Factors influencing egg production of chickens in autumn (2 photos)

Vitamin deficiencies

If chickens begin to lay eggs poorly, the poultry farmer should also pay attention to the diet of the flock. Chronic deficiency or excess of certain substances in the bird’s body inevitably leads to a decrease in egg production. Most often the problem is provoked by:

• – causes metabolic disorders. An excess of carotene in the diet of chickens leads to the problem. The negative factor is eliminated by feeding laying hens soda (0.5-1 g per head) for 5 days with an interval of 3 days.
• – may be manifested by delayed molting, baldness and deterioration in egg production in chickens. To solve the problem, yeast, meat and bone meal, grass meal, dairy products, and premixes are introduced into the diet of laying hens.
• – often occurs in young chickens kept in cages. Frequent stress factors also lead to vitamin deficiency. With a chronic course, chickens begin to lay eggs worse and produce eggs with thin shells. Pine needles, grass meal, and white cabbage leaves are introduced into the bird's diet.

Lack of phosphorus and calcium can also affect a decrease in egg production. A deficiency of these elements in the body additionally contributes to pecking and eating one's own eggs.

Tips for increasing productivity

In order to always have eggs, you should carefully monitor the birds and follow the following recommendations:

• choose the most egg-producing breeds of chickens (Leggorn, Loman Brown) to form a flock;
• ensure constant access to water, prevent it from freezing and contamination;
• Clean the chicken coop regularly and replace bedding (straw, sawdust)
• put several shelves or perches for chickens (resting perch);
• isolate the room where laying hens live from rodents and pests, carry out regular treatment and sanitation;
• provide the birds with 2-3 meals a day, which should include feed, grain, corn, grass, vegetables and fruits (feeding with household waste is allowed);
• provide chickens with free walks; they should not sit indoors in cramped conditions all the time;
• to improve the quality of the eggs themselves, you can add chalk, steamed fish meal, and whey to the diet;
• If you suspect a disease, you should provide prompt assistance to the birds, making sure to first consult a veterinarian.

A decrease in the number of eggs in chicken nests may be due to various reasons. If they all stop laying eggs at the same time, then most likely this is due to a disease, as evidenced by their appearance, or, in the absence of symptoms of any diseases, to molting or egg theft.

Most often, not the entire flock stops laying eggs at once, and egg production rates generally drop when hens lay eggs, but less often and there are significantly fewer eggs.

This happens in the winter-autumn period, when the brooding instinct is activated, and when stressful situations arise. Therefore, a drop in egg production is not always irreversible, and with proper care of chickens, it can be restored and even increased.

Errors in content

The answer to the question: “Why did the chickens stop laying eggs in the fall - what is the reason?” lies in maintenance errors. Next, we will consider the main factors that affect the productivity of poultry.

House temperature

Comfortable temperature range: +12-18 degrees. In winter, a heater is installed in the poultry house. In summer, it is useful for birds to be in the fresh air, which is why they organize a walk for them. If any condition is violated, there is a high risk of decreased egg production.

Humidity

The optimal value of the indicator is 60-75 degrees. Humidity is the most important condition for keeping chickens. If the humidity is higher, there is a high probability of a flu epidemic, while low humidity causes infection with the feather eater - a parasite that eats bird feathers.

Parasites

Feeders, ticks, and bedbugs cause stress, anemia, and provoke infectious diseases in chickens. They also cause a decrease in egg production.

If parasites are detected, the chickens and poultry house are treated with insecticides, and the diet is enriched with vitamin supplements.

Worms contribute to the development of salpingitis, decreased immunity and impair the absorption of vitamins from feed. All this leads to a decrease in egg production in laying hens. The sick bird is dewormed. For preventive purposes, the procedure is carried out in spring and summer.

External conditions affecting egg production of chickens

If chickens have stopped laying eggs, it is worth reconsidering the conditions in which they are kept. Their health and productivity are affected by the availability of free space, the level of humidity in the room, temperature and lighting.

Poultry house population density

Crowding of birds in a chicken coop leads to a decrease in egg production. If chickens are forced to be in close quarters and actually fight to get to the feeder, they become stressed. As a result, egg production suffers. There should be 5-6 chickens per 1 m2 of area. For 5 laying hens you will need 1 nesting box. It is important to provide the birds with a sufficient length of feed strip - at least 10 cm is allocated for each individual.

