The chickens don't lay at all what to do. Why laying hens don't lay. Ways to increase and maintain egg production in laying hens in the fall

Kira Stoletova

A chicken is a bird with which many farmers begin their breeding activities, because expensive equipment and a lot of time are not needed to grow and maintain this laying hen, and at the beginning of the journey there is no question why the chickens stopped laying. Mostly chickens are bred for the purpose of obtaining eggs and subsequent profit. In order to ensure good egg production of a laying hen, it is necessary to provide it with appropriate care and housing conditions both in autumn and summer, which farmers often forget about.

As a consequence, the question arises as to why the chickens stopped laying if there are no obvious signs indicating a problem. The reasons why pieds may stop laying eggs are varied and special, so to find out, you will need to pay attention to reading the article.

How to feed laying hens correctly?

Before looking for an answer to the question of why the hens stopped laying, one should consider a fairly common case when a laying hen simply changes the place for laying. This is especially common on small farms and can be caused by a change in flocking positions or any other change that interferes with the bird. It happens that birds rush in the spring even in places that are not at all distinguished by comfort and coziness, therefore it is advisable to check the bushes or the flooring of logs and firewood.

Speaking about the specific reasons for the lack of eggs, it is worth noting that often the problem of deterioration lies in improper and unbalanced nutrition. The value of feed is so great that if even one essential vitamin is missing in the diet, the number of eggs produced will decrease dramatically. To ensure that laying hens do not need any trace element or product, it is necessary that the poultry farmer follow a number of recommendations.

• The main diet of pets should be abundant whole grains, barley, greens, millet and oats. In autumn and winter, chickens can be fed vegetables, but this must be done rationally so that the layers do not get fat and do not get digestive problems.
• To provide the bird with calcium, it is important to add food rich in minerals and vitamins to the daily menu, it can be shells and chalk, eggshells and. the latter are considered the main sources of phosphorus and calcium.
• You can increase the appetite of the laying hen with the help of table salt, which is a storehouse of chloride.
• In order for the processing of food in the body to take place according to all norms, it is necessary to feed the chickens with gravel, which can hinder the passage of food in the digestive tract.
• In addition to food, it is especially important to provide adults and young animals with the proper amount of liquid. In particular, you need to monitor this in the summer (June-July) and in dry, hot weather.

Improper nutrition is one of the main reasons why chickens stop laying eggs. If you are confident in feeding laying hens, then other possible provoking factors should be considered.

Providing hens with appropriate lighting

The reasons for the deterioration of egg production can also be hidden in unsatisfactory for chickens. Birds are distinguished by a well-developed natural instinct, thanks to which they rise with the sunrise and fall asleep with the sunset. Light day of chickens should last about 13-17 hours. If it is not possible to comply with the necessary conditions, then it is extremely important to provide artificial light time for the chicken coop.

At the same time, it is necessary to provide poultry with a comfortable temperature for living, not exceeding 15 ° C. Lower temperatures will result in the loss of all the energy needed by the laying hens, and higher temperatures will consume more water, resulting in a decrease in egg production. So that in winter the birds do not freeze, you need to insulate and heat the house if possible. In summer, you need to let the birds walk in the shade and drink plenty of fluids.

The effect of stress on laying hens

Chickens are considered birds that respond as quickly as possible to stress. It is stress that often leads to the fact that birds stop laying eggs. It is possible to find out exactly which detail led to a decrease in the number of eggs only after analyzing the daily life of laying hens. So, chickens lay worse if:

• they have not yet grown stronger after the move or the appearance of new feathered individuals in the house: it is enough to wait a week for the birds to get used to the new conditions, during this period you can feed them with greenery;
• they have been starving or undernourished for a long time;
• drastically change their diet and introduce new, previously unknown feed;
• move them to a small chicken coop with limited space to move around;
• they are affected by loud ambient sounds;
• At the moment, antibiotics and medications are being taken.

The listed reasons can be detected almost immediately, so you should not postpone their search for later. It is also important to monitor the behavior and appearance of layers. If the birds are lethargic, aggressive, lose energy and activity, then it makes sense to show them to the veterinarian to identify them.

Age value

It is no secret that young chickens are more productive and productive than older birds. Best of all, hens lay at the age of about 1.5-2 years, taking into account the presence of a rooster of the same age in the house. To check the presence or absence of this cause, you need to place a couple of new layers in the room. In the event that young laying hens begin to carry the required number of eggs, we can talk about the old hens reaching old age. If the problem is not the age of the chicken, then the culprit of unsatisfactory egg production is an aged rooster, unable to cope with duties.

What to do in this case? Old layers 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, you can use the purchase of a new herd of a different breed in order to track the "obsolete" individuals.

