The content of the chicken coop implies a lot of nuances. Young chickens begin to lay eggs not immediately, but after a certain time. Poultry egg production largely depends on the breed, but other factors can affect it - there are several possible problems and solutions.
Egg laying start dates
The time when juvenile chickens begin to rush depends on many factors. This mainly relates to the conditions of detention - the spaciousness of the chicken coop, the availability of space for walking, qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the feed.
The breed of bird also matters. Depending on this factor, the start time for laying eggs is as follows:
- egg breed - 4-5th month;
- meat and egg breed - 5-6th month, not later than 6.5 months;
- meat breed - 7.5-8th month.
The chicken begins to lay eggs when it reaches puberty. This happens around the time the bird gains more than 75% of its weight. The average is 6 months, deviation in any direction depends on the breed and the conditions of detention.
Egg laying of young chickens
The breed of the bird is extremely important, since much depends on it. This applies to the size of the eggs (large and small), and egg production. The productivity of young chickens depending on the breed is as follows:
- egg breed - an average of 200-250 eggs per year;
- meat and egg breed - about 170 eggs per year;
- meat breed - up to 120 eggs per year.
Several breeds should be singled out, the young chickens of which show the highest egg production:
- Shaver Brown - up to 400 eggs per year;
- High Line - up to 350 eggs per year;
- Highsex - up to 340 eggs per year;
- Loman - up to 330 eggs per year;
- Bovansk - up to 325 eggs per year;
- Isa Brown - up to 320 eggs per year;
- Leghorn - up to 260 eggs per year (breed record - 371 eggs);
- Russian crested - up to 200 eggs per year;
- Minorca - up to 200 eggs per year.
How long do young chickens go?
It is not enough to judge the productivity of a bird only by its egg production. You must also consider how many months the young chicken can be carried. For egg breeds, this period is approximately 10 months, and for meat breeds - for 2-3 months less. These indicators mean the time that the bird lays eggs without interruption, that is, before its molting.
The body of the chicken is arranged so that the total number of eggs is several thousand. Despite the impressive numbers, the egg production of chicken is reduced every year. She shows the maximum indicators in the first year, then they decrease by about 10-15%.
Egg production decreases more annually. In the fifth year of the bird’s life, it reaches 1-2 eggs per week. Due to this feature, they do not hold chickens for a long time - they are replaced every 2 years. The longer the chicken lives, the worse the quality characteristics of its meat will be - it becomes more stringent, less tasty and nutritious.
In the household, chickens are not always replaced. Sometimes a bird is allowed to live its entire life - the average life expectancy is 15 years. She carries eggs all this time, but in a minimal amount.
When controlling egg production, it is necessary to take into account the features of the process. Several times (3-5) during the year there comes a rest time, which takes on average up to a month. When such a period ends, egg production is restored at the same level. Rest time can increase in winter up to 3 months if the chicken coop is poorly heated.
How to increase the quantity and quality of eggs?
To increase the quantity and quality of eggs, it is necessary to adhere to the following measures:
- provide the bird with full nutrition - it should be three times a day, balanced and varied enough;
- at peak activity of chickens, increase the rate of protein (including animal origin) and calcium - the need for these elements increases;
- adding fat-containing foods to the diet;
- compliance with the light regime;
- maintaining cleanliness and heat;
- to stimulate oviposition, the use of vitamin-mineral supplements, such as Ryabushki, is effective (but the dosage must be strictly observed, since its excess is fraught with vitamin deficiency);
- minimize poultry stresses - a stressful state leads to a violation of the stability of the cycle;
- change livestock regularly - the simultaneous replacement of most chickens (70-80%) is recommended.
Speeding up the start of egg laying is not recommended. There are many ways to bring this time closer, but such haste is fraught with problems with the health of the bird, as its body will be depleted. Eggs can be obtained earlier, but in the future it can turn against a hasty host. This is reflected in the size of the eggs - for a long time they remain small.
If the breeder wants to regularly receive a certain number of eggs, then you need to start with a competent selection of livestock. This applies not only to the breed of bird, but also to the age of the individuals. It should be different, so that by the time of culling old hens, young females began to lay eggs, and middle-aged chickens were at the peak of their activity.
Possible problems with egg production and their solution
Egg production of young chickens depends on many factors. If it has decreased, then it is necessary to identify the problem and solve it.
Molting
This process implies that the feather cover of the chicken is completely renewed. Shedding begins from the head, gradually moving toward the tail. During this period, egg production can drop significantly and stop altogether.