Temperature and humidity

Laying hens are demanding regarding temperature conditions. Good egg production is observed in birds kept at temperatures from +15 to +25 degrees. Some breeds are more resistant to cold than others; they continue to lay eggs when the thermometer drops to +7...+10 degrees.

In regions where winters are harsh, farmers insulate poultry houses and, if necessary, heat them using radiators or potbelly stoves. A thick layer of sawdust or straw is placed on the floor to retain heat inside.

Reasons why chickens don't lay eggs and what to do

If birds (especially all individuals at once) have stopped laying eggs, then it is extremely important to understand why this happened and establish the reason. This can happen either abruptly, at one moment, or smoothly, gradually, but in any case, you should analyze and figure out what exactly is wrong and what was the reason for the decrease in egg production.

The hens are too young

Inexperienced poultry farmers may mistakenly expect that chickens should lay eggs at any age, but this is not entirely true. A young hen does not lay eggs until 4-6 months, and in some breeds of chicken this period can be longer - up to 8-9 months.

Here it should be understood that it is unlikely that it will be possible to somehow influence laying hens at this age with various additives and feeds. The bird must mature physiologically to be able to perform its function. Therefore, in such a situation, it is worth being patient and waiting, while caring for the chickens in the usual way.

Old age

Experienced chicken breeders know that the peak period, when a hen lays eggs every day, does not last very long. After 2 years of life, egg production begins to decline sharply. In the body of each chicken, nature contains about 4000 eggs, which would be enough for her to lay eggs for 10-11 years. But chickens don't live that long.

On average, their life expectancy, depending on the species, ranges from 2.5 to 5 years.

Moreover, in practice, already in the 3rd year of life, egg production in most breeds begins to fall, the bird ages and its meat becomes tougher. Therefore, it is recommended that both farmers and amateur poultry farmers plan to replace laying hens every 3-4 years.

It is also worth noting that egg production largely depends on the breed of chickens:

If the reason lies in the age of the laying hens, then there can only be one piece of advice - it is necessary to change the herd, since other measures, such as improving nutrition and living conditions, will help little in this situation.

Incubation

Chickens have stopped laying eggs at the same time, and keeping them may seem unprofitable compared to past production, to the point that some owners may be in a hurry to get rid of the birds. However, you should never rush.

First you should try to find out the reason for this behavior, because perhaps this phenomenon is temporary and the processes are completely reversible. It happens when chickens begin their brooding period. In this case, not all individuals stop laying eggs at once, but only some of them.

This process is associated with hormonal changes in the body of birds, and if there is a rooster in the flock, then the problem of decreased egg production due to incubation will periodically arise. Moreover, the activity of one individual in this regard can awaken the herd instinct.

You should carefully observe the behavior of the birds and remove the nest boxes if you have any suspicions.

This will not be able to immediately stop the running process, but it should help the chicken reconfigure and protect it from a larger “revolution” of incubation in the chicken coop. There is no need to worry about how the chickens will lay eggs; they will find another place for themselves.

To prevent chickens from finding places for nesting and brooding in places other than the chicken coop, you should take care of the area and prevent the formation of weeds and thickets on it, since laying hens very easily adapt such places, hidden from view, as nests and hatch their offspring there.

Also, the absence of a rooster among hens helps to minimize the manifestation of the brooding instinct, but can reduce egg production. In this case, you can isolate the male for a while so that the chickens calm down and their hormonal levels return to normal.

Water scarcity

The chickens stopped laying eggs at the same time - both experienced poultry farmers and novice farmers often encounter this phenomenon. Another reason for this problem is the lack of drinking water. Birds vitally need round-the-clock access to clean and cool water.

If it is dirty, too warm, or, on the contrary, has turned into ice and this happens all the time, then you should not expect a lot of eggs from the chickens. Water in chicken coops should always be clean and fresh; there should be enough of it for all individuals.

If it is not possible to constantly monitor the cleanliness, quality and quantity of water, then you can install nipple drinkers in the chicken coop. They are built into the water supply system and provide constant and uninterrupted access to water, while everything around remains clean.

They are not difficult to install, are not too expensive and help to increase the egg production of chickens by providing high-quality and timely water to laying hens.

Shedding

As a rule, the molting process occurs in the fall, although it can happen at any time of the year. After about 2 months, the bird loses its feathers, and large reserves of protein are spent on renewing the cover.

