Category Archives: Poultry Layer And Egg Guide

16 Reasons that May Lead to Decrease in Egg Production

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A large number of people love to keep backyard chickens for egg production. There might be numerous reasons for this habit. But it really feels amazing to collect eggs from all the next boxes. In other words, gathering eggs from the nest boxes is one of the greatest joys of keeping the backyard chicken. If dealt in a proper manner, then the process might lead to the increase in egg production, thus enabling you to grapple some large profits. At the time, there are a number of reasons that might lead to the fall in the rate of egg production. So, if you feel the egg production rate at your farm is falling, then you need to keep a number of things in mind. Most of the researchers are of the view that the fluctuations in the rate of egg production may be due to behavioral, environmental and emotional factors, all of which can be controlled. Here are the 16 reasons that might initiate a decrease in the rate of chicken egg production.

1. Lighting Conditions and Shorter Days:

One reason for which the egg production might be slowed down is due to the shorter days. On an average rate, a hen requires nearly 12 hours of sufficient day light for the stimulation of the ovaries.

light effect on laying eggs

2. Molting Issues:

During the phases of molting, most of hens stop laying eggs. In order to tackle the problem a number of proteins might come in handy, but it is better to let the molting complete its cycle. Molting in chickens should be dealt in an effective manner in order to ensure that egg production remains constant.

molting in hens

3. Broody Hen:

In this phase, the hens stop laying eggs. Moreover, they also spend the entire day sitting on the eggs, waiting for them to be hatched. The only thing that can be done here is to break the broodiness as soon as possible. Almost all classes of egg laying chicken breeds might suffer from this problem.

broody hen

4. Egg Eating:

There are some chickens that might engage in this irrational behavior. Furthermore, when one hen starts doing this, other hens prefer to follow. For substantiation, you can see a number of broken egg shells in the nest.

egg eating hens

5. Predators:

There is no end to the number of predators who love to eat and steal eggs. Moreover, the hens also get stressed out at the sight of these predators, so it is best if you make all sorts of conducive and safety arrangements for dealing with this issue.

6. Overcrowding:

Another common reason for which the eggs might stop laying eggs, is overcrowding. When you keep a number of chickens in a small area, then the hens might get stressed that will result in lower egg production.

overcrowding hens

7. Change in Nesting Area:

Hens like humans love their homes and the places where they usually lay their eggs. But switching the area from time to time can break their routines and patterns of egg laying.

8. Illness/Disease:

One of the first things to notice in times of decreased in egg production is illness. You must also know that chickens do love to hide their illness at times. So here it is imperative to schedule and perform medical checkups from time to time.

9. Extreme Fluctuations in Weather:

There are some optimal temperatures in which hens lay the most number of eggs. Normally, the temperature range should be from 50-75 Degrees F. Even the slightest of deviations from this range might lead to fall in the egg production.

10. Lack of Ventilation:

Lack of ventilation in the coop leads to the accumulation of ammonia, thus causing various physiological changes in the chicken and egg laying habits of the chicken through respiratory illness.

11. Poor Nutrition:

Those farms that utilize some low quality feeds face this problem more often. So, for having the maximum number of egg yield, you should make use of good quality feeds.

12. Overfeeding:

Just like underfeeding that might lead to diminished egg production, the same also applies to overfeeding. Chickens require a set number of proteins for egg production, but never try to offer them with more than what they require.

13. Lack of Water:

In terms of the internal composition of egg, it is evident that water makes up nearly 75 % of the total mass. Be sure to supply sufficient water for chicken egg laying at all times.

14. Free ranging:

Chickens should be offered with free ranging, but in a controlled manner. Otherwise, they are going to hide their eggs at places you might not be able to track. Mostly the hens lay eggs in the morning times, so it is recommended that you monitor them at these times.

15. Age:

The first 2 to3 years are the ones in which hens lay the maximum number of eggs. With the passage of time, the productivity is going to fall. So, it is best that if you continue adding new chicks to the settings.

16. Stress:

In the end, it is quite visible that a stress free hen happens to be the one that lays the most number of eggs.

stress in hens

Poultry Layer Management,A Guide To Optimal Egg Production

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MANAGEMENT OF LAYERS

Maximum hen-housed egg production with fair egg size, feed efficiency and minimum mortality are the prime goals of layer farming. Beside good genetic make up of bird, management during laying plays an important role to achieve the above-mentioned targets in egg production. Following are the vital aspects of efficient layer management:

Segregation and Transfer of Pullets

Ready to lay pullets should be shifted from grower to layer sheds around 16 to 18 weeks to allow 1 to 2 weeks adaptation period before laying starts. During pullet rearing it is quite possible that inspite of providing highly suitable management facilities, some pullets may lack in size and development of body. In real sense, genetics itself allows one to two per cent culling. Such under­developed pullets should be segregated while transferring them to layer sheds and be housed in separate compartments of cages or sections of house in case of deep-litter, to allow them to avail extra nutrition to achieve normal standard of growth. These segregated pullets are fed 2 per cent extra protein along with the additional minerals and vitamins including liver tonics to gain normal growth within 3-4 weeks. The pullets which are blind, crippled, emaciated, injured, and infected are discarded at the time of shifting.

