Good records are the cheapest tool on a poultry farm. Five numbers written every day tell you how the batch is going, warn you early when something is wrong, and show you after the sale what to change next time. Here is what to write, how to keep it simple, and how to use it.
Why records matter
Without records, every batch is judged by feeling. A batch "felt bad" because of one hard week. A batch "felt good" because the rate was high, even if FCR was poor. Studies of farmers elsewhere show the same gap: many keep sales and feed purchase records, but far fewer keep a full profit and loss record. The missing piece is usually the link between daily numbers and money.
Records answer questions like:
- How much did one kilogram of live bird cost me?
- In which week did most birds die?
- Did this shed do better than that shed?
- Is my dealer's balance the same as mine?
What to write every day
One line per shed per day is enough.
| Column | Example |
|---|---|
| Date | 14 Jul |
| Bird age (days) | 23 |
| Deaths | 6 |
| Culls | 2 |
| Feed used (bags) | 18 |
| Water (litres, if metered) | 2,900 |
| Temperature low / high (°C) | 29 / 35 |
| Notes | Power cut 2 to 4 pm, fans on generator |
These numbers are only an example. Write yours at the same time every day, ideally after the evening round. A note of one line is often the most useful part later: "vaccine in water", "new feed lot", "litter changed", "visitor from another farm".
What to write every week
- Sample weight: weigh the same number of birds from different parts of the shed, for example 50 to 100, and write the average. Compare with the breed's target for that age.
- Feed stock: bags in store, and check delivered minus used equals stock.
- Mortality so far as a percentage of chicks placed.
What to write once per batch
- Chicks placed, hatchery, chick price, dead in boxes on arrival
- Shed, density, season
- Vaccines given, with date, batch number and how they were given
- Medicines given, with the vet's advice
- Sale: date, buyer, birds, net weight from the kanta slip, rate, deductions, amount due and paid
Money records
Next to bird records, keep every cost and every payment:
- Each feed delivery: date, bags, type, rate, total
- Chicks, medicine, vaccine, disinfectant
- Gas, diesel, electricity bill
- Labour, litter, repairs, transport
- Udhaar balances with the dealer, and money owed to you by buyers
These let you work out cost per kg and profit per bird. See broiler farming cost and profit.
Paper register or app?
Both work if someone fills them every day.
Paper register
- Cheap, no phone or signal needed
- Easy for a worker with little schooling if columns are clear
- But: sums by hand, can get wet or lost, the owner cannot see it from far away
Phone app
- Sums done for you: mortality %, FCR, cost per kg
- Owner can see several farms from one phone
- Records stay safe when the register is lost
- But: needs a phone and someone who will enter the numbers daily
Many farms start with both: the worker writes in a register on the wall, and the supervisor enters it in the app each evening. In Poultry Curve's daily log, each line takes about a minute, and FCR, mortality and the batch cost are worked out as you go. If you are not sure what a number means, you can ask Helper, the AI assistant, using your own batch figures.
Using records to improve the next batch
At the end of each batch, sit down for half an hour with the numbers.
Work out the main results
- Mortality % = all deaths and culls ÷ chicks placed × 100
- FCR = feed used (kg) ÷ live weight sold (kg). See our FCR guide or the FCR calculator.
- EPEF, which combines survival, weight, FCR and age. See EPEF explained.
- Cost per kg and profit per bird placed
Find where it went wrong
- Deaths by week. High in week 1 means chicks or brooding. High in the last weeks often means heat, density or disease.
- Weekly weight against target. The week weight fell behind is where the problem started.
- Feed per day. A sudden drop in feed or water often came a day or two before a rise in deaths.
- Notes. Look at what was written on the days things changed.
Compare like with like
Compare a summer batch with past summer batches, and the same shed with itself. Comparing a January batch with a June batch tells you about the weather, not your management.
Make it a habit
- Fix one time each day for records, and one person responsible.
- Keep the register in the same place, away from water.
- The supervisor or owner checks it every visit and signs.
- Keep old batch records. After a year you will have your own best guide for your own sheds.
The short version
Write five numbers every day: age, deaths, culls, feed and temperature, plus a short note. Add weekly weights and every rupee in and out. At the end of the batch, work out mortality, FCR, cost per kg and profit, find the week that went wrong, and write one lesson for the next batch.