How many eggs per day does a chicken carry: how to increase egg production. Indicators of daily egg production of chickens

Kira Stoletova

Raising chickens is a profitable business, the main benefit of which is obtaining eggs and meat. These products have become so integral to our diet that it is very difficult to imagine our life without them. But breeders have always been interested in the question of how many years hens lay and whether every day the livestock rushes at complete care and correct content?

Eggs and meat are rich in various useful trace elements: vitamins and amino acids. Besides, just egg digestible human body 98%, which is why these products are so valued by the people. Having decided to keep laying hens at home, you need to know not only about the features of caring for them, but also about how many years the chickens have been laying.

When the birds start flying

One of the most important factors, which affect the age at which birds begin to rush and how long chickens rush, is the feathered breed. It is most rational for such purposes to contain. Such a chicken rushes from the age of five months. The eggs themselves are small in size, and their color depends on what breed the bird itself is. In addition, products from the first clutches have a large yolk. By 8 months, the weight and size of the eggs increases, and the yolk decreases.

Hens may start laying eggs earlier. It all depends on the emotional state of the winged. Keeping domestic chickens is not an easy task. The breeder should choose a safe, quiet place for them. If it is located next to the highway, this may affect the period of egg production, its beginning and duration. In addition, if other birds live on the farm, this can also negatively affect productivity. Any psychological discomfort is reflected in how many eggs hens can carry in a day, week, and even a year. Therefore, the breeder should fulfill all the necessary requirements so that the layers give him the desired profit.

Conditions for the duration of the period of productivity of birds

In conditions household hens begin to lay eggs early, from 4-6 months.

But the duration of the productive period is difficult to predict. The highest rate - up to 300 eggs per year - is achieved due to the individual characteristics of crosses or ordinary breeds. In addition, much depends on the correctness of the actions of the breeder. The egg production of poultry is affected by:

1. Features of the diet. , which includes correct proportion proteins, fats and carbohydrates, affects the health of chickens. The stronger their immunity, the better the productivity and its duration. In addition, it is important that the food consumed by birds has a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals contained in vegetables, herbs, shells and other products.
2. Conditions of detention. the chicken coop must be protected from drafts, and have a heating system that birds need in the cold season. It is also important that feeders and drinkers are installed inside the house so that the birds can have easy access to them.
3. genetic factor. Layers that belong to the egg breed will lay eggs longer than others. In addition, the features of bird immunity to various diseases which also affect productivity.
4. Chick hatch time.

In households, the bird rushes up to 2 years. Of these, only 12-18 months are the most profitable for the farmer. After this period, productivity decreases, as does the quality of the eggs themselves. After 2 years, no matter how hard a person tries, the egg production rate will decrease and it will be impractical to keep such winged ones.

If you do not cull chickens over 2 years old, they worsen and taste qualities meat, so the breeder should consider the need to rotate the stock in advance. The farmer must raise chickens or acquire new ones. But there are exceptions. Some chickens can be beneficial for keeping, because, despite their mature age, they continue to give a profit to the breeder. But all such cases are individual and rare, so you should carefully monitor the livestock and timely identify and eliminate unproductive individuals.

Every farmer should know about it

In order to keep domestic chickens correctly, without losses and problems, you should also be aware that there are pauses in the egg-laying period.

They can be caused by deficiencies in care and feeding, as well as by the characteristics of immunity. Often the reason for interrupting the production period is the natural molt that each bird goes through once in its entire life. This process begins at one year of age and continues up to 5 months. Some layers are more susceptible, for which they should be culled. Healthy hens shed quickly and piecemeal.

Laying hens can also suffer from painful shedding, which also affects productivity. How long such a pause lasts depends on the state of immunity of the hens, as well as the actions of the breeder. Most often, the main culprits of this phenomenon are:

1. content errors;
2. lack of nutrients in the daily diet;
3. stress;
4. hormonal disruptions.

In home conditions, the artificial molting method shows a good effect. After the completion of the change of plumage, the chicken rushes more actively and better. Artificial molting can be called different ways(hormonal, zootechnical, etc.). The main thing is to consult a veterinarian before this so that human actions do not lead to irreversible consequences.