Why don't chickens lay? / What to do if the chickens stop laying eggs? / Why chickens stopped laying eggs

WHY THE HENS HAVE STOP LAYING. Reason found//My chickens

Why did laying hens stop laying?

Ways to increase egg production

Having found out why the chickens stopped laying eggs, it is necessary to move on to considering how to return them to their previous productive state and what needs to be done for this. So, chickens are rushing only if:

• provide them with proper and balanced nutrition, saturated with a variety of greens and;
• give them proper time to adapt to new living conditions, new residents of the poultry house - this will not take more than a week;
• create a suitable temperature regime for pets, which will be accompanied by warm air and the right daylight hours;
• annually replenish the flock with other birds of other breeds in order to prevent a decrease in egg production after 9-10 months;
• to provide laying hens with a quiet environment protected from noisy influences and environmental irritants.

You will also need to carry out a few elementary manipulations.

• Prepare the barn for winter frosts, which is better to start doing in October or November. Pre-blank the room with lime and treat the window cracks with foam. For putty through holes, it is better to use putty or clay mortar. It is also important to cover the holes with styrofoam and line the brick with dry corn stalks.
• In spring, laying hens have enough vegetation in their walking areas, otherwise there is a risk of a spring strike. In order for the spring to be successful, even if grazing is not possible, you need to give the chickens a little chopped grass throughout the day. For these purposes, in April and May, you can use a large amount of different greens: nettle, beetroot, milkweed, etc. After receiving the necessary supply of vitamins, chickens are laid according to the schedule.
• You should make sure that pets do not suffer from obesity of internal organs or lack of vitamins. In the case when the chicken lacks movement, while her food is oversaturated with protein, obesity can occur. In order to correct the situation, it is necessary to completely change the bird's diet and get advice from a veterinarian and a feeding specialist. You may have to switch to a special compound feed designed for laying hens and additional feeding.

When a farmer cannot find out what exactly led to the deterioration of the laying hens, you should contact your veterinarian as soon as possible for help. Sometimes serious diseases can develop inside the bird, the manifestations of which are difficult or impossible to notice.

As it turned out, the causes of poor egg production can be hidden both in the diet and in the age of the birds. In order for the bird to be able to carry high-quality eggs, it is important to take care of its content and a balanced diet. Only after that, the birds will again begin to delight with a large number of products.

Modern breeds and hybrids of chickens are characterized by very high productivity. From one laying hen you can get up to 300 eggs per year. However, sometimes it happens that the nests in the poultry house remain completely empty for a long time - the hens do not rush. What to do in this case? Of course, first of all, you should find out the cause of the decrease in egg production, and then deal with its elimination.

Low temperature

In winter, the cold is often the most accurate answer to the question of why laying hens do not lay. What to do in this case, the owners of household plots? Of course, insulate the barn. Also, in order to get eggs at this time of the year, it is worth arranging heating in the house. You can put there, for example, a closed fireproof heater. Some breeds of chickens can also be laid at fairly low air temperatures in the barn. It is not necessary to arrange heating for such a bird. However, in this case, a bedding of straw or sawdust with a thickness of at least 40 cm should be laid on the floor. In the cold season, various biological processes will begin to occur in it, accompanied by the release of heat.

Also in winter, chickens may stop laying due to lack of lighting. In this case, you just need to hang additional lamps in the chicken coop. It is very good if the poultry house is illuminated for at least 16 hours a day.

crowding

This is another reason why chickens may stop laying eggs. A similar problem usually also arises in the winter period, when the owners stop letting the birds out for walking. When buying chickens or building a barn, it should be borne in mind that there should be at least one square meter of space for 6-7 individuals. But it is better to place no more than four chickens on such an area.

Of course, in the house you need to arrange or hang a sufficient number of nests. For ten individuals, at least two are required. It should also be taken into account that one bird should have at least 15-20 cm of perch length.

Feeding

An improperly designed diet is also a common reason why chickens do not lay. What to do in this case? Of course, to make a new, more balanced menu for the bird. Laying hens need to be fed at least three times a day. In the morning they are usually given grain. You can add a little granular compound feed or inert meal to it. Barley grain - food for chickens is quite heavy. Feeding it to a bird can also cause a decrease in egg production. A much more correct solution would be to pour wheat into the feeders.

During the day, chickens are fed wet mash. The more varied this "salad" is, the better. In addition to root crops (beets, carrots, cabbage, potatoes), greens should be added to the mash. It can be tops of carrots, beet leaves, fresh nettles, quinoa, etc. Fruits are also rubbed into the mixers - usually apple carrion. You can add some overgrown cucumbers or zucchini to the “salad”.