This is associated with a decrease in egg production. To speed up this process and restore egg production, it is necessary to additionally introduce protein supplements into the diet.

Diseases

Chickens have stopped laying eggs at the same time - this is what people who have laying hens most often complain about. One of the reasons for this condition may be a disease that often affects all individuals. Sometimes symptoms develop at lightning speed and can even lead to the death of the bird.

Therefore, it is important to pay attention to such signs as:

• sleepy and lethargic state of laying hens;
• low physical activity;
• closed or half-closed eyes;
• apathy or, conversely, increased agitation (states can replace each other);
• refusal to eat, loss of appetite;
• difficulty breathing, wheezing;
• eye inflammation;
• loose stools;
• sickly, haggard appearance, loss of feathers.

Disease is one of the reasons why chickens stop laying eggs.
There are many diseases that affect chickens, including both contagious infectious diseases and non-contagious ones, caused by external or internal parasites. Laying hens cannot be left unattended and it is necessary to provide them with timely assistance, since in some cases the entire herd may be subject to destruction.

Light mode

A sufficient amount of light triggers the pituitary gland in chickens and sends a signal to lay eggs. For normal productivity, laying hens need to receive 14-16 hours of daylight daily.

This is why in autumn and winter egg production decreases not so much because of the cold (although this also matters), but because of the lack of sufficient light. This problem can be solved by installing lighting lamps in the chicken coop, which will help restore egg production without any detrimental effect on the health of the bird.

Parasites in laying hens

Chickens can be affected by both internal (helminths) and external (mites, feather eaters) parasites. This symbiosis causes a significant blow to the health of laying hens and affects not only their well-being and appearance, but also the number of eggs produced.

Symptoms may vary, but in general, to restore egg production and maintain the health of individuals, treatment is necessary, which is selected depending on the type of parasites. If affected by external parasites, in addition to treating the birds themselves, it is necessary to take measures to treat the premises in which they are kept.

Injured birds

It is unlikely that all laying hens in the herd will be able to suffer massive injury, unless they are attacked by some kind of predator. But individual traumatization of an individual is not that uncommon. A chicken may get stuck between a fence picket, jump from a perch unsuccessfully, or simply twist its leg.

In these cases, in addition to pain, the bird experiences shock and stress, which together affects a decrease in egg production.

In such situations, all the body’s forces are devoted to maintaining vital functions and speedy recovery. The task of the owner or mistress in this situation is to help the laying hen return to duty as soon as possible, and for these purposes it is necessary to show the animal to a veterinarian, who will objectively assess what exactly happened and prescribe treatment.

Hot or cold

Regardless of age, most laying hens produce an order of magnitude fewer eggs in winter. This is more related to the degree of illumination than to the air temperature, but still, during prolonged and severe frosts, the entire herd may stop laying eggs. In this situation, additional artificial lighting and insulation of the room in which the birds are kept will help.

In hot weather, egg production may also decrease, especially if the chickens do not receive the required amount of water and do not have the opportunity to move to the shade. Therefore, it is especially important in the summer to organize an uninterrupted supply of water to the birds and provide them with a place where they can hide from the heat.

Egg Eaters

There is a kind of avian cannibalism among chickens, where they peck and eat their eggs. This is due to the omnivorous nature of chickens and a lack of calcium in the diet. If a bird feels a lack of this important building microelement, then it intuitively looks for it in the pasture, tasting everything with its beak.

At such moments, chickens can discover their own eggs. The main signal indicating that chickens are laying eggs, but also eating their eggs, is wet bedding (straw, sawdust) in the place where egg laying usually occurs.

This can also happen due to:

• closely spaced nests, limited space;
• aggressiveness of the bird itself (typical for certain breeds);
• lack of food, when the bird is forced to look for food on its own.

To solve the problem of eating eggs, if it is caused by a lack of calcium, you should place chalk rounds in the chicken coop or periodically add gravel to the feeders. To combat the aggressiveness of individual individuals, due to which eggs disappear, you can place dummies (plastic, made of dough) in the nests so that the chickens practice their techniques on them.

You can also make a cunning nest from which each egg laid will fall through a chute to a safe place. You can also try to track down which of the laying hens is pecking the eggs and isolate her for a while so that she does not have access to the clutches of other hens.