Maintaining productivity at the same level

Many factors influence how many eggs per day, month and year a laying hen, which is kept in a household environment, will give. The breeder himself can influence some of them in his favor. In order to constantly maintain the level of your own profit, you should systematically change the livestock that is carried. Old, unproductive birds are culled, leaving only profitable chickens. But no less important is the replenishment of the brood. The number of adult hens that are still laying should not exceed 40% of all livestock. The remaining majority are young.

The process of replenishment of livestock also has its own characteristics, which include:

1. The need for isolation of new chickens from the old stock. Birds may not get along together, and also become infected with infectious diseases from each other.
2. The place where future chickens will live must be cleaned and disinfected; a chicken coop that has been previously operated and not cleaned is dangerous for young chickens. They may get sick.
3. The chicken coop should be equipped with a special for walking. It is best placed on grass that laying hens can eat, replenishing their diet with useful substances.

It is not advisable to keep old birds. Already after 2 years their productivity falls, the quality of their meat deteriorates. Plus, they eat the same. As soon as the costs spent on feed cease to pay off, individual birds are culled. A novice farmer can also focus on how many months are given to laying hens for existence. For production purposes, chickens are culled by 11 months. In the household, it is better to produce it up to 2 years.

In addition, every breeder should be aware of the peculiarities of bird care. Sometimes egg production rates decrease due to improper breeding work person. Only healthy individuals, thoroughbred chickens without developmental defects should be left for further maintenance.

The number of eggs laid by a hen during the reproductive period depends from the time of entry into puberty and from the breed, which determines the direction economic activity farmer. So, if representatives meat and egg breeds are capable of laying within 4 years, then the reproductive capabilities of chickens egg directions are exhausted through 1.5-2 years. In order to increase the period during which laying hens retain the ability to lay eggs, experts recommend reconsidering the diet of the bird, ensuring that vitamin supplements, vegetables, herbs and nutritious feed mixtures enter its body. On the other hand, motivated by a desire to increase the profitability of laying hens, some breeders are acquiring hybrid breed hens. They are distinguished by the ability to bring eggs not from 4 months (as in egg) or 6-8 months (for meat and egg breeds), but several weeks ahead of schedule.

Note! Experts do not recommend accelerating the start of oviposition, since this can not only be fraught with the appearance of pathologies associated with a load on the underformed organs of the bird's reproductive system, but also lead to the appearance of small eggs.

The peculiarities of the physiological cycle of laying in chickens include the fact that even with the most best conditions content, in the body of a chicken does not have time to form more than one egg per day. Despite this, there are known cases of laying eggs with several yolks (2-9), surrounded by several layers of a protective shell. However, such products are exceptions to the rule and represent process deviations.

By the way! The process of egg formation, starting from the entry of the yolk into the mother cell, through its movement along the oviduct, during which the yellow substance is enveloped by the protein mass and the shell layer, takes from 23 to 26 hours. at least half an hour.

In a day

The number of eggs brought by a chicken per day, therefore, cannot exceed one piece; in real conditions, this figure is 1 piece per 1.5-2 days. However, in winter period time, a chicken can carry, with an initial productivity of 1 pc per day, only one clutch per few days for breeds of egg direction, or, in general, suspend the reproductive system. The latter fact may be due to the bird's instincts, according to which this is not the best time in terms of the potential survival of offspring.

In Week

Depending on the course of individual biorhythms, laying hens can bring from 1 to 7 eggs per week. The average number of clutches per week for most breeds is 3 to 4 per week. Fluctuations in productivity in this case are due to the seasonal factor, the breed of the laying hen, the diet of the chicken and the length of daylight hours in the chicken coop.

Per month

The number of eggs produced by a hen per month is rarely less than 15 eggs, the maximum achievable result for laying hens with high productivity is about 30 eggs per month. The average monthly egg production varies for chickens of various breeds in the range of 18-24 pcs per month.

In year

The annual productivity of laying hens is directly dependent on the conditions of detention. So, as a result of the action adverse factors such as lack of feed or solar lighting, chickens may stop laying during the warm period. On the other hand, if the recommended rational parameters are provided, the laying hen egg production can reach 330-340 eggs per year. Minimal amount clutches brought by chickens during the year, provided that acceptable conditions are maintained, is 200 pieces, while the average indicators of annual egg production are at a sufficient level. high level and fluctuate in the range of 280-300 eggs per year.