Also, white bread and bran are usually placed in wet mixers. You can pour the “salad” with boiled water or weak meat broth. Be sure to add a little salt and chalk to the mixers. These trace elements are simply necessary for the body of chickens. After all, the shell of eggs is mainly composed of calcium. In the evening, the hens should again be fed with grain. Of course, the bird needs to provide constant access to water.

It is also impossible to overfeed the bird. Often obese adult hens and young hens do not rush. What to do in this case, of course, is clear. You should give the bird less food. Chickens should be fed enough food in the feeder so that they eat it completely in no more than half an hour.

If the chickens are fat and do not rush (we figured out what to do with the diet), you also need to arrange a good paddock for them. Daytime walks are what a bird of this direction of productivity simply needs. They are kept in cages without walking mainly only meat crosses.

Moult

For this reason, chickens may stop laying several times a year. However, usually a decrease in egg production due to molting does not cause much concern in the owners. The fact is that replacing a pen with a new one in chickens usually lasts a very short time - no more than 8-10 days. Autumn and shortening of daylight hours is the main reason that chickens molt and do not rush. What to do in this case? Of course, nothing. You just need to wait for the end of the molt.

Diseases

Treating chickens on your own, however, is still worth it only in the most extreme cases. The bird can simply be killed. It's best to call your veterinarian and follow their instructions.

Stress

Fright is another common reason why chickens do not lay eggs. What to do in this case, many farmers know. In fact, you just have to wait a bit. After a while, the bird will come to its senses, and many eggs will again appear in the nests.

Sometimes, for example, chickens do not lay eggs after purchase. What to do in such a situation? If the bird has not started laying eggs 6 weeks after moving to a new "place of residence", then it is no longer a matter of stress. Perhaps the owners of the farm were simply sold too old a bird. In this case, the chickens, unfortunately, will most likely have to be slaughtered.

Until six weeks after purchase, the absence of eggs in the nests is completely normal. Moving to a new "place of residence" does not work in the best way for a bird of any breed. Anxiety with a decrease in productivity in chickens can also be caused by a sharp change in diet. New foods should be introduced to the menu carefully and gradually.

Another reason that causes stress in chickens is the close presence of some predators. For example, a hawk flying over a paddock can frighten a bird so much that it will stop rushing for a while. It is also undesirable to allow strangers to enter the chicken coop.

bird age

Sometimes the owners of household plots are also worried that young chickens do not rush. What to do in this case? If the bird was not frightened and not subjected to any stress, the reason for the lack of eggs may be precisely its young age. Modern breeds and hybrids of chickens usually begin to lay at the age of 4.5-6 months. Of course, the appearance of eggs in the nests before this time should not be expected.

At the age of 7 to 10 months, chickens are especially active. Further, the intensity of oviposition gradually begins to decrease. The optimal term for keeping a chicken herd without renewal is 2 years. Then it may just become not very cost-effective. However, the above does not apply to all breeds of birds. Some hybrids and crosses can lay very well up to the age of five.

Experienced poultry farmers do not advise beginners to purchase poultry in the market. Often, unscrupulous sellers slip sick or very old chickens to buyers. It is better to organize your home farm with the purchase of chickens or hatching eggs. Or, as a last resort, buy chickens at a poultry farm.

Hatching chickens

Why don't laying hens lay? What to do, for example, if only one individual has stopped laying eggs? In this case, you just need to watch the bird. Such a chicken will most likely try to sit on the eggs in the nest and occasionally cackle loudly. This means that the bird simply decided to become a mother hen. In many modern breeds of chickens, the instinct of motherhood is completely lost, but far from all. There are many ways to walk a bird. Some owners even advise dipping such chickens into the water. But, of course, this is by no means the case. This can cause the death of the bird due to severe stress.

It’s better to knock down a box of boards for the chicken and close its top with a grate. The chicken is planted in it for several days. Of course, the bird should be periodically fed and watered. You can not put chickens in steel boxes, cover them with buckets, etc. Metal gets very hot in the sun, and the bird can die from the heat.

Herd Composition

Hens, as you know, can lay eggs without a cockerel. However, it may still be worth buying a “cavalier” for your birds even if the owners of the household plot are not going to incubate the eggs. It has been noticed that with a cockerel, chickens begin to lay better. However, the herd should be observed after it has been replanted. The authority of a cockerel hens in the event that he, for example, is very young, may simply not be recognized. In this case, the most active laying hen usually becomes the dominant individual. Sometimes it also happens that the cockerel, on the contrary, begins to behave too aggressively towards the chickens. At the same time, chickens are frightened and reduce egg production.

