1. PURPOSE ACEC SOP061 This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) describes routine husbandry for housing and maintenance of laboratory poultry hatchlings and chicks up to six (6) weeks of age. 2. RESPONSIBILITY Animal care staff, PI and their researchers, facility supervisors and managers. 3. MATERIALS 3.1. Horizontal Rotational or rolling egg incubator 3.2. Cage cards 3.3. Poultry chick diet (within 6 months of the milling date) 3.4. Clean or sterilized drinkers 3.5. Clean or sterilized cages / pens with bedding 3.6. Clean or sterilized micro-barrier tops and / or wire-bar lids 3.7. Liquid disinfectant ; Clidox, Virkon or other appropriate for use with avian species. 4. PROCEDURES 4.1. Incubation of eggs 4.1.1. Obtain fertile eggs from an approved source. 4.1.2. Set eggs at 18 C prior to placing in rotational incubator. 4.1.3. Incubate eggs according to manufacturer s instructions until day 18. 4.1.4. Three days prior to hatching remove eggs from rotating trays and place on horizontal trays. Increase humidity in this last 3 days to facilitate hatching. 4.1.5. Observe eggs at regular intervals to note eggs that are pipping. 4.1.6. Once hatching is complete, remove chicks to brooding pens. 4.2. Environment and environmental control: Hatchling chicks require higher environmental temperatures than adults during the brooding period. This can be achieved using a variety of methods including floor pens with radiating heat lamps, battery brooders, incubation chambers or specially heated rooms. 4.2.1. In this instance, floor pens with radiant heat lamps will be employed. 4.2.2. Pen temperatures will be maintained between 33 and 35 C with a diurnal variance of no more than 2 C degrees for chicks between hatching and 21 days. 4.2.3. After 21 days, ambient temperatures can be reduced by 5 C per week until ambience temperatures of approximately 24 C are achieved. 4.2.4. Young birds require higher humidity than adults. Maintain relative humidity between 40% and 70%. 4.2.5. Maintain a daily log of room temperature and humidity. Amended 9 November 2011 Page 1 of 5
4.3. Environmental enrichment: 4.3.1. Environmental enrichment is not required for hatchling chicks under 28 days of age. After 28 days small perching areas should be introduced into the pens to allow birds to perch above ground. 4.4. Bedding: 4.4.1. Use wood chips, shredded paper products or chopped corn cobs as bedding materials. 4.4.2. Use enough bedding to keep the birds clean and dry until the next scheduled change. 4.4.3. As dry conditions are detrimental to the health of young birds, lightly spray shavings or other dry bedding with sterile water before chicks are returned to the clean cage. 4.5. Space requirements: Chickens / chicks. 4.5.1. All birds should have sufficient freedom of movement to be able to turn round, get up, lie down and groom themselves. They should be able to stand comfortably without hitting their heads on the roof of the cage. 4.5.2. Provide cages that are appropriate in size for the number of chickens housed in them. 4.5.3. Chickens / chicks should be group housed where possible. 4.5.4. As a guide, and based on the information from The Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research 3 rd Edtn. Federation of Animal Sciences, 2010. More detailed information can be sourced at: http://www.fass.org/docs/agguide3rd/ag_guide_3rd_ed.pdf For the purposes of this SOP, only cages and floor pens will be considered. Egg-laying varieties e.g.: Isa Brown on 100% litter in floor pens: Floor pens: Age Area of housing (cm 2 ) Female Area of housing (cm 2 ) - Male < 6 weeks 465 610 6-18 weeks 930 1200 Cage: Age Area of housing (cm 2 ) Female Area of housing (cm 2 ) - Male < 6 weeks 155 200 6-18 weeks 390 400 4.6. Observation of animals: 4.6.1. Observe all birds daily for illness, injury and general condition, and to ensure they have sufficient food and water, including weekends and holidays. Amended 9 November 2011 Page 2 of 5
