Sources and research policy
Poultry guidance is only as good as what it is based on. This page sets out which sources we use, how we cite them, and how we handle the common situation where a published figure is a range rather than a fact.
Which sources we use
| Source type | Examples | How we use it |
|---|---|---|
| International development and extension material | FAO poultry development and family poultry publications | Primary basis for general management guidance. |
| Animal health standards bodies | World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) | Basis for how disease control and vaccination are described. |
| Commercial breed management guides | Aviagen, Cobb, Hendrix Genetics | Performance targets and management figures, always attributed to the company that published them. |
| National agriculture and veterinary authorities | Ministry and district veterinary services | Where readers are directed for decisions specific to their own flock and location. |
How we cite
- Every guide lists its sources visibly at the foot of the page, not hidden in markup.
- Where a figure comes from a specific organisation's guide, the page says so in the text.
- We link to the source where a stable public link exists.
- We do not cite a source we have not used, and we do not pad reference lists to look authoritative.
Figures that are ranges, not facts
Most published poultry figures are ranges that depend on strain, climate, feed and management. A target weight at day 35 is not a constant of nature. Where we give a number, we say what it depends on and what would move it, and we describe planning figures as planning figures. A number quoted without its conditions is one of the easiest ways to mislead a reader while appearing precise.
When sources disagree
Where reputable sources give different figures, we prefer the more conservative one for anything affecting bird welfare — for example, the lower end of a stocking density range rather than the higher end. We say in the text that the figure varies, and we point readers to their own strain's management guide where one exists, because that is more specific than anything we can publish generally.
Local context
Guidance written for a temperate climate does not transfer unchanged to a hot, humid one, and we say so where it matters — particularly on stocking density, ventilation and feed storage. Where we describe local conditions, we describe factors that genuinely differ, such as rainfall patterns, feed ingredient sourcing and disease pressure. We do not create location pages by substituting a place name into otherwise identical text.
Why we do not publish prices
Chick, feed and market prices change faster than a written page can honestly track, and vary between districts. A price on a web page that a farmer relies on for a budget is more likely to mislead than help. Our calculators ask you to enter your own current prices instead, which is both more accurate and more useful.
Spotted something wrong on this page? Tell us and we will fix it.