What determines the quantitative indicator of egg production in chickens, how to increase it

Some experts argue that the period during which it is possible to achieve an increase in productivity by adjusting the diet and conditions of laying hens is a very limited period of time. For egg breeds it is in the range between the time the birds reach optimal performance (6-8 months) and the period during which a steady decline in egg production begins (1-2 years). Nevertheless, experienced farmers identify a number of factors, the correction of which, according to their observations, led to an increase in egg production in chickens.

So, the increase in the productivity of laying hens contributes to:

• Keeping birds in a chicken coop with sufficient free space per individual.

• Security regular replacement of livestock, usually about 70-80% of the herd is updated.

Note! The optimal time for this is the period before the onset of cold weather for birds that are in the second year of the active laying period.

• Experts say that it is impossible to achieve optimal performance using only dry food. Need to ensure even distribution over 2-3 portions of the daily ration of laying hens preventing them from starving or overfeeding.

Important! Revising the diet of laying hens, which should contain wet mash, greens and mineral-vitamin complexes, phosphorus and calcium, necessary for shell formation, eliminates the depletion of the chicken. It is necessary to ensure the intake of fats, proteins and carbohydrates in the body of chickens in the recommended proportions. Some breeders have achieved an increase in hen productivity by using various kinds grains with the addition of milk or water.

• Security safety of laid eggs is achieved by organizing inclined trays, excluding their damage and theft by pests.
• Systematic implementation a set of measures aimed at maintaining the health of poultry.

• Ensuring the systematic implementation of the necessary sanitary and hygienic procedures for maintaining the chicken coop(cleaning, disinfection, bedding change).
• To increase the productivity of birds, they should be provided with optimal daylight hours. Usually used for this artificial lighting using incandescent lamps, the duration of which should be at least 12 hours.

Note! Excessive daylight hours cause fatigue in chickens. In this regard, the dark period of the day in a chicken coop should be at least 10 hours to ensure a good rest for the livestock.

• The disappearance of egg production may be related to molting period at the livestock. Experts note that the time required to change the down cover is about 1 month. However, experienced farmers can speed up this physiological process, which is achieved by completely restricting food and fluids. Under the conditions created by the resulting stressful situation, the molting process takes several days. After its completion, it is necessary to create optimal conditions for keeping layers and use a balanced diet, while good productivity, according to breeders, will be restored in a few days.
• Experienced breeders claim that increased egg production can be achieved by ensuring comfortable indicators of the microclimate of the room. Their recommendations concern, in particular, optimal modes humidity, which, according to their observations, should be in the range of 60-70%.

Important! Maintaining comfortable temperature conditions in . To do this, it is necessary to insulate the premises of the chicken coop and, if necessary, use additional heating with infrared lamps.

• It is not recommended to ignore the important role that in the winter time provides daily exercise.

Note! To implement it, it is necessary to equip a special platform, isolated from wind and snow, and provide daily walking of the livestock for 1-2 hours.

Video: how to increase the egg production of chickens

How does the breed affect the egg production of chickens: comparative indicators of the egg production of the most popular

An increase in herd productivity can be achieved by providing optimal performance the factors listed above. At the same time, the main factor determining egg production in chickens is their breed. It is the variety that ensures the production of a certain number of eggs per unit of time, largely determines their mass and the characteristics of the reproductive process. A clear illustration of this is the following comparative performance indicators for the main breeds of laying hens, among which:

• Loman Brown provides an annual productivity of 315-320 pieces per year with an average weight of each egg of 34-63 g.

• High Line produces about 340-350 pieces per year, having a weight in the range of 60-65 g.

• Hisex White (White) brings masonry 300-315 pieces per year with an average weight of each in the range of 63-64 g.
  
• Hisex Brown provides productivity at the level of 280-300 pieces per year with an average weight of each about 70 g.
  
• leghorn produces from 200 to 250 and even 300 eggs per year with an average weight ranging from 55-65 g.
  
