भाषा:

Mid-October is when North Indian broiler farmers start pulling the curtains down. The nights get cold, the brooders go on, and the shed fills with a sharp smell that stings your eyes when you walk in. That smell is ammonia, and in a closed winter shed it is one of the most common hidden reasons for watery eyes, coughing, burnt feet, poor weight and a higher FCR. Here is why ammonia builds up, how to check it without a meter, how to dry the litter first, and where an ammonia binder for poultry litter fits in.

POULTRY

Ammobond

Ammobond

Litter me ammonia bandhta hai

5 kg ₹1,655₹1,950

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POULTRY

Septima

Septima

Patli beet

500 g ₹793₹1,300

Order karein
Ammobond

POULTRY

Ammobond

Litter me ammonia bandhta hai

5 kg ₹1,655₹1,950

Order karein

Why ammonia builds up in winter sheds

Ammonia is made when bacteria in the litter break down uric acid in the droppings. This happens faster when the litter is wet and warm, and a winter shed is exactly that. Three things come together from October:

  • Closed curtains. To keep the chicks warm you cut the air exchange, so the gas stays in the shed instead of leaving it.
  • Wet litter. Cold air holds little moisture, so water from the drinkers and from the birds’ breathing and droppings ends up in the litter. See wet litter and loose droppings in winter for the causes.
  • Heat from brooders. Warm, damp litter is the best place for the bacteria that make ammonia.

The gas is strongest right next to the litter, which is exactly where the birds live. You stand higher than your birds, so what you smell is less than what they breathe.

What ammonia does to your birds

Birds that live in ammonia for days do not usually die from it. They just pay for it every day, and the bill is bigger than most farmers expect:

  • Eyes: watery, red, half-closed eyes and keratoconjunctivitis.
  • Windpipe and lungs: tracheitis and damaged airways, which open the door to respiratory infections such as IB, ND and Mycoplasma. Read about infectious bronchitis in poultry.
  • Feet: wet, ammonia-soaked litter burns the foot pads and hocks (foot burn), which hurts the bird and cuts the walk to the feeder.
  • Performance: less feed eaten, lighter birds at the same age, poorer FCR and more culls.

Birds with damaged airways also cope worse when a closed shed has too little fresh air, so poor air in winter is a risk factor for ascites too.

How to check ammonia without a meter

A proper ammonia meter is best, but your own nose and eyes at bird height are a good first test. Bend down and breathe near the litter, not standing upright.

What you notice at bird heightWhat it means
No smell, litter dry and crumblyFine. Keep up the routine.
A light smell you can only just noticeAmmonia is starting. Time to act.
Strong smell, your eyes sting or waterToo high for the birds too. Act the same day.
Caked, wet litter under drinkers, birds sneezing, wet eyesThe litter problem is already serious.

As a rough rule, if you can clearly smell ammonia, the birds are already suffering. Also check the birds’ feet and hocks at day 20 and later. Dark, burnt patches on the foot pad show the litter has been wet and full of ammonia for several days.

Step 1: Fix the litter first, then add a binder

An ammonia binder works on the litter you have. It does not make up for leaking nipples or a shed with no air. Do these first or together:

  1. Stop water leaks. Fix drinkers, set the nipple height to the bird’s back and remove wet patches.
  2. Give minimum ventilation. Even in winter, change some air. Open the curtains a little on the side away from the wind, or run exhaust fans for short periods, enough to clear the smell without chilling the chicks. Our winter broiler management guide shows ventilation by age.
  3. Stir and top up. Turn the litter once or twice a week, break the cakes and replace wet patches with dry husk or sawdust.
  4. Check the droppings. Loose, watery droppings wet the litter from the inside. Look for causes in the feed, water and gut health.
  5. Use an ammonia binder in the litter. It lowers the ammonia that the wet and warm litter keeps making.

What is an ammonia binder, and how does Ammobond work?

An ammonia binder is a powder spread on the litter that binds ammonia and reduces its release into the shed air. According to its label, Ammobond contains ammonia binding and reducing agents in a powdered carrier, and it is used only in the litter. Never feed it to the birds. The label says it cuts ammonia emissions in the farm by 50–60%, helps birds grow heavier with better FCR and lower mortality, reduces respiratory infection rates (like IB, ND, LPAI and Mycoplasma), and lowers keratoconjunctivitis, tracheitis and foot burn problems.

Ammobond by IMN Pyrophos

Ammonia binder · litter only

Ammobond

Ammonia binding and reducing agents in a powdered carrier. Cuts ammonia emissions in the farm by 50–60%. Helps heavier birds, better FCR and lower mortality, and lowers keratoconjunctivitis, tracheitis and foot burn problems. Do not feed to birds; use only in litter.

Dose: 10 g per chick in winter from day 1 when curtains are closed; 25 g per bird during or after the 2nd week when litter build-up starts; 40 g per bird when litter is wet and ammonia is building up.

5 kg ₹1,655MRP ₹1,950

Ammobond dose: how much per bird, and when

The label gives three doses, depending on the situation. Measure by weight and not by eye, because under- or over-dosing both waste money.

