Monitoring ventilation and ammonia in cold weather

Controlling the environment in the barn will keep your birds comfortable - no matter the external weather conditions. During the winter months, minimum ventilation is recommended to direct and circulate exterior air into the barn. Sidewall exhaust fans create a consistent vacuum inside the poultry house to pull in outside air. The incoming cold air should be kept in contact with the ceiling for as long as possible to be blended in with the warm in-house air above the flock. No cool air should come directly in contact with the birds, to avoid chilling and stressing the birds.

The biggest potential risk with negative-pressure minimum ventilation is that when there are any unplanned openings, the house will draw air through every available opening in the building. Unsealed curtains, unused and dirty fans, and improperly sealed end doors are all areas that commonly contribute to heat loss and should be inspected regularly. Click here to learn more about how to check for leaks in your barn.

By properly managing moisture, air flow, and temperatures turkey flocks can keep growing and thriving even during extreme temperatures outside the poultry house. Controlling air flow inside the house is critical. Poor direction of airflow can lead to wet litter, chilled birds, and increased strain on heaters that lead to heightened carbon dioxide and ammonia levels.

When directing air in the barn the goal is to:

• Promote uniform temperatures throughout the house during cold weather
• Mix warm air in the barn with incoming cold air to reduce humidity
• Reduce fuel use and improve litter quality

Click here for more information on proper air flow.

High ammonia levels can have a negative effect on bird health. With extended exposure to ammonia, the immune system becomes suppressed, and birds are more vulnerable to several health risks. It is important to regularly monitor ammonia since humans can become accustomed to levels of ammonia and not realize the levels are increasing.

Ammonia is an irritant when it is inhaled. It can injure/burn the respiratory tract and alter O2 uptake making it hard to breathe. In cooler weather, ammonia levels increase in the barns due to decreased ventilation rates. ​Birds can detect ammonia at levels as low as 5ppm, and levels of 10 ppm or more start to compromise health and welfare. ​Levels over 25ppm can cause long-term damage to human & bird respiratory systems and poultry food pads. Industry standards recommend maintaining levels below 25ppm however, we recommend it is best practice to target the 10 ppm or under range.

Ammonia levels should be monitored and tested regularly on a weekly basis. Ammonia test strips and distilled water can be used, or digital readers are also available. Below are step-by-step instructions on how to properly use ammonia test strips.

Ammonia is produced in the litter, and the levels are more concentrated at bird-level. Ensuring dry litter can help control ammonia levels, provides a healthy flock environment, and can reduce the incidence of hock and footpad burns and breast blisters​. Some common practices to maintain dry litter, in addition to using proper ventilation, include

• Top dressing pens with new shavings as needed
• Moving drinkers daily to prevent the formation of ‘donuts’ around the drinkers
• Tilling litter regularly
  • Female flocks: Weekly up to approximately 3 weeks before slaughter
  • Male flocks: Weekly up to approximately 13 weeks of age

If an issue is found repeatedly it’s essential to identify the root cause. In general, factors affecting ammonia levels surround the environment in the barn, diet or health of the flock. Keeping your barns properly ventilated will assist with controlling environmental gases. For more information on ventilation and monitoring gases, please see our environmental control resources on our website for more information.