• Russian white the breed is distinguished by average productivity indicators, providing a laying of 200-240 pieces per year with weight fluctuations in the range of 55-60 g.
  
• Expected breeding performance New Hampshire is 180-240 pieces per year with an average weight of 60-70 g.
  
• brekel brings about 190 pieces per year, weighing from 58 to 60 g.
  
• Russian Crested the breed is able to bring 160-180 pieces per year with an average weight in the range of 55-60 g.

It is clear from the data presented that the variety of hens is a major factor in determining both the potential production of laying hens and the average weight of the eggs. The difference in performance, which for different breeds is from 1.5 to 2 times, due to the constitution of the cows and the direction that determines the direction of the farmer's efforts, the regime of keeping and the diet of chickens. So, hallmarks laying hens of egg breeds are small in size, early onset of laying and high mobility. For chickens of the meat and egg direction, the characteristic features are good productivity with a developed physique, however, they are distinguished by a longer period of formation of the reproductive system and entry into the laying age.

Note! As a separate species, experts distinguish hybrid breeds of laying crosses, providing laying of 310-320 pieces per year. The disadvantages of this breed, farmers include the impossibility of reproduction, due to artificial means and used to breed.

The potential egg production of laying hens is one of the main parameters that determine the benefits that a breeder receives from breeding hens. Depending on the chosen line of business (production of meat and / or eggs), the farmer chooses a certain breed of layers, which largely determines their productivity, and hence the profit of the producer. However, experienced breeders say that there are opportunities to improve egg production, which primarily include creating near-optimal conditions for livestock and adjusting the diet of the herd.

In contact with

Often you have to deal with how many eggs a chicken carries during the day, month, year. How many eggs you can get from a chicken depends on the interest in its content. But before answering this question, it is necessary to understand the features of oviposition.

When the chickens start laying

The oviposition period begins at the time of puberty, which depends on which direction of productivity the bird belongs to. As you know, egg breeds of chickens mature faster. On average, oviposition begins from 4.5-5 months of a bird's life. Chickens belonging to the meat and egg direction mature longer and begin to lay eggs 6 - 6.5 months. Meat chickens are the latest breeds in maturation, they bring eggs at 7-8 months. High egg production is not a preferred direction for such breeds; all energy is spent on building muscle mass.

How quickly the farmer can get the first egg products is affected by the place where the hens were purchased. If the birds were bought at a breeding farm or a poultry farm, then the farmer knows exactly the breed / cross of the bird, can navigate by productivity, predict how much production he can approximately get by studying the characteristics of the chickens he purchased. If the bird is purchased on the market, you should not rely on purebred chickens, mostly mixed chickens are sold there. It is impossible to predict any dates when the chicken will begin to lay and how many eggs will be produced.

How many eggs does a hen lay in a year

The annual productivity of a chicken indicates which direction it belongs to, of course, egg hens produce the most egg products per year. Outwardly, they have small size and increased physical activity. The average productivity of egg breeds is 200-240 eggs, egg hybrids bring 280-320. Summer time is the most fruitful, the bird rushes every day, in winter you can get eggs much less often. Meat and egg breeds of chickens lay 160-180 pieces per year, meat breeds lay eggs less than another direction of productivity). They bring 120-160 eggs per year. But chickens have eggs meat breeds large.

How many eggs does a hen lay in a month

18-27 eggs are obtained from egg breeds. From meat and egg chickens, 12-16, and from meat, on average, up to 12 pieces.

How many eggs does a hen lay in a day

A good egg laying hen can lay one egg per day. It all depends on how long it takes to form inside the bird's body. On average, get 1 egg per day from egg. From meat and egg chickens 1 time in two days, from meat breeds 1 time in three days. It should be borne in mind that egg-laying is affected by the molting period and the appearance of the instinct of incubation in birds.

Ways to increase egg production in chickens

Productivity is influenced by many factors, first of all, you need to start with the diet, it must be nutritious, contain a sufficient amount of vitamins, amino acids and mineral components. A properly composed diet will not only increase egg production, but also strengthen the immune system, and the quality and quantity of eggs will be higher. The rate of entry of the diet for chicken must be controlled to prevent obesity, which lowers the number of eggs. In addition to the diet, various premixes and special compound feeds for laying hens are used, designed to increase the number of eggs produced.

