MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR LAYERS pou.pptx

Layers production

1. MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR LAYERS KMU 2025

2. Layers or egg production cycle: The typical production cycle lasts about 17 months (72 weeks old) That is: from day one (Day old chick) to 72 weeks old (layer) The typical production cycle involves three distinct phases, as follows: Phase 1: Small chicks or brooders. This phase lasts from 0 to 2 months (0-8 weeks) during which time small chicks are kept in facilities (brooder houses) separate from laying birds.

3. Phase 2: Growers This phase lasts about 3 months, from the 9 th to 20 th week of age Growers may be either housed separately from small chicks or continue to be reared in brooder-cum-grower houses. It is important to provide appropriate care to the growers particularly between their 17 th and 20 th week of age as their reproductive organs develop during this period

4. Phase 3: Layers Growers are transferred from the grower house to the layer house when they are 18 weeks old to prepare for the laying cycle. Birds typically lay for a 12-month period starting when they are about 21 weeks old and lasting until they are about 72 weeks old

5. Management of chicks: Day 1 to 8 weeks Layers are female birds, usually chickens, reared for production of eggs when mature sexually. Chicks are reared in brooder houses sited away from adult birds’ houses; at least 100 m away Disease is easily passed from adult birds to young ones. House birds of the same age only (“All-in/All-out” principle) At 10 days of age chicks should be debeaked i.e. one third of the top beak is cut about 2 mm from the nostrils. Best system to rear chicks is deep litter system

6. Feeding chicks During the first eight weeks of rearing the chicks are fed starter feed containing 19% protein . Lighting Chicks will eat when there is light Artificial lighting is recommended; however, gradual reduction is necessary up to 4 th week: 0-1 week 23-24 hours light 1-2 weeks 20 hours light 2-4 weeks 16 hours light From 4 weeks on, normal day length of 14 hours is recommended The reduction in daylight hours is to delay sexual maturit y and the beginning of egg-laying

7. Housing Three systems 1) Brooding/Growing/Laying house in one 2) Brooding, Growing/Laying house 3) Brooding, Growing, Laying house In system No. 3, transfer the birds to the laying house at 18 weeks of age Today, cages are very common

8. At 6 to 8 weeks the birds may be transferred from the brooding to the rearing unit where they will grow until point of lay. Alternatively, they may continue to be reared in the same house that was used as the brooder which then becomes the growing house by increasing the space occupied by the growing birds. The growing phase lasts from the 9 th to about the 20 th week of age. The growing pullets may be moved to the laying quarters at 18 weeks of ag e or they may continue into the laying phase in the same house

9. Management of Growers Period concerned is between 8 and 20 weeks Growers are the future laying birds; thus the way they grow up will largely determine how well they will do in the laying house. At 8 weeks, change feed from chick mash to one suitable for older birds (i.e. Grower mash). Grower mash is lower in protein. Ensure feed is not wasted

10. During this phase, main point is to optimize growth and development of the female reproductive system Day-length of 14 hours must be maintained to delay maturity and onset of egg production Longer hours of light results in more consumption of feed leading to early maturity Early maturity results in fewer and smaller eggs being laid

11. Feeding program growing pullets From the of 6 to 8 weeks the level of nutrient intake by the birds is reduced. This type of feeding is continued until the birds are 15 weeks old. The reduction in the amount of nutrients consumed by the growing birds is done to delay sexual maturity.

12. If the birds lay eggs too early: they will produce smaller, fewer eggs and have a shorter laying period. The feed of the birds is changed at 6 to 8 weeks of age from a starter diet containing 19% CP to pullet grower diet with lower protein content of 15%, week 15 From the age of 15 weeks the feed of the bird is changed from pullet grower feed containing 15% protein and 0.9 % calcium to a pre-lay feed having 16% protein and 2.5% calcium .

13. This feed may be given to the birds until they are 18 weeks old. This is the period when the reproductive organs of the birds develop. The hormones that are produced at this time enable the birds to build up deposits of extra calcium in the bones . This extra calcium which is stored as a reserve is used up when the birds start to lay. The shell of an egg requires high levels of calcium for its formation.

14. Management of laying stock Feeding Laying Stock Between 18 and 20 weeks of age, change feed from pre-lay or Growers to Layers Mash 1 ration, containing 17% protein and 3.6% calcium ( high level of Calcium). Change feed gradually rather than abruptly so that the birds adjust. Note that pre lay/Growers mash only contains enough Calcium to support bone development; it does not contain enough Calcium for maximum egg production.

