Run daily checks and keep records
Records help you spot illness early, prove legal compliance, and judge whether animals are worth their cost.
How
- Check every animal at least once a day: eating, drinking, breathing, walking, droppings, injuries. Check water and fences daily.
- Record medicines given and deaths. The UK laying hen code says to keep medicine and mortality records for at least three years.
- Example (England, sheep): keepers must keep a holding register, record a yearly count, report moves within three days, and keep records for three years.
- Also record feed and water used, eggs or milk produced, births, weights, FAMACHA scores and grazing moves.
- Review records each season to adjust numbers, feed and grazing.
Sources
- Code of practice for the welfare of laying hens and pullets. UK Government (Defra), GOV.UK, accessed 2026-11
- Sheep: identification, records and movement. Business Companion (UK Trading Standards), accessed 2026-11
- FAMACHA Factsheet. University of Florida IFAS Extension, accessed 2026-11