Look at: lighting, temperature environment and conditions for keeping birds. If it is grown in cages, then the microclimate is a major factor, as it must be maintained all year round. Stress should not be allowed to occur when the temperature and regime change. If the bird is kept on the floor, the litter should be dry, clean, and changed frequently. If it remains dirty for a long time, then the humidity rises and microorganisms multiply, leading to bird disease and weakened immunity. If a bird can lay eggs in an unheated chicken coop, when the temperature drops extremely below freezing, egg production may simply stop. Heat in the chicken coop still needs to be created. The duration of daylight hours is 12-14 hours in winter, when natural light is reduced.

How many years do chickens lay

Despite the created conditions, breed and individual characteristics birds need to understand that their productivity is not infinite. They reach the peak in the number of eggs in the second year of life, after which the decrease occurs by 15% per year. Egg hens at poultry enterprises are replaced every year, but hens living at home live up to 3-5 years. Further use of them is economically unprofitable, feed consumption is stable, and the meat will lose its taste and usefulness. The most valuable breeds of birds do not live more than 5 years. The number of eggs laid is reduced, and in terms of quality they can no longer be used as incubation.

The optimal lifespan for a chicken, when the economic and useful part received from it is the same, is 2-3 years. Of course, the life expectancy of chickens depends on the farmer and on the goals of rearing and keeping the bird.

• meat;
• egg;
• mixed (meat-egg).

Interestingly, you can get egg products from all of the above chickens, but its quantity will be completely different. From a meat laying hen in 365 days you can get a maximum of a hundred eggs, but from an egg hybrid - more than three hundred.

How is the egg direction characterized

Before talking about the number of egg products per month that can be obtained from one chicken, it is worth understanding in more detail salient features these birds.

First of all, this includes precocity. In laying hens, puberty occurs early, and the first eggs are obtained from the 6th month of life.

Egg-laying chickens are light in weight, which on average reaches about 1.5 kg. Also, the bird is characterized by high physical activity. Masonry requires not only the right diet, but also constant movement. If you pay attention to the egg-laying chicken, you will see that the bird is actively moving all day.

Increased consumption of calcium. The bird cannot independently obtain the necessary microelement, which means that you will have to use special top dressing so that the balance is not disturbed.

There is no maternal instinct. During breeding, most hybrids have almost completely lost the ability to hatch chickens, their main task is to lay eggs in in large numbers.

To briefly summarize the above, egg crosses have only one positive trait- laying eggs.

A few words about performance

It is worth noting that no one made accurate calculations, there are only approximate parameters for each of the breeds. But even here there is a very serious variation in numbers. The point is that there is great amount factors that affect poultry performance. This should include such important indicators, as:

• keeping chickens;
• seasonality;
• presence of stressful situations.

On average, in 30 days, one chicken is able to lay about 29 eggs, and in some cases even less. What are the reasons for such indicators?

Here it is worth turning to biology. An egg is a large ovum, which is located in a protein shell and is covered with a shell for preservation. After the yolk ripens and enters the oviduct, the fouling of the protein component begins, the future egg moves forward and the shell forms. Nature has taken a little more than 24 hours for this process, and so far no way has been found to speed up this process. But when adverse conditions appear, the process slows down perfectly.

What does egg production depend on?

First of all, you need to choose the right breed. A record number of eggs - more than 370 - can only be obtained in research farms. Even the most experienced breeders do not get more than 350 eggs from their pets, on average this figure drops to three hundred, which is just excellent result.

In the following table, you can get acquainted with the various breeds and egg production rates.

Breed name	Number of eggs in 365 days	Average weight laying hens, kg	Weight of egg products, g
New Hampshire
broken browns
Hisex browns
Hisex white

Ways to Increase Productivity

Every farmer thinks about the egg production of chickens and stable productivity indicators for 365 days a year. To cope with such a task is not very simple, but it is possible if you know some subtleties.