Snakes, squirrels, rats

Often, owners are deprived of fresh eggs due to the activity of rats, squirrels and snakes that hunt and steal them. For example, in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the problem of stolen chicken eggs is acute precisely because of snakes, since in these regions the climate is more favorable for their residence than in areas located to the north of these countries.

Central Russia is characterized by theft of chicken eggs by squirrels, of which there are many living there. In most regions, people are faced with the fact that eggs are stolen by rats. In this case, it is necessary to promptly treat and sanitize not only the chicken coop, but also all adjacent utility rooms.

Also, to repel attacks from snakes, squirrels and rats, you should well insulate the room where the bird is kept, cover all the cracks or cover them with a sealant.

Hidden nests

If the chickens are free-range, they can choose their own place to lay eggs. This could be an area in some bushes, among tall grass or some things. In this case, you should not release the chickens too far from the room in which they are kept and lay eggs, so that they always have the opportunity to go there.

Do you need a rooster to get eggs?

It is believed that the productivity of chickens can increase if a rooster is added to the chicken coop. However, this is not entirely true, since it has virtually no effect on the oviposition process.

The chicken's body is capable of producing unfertilized eggs. A rooster is not needed to make such products. The disadvantage of such eggs is that chicks cannot hatch from them. These eggs are only suitable for human consumption. It should be noted that these products will not differ in taste from fertilized eggs.

The presence of a rooster in the chicken coop is only necessary if we want to breed chickens, because without it it is impossible to fertilize eggs. If you only need table eggs, a rooster is not necessary. In some cases, its presence in the poultry house can even reduce the productivity of females.

Water is the basis of life

It would seem why ordinary water can affect egg production. However, an egg is 80-85% water.

Studies have proven that the absence of water for just 2 hours delays the formation and release of eggs for 2 days. A clean drinking bowl and clean water promotes the dissolution and absorption of feed nutrients.

When answering all the “whys,” the poultry farmer must think through all the nuances and anticipate everything in order to prevent a decrease in the bird’s egg production.

We also advise: How to treat Marek's disease in chickens, what to do if growths and bumps appear on chickens' paws, and what to do if lice and fleas are found on a bird.

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Crosses or breeds?

Modern egg crosses, such as “Hisex”, “Lohmann”, “High Line”, are genetically programmed for very high egg production. In a poultry farm, up to 320 eggs per year are produced from them, and egg production at peak productivity is about 97%.

Also, these crosses begin to lay eggs very early - the first egg release occurs already at the age of 110-120 days. But such indicators require intensive farming: maintaining an optimal microclimate, feeding with balanced feed, regular culling of low-productive chickens, and exploitation of laying hens for no more than one year.

Loman Brown pullets in a chicken coop with roosts.

In the conditions of a farmstead, it is advisable to opt for egg breeds, and maybe meat and egg breeds (if you plan to get meat from chickens in addition to eggs).

Disadvantages of breeds in comparison with crosses

• consume more feed per egg;
• later spread
• egg production within 80%;
• the number of eggs per year can range from 150 to 220 eggs per hen
• They lay eggs better in autumn and winter in a poorly heated coop.

Their advantages are simple, but they often outweigh all the disadvantages: they are less demanding in terms of feeding and maintenance, and the cost of one head is much lower.

Nutrition

A young bird, laying 1 egg, uses 10% of the daily dose of calcium. If the body is not replenished with this essential microelement in a timely manner, it quickly wears out and productivity indicators drop. In this case, the eggs have a soft shell. To avoid this, the food includes shells, chalk, ground eggshells, etc.

The entire diet is divided into 4 times in winter and 3 times in summer, without overfeeding the birds. Wet mash must be given every day, as well as a sufficient amount of water. In the morning they give grain crops, and in the evening they give mash with milk or whey, nettles, woodlice, and dandelions. Enriched with vitamin and mineral complexes.

How to determine whether a bird is rushing or not?

To determine egg production, inspect the chicken:

1. The comb and earrings should be bright red. If the bird stops flying, the crest will wrinkle and become pale and cold.
2. Eyes with a clearly defined pupil.
3. Pale small beak.
4. Light and soft skin.
5. Straight paws.
6. There are some feathers on the head.
7. The stomach is soft.
8. The cloaca is increased in size. On examination, moist and soft.
9. There is a distance of at least 3 fingers between the hips.