SituationDose (per label)Cost per bird*
Winter, curtains closed, from day 110 g per chickabout ₹3.3
During or after the 2nd week, when litter build-up starts25 g per bird spread over the litterabout ₹8.3
Litter is wet and ammonia is building up40 g per birdabout ₹13.2

*Based on the 5 kg pack at ₹1,655 (MRP ₹1,950), about ₹0.33 per gram. Prices may change; confirm on WhatsApp.

For a 1,000-chick batch, the winter day-1 dose is 10 kg, which is two 5 kg packs. At 25 g per bird it is 25 kg, or five packs. The label does not say how to combine the three doses in one batch, so tell us your shed and we will plan the use with you on WhatsApp.

How to spread the binder

  • Spread it evenly over the litter with a hand scoop or a sieve. Do not leave it in heaps.
  • Put a little more where the litter is wettest: under drinkers, near the curtains and at the corners.
  • Stand away from the birds while you spread it and wear a mask, since any powder is dusty. Do it at a calm time, when the birds are not rushing around.
  • After spreading, lightly turn the top layer of litter so the powder mixes in.
  • Keep it out of feed and water. It is for litter only.

A simple winter plan for the batch

StageWhat to do
Day 1, curtains closedSpread the winter dose (10 g per chick) on the fresh litter.
Days 1 to 14Keep litter dry, give a little fresh air daily, fix leaks.
Week 2 to 3Spread the 25 g per bird dose as the litter starts to build up. Stir the litter.
Any time litter turns wet and smellyRemove the wet cakes, ventilate, and use the 40 g per bird dose as per label.
Day 20 onwardsCheck hocks and foot pads. Smell at bird height every morning.

Read the winter brooding guide for temperature by day, and plan your sale around today’s broiler rate.

If the litter is wet because of loose droppings

Sometimes the water is not from the drinkers but from the birds themselves. Loose, sticky droppings wet the litter even when the drinkers are fine. A gut conditioner helps the gut get back to normal, so the droppings firm up and the litter stays drier.

Remipro by IMN Pyrophos

Gut health · bestseller

Remipro

Probiotic, prebiotic (MOS) and Saccharomyces with betaine, methionine and vitamin C. Restores gut flora, reduces loose droppings, improves digestion and FCR, and helps in recovery from coccidiosis.

Dose: 1 g per 8 kg body weight or 1 g per litre of water for routine gut health; 1 g per 5 kg body weight or 2 g per litre in infections and loose droppings; 1 g per 100 chicks in brooding.

500 g ₹626MRP ₹950

When the shed is closed and birds are breathless

Closed sheds mean less fresh air, and fast-growing broilers under that stress can develop ascites (water in the belly). Fixing the air in the shed comes first. If your earlier batches had ascites, prevention can start early in the batch.

Ascitox Q10 by IMN Pyrophos

Prevention of ascites and SDS

Ascitox Q10

CoQ10, blood buffers, antioxidants, herbal diuretics, sodium ascorbate and selenite. Helps prevent and control metabolic ascites (water in the belly) and SDS (sudden death) in broilers.

Dose: Prevention: 1 g per 100 chicks on day 2–4 at night (hold feed 2–3 hours), 7 g per 100 birds on day 13–15, 20 g per 100 birds on day 23–25; give in the evening or at night. Control: 1 g per 3 kg body weight or 3–4 g per litre of water, holding feed at night for 6–8 hours for 2–3 days.

1 kg ₹698MRP ₹1,080

Common mistakes

  • Closing every curtain fully and leaving it closed for the whole night
  • Letting drinkers drip, then trying to fix the wet litter with powder alone
  • Feeding the binder to the birds, or mixing it in water. The label says litter only.
  • Spreading it in heaps instead of evenly
  • Checking the smell standing up, instead of at bird height
  • Waiting until the litter is caked and the birds are coughing, instead of starting on day 1 in winter

Frequently asked questions

What is an ammonia binder for poultry litter? It is a powder spread on the litter that binds ammonia, so less of it escapes into the shed air. Ammobond is an ammonia binder from IMN Pyrophos and is used only in litter.

How much Ammobond per bird? As per the label: 10 g per chick in winter from day 1 when curtains are closed; 25 g per bird during or after the second week when litter build-up starts; 40 g per bird when the litter is wet and ammonia is building up.

Can I mix Ammobond in the feed or water? No. The label says do not feed it to birds. Use only in litter.

What is the price of Ammobond? The 5 kg pack is ₹1,655 (MRP ₹1,950). Prices may change, so confirm on WhatsApp.

Will a binder replace ventilation? No. A binder helps with the ammonia coming from the litter. You still need dry litter and some fresh air in every shed. Use all three together.

Does ammonia cause respiratory disease? High ammonia damages the airways and eyes, and birds with damaged airways catch respiratory infections more easily. Lowering ammonia reduces that risk. It does not replace vaccination.

How can I see the full range? The IMN product guide lists each product by problem and by stage.

Strong smell in your shed, watery eyes or burnt feet? Send the batch age, number of birds, litter type and a photo of the litter on WhatsApp +91 98715 84101. Dr. Ibne Ali’s team will tell you how to dry the litter and how much binder to use. Ask on WhatsApp

Also read: winter broiler management · winter brooding guide · wet litter in winter · infectious bronchitis · Ammobond ammonia binder · IMN poultry products

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