15. Laying period is taken to have started when birds reach 5% egg production on a hen/day basis The laying period continues until the birds are sold at end of normal laying period of 52-56 weeks. After 60 weeks of age the birds are fed Layer 2 ration which contains 16% protein . Feed birds according to the weight

16. At 20 weeks of age, Layers Mash is given Intake per bird is 110-115 grams/bird for layers in cages Intake per bird is 115-120 grams/bird for deep litters Water supplies are crucial; lack of water leads to decreased egg production and possibly death.

17. Lighting To stimulate egg production, increase artificial day in one step or in a number of steps till artificial day reaches 16-18 hours from 8 to 20 weeks This ensures that maximum egg production is achieved in the shortest possible time and that egg production is maintained at the highest possible rate. Increase in lighting should coincide with change of feed from Growers to Layers Mash

18. Varying Photoperiod during the Pullet growing Period During the growing period, usually from 6 to 20 weeks of age. Light received by the bird's eye sends neural signal to the pineal gland Light causes an increase in the activity of the enzymes involved in the synthesis of melatonin , the hormone secreted by the pineal. Melatonin appears to be involved in the synthesis or release or pituitary gonadotropins and may thus affect sexual development.

19. The actual role or the pineal in the photic control of ovulation is still unclear. Pullets that mature too early often lay small eggs and otherwise have poor laying performance. Those starting to lay too late never compensate for the time they could have been productive. In the 18 th week, in preparation for the laying activity which should begin about the 19th or 20th Week, there may be gradual increase in light hours , by about 20 to 30 minutes per week , until a minimum level of 14 hours is reached or a maximum of 17 hours .

20. Daily Egg Laying Pattern Eggs are laid between 08:00 and 17:00 h rs Normally birds do not lay eggs at night An egg takes approximately 25¼ hours from time of ovulation to the time it is laid From this, it is mathematically possible for birds to lay up to 300 eggs per year

21. EGG PRODUCTION CYCLE Birds usually start to lay at around five months (20-21 weeks) of age and continue to lay for 12 months (52 weeks) on average, laying fewer eggs as they near the moulting period. Egg Production trends in a batch of layers In areas where the climate is hot and humid, commercial hybrid laying birds produce on average between 180 and 200 eggs per year. In more temperate climates birds can produce on average between 250 and 300 eggs per year.

22. Peak production is reached at about 30 - 32 weeks i.e. 80 - 90% production. After this, birds begin to decline gradually. Egg production rises rapidly and then starts to fall after 31 weeks of age. When less than 65 percent of the flock are laying eggs ( 71 weeks of age ), it may become uneconomical to retain birds. Feed costs and sale of culled birds for meat must be considered as well as prices for eggs. In some instances when egg prices are high it may be viable to delay culling birds until only 45 percent of the flock is still laying eggs (78 weeks of age)

23. Age in weeks % of flock laying No. of birds laying No. of eggs produced /week 21 5 5 20 22 10 10 40 23 18 18 72 24 34 34 135 25 52 52 208 26 65 65 260 27 74 74 296

24. Age in weeks % of flock laying No. of birds laying No. of eggs produced /week 28 84 84 336 29 88 88 352 30 92 92 368 31 94 94 37r 32-39 88 88 352 40-47 83 83 332 48-59 77 77 308 60-64 73 73 292 65-70 70 70 280

25. EGG PRODUCTION CYCLE Percentage of productive laying flock over a period of time. Note that over a period of time, the percentage of egg-producing hens increases and reaches maximum and then starts decreasing.

26. EGG PRODUCTION CYCLE Number of eggs produced over a period of time (100 BIRDS). Note that over time, the no. of eggs produced per 100 birds increases and reaches maximum, and then starts to decrease

27. Factors Affecting Performance of Layers Genetic – some layers produce more eggs than others Environmental: Temperature (to be maintained within 12.8-26 degrees Celcius . Lower or higher temperatures result in low egg production Relative Humidity – becomes a problem when high (80%) under poor ventilation. Birds cannot effectively lose heat. Poor ventilation – leads to rapid moulting and subsequently lower egg production; can also lead to increased ammonia and carbon dioxide production, leading to respiratory problems.

28. Light – some advantage may be gained by increasing the photoperiod during laying phase (from 30th week onwards) by 15-30 minutes per week. Sound – noise pollution: sudden noises frighten birds, consequently resulting in low egg production

29. Daily Routine Management Change clothing and disinfect foot-wear before entering house; enter quietly. Check feed consumption ; fill feeders to approximately one-third, otherwise feed wastage Wash drinkers daily and provide fresh water Collect eggs in flat trays 3-4 times a day ; do not collect eggs in baskets or buckets (you may experience breakages)

30. Select eggs according to size : Large, Medium, Small Wipe dirty eggs with soft cloth ; do not wash them as this may introduce bacteria Dirty eggs and broken eggs are for immediate consumption Replace or add litter as required Keep litter loose by raking; caked and muddy litter should be removed immediately Check behaviour of birds (anything abnormal?)