What other reasons could there be

Sometimes homeowners are also interested in the question of why chickens do not lay eggs in the summer. What to do in this case first of all? If the bird is healthy and has not been stressed, you just need to carefully observe it. Sometimes the owners do not find eggs in the nests, not because the bird is frightened, poorly fed, or sick. It often happens that for some reason the chickens do not like the nests installed in the house. In this case, they begin to rush anywhere - in the bushes, under boards, boxes, etc. Attentive owners will sooner or later find the place chosen by the chicken for laying.

Sometimes chicken eggs from nests are also stolen by various kinds of small predators or rats. In this case, you should carefully inspect the house and block the "thieves" from entering it.

Output

As you can see, the reasons for the decline in egg production of laying hens can be different. If the owners stopped finding eggs in the nests, first of all, you should think about making adjustments to the bird's diet. You also need to try to create optimal conditions for the chickens, arrange walking for them and try to protect them from stress. All this guarantees good bird productivity.

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Why laying hens do not rush, what to do and what to feed to increase the egg production of chickens, vitamins, video

Often in domestic poultry farming, chickens are kept to produce eggs. Why laying hens do not rush, what to do to effectively keep the flock, poultry farmers with experience will help you figure it out.

Physiology and age of egg production for different breeds of chickens

Have you purchased outbred chickens, bred by a neighbor's hen or an incubator? These are ordinary domestic chickens with an average egg production of about 200 eggs with year-round warm content. The egg production of laying hens per year depends on the type of breed:

• egg hens, white Hisex, Leghorn, Loman Brown give 300 eggs or more;
• meat-and-egg laying hens and outbreds will give about 200 pieces;
• meat broiler breeds do not even reach 130 eggs per year.

Accordingly, the productive age of the young animals will be 18, 26 weeks, 7-8 months. The average egg weight is 55-65 g, but in hot weather and in young animals, the product is lighter. How many eggs does a laying hen lay in a day? No more than one, and not every day. The most productive breed of Heinlein lays a maximum of 350 eggs under ideal conditions.

An indicator was registered when a laying hen gave 371 eggs in a year. Often there is a double egg of a large size. The specimen with 9 yolks became unique.

When do laying hens lay? Chickens are most productive in the first year of life, slightly worse in the second year. Therefore, the herd systematically needs to be updated. Two-year-olds are taken for meat and young animals are culled. Later the meat becomes tough. Up to 4 years, chickens rush, but less and less. Old women make caring mother hens.

The performance of the chicken herd inevitably decreases in winter. Physiologically, this is the worst time to breed. Balanced feed and sufficient lighting will only slightly increase the egg production of laying hens. During molting, you need to speed up the process of growing new feathers by eliminating grain from the diet. The plumage will be updated faster, and the chickens will begin to lay.

The correct mode of feeding and keeping laying hens

Chickens do not like tight spaces. 5 individuals should be placed per square meter. To hatch chickens, fertilized eggs are needed, a rooster under the age of 4 years copes with the duties for 10 laying hens. The productivity of the flock does not depend on the presence of a rooster.

The temperature of 22-25 degrees is comfortable for chickens. In the hot period, the chicken coop needs to be shaded, and a canopy should be arranged on the paddock. In winter, sufficient, but not blinding light in the chicken coop should be 14-16 hours. Winter paddling, ash and sand baths will add comfort to the livestock. If the question arose why laying hens do not rush and what to do, you need to check the conditions of detention.

You need to review the feeding menu and make adjustments. The daily diet should consist of:

• grain mixture of 40% corn, 20% wheat, 20% barley, 30% oats - 120 grams;
• boiled potatoes - 100 g;
• mash - 30 g;
• chalk - 3 g;
• cake - 7 g;
• baker's yeast - 1 g;
• bone meal - 2 g;
• table salt - 0.5 g.

The dry composition can be maintained by feeding compound feed for laying hens, but it is necessary to give grain separately in one of the feedings.

In the summer, a mixture of bran and chopped herbs will provide the livestock with vitamins for laying hens for egg production. At other times, premixes must be used.

Feed adult birds twice a day, leaving dry food for the evening one hour before bedtime. Various mashes are useful in the morning. When overfeeding, the chickens will get fat, and there will be a problem why the chickens stopped laying. The same question will arise if there is not enough food. During the day, birds peck and actively process food if they have enough gravel or shells in a separate feeder. Stones, like millstones, grind food. Water should be in abundance, always fresh. Good absorption of nutrition contributes to the absence of stressful situations.

In order for laying hens to eat and rush a lot, you need a complete diet consisting of grains, special vitamins, and greens. The more variety you feed them, the greater the benefit. A sign of prosperity will be swimming and fluttering in the pen of birds when they are not guarding the distribution of food.

