In a private household, a house can be an excellent source of profit, so owners try their best to increase the productivity of their birds. To do this, you need to correctly select the breed, properly equip the chicken coop, provide the livestock with high-quality feed. However, it is worth knowing about how to determine the age of laying hens in order to guarantee the most effective rejuvenation of livestock.
Periods of most active egg production in chicken
Since the productivity of poultry is directly dependent on age, the far-sighted owner should understand how to determine the age of laying hens, if there is a desire to get a sufficient number of eggs. In addition, the meat sector is also of interest - trade in chickens in pedigree farms. Sometimes it is possible to combine all directions, although this requires a more thorough approach to the choice of bird species.
The second half of the first year of life is considered the most productive period in the life of a chicken, but at this time the eggs will be small. But in the second year of life, you can get a larger and better product from the bird. It is believed that in the third year it is necessary to change the population, although sufficient egg production is maintained. Leaving a bird older than three years old in a chicken coop is unprofitable, with the exception of well-deserved mother hens that can sit and raise young animals.
Signs of young chicken
Youngsters include grown hens, which are about to begin to rush. The age of such a bird is from four to six months. Some specially bred egg crosses with good care begin to give eggs at the age of 5-5.5 months.
Many when buying young animals are concerned about the question of how to determine the age of laying hens by scallops. It is worth noting that if the seller does not allow the buyer to feel and carefully examine the bird, then this is one of the signs of a scammer: he sells “pensioners” who, by definition, will not become egg laying champions, and they are no longer suitable for soup.
The young chicken has a relatively small and bright scallop, not pale. It is worth touching: it should be warm and resilient, in no case cold and not flabby.
How to determine the age of laying hens in terms of productivity
This parameter is difficult to determine with accuracy, but a couple of months does not play a role. In early spring it is impossible to buy young chickens - these are at best the so-called outbreaks, their age is about a year and a half. But few people sell productive poultry after winter, when the relatively economical feed season begins. Therefore, the seller is trying to get rid of aging living creatures.
There are some simple tricks on how to determine the age of laying hens. The young bird will have a warm elastic red crest, clear clean eyes, an even yellowish beak, in no case gray. The skin on the paws should be yellow, clean, there should be even and not exfoliating claws and rather tender heels without cracks and calluses. A good laying hen has a large and soft belly; from the keel to the bosom the distance is three to four fingers. The hard tip of the keel indicates a respectable age, in a young bird it is cartilaginous, soft.
Laying and laying hens - different categories of birds
As mentioned above, leaving an aging bird is justified only if it shows the extraordinary talents of a brood hen. Many newcomers believe that all laying hens can by default breed chickens, but this is not true. Egg crosses were bred for high productivity, and their maternal instinct is more an accident than a rule. However, if you understand how to determine the age of laying hens, you can qualitatively carry out the selection of birds.
House rejuvenation methods
There are several cost-effective ways to maintain good house performance. This requires regular rejuvenation of livestock. The optimal culling age for chicken is 2-2.5 years; a slaughtered bird at this age is classified as soup and is quite edible.
In the spring, you need to buy repair young animals, chickens or raised birds, then in the autumn they will already begin to rush, and the rejected hens will go for meat. When buying, knowledge on how to determine the age of laying hens is useful.
You can not buy young animals, but use your own reproduction. Then you need to keep one rooster for every ten and a half chickens. The presence of several good hens in the house will make the incubator unnecessary.
Is there a separate method for determining the age of brown laying hens ? In fact, the rules are the same for all breeds, but it is better to purposefully choose the bird of egg crosses. Paying close attention to the quality of the livestock of birds, you can achieve excellent results, and the age of laying hens plays an important role here.