To understand whether a chicken is laying eggs, the palpation method is usually used. Carry out this manipulation in the evening. Use your palm to feel the upper torso above the cloaca. Watch the movements - they should be pressing and light. This will allow you to feel the egg inside the bird. Her belly should be soft like a sponge.

Lighting

The day in the fall becomes shorter and declines, so there is not enough natural light to provide the correct light regime for successful egg laying. The duration is continued artificially, providing additional illumination with lamps of white or dim red light.

If it is impossible to organize a walk for birds, then the length of daylight hours is regulated by setting timers. Excess or bright light makes birds aggressive, nervous, and restless. The lamp must be hung at least 1.8-2 m from the floor. For 6 square meters, one 60-watt light bulb is enough. The required quantity is calculated based on this norm.

Infectious diseases

Chickens stop laying eggs or reduce egg production due to infections, including streptococcosis, tuberculosis, smallpox, mycoplasmosis, laryngotracheitis. Diseases in adult laying hens sometimes occur latently, without pronounced clinical signs. Sick individuals may wheeze, sneeze, and cough.

A sharp decrease in egg production is observed with infectious bronchitis, which occurs in the reproductive form. It is characterized by an asymptomatic course or minor damage to the respiratory system. The only manifestation of infection is a decrease in egg production from 30 to 80%. At the same time, chickens lay small eggs with a weak shell.

Reduced egg production syndrome (RES-76) is another infectious disease in which chickens do not lay eggs well. Most often found in laying hens aged 8-12 months. The virus causes an inflammatory process in the intestines and oviduct. A sick bird diarrhea, has ruffled plumage and appears depressed. No treatment has been developed for the disease.

In case of infectious diseases, the entire livestock is culled.

Stress factors

Often, a poultry farmer is faced with the fact that chickens stop laying eggs after moving to a new place. The transportation process is very stressful for the bird. As a result, the hens temporarily stop laying. Soon the situation is resolved on its own, and the bird restores egg production. To speed up the process, it is recommended for chickens to add ascorbic or citric acid to the water.

Other stress factors that cause laying hens to stop laying eggs include:

• The air temperature is above +27 degrees in summer. Hot weather often causes heat stress in chickens. This, in turn, contributes to metabolic disorders in poultry, decreased appetite and deterioration in egg production.
• Temperature drops to -7 degrees and below. The presence of drafts and lack of heating in the chicken coop leads to a decrease in immunity and the development of respiratory diseases, sometimes occurring in a latent form.
• Various loud noises over a long period.
• Sudden change in light conditions . Intense and prolonged lighting contributes to the development of chronic stress in birds and a decrease in egg production. In addition, bright light irritates chickens and often leads to pecking at each other and eating their own eggs.
• Tight fit . Crowded housing causes cannibalism, an increase in room temperature by 20% and a 2-fold increase in air pollution by microflora.
• Establishing a hierarchy in the herd . Placing birds of different age groups in a chicken coop leads to competition. Old laying hens can offend pullets, peck at them, and keep them away from feeders and drinkers. Young chickens in such conditions experience severe stress and stop laying eggs.
• Increased concentrations of ammonia in the chicken coop also cause stress and lead to decreased egg production in chickens. Regular cleaning of the poultry house from droppings and ensuring ventilation of the room helps solve the problem.

Eliminating stress factors and improving living conditions makes it possible to restore egg production in chickens.

Age meaning

It is no secret that young chickens are more efficient and productive than older birds. Hens lay eggs best when they are about 1.5-2 years old, taking into account the presence of a rooster of the same age in the house. To check the presence or absence of this reason, you need to place a couple of new laying hens in the room. If young laying hens begin to lay the required number of eggs, we can talk about the old hens reaching old age. If the problem is not the age of the hen, then the culprit for unsatisfactory egg production is an aged rooster, unable to cope with its responsibilities.

What to do in this case? Old laying hens should be cut down and replaced with young ones, and it is better to give preference to mass slaughter so as not to confuse the birds. As a compromise option, you can use the purchase of a new herd of a different breed in order to track “outdated” individuals.

Why don't chickens lay eggs? / What to do if chickens stop laying eggs? / Why did chickens stop laying eggsWHY DID CHICKENS STOP LAYING. The reason has been found//My chickens Why did the laying hens stop laying eggs?