Why laying hens do not rush after buying adults

Often in the household, adult birds are bought in the summer in order to immediately receive eggs. If they are sold from wheels, it is possible that the birds are culled on the farm as unproductive. Such individuals can molt, it can be determined by the legs that they are no longer young. Then the productive period with good care will resume in 2-3 weeks, but do not wait for abundant masonry.

A stressful situation when a flock is kept starving in a paddock, waiting for a buyer, and then driven to catch, will not add egg production. In this case, why laying hens do not rush, what to do is clear. You have to be patient and take good care of it. The birds will thank you for your care.

It is better to buy young animals to get fresh eggs. If the hens are egg-laying, then after 18 weeks you can expect the first small eggs. A sign of a mature chicken will be the well-formed, neat appearance of the pullets, and the pink developed crest. If the comb is red, the laying hen is already productive.

If the chicks were raised from home bred day old chicks, the breed is unknown. That is why young laying hens may not be laid, the biological age has not come. You need to wait.

Errors in maintenance that affect the performance of laying hens

The number of nests and their arrangement affect productivity. Nests are arranged in places where no one bothers the chicken at the time of an important mission. The bedding should be clean and soft. One nest is arranged for 6 individuals. If the place for laying is unsuccessful, the eggs will be scattered, and there it will not be long before pecking. Is it dangerous. If the chicken has tasted the contents, it will begin to hunt for delicious food. Therefore, it is impossible to allow the appearance of eggs without shells, pourings. Productivity decreases, in the future there will be a threat of pecking. It is necessary to add mineral supplements.

Why did laying hens stop laying with good care? Perhaps, with free range, the sly ones organized a new nest in a secluded corner. After a while, a hen will sit on it and a flock of unplanned chickens will appear. Daily collection of eggs and a careful survey of the territory will remove the problem.

Often, pullets that have begun to rush stop laying. They are more affected by a stressful situation than adult chickens. Moving to another chicken coop, the appearance of a rooster, a night thunderstorm with thunder become the reason for the lack of eggs. Adding 20 ml of apple cider vinegar per day to the water for a week will help.

During the molting of pullets in autumn, the productivity of laying hens decreases sharply. It is necessary to exclude cereals from the diet and new feathers will grow faster, egg laying will be restored. After fouling, give cereals to birds with seedlings to restore productivity. These chickens need to be fed 3-4 times a day.

In order for the bird not to get sick with infectious diseases, it is necessary to be vaccinated against diseases that are common among birds in the region. With free range, you can infect a flock from wild pigeons or crows.

When choosing a laying hen for the household, you need to take a light individual, weighing 1.5 kg. Feathers should be shiny, dense. The comb of the chicken is bright red.

Proper feeding of chickens for increased egg production - video

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If chickens do not rush: causes and solutions

If the chickens have stopped laying, this may indicate that they are not properly kept in summer, winter or spring. In the event that this happens, the farmer usually begins to look for a problem precisely in the conditions of life of birds. In this article, we will try to understand the main reasons why young and adult chickens do not lay and what to do about it.

To date, chicken eggs have already firmly entered our lives. People consume them after purchase raw, boiled, fried, added to salads and so on. And not without reason, because chicken testicles are rich in various useful elements, such as protein, vitamins and all kinds of minerals. Moreover, for many small farmers, chicken eggs are the only source of income. Accordingly, if the chickens stop laying, this can seriously hit the pockets of some breeders. How to be in such situations and what to do - in order to understand this, you must first understand the causes of the problem.

Other masonry

The first reason why a young hen has stopped laying eggs is that it may be a different clutch. Perhaps the whole point is that the mother hen simply changed her place, where she usually laid her eggs. According to experienced specialists, such a problem exists, especially when it comes to small poultry farming. First of all, this may be due to the period of the year, that is, it often happens in winter or summer. For example, in the winter season, the kure can be cool in the place where she usually laid eggs, and in summer it can be very hot. Because of this, she can change the place of masonry.

In addition, the flocking positions of individual hens, both young and adult, may change over time. This may also be the cause. Or maybe the chicken is just looking for a new, so to speak, nest. For the breeder, this may be news, but the new masonry site that the bird chooses may not meet any standards of comfort at all.

Sometimes farmers are also faced with the fact that a young mother hen lays her eggs just under some bush. Or, for example, somewhere among the firewood or even in the garden. Therefore, if your chicken has stopped laying, then carefully watch her - perhaps the eggs are right under your nose.