31. RECORDS Egg production Feed consumption Vaccination Medication Removed birds (dead, sick + cause) The most important rule in record keeping is to write neatly and keep them simple. Records which cannot be read afterwards become useless and may give rise to errors

32. Egg collection Eggs should be collected at least 3 or 4 times daily. Frequent egg collection prevents egg eating and soiling. Dirty eggs should be cleaned carefully using a dry cloth or if too dirty, in warm clean water and then dried before placing in trays.

33. When eggs are washed in warm water the air in the pores expands and prevents dirty water from entering and contaminating the egg contents. Eggs storage Eggs should be stored in a cool dry place, in trays. High environmental temperatures cause eggs to quickly lose their quality. Droplets of water should not be allowed to collect on an egg because microorganisms in the water may cause rapid loss of egg quality

34. Egg Quality Egg quality is judged both by exterior and interior quality Exterior Quality: Size – Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large. Medium size (58 g is the normal size) Colour – Brown vs White (preferences?) Shell thickness – normal thickness is 0.33-0.40 mm; egg shell quality determined by Ca, P, and Vitamin D Porosity – refers to no. of pores around shell (normal = 7,500 pores). Too few pores results in poor gaseous exchange and therefore respiration is impaired. Too many pores results in heavy loss of moisture content

35. Internal Quality: Most accurate method of assessing internal quality is by breaking an egg and observe the appearance of egg white and yolk The only way of testing an egg without breaking is by candling . The candling lamp provides sufficient light, strong to penetrate the shell and illuminate the contents Check for blood spots (come about due to lack of vitamins A and K)

36. Culling or removal of poor and non-layers A farmer should remove (cull) all birds which appear unfit to be layers. Culling ensures that the remaining birds are all good egg layers. Laying birds have a large, smooth, bright and glossy comb while the comb of non-­laying hens is dull, dry, shriveled and scaly. The vent of a laying bird is large and oval-shaped . It is also smooth and moist. The vent of a non-laying hen is shrunken and round . It is also puckered and dry.

37. Culling or removal of poor and non-layers Character Layer Non-layer Comb Large, smooth, bright red glossy Dull, dry, shriveled, scaly Face Bright red Yellowish tint Vent Large, smooth, moist Shrunken, puckered, dry Pelvic bones Thin, pliable, spread apart Blunt, rigid, close together Abdomen Full, soft, pliable Contracted, hard fleshy Skin Soft, loose Thick, underlain with fat

38. Separating High and Low Producers Character High producer (continuous laying) Low producer (brief laying) Vent Bluish white Yellow or flesh color Eye ring White Yellow Ear lobe White Yellow Beak White Yellow Shanks White, flattened Yellow, round Plumage Worn, soiled Not much worn Moulting Late, rapid Early slow

39. MOULTING a physiological phenomenon, consists of shedding existing feathers , followed by replacement with new feather growth . usually accompanied by a reduction in egg production or even a complete halt. If a bird stops laying and starts moulting, this means its physical condition is deteriorating and, therefore, cannot support egg production and continued nourishment of the feathers or body maintenance

40. Feathers contain protein and are more easily grown when laying ceases because of the difficulty in assimilating sufficient protein for both egg and feather production. During the moult, the fowl still needs a considerable amount of good quality food to replace feathers and build up condition. Natural moults can occur any time of the year if birds are subjected to stress. A bird becomes stressed when the environment or management presents a challenge to which the bird cannot respond without suffering a harmful effect .

41. Natural moulting Birds have three moulting stages: The first moulting is where the down feather are replaced by the first plumage. This first moult ends several weeks. The second moult occurs when birds are 7 to 12 weeks old depending on the strain. The process lasts several weeks. The third takes place when birds are 16 to 18 months old . This moulting greatly affects performance of the birds, in terms of egg laying. The length of moult varies with laying potential of bird. Poor layers take 6-8 weeks, while good layers take 2-4 weeks to reconstitute their plumage. In the third moult , birds which moult the earliest are poor layers while those which moult the later are excellent layers

42. Shedding of· feathers during moulting: Begins with those of the head and neck, f ollowed by the breast and finally those of the tail and wings. During moulting birds have an increased dietary nitrogen requirement for replacement of feathers· Feathers contain 85 to 88% nitrogen mainly is cystine. Leucine and threonine. The amount of protein required for feathers replacement is equivalent to that deposited in 15 eggs . Since moulting coincides with an interruption in laying and the subsequent laying is only up to about 80% of pre-moulting egg production , layers are usually culled at this stage. Post-moulting egg: are usually larger.

