Question

Brooding period of chicken is __________.
A) First two weeks
B) First four weeks
C) First 3-8 weeks
D) First 8-10 weeks

Answer 1

Brooding is the period between egg-laying to its hatching. In some cases, brooding continues after hatching the eggs to protect the baby chicks. In brooding birds provide optimum heat to the egg by sitting on them, this period varies as per the environmental condition.

Complete answer:
Brooding is the period when a hen sits on its eggs to provide heat which helps in better development of the baby chick inside the egg and proper hatching. Brooding also helps to optimize the health and performance of the baby and also regulate its body temperature after hatching. On average brooding takes place for the first 3-8 weeks after hatching of eggs to protect the baby chick and to maintain homeostasis because in the initial period they remain poikilotherm and after the formation of feathers they become homeotherm.

Brooding also takes place artificially in which equipment is used for brooding which is also known as brooders which need a heater, reflector, and brooder guard. Brooding needs cleaning, optimum temperature, proper day to day care of chicks, etc. In case, a chick gets affected by a certain kind of disease then it gets spread at a faster rate therefore the separation of an infected chick from the normal one is very important. The initial day of brooding is very risky but after getting uniform with the condition the chick starts to gain weight with the development of feathers on the body surface.

Hence, the correct answer is option (C).

Note: After hatching the Maternally derived antibodies protects the chicken from getting the disease. Brooding takes place in all poultry birds like turkey, duck, etc., but the period of brooding varies like in turkey brooding period is 4-6 weeks.
Wandering albatross brood their egg for 86 days before hatching and it is the only bird that takes a long time for brooding.