This is the third molt for young chickens; it begins in spring (the first two molts take place at the 1st and 3rd months of life). In the future, the bird will molt annually in the fall. The process can take 1-1.5 months, but is sometimes delayed. You can speed it up and return egg production by the following actions:
- exclusion of tactile contact;
- increase in protein in the diet;
- free walking;
- exclusion of cold weather;
- avoidance of any stress.
After molting, there is a risk of false laying hens. Such chickens do not rush at all, so their culling is necessary. A distinctive feature of the false laying hens is the presence of a cockscomb and a small distance between the ischial bones.
Conditions of detention
Egg production of chickens falls if the bird is not warm enough, there is not enough light. In summer, the indicators increase significantly, as the ambient temperature rises, and the length of daylight increases.
In the autumn-winter period, a decrease in egg production can be avoided by providing the following conditions:
- temperature not lower than 18 degrees;
- optimal humidity level - 55-65%;
- daylight hours about 17-18 hours.
Artificial lighting should not be made too intense - up to 20 lux is enough.
Of great importance for egg production and the health of chickens is the sanitary condition of the premises. It is necessary to exclude its dust content, to monitor the cleanliness and dryness of the litter, the convenience of the nest.
Do-it-yourself roosts for chickens are described in the next article.
Feeding Features
Another factor affecting the egg production of chickens of any age is feeding habits. The feed should contain approximately 15-17% protein. With its lack, egg production decreases.
Possible problem such as egg casting. This is called the situation when a laying egg gives eggs without shells - in liquid form it can be eaten by chicken or lost on the litter. This is due to a lack of calcium. This problem is called a false decrease in egg production.
Another negative factor is the lack of water. You can drink the layers in batches or freely - in any case, there should be enough water. When dosed, water is given with food. It is important to remember its quality. You can make a drinker yourself, but you can buy a finished one.
Diseases
In a sick bird, egg production is reduced. It can be considered zero, since in most cases the product is simply not suitable for use and requires disposal. Egg production may decrease with the following diseases:
- Infections The percentage of productivity loss depends on the specific disease, after treatment, egg production is restored on average by 75%. With infectious bronchitis, there is a risk of a chronic course of the disease and pathology of the internal organs, which can lead to a complete and irreversible loss of productivity.
- Non-communicable diseases. Such diseases are usually inflammatory in nature: salpingitis, peritonitis, ovaryitis. Individual individuals suffer, egg production decreases or becomes zero.
Treatment of chickens should be carried out under the supervision of a veterinarian. The cause of the disease often lies in the improperly organized maintenance of the bird or its nutrition - errors need to be identified and corrected. For a more complete overview of chicken diseases, see here.
Rats
This is one of the serious problems in the chicken coop. Rats drag eggs, lead to a stressful state of the bird, against which egg production may decrease. There is also a high risk of diseases that these rodents suffer.
Rats in the chicken coop must be disposed of. You can do this in the following ways:
- Ultrasonic repeller. This option is well suited for humane people who do not want to kill rodents. Birds and people do not perceive the sounds of the repeller, but for rats it is extremely uncomfortable. Depending on the size of the chicken coop, you can choose a suitable household or industrial appliance.
- Mechanical obstruction. This should be taken care of even at the stage of construction of the chicken coop, but the finished room can also be improved. It is necessary to seal all holes and crevices, protection from a fine mesh or sheet metal (it should go half a meter into the ground), and a high arrangement of nests.
- Smells. Rats do not like the smell of burning hair, cat hair and some plants (ledum, mint, nightshade, elderberry, onion). It is necessary to use the plants carefully, as some of them are poisonous for chickens, so they need to be laid out in places inaccessible to the bird.
- Chemicals. This is poison and various substances that are sprayed in the air. The second option involves the use of chlorine, carbon monoxide, phosphorous hydrogen. Such methods are used by experienced disinfectors, they are appropriate on large farms and industrial scales. Poison can imply various powders, granules, baits. The negative point is the danger of poisoning to other animals, birds and even people. This risk can be reduced by organizing special traps.
- Cats and dogs. Certain breeds of such animals are excellent rat-catchers, but to maintain egg production, it is important that they do not disturb chickens.
- Cannibalism. This method is cruel - you need to catch one or more rats and keep them starving locked up. Because of hunger, they will engage in cannibalism - they will destroy their own kindred. Danger to chickens may remain.
Egg production is one of the most important indicators of the effectiveness of young chickens, especially when they are bred specifically for such purposes. The timing of the laying of eggs and its duration depend on the breed of the bird, the characteristics of its content. You can increase egg production by certain actions. If it decreases, you need to identify the problem and solve it.