Laying hens are the most popular farm bird on the farmstead. It is bred mainly to obtain a large number of eggs. Only a layer can carry them up to 200-300 pcs. in year. The undoubted advantage of these chickens, compared to broilers, is their simplicity and resistance to disease. But, of course, breeding laying hens at home is a procedure that requires compliance with certain technologies.
Where to begin?
Chickens are usually purchased at a poultry farm or hatched using an incubator. Of course, laying hens on eggs is impossible without a well-equipped barn. This structure can be built from any materials. However, when using concrete, you should additionally take care of insulation. Most breeds of laying hens are not afraid of cold. But in a warmed shed in winter, the bird will feel more comfortable. In addition, chickens rush well only at a temperature of at least 15 gr.
They usually build a shed away from an apartment building. The smell of the chicken coop, even with regular cleaning, may not be too pleasant. The size of the barn is chosen based on the fact that 10-20 hens should have at least 2x3 m of area. Typically, a barn is erected frame-panel on concrete or wooden poles. At least one window is surely arranged inside. Otherwise, the hens will be poorly carried.
Arrangement of a barn
Of course, breeding laying hens at home will be successful only if the house is properly equipped. First of all, in the barn you need to put the feeders. Their design should be such that the hens can eat everything at the same time, without crush. Usually, the owners of household plots simply knock down two narrow boards at an angle and attach legs at the bottom. On top of such a feeder, a pole is installed, rotating around its axis. Without this element, hens will climb inside the resulting “trough” and scatter the feed. Sit on the perch and leave the litter in the feeder, they also will not work, because it rotates.
As drinking bowls in the chicken coop, usually just old pots or large cups are installed. Of course, in the barn you need to equip perches. It is most rational to place the poles in the form of a ladder, at a distance of about 35-40 cm from each other. The lower perch should be located at a height of about 80 cm. The nests can be installed on the floor, but it is better to nail them to the wall, next to the perch. Their sizes should be such that the chicken freely fits inside. Please note: nests and perches cannot be placed under the window. Even unpretentious layers are afraid of drafts.
If the floor in the barn is concrete, it must be covered with straw or covered with sawdust with a layer of 10-20 cm. The same can be done with a wooden coating. But in this case it is not necessary. On the wooden floor, straw is usually laid only for the winter.
Walking
Unlike broilers, laying hens, breeding of which is not too complicated, must spend part of the day outdoors. Therefore, near the barn should be equipped with walking. Usually fenced with a mesh-netting. For one chicken in a walk, there should be about 2 m 2 of area. Drinking bowls and feeders are installed inside the fenced area. In addition, care should be taken that the chickens in the summer have the opportunity to hide in the shade.
The entrance to the paddock is done right in the wall of the barn below. Laz must be equipped with a door. Otherwise, unwanted animals, domestic or wild, can enter the chicken coop at night.
Chickens Care
Layers can be just the perfect choice for a beginner farmer. This bird is very unpretentious, but, of course, the laying of laying hens on eggs - as a business or simply “for yourself” - will be successful only if they are properly cared for.
Firstly, as already mentioned, the barn should be fairly light. Bulbs should be hung here. At night, the lights in the chicken coop are turned off. Determining when to do this is easy. Chickens perch perched every time at the same time. You can hang in the barn an extra not too bright red lamp and leave it on for the night.
In the summer, during the day, the hole in the aviary should be open. The bird decides for herself how much time she should spend in the barn, and how much on the street. Home breeding of laying hens in winter has its own characteristics. At this time, the bird is also allowed to walk, but not more than a couple of hours, and only if it is not too cold outside (not lower than -14 gr.). As for feed, the number of root crops in the diet is slightly reduced in winter, and grain, on the contrary, is increased.
Eggs from nests should be picked up on time. Cleaning in the barn is carried out at least twice a year (but not in winter). It is also advisable to arrange simple ventilation. To do this, usually just make holes in the opposite walls (one at the top, the other at the bottom).