Nutrition and change of feed

A change in diet can also cause a pullet to refuse to lay eggs. All experienced poultry farmers know that the key to the productivity of birds is, first of all, a properly balanced diet. Egg production can be affected by a lack of certain vitamins or trace elements, so this issue must be taken into account. The diet of an ordinary chicken should include grains and vegetables, this is an indisputable minimum. In addition, in order for the laying hen's body to always be in excellent condition, it must always receive the minerals that are contained in bone meal or chalk.

In addition, young hens play an important role in this matter. After the chicken leaves the chicken coop, she begins to peck not only the grain, but also independently look for various pebbles. That is, on a subconscious level, the chicken herself understands what her body needs, eating all the missing trace elements. Among other things, it is recommended to add ordinary salt to the diet of hens, as it helps to improve the appetite and taste of the food that chickens eat. But it is necessary to use only fine salt, and not coarse, or coarse salt can be dissolved in water.

If the chickens are fat, then this can also be the reason. Usually fat appears in birds before winter. Here everything is decided by nature. Chickens put on fat to feel good in winter. But sometimes this also affects the number and productivity of birds in terms of laying eggs.

Water scarcity

Lack of water in the feathered diet can also cause a lack of eggs. Always make sure that the drinker is full and preferably clean. In winter, this problem usually does not occur, but in hot summer weather, farmers often face a similar problem.

According to experts in the field of bird breeding, the water should not only be clean, but also moderately cool, both in summer and in winter. On average, the temperature of the water consumed by birds should be no more than 15 degrees Celsius. It should also be taken into account that the hens consume more water after they lay their testicles in the evening, before going to bed. Therefore, if you do not want to face such a problem, then regularly make sure that there is water in the drinker.

Air temperature

The next nuance of the fruitful content of the hen is the observance of the temperature regime. In practice, many novice poultry farmers do not even think about the fact that the number of eggs laid determines the air temperature. But after all, chickens are living creatures that also need comfort and coziness, and this largely determines the air temperature.

If it is very cold outside in winter and it becomes cool in the chicken coop, then this will affect productivity. As in summer, if the room is too hot. Accordingly, setting a certain temperature regime in winter, it will need to be regulated in summer and vice versa. And often young people suffer from this.

Light mode

Everyone knows that chickens get up with the first roosters, and go to bed at sunset. Domestic pullets should also have such a daily routine, because all birds, without exception, have a developed instinct for a light regime. Daylight hours for chickens in the summer should be at least 12 hours, and if you are raising the most productive females, then all 17 hours.

This means that if you keep chickens in a home chicken coop where the sun's rays do not fall, then daylight hours must be organized artificially. That is, you need to install a sufficient number of lamps in the room. Of course, nothing can replace the sun's rays for chickens, so in summer, as in winter, they need to be let out for a walk in the fresh air.

Stress

In some cases, stress is the reason why chickens do not lay. It should be noted that the body of chickens is sensitive to psychological disorders and stress, so eggs may not be laid precisely because of this. It is necessary to take into account all the nuances. Perhaps the stress appeared after you added a new rooster or hen to the brood, or simply changed the place for walking the birds.

In addition, stress can be caused by:

• change in diet;
• lack of food or constant hunger strike;
• external factors such as extraneous sounds.

Fatigue

Birds, like other living organisms, need regular rest. Many experienced farmers know that domestic chickens are most productive in terms of laying eggs in the first few years of life. After that, the chicken body weakens as it ages, and egg production also decreases accordingly. In the case of young birds, fatigue can also affect the number of eggs laid, but usually egg production resumes after two to three days, when the hen has rested.

It should also be noted that for some time the productivity of old hens can be increased by adding a young cockerel to the brood. But in order for the increase in production to be regular, experienced breeders recommend updating their brood.

Moult

Shedding is also a cause, but sometimes it is also a consequence. For example, feathers can fall out of a chicken if its body does not have enough vitamins and useful trace elements. But it can also be associated with seasonal molting. As a rule, such a problem usually does not occur in winter, but often happens in spring and summer.

Solution Methods

The main way to maintain egg production is attention and care for your brood of birds.

So, we figured out the reasons, now let's move on to what to do in such cases. For example, if a chicken lacks vitamins or minerals, then there is only one way out - to feed it correctly. To do this, you need to make a diet, you can read about it on our resource. In addition, you can purchase additional dressings, add vegetables and herbs to the diet. You can also make your own food using grains and vegetables.

What to do if the temperature in the chicken coop is wrong? The problem is also easily solved. The most optimal for the bird's body is the temperature in the region of 15-23 degrees. If winter has come, and it is cool in the chicken coop, then you need to insulate the room, if necessary, you can heat it. As for the summer, it is recommended to periodically ventilate the chicken coop, provide the birds with clean water.