Non-communicable diseases

Among other reasons why chickens stopped laying eggs, non-infectious diseases should be highlighted. The problem of a decrease or complete cessation of egg laying is caused by:

• Toxic liver dystrophy . The pathology is provoked by the presence of a large amount of protein food in the diet of laying hens, a lack of vitamins A, E, C, B, D and some microelements in the body. The first signs of the disease are decreased egg production and diarrhea in chickens. The bird is fed with soda at the rate of 1-2 g per head. The solution is given every 3 days for 3 weeks.
• Fatty hepatosis is a disease of caged laying hens, accompanied by metabolic disorders. Pathology is caused by a high-calorie diet. Chickens become lethargic, do not lay eggs well, and diarrhea. No treatment is carried out, the bird is culled for meat.
• Liver cirrhosis is a chronic pathology caused by the presence in the diet for a long time of low-quality feed contaminated with mycotoxins. Chickens become inactive, reduce egg laying or stop laying eggs altogether, and dropsy of the abdominal cavity develops. No treatment has been developed.
• Yolk peritonitis is a pathology of adult laying hens, which is caused by inflammatory processes in the intestines, oviduct, and peritoneum. The disease is provoked by metabolic disorders, as well as previous infections. A sick bird eats poorly, looks depressed, has a bluish comb, an increase in abdominal volume and diarrhea. Vitamin, mineral supplements and proteins are introduced into the diet of laying hens. Feeding must include fish oil, yeast, carrots and greens.
• Inflammation of the oviduct (salpingitis) - sick chickens stop laying eggs completely or produce deformed eggs, sometimes without shells. The disease is provoked by inadequate feeding, various types of infections and bruises in the cloaca. With pathology, fibrin clots or a deformed egg can be found in the rectal lumen.
• Crop blockage occurs when laying hens are overfed with dry food and not enough water. Sick chickens do not lay eggs or eat well and look depressed. Palpation reveals a dense goiter. The goiter is washed and sunflower oil is introduced into its cavity, a massage is performed and the contents are removed through the oral cavity.
• Alopecia - accompanied by loss of feathers in the tail, back, neck and deterioration of egg production. B vitamins, manganese sulfate (5-8 mg) and potassium iodide diluted with water (3-4 mg) are introduced into the diet.
• Uric acid diathesis (gout) occurs when there is an excess of animal protein in the diet. Chickens stop laying eggs, eat poorly, and diarrhea. In some cases, lameness is observed due to joint damage.
• Nutritional dystrophy occurs in a chronic form. Occurs due to metabolic disorders. Chickens stop laying eggs and quickly lose weight. Sick livestock require adequate nutrition.
• Obesity – often occurs after winter and when laying hens are kept in cages. To solve the problem, reduce the caloric content of feed and provide the birds with free range.

Why is there a rooster in the chicken coop?

Many poultry farmers keep chicken flocks for eggs and have no intention of breeding them. In this case, it is not clear why a rooster is needed, because the chicken lays eggs in the same quantity without it. Fertilized ones differ from unfertilized ones in that they can hatch into chicks. A cockerel is needed to produce offspring. If it is not there, then laying hens rarely exhibit the hen instinct; most often they experience a genetic failure.

If the only goal is to obtain eggs, then a rooster is not needed in the chicken coop.

To renew the herd, it is more profitable to slaughter birds in winter and buy new ones in spring.

The presence of a male in the coop disciplines the flock. The chicken owner keeps order, takes care of his chickens, and drives away predators. True, the maternal instinct awakens in some laying hens, they try to lay eggs and hatch chicks, occupy the nest and prevent other hens from laying eggs. You can force them to resume normal laying by placing them in a chicken coop without a rooster.

Often the male is kept for decorative purposes. But his presence does not have the best effect on the appearance of the hens - he tramples them and spoils their plumage.

Stress

The laying of damaged testicles, poor or completely absent egg laying indicate that the hens are under stress. Frightened birds stop laying eggs due to moving from one poultry house to another; the problem usually goes away after 14 days. If after this time the problem remains, then we must look for the cause in other factors: maintenance, balanced diet, location of the nest, disease.

Sometimes stress becomes a consequence of the banal presence of a rat or other rodent, which must be disposed of in a timely manner, since they are carriers of various diseases and can destroy not only egg production, but also the entire livestock. A new rooster also does not always have a favorable effect on egg laying and becomes stressful, especially for young animals, just like a hawk suddenly descending on the walking area.