First of all, chickens need to create conditions that are as close to ideal as possible, and provide the livestock with a properly composed balanced diet. Most often in a small farm you can notice how in summer time the number of egg production increases significantly, and with the onset of cold weather, it declines. Such fluctuations are called for by a decrease in temperature indicators, even taking into account the fact that the chickens are indoors, in addition, some types of feed are no longer available. But at the industrial poultry farm, the jumps described above are absent due to the fact that the livestock is in approximately the same conditions all year round.

To get the maximum amount of egg production and stabilize performance, private farm owners are advised to pay attention to the following factors:

It is important to remember that with age, the performance of laying hens decreases, and this does not depend on third-party factors.

The classification of chickens is done taking into account the direction of their main productivity: meat, meat and egg and egg laying. Hens of all directions lay eggs, but in different quantities. If for meat breeds the maximum annual number of eggs does not exceed 100 pieces, then egg-laying hybrid chickens can lay up to 350 eggs per year.

Interesting fact. In chickens, at the genetic level, there is an inverse relationship between egg production and body weight. And if we add to this the desire of breeders to increase egg production, it becomes clear why in developed countries laying hen meat is not used for food. In addition to the fact that such a carcass has more bones than meat, muscles of blue color, fatty tissues are almost completely absent, and it will take at least three hours to cook it. During this time, all the vitamins from the “eco-friendly homemade” chicken will disappear.

Before you know how many eggs a laying hen carries per month, you need to get acquainted with its distinctive characteristics.

1. Rapid onset of puberty. The first eggs are laid at six months of age.
2. Small body weight. The live weight of adult laying hens is approximately 1.5 kg, the weight of the gutted carcass is less than a kilogram.
3. High physical activity. Features of laying eggs require not only special feed, but also constant movement. Chickens are on the move almost all day long.
4. Increased need for calcium. in a natural way find it in the right amount difficult, in most cases calcium should be added to the feed.
5. Partial or complete loss of brooding instinct. If the instinct is preserved, then it manifests itself only for 2-3 years of life, and up to this age it is not advisable to keep laying hens from the point of view of the economy.

As seen from general characteristics, except for egg production, laying hens no longer have any advantages. Now you can find out how many eggs laying hens give per month.

Laying performance

No one can give an exact calculation, there is always the word “approximately”, indicators even for one breed can fluctuate over a very wide range. Too many unforeseen factors can affect egg production in chickens, some are human dependent and some are not. There are also those about whom modern science only suspects. Egg production is influenced not only by the conditions of detention, diet or season, but also stressful situation, the presence of loud sounds, foreign animals, etc.

How many eggs does a laying hen lay in a month? The question is of interest only to beginner poultry farmers, experienced ones themselves know - from 0 to 29 pieces. Why such a spread and why is there a maximum? This is worth looking into in more detail.

Why can't a laying hen lay more than 29 eggs per month

This limitation is set by Mother Nature. An egg is essentially a large egg located in the protein and closed from damage by the shell. As soon as the yolk is ripe, it enters the oviduct, as it moves, it becomes overgrown with protein and becomes covered with a shell. Biologically, this process takes 25 hours, it is impossible to accelerate it. But various negative factors can significantly slow down or completely stop the laying process. What measures should be taken to increase egg production in laying hens?

The right choice of breed

The record is 371 eggs, but such figures can only be achieved on special research farms. None of the most experienced manufacturer did not exceed the figure of 350 eggs, but most consider it a great success to reach the figure of 300 eggs.

Which chickens should be purchased by private traders?

Breed name	Annual egg production, pieces	Chicken weight, kg	Egg weight, g
	200–240	Up to 3.3	55–60
	200–240	Up to 2.0	55–65
	180–240	Up to 3.0	60–70
	315–320	Up to 2.0	63–64
	180–200	Up to 2.2	58–60
	160–180	Up to 2.0	55–60
	340–350	Up to 1.7	60–65
	280–300	Up to 2.0	70
	280–300	Up to 1.8	63

These are the maximum physiological capabilities of each breed. But the specific values ​​depend on several factors that can be influenced.