What to do if the chicken is stressed? First of all, the bird must adapt to the conditions of detention. Add supplements and vitamins to your diet, sometimes it helps. If you decide to start a new hen, then usually chickens get used to adapting to such a team in a maximum of a week.

Video "How to feed chickens in winter so that they give eggs?"

In this video, we will talk about the correct and balanced feeding of chickens in the winter season so that they lay eggs.

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Why chickens do not lay eggs and what to do?

Chickens in the household are bred and kept mainly for two purposes: obtaining dietary meat and eggs. The latter are the concentration of vitamins, trace elements, nutrients. Egg laying in chickens is manifested at 4.5 - 5 months of age, and productivity decreases when the bird reaches 2.5 - 3 years of age. If it falls, there are reasons for this, understanding which you can correct the situation, why the chickens stop laying, see below. However, not everything depends on the person, but it is quite possible to minimize negative processes.

In the process of keeping a bird in captivity, people gain invaluable experience, which helps to identify and systematize the main reasons for the decline (cessation) of egg production. We propose the following systematization of reasons:

Containment dependent:

• lighting;
• nutrition;
• ambient temperature;
• stress;
• diseases (we conditionally refer to this category, since the conditions of detention largely determine the presence or absence of a disease).

Physiological:

• breed;
• age;
• molting (we conditionally refer to this category)

Natural:

• seasonality;
• influence of solar and lunar cycles;
• geomagnetic storms and other natural phenomena.

Let's consider in more detail each reason separately.

For normal productivity, laying hens need daylight hours in the region of 12-15 hours. The impact of light on the body of a bird is associated with its effect on the optic nerve, hypothalamus, and the release of certain substances that stimulate hormones. They, in turn, affect the functioning of the ovaries. We will not delve into the anatomical details of this process. Suffice it to say that the relationship between the length of daylight hours and egg production definitely exists.

It is advisable to gradually increase the daylight hours associated with the beginning of laying: first set at 10-12 hours, gradually raise to 14-15. A sharp increase in daylight hours will not give good positive results. If the bird is in a room with small windows or without them at all (with a walking type of content), it is better to take part of the backyard or summer cottage for walking not indoors, but outdoors. The goal is more space for movement, an increase in daylight hours. If the content of laying hens is cellular, it is advisable to install not incandescent lamps, but fluorescent lamps. It is important that there is no solid darkness or bright lighting above the nests themselves. Light shading is sufficient.

Very bright light has a negative effect on laying hens.

Properly formulated diet and nutrition period is the key to success. Often, poultry farmers are faced with two related problems that are directly related to nutrition. This is the absence or decrease in egg production and the problem associated with the fact that birds peck eggs. Both in the first and in the second case, the root is the same - a lack of necessary vitamins and microelements in the feed. In addition, an excess of feed leads to obesity, which negatively affects the production of a normal number of eggs throughout the year.

diet

The feed should contain a sufficient amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, mineral salts, vitamins. The basis of the diet of laying hens is whole grain: wheat, corn, barley, triticale, oats, rye - all this can be given as feed. It is recommended to alternate grains of different crops in the diet. It is not necessary to mix 5-6 types of grain in one feeding. Otherwise, they choose what they like. The rest is trampled or raked.

The lack of vitamins and microelements pushes the laying hen to compensate for their insufficient amount by pecking the laid eggs. In this regard, a number of measures need to be taken:

• remove eggs from the nests in a timely manner, as the chicken can crush them by accident and peck it. This quickly becomes a habit, and it can be very difficult to wean a poultry from such actions;
• make the nests spacious and in sufficient numbers so that the laying hen can occupy an empty nest;
• diet should be made in such a way that it contains enough trace elements and vitamins. One way to replenish these substances is to add grated shells and ground egg shells to the feed;
• when adding shells to feed, it is important to ensure that they are well dried and finely worn. Simply split and crushed shells are not suitable for feeding. Otherwise, all this provokes chickens to get used to pecking at laid eggs.

Approximate diet for laying hens (grams per head per day)

Periodicity

To obtain a good result, it is not recommended to feed laying hens “as for slaughter”. This means that 3 meals a day is the optimal mode. There should be no grain in the feeder at all times. The diet is designed in such a way that the first time to feed them as early as possible in the morning, but after dawn. If it is winter, then we artificially prolong daylight hours. In this case, give food after turning on the light. The second time to feed at lunch (13:00-14:00). Evening feeding is recommended to be carried out an hour before the bird sits down for the night. In the evening, it is recommended to feed with grain, and during the day, diversify the food with a mash, a clean green mass.

An excess of food, like a lack of food, adversely affects the egg production of chickens.

The biggest danger to egg production is viral diseases:

• Newcastle disease: reduces this figure to 25-35%.