Feeding

The main things to pay attention to:

• sufficient amount of feed per head;
• sufficient feeding front (so that some do not take food from others);
• good quality feed - feeding moldy, rotten feed is not allowed;
• protein content at 15-17%;
• the food must be filled with a sufficient amount of energy (carbohydrates, fats).

You can read more about balanced feeding in our article.

Feed distribution should be carried out at least twice a day. The first feeding is done after turning on the light, the second - about 6 hours before bedtime or 8-10 hours after the first.

If there is a lack of protein, the egg production of chickens will drop sharply, and if replenished, it will increase. Sometimes in a poultry house you can observe a false decrease in egg production - “casting” of eggs. This happens when there is a lack of calcium, when a chicken lays an egg without a shell, and it is lost on the litter or eaten by the bird.

A sharp drop in productivity may occur due to lack of water. It is better to give laying hens plenty of water, but you can also resort to dosed watering. In this option, water is given simultaneously with food.

They make sure that there is enough for all the chickens, and also pay attention to the quality of the water - it must meet drinking standards

What to feed laying hens to lay eggs well?

First of all, you need to reconsider the quality of the chickens' feed, grass and grain alone are not enough for good egg production, I recommend giving the chickens boiled mash of ground corn, wheat, and always with the addition of mash, every morning in the morning, the composition of the mash is something like this:

• Corn - 3 parts.
• Wheat – 2 parts.
• Makukha – 1 part.

Add boiled potato peelings and other kitchen waste to the mash.

You can prepare the mash in the following way:

You need to boil the potato peelings, then immediately add a dry mixture of ground corn, wheat and corn into hot boiling water, mix, cover and set aside from the stove.

In fact, the mash is not boiled, but steamed, this way more nutrients are preserved; there is no need to cook the mash. You need to give chickens warm but not hot mash!

If you have the opportunity, you can prepare a complete feed for laying hens - a recipe for feed for laying hens.

It is better to prepare the mash in the evening, and in the morning feed it to the laying hens; in the evening, the chickens should be given whole grain.

In addition to the mash, chickens must have access to green food, there must be fresh water in the drinking bowls, and be sure to provide the chickens with a tray with small shell rock.

It is recommended to adhere to the following diet:

• green grass: 30 g in summer, 20 g each in spring and autumn;
• flour made from grass: 5 g in winter, 3 g in spring and autumn;
• crushed grain: 60 g in summer, 50 g in other seasons;
• whole combined grain mixture: 40 g in summer, 45-50 g in other periods;
• wheat bran 10 g at any time of the year;
• chalk – 4 g;
• salt – 0.7 g;
• bone meal – 1.5 g;
• yeast – 3 g each; if signs of vitamin deficiency are noticeable in the spring, then it is permissible to increase the serving of yeast to 5 g;
• meal or cake - 12 g each;
• Skim milk or skim milk – 20 g;
• vegetables: 40 g in winter, 20 g each in spring and autumn; in summer they don’t give vegetables;

Seasonal changes

In September or October, when the first cold weather arrives, the duration of natural light decreases, and the time of molting begins, which is normal and occurs only once a year. Chickens of all ages shed their feathers and form new ones that cover the individual more densely and luxuriantly. During this period, egg laying stops and begins after complete restoration of plumage (6-8 weeks).

In order to get more eggs in November, at the beginning of September they drive the chickens into the poultry house and artificially create the onset of autumn. Molting will end faster, which will ensure good egg production.

Hatching chicks

If a bird tries to sit in the nest and clucks loudly from time to time, this means that it wants to become a hen.

There is a situation when only one hen has stopped laying eggs. In this case, you need to carefully observe her and how she tries. Most modern chickens have a maternal instinct. In order to roam a bird, there are many methods. Some farmers simply dip these chickens in water. But this is absolutely forbidden. This can lead to the death of the bird. The best option would be to build a box from boards and cover its top with a lattice. The chicken should sit there for several days. At this time, be sure to feed and water her. There is no need to sit her on a steel box. The metal gets very hot from the sun's rays, and the bird will simply die from the heat.

Predators

With the first cold weather, rodents look for warmer shelter and will gladly come to the chicken coop. There they can eat eggs and food. They also put chickens into a stressful state, which leads to a stop in laying eggs.

Sometimes chickens themselves peck eggs, especially if they feel a lack of calcium. Having tasted a cracked or broken egg once, they will peck at others. Make a mock-up of shells with liquid soap for them to convince them that the product tastes bad.