43. Forced or Induced Moulting commercial hens usually begin laying at about 20 weeks of age. Thus. by approximately 72 weeks of age , flocks are considered economically unviable and are slaughtered after approximately 12 months of egg production, although chickens will naturally live for 6 or more years . However, rather than being slaughtered, the hens are force moulted to re-invigorate egg-laying for a second, and sometimes subsequent, laying phase

44. The decision to moult a flock should be based on: sound management principles and thorough analysis of management practices and economic situation. The purpose of a forced moulting program is to: rest and rejuvenate the hen’s reproductive system and grow a new set of feathers. For complete rejuvenation and optimum post-moult performance , the reproductive tract must experience complete regression; i.e. egg production must completely stop.

45. Complete regression results in the flock being totally out of production for 14 to 17 days . Weight loss closely associated with reproductive tract regression is due to: mobilization of glycogen stores, and adipose tissue catabolism. Hen body weight is closely monitored throughout a moult to ensure that a healthy weight is maintained

46. Methods of forced moulting: For a complete recovery of the reproductive tract, the hen's body weight must drop by 20-30 % during the forced moult. This is typically achieved by withdrawing the hen's feed for 7–14 days, sometimes up to 28 days. Feed withdraw induces birds to: lose their feathers, cease to lay eggs and lose bodyweight . Some programs combine feed withdrawal with a period of water withdrawal

47. Most programs also restrict lighting to provide a daylight period that is too short to stimulate egg production. Some do not eliminate feed altogether , but may induce a moult by providing a low-density diet or dietary manipulation to create an imbalance of a particular nutrient (s); e.g. manipulation of minerals including sodium, calcium, iodine and zinc, with full or partially reduced dietary intakes.

48. Period Summary of Procedural steps in Moulting Day -7 Weigh a sample of birds to determine pre-moult weight. Calculate target weight (20 % body weight loss) using pre-moult weight. Increase lighting to 24 hours of daylight at this time Day 0 Provide Low ME feed after any remaining feed has been removed and daylight hours reduced . In controlled light housing, reduce the day length to 8 to 10 hours. Day +9 Weigh a sample of birds nine days after providing Low ME feed to determine body weights. Day +19 Weigh sample of birds 19 days after providing Low ME feed to determine body weights. Calculate weight loss per day using 9- and 19-day body weights. Estimate target date for when body weight loss will reach 20 %. Provide the resting diet when hens reach target weight. Target date Return hens to the layer feed if body weight loss has been achieved Day +28 Feed birds the layer diet and gradually step up the day length by one hour per week for light stimulation.

49. Hens should cease egg production by day 6 to 10 following the commencement of moulting. The Low Metabolizable Energy (ME) moult diet is low in energy and will not sustain egg production. The moulting ration is designed to keep hens out of production and to provide for skeletal and muscle maintenance

50. Weight loss must be closely monitored in the moulting phase and compared to the target body weight established in the premoult phase. Weigh all the hens in the same cages that were sampled during the pre-moult period. If weight loss occurs too rapidly, regression of the reproductive tract will not be complete.

51. The moult resting diet should be fed from the time the flock meets the body weight goal until lighting to stimulate egg production begins. After this point, daily intake of ME, sulfur amino acids, lysine, calcium, and available phosphorus should meet breeder recommendations for optimal second-cycle production

52. SUMMARY Remember the following important steps: Pre-moulting Phase 1) Assure proper body weight sampling. 2) Establish proper body weight loss goal. 3) Begin constant lighting seven days before providing the moult feed. 4) Consider providing supplemental calcium

53. Moult Initiation and Weight-Loss Phase 1) Precisely monitor weight loss. 2) Be cognizant of other influences, such as housing and equipment, strain effects, and flock history. 3) Use the proper lighting program. Return to Production Phase 1) Never return birds to layer feed immediately. 2) Feed appropriate nutrient levels. 3) Be aware of potential housing effects. 4) Know what to expect during the second cycle.

54. The down side to Forced Moulting Temporary starvation of the hens is considered by many to be inhumane as well as a form of animal cruelty, and is the main objection of critics and opponents of the practice. The practice is prohibited in the EU. Forced moulting increases plasma corticosterone which decreases the levels of circulating lymphocytes and other leukocytes, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the bird's immune system. This means that birds being force moulted become susceptible to disease, particularly Salmonella infections, and may produce contaminated eggs thereby compromising public health.