Features of feeding hens
Keeping this bird is always a good home business. Breeding laying hens - the procedure is not too costly. This bird eats much less than broilers and is unpretentious regarding feeds. And although such hens are not grown for meat, they should still get enough protein. Layers must be fed wheat, animal feed, fish or meat and bone meal. It is also very helpful to give yeast.
Of course, such chickens should be fed foods that contain large amounts of calcium. Otherwise, the eggshell will be very thin. It can be, for example, chalk or crushed shells. Sometimes they give a grated shell.
Root crops and grass are also important components of the chicken diet. Sliced carrots and beets, cabbage, potatoes, zucchini, etc. can be added to the mixers. Grated apples and pears are mixed in the autumn. Nettle, carrot and beet tops, quinoa will be an excellent additive for a stirrer. For better digestibility of food in the barn, a small container with small pebbles should be installed. Feeders and drinkers should be washed periodically at least once a week.
Breeding and keeping hens: feeding regimen
Food for these chickens is usually given three times a day. In the morning, protein feed is poured. It can be, for example, wheat grain mixed with bran. At lunch, the chickens should be fed with a mash. Put it in the feeder in such an amount that everything was completely eaten within half an hour. In the evening, the bird is again given grain. Feed chickens always at the same time. Otherwise, their egg production will decrease.
Laying hens: breeding at home
Chickens from chickens of this species are easy to obtain. There should be 5-10 chickens per cockerel. To raise chickens, you just need to wait until some laying hen sits on eggs. This happens quite often. You can place new eggs under the chicken in the next five days.
If not one of the layers wants to become a scoop, you will have to use an incubator. Eggs for laying are also taken within five days. Of course, they should be whole and large. The incubator should be selected with the automatic rotation mode. Chickens are hatched in such aggregates on 28-29 days after laying.
Chick Care
The idea is, of course, not bad - breeding laying hens as a business. The farmers have good reviews about the bird in this direction of productivity, which is also due to the endurance of the chickens. There is practically no lunge between the chicks. However, problems with this do not arise, of course, only if the young are properly cared for. Hatched chicks are traditionally planted in a box with a newspaper spread over the bottom. For heating, either an incandescent light bulb or a hot water bottle wrapped in a thick cloth is placed inside. The newspaper is subsequently periodically changed.
The diet of chickens for the first time should consist of chopped eggs, cottage cheese and millet. You can also purchase "Start" feed for laying hens. Also, a drinker must be put in the box. It can be just a saucer with an inverted jar installed on it. For the first time, a little potassium permanganate (until light pink) should be added to the water for chickens to disinfect the stomach.
The air temperature in the box in the first days should not be lower than 30-32 gr. Then it is gradually reduced to 20-24 g. Chickens can be transferred to the barn at the age of three weeks. At the same time, they usually begin to be released on a walk. But, of course, only if the street is warm enough.
They feed the grown chicks with grated carrots, chopped nettles, bran, small crushed, millet, etc. You can add tops. Be sure to give chalk or grated shells. Finally, young laying hens can be transferred to an adult diet at two months of age.
What you need to know
Laying hens, breeding of which is not a very troublesome procedure, usually show high productivity only in the first two years. Further, the number of laid eggs is sharply reduced. At this time, chickens are usually slaughtered, because keeping them further becomes impractical.
Laying Breeds
Breeding laying hens for eggs as a business can be very successful. But, of course, only subject to the correct choice of breed. The most popular in our country are hens:
Broken brown. These are very unpretentious chickens that can carry 300-320 eggs per year.
Kuchinsky anniversary. Domestic breed, characterized by excellent rates of egg production.
Leghorn. This is also laying hens, the breeding of which in the compound can be quite profitable. Leghorn productivity reaches 300 eggs per year. However, in the second year, unfortunately, it is greatly reduced.
Also quite common and promising breeds are Highsex Brown, Moscow Black and Russian White.