive behavior
• Uniform in age and size
• No physical abnormalities
• No sign of diseases and parasitism
• Reddish comb and wattles
GROWING CHICKS
• Vaccinated
• No physical abnormalities
• Purchase from reputable sources (Farm / Breeder, Dealer)
SELF-CHECK 1.2