Proper Layers Management Practices for Better Performance
Pullets fed liberally under good management conditions may begin to lay eggs anytime after 18 weeks of age. However, delaying sexual maturity is a common management practice, which often leads to hens coming into lay after twenty weeks of age. Good layers should attain 50% hen-day egg production by 26 weeks of age.
1. Egg Production Goals
The profitability of any egg production enterprise depends largely on the number of eggs produced per laying hen. The primary goal of this enterprise is therefore to produce the maximum number of eggs at minimum cost.
Under Nigerian conditions for instance, a good laying hen (medium sized brown eggers) should be able to produce about 220 eggs/yr and consume an average of 120g of feed/day. Mortality rates should not exceed about one per cent every month. The financial analysis of cage versus deep litter egg production systems is given in the table below.
2. Housing and Equipment
The farmer is often faced with the dilemma of raising layers on deep litter floor or in cages. In both cases solid structures have to be erected, but if cages are to be installed additional expenses must be incurred in the flooring construction to provide for heavier concreting with deep pit. Both the deep litter floor and cage systems have their advantages and disadvantages.
Table: Financial Analysis of Cage vs Deep Litter Egg Production Systems -Based
| Parameter | Cage System | Deep Litter |
| 1. Investment per bird (N) 2. Return on Investment 3. Cost of producing one egg (N) 4. Payback period (years) | 23.31 7.8% 0.15 12.9 | 15.01 21.5% 0.14 4.6 |
Source: Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development, 1985. A comparative analysis of the deep litter vis-à-vis battery cage.
The Major Systems of Poultry Production for Better Performance
1. Battery Cage System
Most of the commercial layers today are kept in cages. This is particularly true in countries where the production processes are highly automated. The birds are easier to manage in cages.
1a) Cage types
Many types of cages exist but the stair-step double decker type has become popular because unlike the vertical multi-stacked system, it does not require dropping boards or cleaning belts below the upper decks of cages.
However, bird density per given volume house is lower for the stair-step cages compared to the stacked types. Cages should be placed in open-sided houses with dwarf walls. Under very hot conditions, the house may be no more than a roof over the cages.
1b) Stocking density
It has been proved that when caged birds are fewer in number, they tend to waste more feed. Results of many researchers conducted in the last decade with regards to how much we can crowd layers in cages have, however, indicated that crowding is more profitable only when egg prices are high and feed costs are low.
Attaining high egg prices without corresponding increase in feed cost is very unlikely in this country.
1c) Manure Disposal
Where small (backyard) or medium size farms are involved, manure accumulation may not pose much problems. The manure produced can be collected and spread on farmlands.
This method is easy and less expensive. However, in large-scale operations consisting of thousands or millions of layers, and with land becoming scarce, manure disposal may become a serious problem.
Lagoons, oxidation ditches, drying (dehydrating) and besides these methods being expensive, there is still the odour problem and / or the need for final disposal of the treated manure. Poultry manure can also be fed to animals, particularly ruminants, after it had been treated.
Proper disposal of manure is necessary so that offensive odour do not accumulate and pollute the neighbourhood. Apart from constituting a nuisance to the birds themselves by attracting many flies, these odours and the flies make the working environment uncomfortable for the attendants.
1d) Cage-Related Problems
Layers kept in cages sometimes develop some problem whose specific causes have not been ascertained. Such problems are not common among layers managed on the floor.
The main cage-related problems most commonly encountered are cage layer fatigue (birds are unable to stand due to weakened bones), fatty liver syndrome (lots of the oviduct to retract after laying) and egg drop syndrome.
Read Also: Proper Broiler Management Practices for Better Performance
Stress may be involved in cage layer fatigue. However, it does not seem to have any adverse effect on egg production. The proper maintenance of automatic waterers and feeders are critical. A block in the water line for example can lead to a sharp drop in egg production.
2. Deep Litter Floor System
Install nests and fresh nesting material such as wood shavings, rice hulls or sawdust. Well-designed nests should be provided to reduce time needed for caring for the laying flock and the eggs.
Nests may be made of wood or metal and of varying arrangements, but should provide for convenience in egg collection. They may be placed in the middle of the pen or along the walls inside the building.
Provide one nest measuring 30cm (12”) wide, 35cm (14”) high and about 30cm (12”) deep per 4 hens. For community nests should be cleaned regularly and new nesting materials added as needed to produce clean eggs.
The litter should be stirred frequently and new materials added. Wet and “caked-over” spots should be removed and replaced with fresh, dry litter.
A common problem with hens on deep litter is floor eggs. Eggs laid on the floor easily become dirty and are susceptible to breakage. The following management practices will help to ensure that the birds lay inside the nests rather than on the floor:
1. Have nests in the laying house before the pullets are housed or introduced the nests before the pullets commence laying
2. Provide adequate, well-ventilated nests to prevent overcrowding
3. Round off corners of the house, which serve as nesting places
4. Close nests at nights
5. Provide nests with clean nesting materials
6. Use darkened nests and place them in darker sections of the house.
Layers Feeds and Feeding
Layers mash may contain between 2400 – 2800 Kcals of ME/kg of diet and 16 – 17 per cent protein. The peculiarity of layer’s feed, however, is its high calcium content, which may be up to 3.5 per cent. The high calcium is necessary for laying down the eggshell.
In recent years, phase feeding of layers has been advocated to be in line with the different phases of an egg production profile. The first phase start at point of lay to the period of peak production i.e. between 20 – 35 weeks, the second phase begins at 35 weeks and ends at about 55 weeks while the third lasts to the end of lay.
Under such a system the ration for phase one should have 17 per cent protein, phase two 16 per cent and phase three 15 per cent protein. This takes cognizance of the differences in egg production during the three phases.
The calcium level however, should be slightly increased from phase one to phase three to minimise egg breakage which normally increases with age of the hen. Feed and water should be given liberally.
Read Also: Proper Pullets Management Practices for Better Performance
