Managing heat stress in layers

As temperatures rise during the summer months, heat stress can become a critical concern for poultry farmers. Heat stress not only impacts the welfare of chickens but also hampers egg production. But….there is no need for your hens to suffer from heat stress! The challenge sits in finding the best way to control indoor climate conditions.  

The impact of heat stress on laying hens

When birds are exposed to extreme heat, they struggle to dissipate excess body heat, leading to decreased feed intake and egg production, and even in extreme cases mortality. The physiological response to heat stress disrupts the hens' hormonal balance, resulting in reduced laying rates and inferior egg quality. Moreover, heat-stressed chickens are susceptible to respiratory distress, increased water consumption, and decreased appetite. It is crucial for poultry farmers to address heat stress effectively to maintain the overall well-being of their flocks. 

Creating an optimal indoor climate when temperatures outside are hitting high numbers is absolutely a challenge. We see that in many poultry farms, farmers can effectively manage indoor temperatures when an ECO Unit is in place.  

Cooling option of the ECO Unit

The cutting-edge heat exchanger technology comes with a cooling feature, ideal for efficient heat transfer as it will cool the incoming air under warm weather conditions. The principle that is used for this is “indirect-evaporative-cooling”, by evaporating water in the outgoing air stream, it cools the air down and the resulting cold is transferred to the incoming air. It is important to understand that the incoming air itself is not humidified. After all, we do not want to create a damp climate as this will lead to other problems with the hens.  This method can result in a cooling of the incoming air up to 16 degrees. By distributing this cool air throughout the house, the entire house is cooled making the hens feel cooler, resulting in higher productivity even though outside temperatures are high giving This is compared to hens that need to find alternative ways to cool down their body temperature. The amount of cooling at house level depends on the percentage of the total ventilation delivered. managed by the ECO unit. Looking at a fully closed climate system with an ECO Zero system installed, all the air will be cooled.  If your poultry house has an ECO Unit 200 or 800 minimum ventilation installed, the capacity of cooled air will be lower, but it will contribute to more comfortable living conditions for the hens inside. 

We understand that each poultry farm has unique requirements. Our team of experts works closely with you to design and install the ECO Unit tailored to your specific needs. Together with local dealers across the globe, we provide comprehensive training and ongoing support to ensure you can maximise the benefits of this innovative solution.  

Contact one of our climate experts to find out more about the ECO Unit and how it can benefit your farm no matter what the weather conditions outside are.