How to increase egg production

It is desirable not only to increase the number of eggs, but also to achieve stability throughout the year. To do this, a set of special measures should be taken to ensure optimal conditions content and a balanced diet. In private farms, egg production increases in summer, and in winter it decreases significantly due to temperature fluctuations in the room and unbalanced feed. At modern industrial poultry farms, such jumps are not observed. What do you need to pay attention to in order to achieve maximum stable performance?

1. Diet. Underfeeding, like overfeeding, is equally harmful to laying hens. Eating should be extended over time, feed is always fresh and without mold. Feed composition is very important nutrients and micronutrients. Currently, there are special sets of microadditives on sale, their use gives tangible positive results. The main condition is strict observance of the consumption norms recommended by the manufacturer.

   

2. Temperature regime. Chickens, like all birds, react sharply to temperature deviations from favorable values. Too high and too low indicators significantly reduce egg production. In summer, the chicken coop needs to be ventilated, and in winter, measures should be taken to raise the temperature. You should be aware that with a decrease in the oxygen content by only a few percent, mass pestilence can begin in birds. The air quality in the poultry house must always comply with existing regulations.

   

3. Illumination. Everyone knows the concept of "night blindness". As soon as the light decreases slightly, the chickens get ready for bed. They move less, eat less and, as a result, egg production decreases. Daylight hours should be at least 12 and not more than 14 hours. This needs to be watched closely. As lighting lamps, it is better to use modern economical ones, the total loss in electricity can significantly increase the cost of eggs.

   

4. Air humidity. Optimal values relative humidity of 60-70%, otherwise the comfort of staying in the chicken coop decreases, laying hens reduce productivity.
5. The number of layers per unit area. Recommended for square meter free space to have no more than four layers. Care must be taken when making cages, perches, etc. Use metal elements during the manufacture of places for night rest is categorically not recommended, the metal conducts heat well, and this can cause hypothermia of the legs.

   

6. Winter exercise. At the first opportunity, it is recommended to release chickens for a short walk in winter. This is not only good for their health, but also serves as a natural incentive to increase egg production.

   

   

And the last. Every year of life, the egg production of chickens decreases by approximately 20%, regardless of the conditions of keeping and feeding.

Folk methods for determining good laying hens

What did our grandmothers pay attention to before deciding what to do with the chicken: leave it alive for eggs or cook it to be sent to the pan. First of all, on appearance. The hen should have bright, shiny plumage, a red comb, and a clean bottom. This is direct evidence of her health, a sure sign that good egg production can be expected from her.

This was followed by more complex manipulations - grandmothers determined the physiological characteristics of the development of the skeleton - the distance between the posterior end of the sternum and the beginning of the pubic bones. The chicken was clamped between her knees, her legs were held with her left hand, and right hand the distance was measured in "fingers". If two or one finger was placed, then the laying hen was culled, there would be no current from it. Four fingers came in - great, if three, then you can still doubt what to do with the chicken.

Good laying hens should have thin and straight pubic bones, be free of fat. A large, bulging and hard belly testified that the laying hen swam with fat, you should not expect many eggs from her. Productive laying hens should have a soft belly. A small belly is the worst diagnosis, it makes no sense to keep such a laying hen. Only feed is wasted, and the meat ages and becomes tougher.

How to increase egg production with a chicken coop

The floors in the room should only be wooden, in no case concrete. Do not make high ceilings, it is easier to keep in low rooms optimal temperature during the winter period. natural ventilation is necessary without fail, but it should be done in such a way as to avoid drafts in the place where the chickens spend the night. The window area is at least 10% of the floor area, thus it will be possible long time maintain favorable lighting conditions. Before wintering, it is imperative to disinfect the chicken coop from ticks and other pests.

Perches should only be wooden, the diameter of the poles should not exceed 5 cm, for each chicken at least 20 cm of poles, but it is better to have a supply. Firstly, you can easily increase the number of birds if necessary. Secondly, the chickens will go to bed faster, they will not interfere with each other with every movement. For 5-6 layers you need to put one nest. It is recommended to do it first large quantity and place in various places. As soon as the chickens choose for themselves the most appropriate place locations, then the nests are moved there. The hay in the nest must be periodically replaced with new one. After each change, an egg is laid on the hay to attract hens, as soon as they begin to lay, the bait egg is removed.

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