4.7. Emergency and holiday care: 4.7.1. Provide routine care and husbandry for all birds on weekends and holidays. 4.7.2. Make provisions for emergency care by providing both work and after hours contact information for Principal Investigators (PI s) and their staff. Provide special requests or instructions if needed. 4.8. Poultry identification methods: 4.8.1. Identify all cages with a cage card. 4.8.2. Include, at a minimum, the following information: 4.8.2.1. Investigator 4.8.2.2. Project number 4.8.2.3. Species 4.8.2.4. Strain 4.8.2.5. Sex 4.8.2.6. Number of birds in the cage 4.8.2.7. Date of birth 4.8.2.8. Animal identification number(s) if appropriate 4.8.3. Identify individual birds as needed. Examples of individual identification methods include: ringing or microchipping. 4.9. Food and water: 4.9.1. Feed birds to meet current national recommendations for poultry nutrition unless dictated by experimental design and approved by the Animal Care and Ethics Committee. 4.9.2. Communication between investigators and animal house staff must be maintained concerning any supplementation or manipulation of diets. 4.9.3. Birds should be fed ad-libitum food and water unless directed by the PI for experimental reasons. 4.9.4. Food storage: 4.9.4.1. Store feed on plastic pallets off the floor and 4-6 inches away from walls, in a vermin-proof storeroom. 4.9.4.2. Store open feed bags in leak-proof containers with tightly fitting lids. 4.9.4.3. Maintain temperature and humidity controls in the storeroom. Avoid temperatures above 21 C and extremes in humidity. Use feed within 6 months of milling date. 4.9.4.4. Stack feed in a manner that allows easy reading of the milling date. 4.9.5. Check any automatic watering devices daily for proper operation and cleanliness. 4.9.6. Fresh chick mash should be made daily using sterile water and according to manufacturer s instructions. 4.9.7. Mash should be rehydrated where necessary during daily checks to ensure the food does not dry out. Amended 9 November 2011 Page 3 of 5
4.10. Quarantine procedures: 4.10.1. New hatchlings should be maintained in separate cages from existing stock. 4.10.2. Quarantine birds from unapproved vendors for up to eight weeks depending on the status of both the vendor and the facility where they will be housed. The veterinarian will determine the quarantine requirements for each shipment. 4.10.3. Quarantine of birds from approved suppliers is not required. 4.11. Euthanasia and disposal of dead birds and unhatched eggs: 4.11.1. Accepted methods of euthanasia for chicks include: CO2 inhalation, inhalation of anesthetics, cervical dislocation, stunning and exsanguination. 4.11.2. Ensure that euthanasia is conducted by trained and experienced staff. 4.11.3. Dispose of dead birds or unhatched eggs appropriately (by incineration). 4.12. Flooring: 4.12.1. Poultry may be kept on solid floors with litter or in cages or pens with raised wire floors of appropriate gauge and dimension. 4.13. Lighting: 4.13.1. Provide a regular diurnal lighting cycle. Note: Lights are controlled by timers set at a photoperiod of 12 to 14 hours of light. Check the timer performance routinely. 4.14. Cleaning of pens / cages: 4.14.1. Change pens / cages twice weekly, at a minimum. 4.14.2. Change pens / cages more frequently if needed to keep the birds clean and dry and provide a healthy environment. 4.14.3. Supply fresh bedding with each cage change. 4.15. General cleaning and sanitation of housing room and equipment: 4.15.1. Weekly: 4.15.1.5. Flush the floor drains. 4.15.1.6. Change/clean pre-filters in changing stations / biosafety cabinets 4.15.1.7. Check light timers. 4.15.1.8. Mop floors. 4.15.2. Monthly: 4.15.2.9. Wipe down all surfaces such as sinks, doors, door jams and doorknobs, windows, cart tops, shelves, etc. with the disinfectant solution. Amended 9 November 2011 Page 4 of 5
4.15.2.10. Clean changing stations / biosafety cabinets: remove filters, vacuum and drain. 4.15.2.11. Clean room exhaust grills. 4.15.3. Bi-annually: 4.15.3.12. Wash all walls with disinfectant solution. ACEC SOP061 4.16. Vermin control 4.16.1. Refer to SOP for a description of the vermin control program. Amended 9 November 2011 Page 5 of 5