Health · February 14, 2026 · 4 min read
Catching mortality spikes before they spread
Daily mortality logging is compliance basics. Used well, it becomes an early warning system for flock health.
Mortality is expected in any poultry operation. What matters is whether you notice a trend deviating from normal before it becomes a crisis. A jump from 0.05% to 0.15% daily mortality across a 20,000-bird house is 20 extra birds today — and potentially hundreds if the cause isn't addressed.
Log causes, not just counts
Recording daily dead birds is the minimum. Adding a cause category — culling, sudden death, unknown — builds a dataset your vet can use. Over time, patterns emerge: higher culls in house 4 every new batch might point to litter or drinker issues rather than disease.
Set thresholds per age
Acceptable mortality varies by bird age and production type. Broiler week 1 tolerances differ from layer week 40. Configure alerts when daily mortality exceeds your farm's historical average for that house and age band.
Managers get notified the same day data is entered, not when someone reviews a monthly report.
Integrate with treatment records
When mortality spikes coincide with a vaccination or medication round, linked health records help you evaluate whether it's a reaction, handling stress, or an unrelated pathogen. Complete records protect you in audits and speed up diagnostics.