Floor, Feed and Water Space

Floor space of   1800  to 2200 cm2 per bird on deep-litter and 337 to 375 cm2 per bird in cages is recommended for layers. Breeders are provided with little higher space of 2300 to 2700 cm2 depending on size of birds. About 12 to 15 cm linear feeder space and 2.5 cm water space per bird is adequate during laying. On deep-litter system one laying nest for every 4 to 5 hens with perch at entrance is provided for comfortable laying and clean egg production. Inade­quate management facilities leads to reduced egg production and feed efficiency; increased disease incidence and mortality and sometimes cannibalism also.

Temperature in Layer House

The comfortable temperature for optimum laying ranges from 18.3 to 21.5°C (65°-70°F). Both higher and lower temperature affect the egg production and quality of eggs adversely. Egg production starts declining when temperature rises more than 27°C while egg size starts reducing from temperature of 24.5°C onwards only. The higher temperature in general is more harmful to birds than lower temperature. The effects of cold whether become more prominent when temperature drops below 12.8°C.

Supply of Artificial Light

From 21 weeks onwards, the layers should be provided with artificial light, starting with total 14 hours duration and gradually (1/2 hour/ week) be increased to reach to 16 hours and kept constant upto 42 weeks of age.

At the age of 43 weeks it is again gradually increased to 17 hours. The day length is considered to be 11 hours in winter and rainy season while 12 hours in summer season for providing total light. The total artificial light may be divided equally in morning and evening.

The appropriate lighting schedule stimulates egg production by 4 to 6 per cent, while irregularities in lighting can cause drop in egg production. The intensity of light at birds eye level is important to stimulate egg production, which is 0.9 to 1.2 foot candle. A bulb of 40 watts with reflector hanged at height of 2.2 m above floor level for 3.5 m2 floor space, provides correct intensity. But the bulbs must be cleaned for dirt periodically (once in 15 days) for bright illumi-nation. Layers should never be exposed to reduced light schedule which lowers down production considerably.

Breeder management is similar to layer management except their diet contains extra protein, Mn and Vitamin E to ensure desired fertility and hatchability. Breeder males and females should be reared separately from day-old age, which ensures uniformity in growth, reduces culls and gives better production during laying.

Reducing Stress

Factors such as vaccination, medication specially antibiotics, disease outbreaks, improper and restricted feeding, extreme weather changes, starvation, high production and shifting from one to another house induces stress in chickens. This results in drop in egg production, poor growth and increased susceptibility to diseases. Administration of electrolytes, vitamins, minerals, controlling effects of weather changes helps to reduce or combat the stress on birds.

Feeding and Watering

Not only the quality but quantity and methods of feeding adopted also play an important role in making profits from layers. The chickens like white leghorn layers should consume about 105-110 gm of feed/day/bird, while dual purpose breeds like RIR, New­hampshire, etc. will eat around 115-120 g/day/bird on an average. Higher or lower intake less than recommended requirement indicates impairment in quality of feed or stress/disease condition which should be corrected accordingly. Minimum two feedings should be followed to avoid staleness and wastage of feed. All mash or pallet feeding is good method of feeding to achieve optimum performance of layers.

Birds should be provided fresh, clean, cool and potable drinking water all the time. As a thumb rule bird drinks 2.5 to 3 times of water of feed consumed depending on season and size of birds.

Vaccination

From 42 weeks of age onwards, every 3 months, layers should be vaccinated lasota vaccine through drinking water to boost up immunity and to maintain proper titre levels of antibodies against Ranikhet disease. Automatic vaccinator is being used nowadays

Culling

It is one of the constant and important operation to be practiced at- least bimonthly to improve economy of farming and to remove focus of infection.

Record Keeping and Analysing

Relevant record keeping of feed intake, egg production, vaccination, medication, mortality, culls, receipts and expenditure and periodical analysis of them helps in correcting mistakes and improvement in management to increase profitability.

Housing

The layer houses should be well-ventilated, reasonably cool in summer and warm in winter but free from drafts. The open-sided poultry sheds which are popular in our country, fulfills above requirements with specific management in summer and winter. They are cheap for construction and easy for maintenance also.