• Infectious laryngotracheitis: breathing becomes difficult, the bird dies from suffocation. Naturally, in the process of illness, good results in obtaining eggs are not to be expected.
• Infectious bronchitis: the disease is accompanied by dysfunction of the oviduct. The decrease in egg production is accompanied by an increase in the proportion of eggs of irregular shape and with a rough shell.

• Infectious encephalomyelitis: reduces egg production by 7-12%.
• Influenza: characterized by the death of a large number of birds and a sharp decrease in the laying of chickens.

To prevent or minimize the consequences of the disease, a number of preventive measures are taken: laying hens are kept separately from the rest of the birds, they are given only high-quality and fresh food, one or two people care for laying hens (since people are carriers of many diseases, it is necessary to limit their access to poultry ). In addition, the separation of a sick bird from a healthy one and vaccination itself helps.

The optimum temperature for laying hens is between 17 and 22 degrees. If it is lower, the bird spends its energy to heat the body. The increased ambient temperature forces her to drink more moisture, to look for places with a temperature lower than in a cozy nest with soft straws. Both the first and the second negatively affect the total number of eggs laid. To maintain the optimal temperature in the chicken coop, you need to insulate and heat it in the winter. In summer, they provide the room with good ventilation without drafts and the possibility of walking in the morning and evening, and in the daytime - hiding in the room from the scorching sun.

Moulting is the process of natural feather replacement in a bird. It usually occurs in autumn, before the onset of winter. The molting period itself takes from a month to three. The shorter this period, the better the chicken is carried. Another feature: if a hen begins to molt in October-November, then she carries more eggs. Accordingly, the longer the molting period and the earlier it occurs, the lower the egg production.

Shedding in chickens is influenced by many factors:

• inadequate and unbalanced nutrition;
• high ambient temperature in the poultry house;
• insufficient amount of fluid consumed;
• too increased daylight hours for a long period;
• the effect of certain diseases;
• various stresses, other factors.

To reduce the time of molting, a forced change of the bird's feather is carried out. The meaning of this operation is to save feed, to bring chickens into the molting stage together and also to bring chickens out of it. At the same time, the total molting period is reduced to one and a half months. This is achieved by changing the diet, the length of daylight hours, the temperature regime (raising the temperature), artificial starvation, etc.

Stress

Stressful situations always have a negative effect on the number of eggs laid. This is a shy bird. She is frightened by sharp sounds, knocks, a sharp change in illumination, the sudden appearance of a person in a chicken coop. Even the sound of rain on glass or metal roofing has a detrimental effect on the egg production process. The chicken perceives everything new with caution, gradually getting used to the changed conditions. Therefore, any move for her is a huge stress. To avoid stressful situations, minimize the above factors or remove them altogether.

Often a poultry farmer is faced with a situation where, when buying an adult hen in the market, she stops laying. In our opinion, the main reason is the resulting stress after the move and the absolute change of scenery.

Age

When buying an adult bird at a poultry farm, you should remember:

• the most productive age of a laying hen is up to two years. Therefore, if you buy an older bird, there is a good chance that its egg production will gradually decrease;
• at the poultry farm, they feed the livestock with compound feed from the very beginning, the composition of which is very difficult to make at home. Therefore, a radical change in diet negatively affects egg laying.

If you decide to buy chickens at a poultry farm, you should opt for young animals that have not started laying eggs.

To obtain a large number of eggs from one laying hen, you need to grow or purchase hens of egg breeds. It is believed that the most egg-laying breed is the leghorn. However, this is not the case in all cases. In addition, genetics does not stand still. Therefore, you can buy a new breed, which will be more adapted to specific living conditions, and will show a better result.

Seasonality: spring, summer, autumn, winter

As a rule, spring and autumn are the seasons in which egg production of chickens drops. What is the reason for this phenomenon? In our opinion, this is due to climatic conditions. Winter is always colder. To warm itself, the chicken spends a certain amount of energy, which is no longer used for laying eggs. This can be avoided by installing additional heating in the chicken coop. Then in winter, spring and autumn, the air temperature in the chicken coop will remain approximately the same, there will be no sharp transition in the temperature regime from winter to spring. In autumn, in addition to a change in temperature, molting begins, which also affects egg production. The factors that accompany it and its effect on the laying hen are indicated above.

In summer, the decrease in the number of laid eggs is explained by hot weather. At temperatures above 25 degrees, the chicken rushes reluctantly, flies onto the perch, opening it, spreading its wings to the side, thereby trying to somehow reduce its body temperature. During this period, she drinks a lot, which also reduces egg production. A well-thought-out ventilation system partially removes the problem of high ambient temperature.

When ventilating the poultry house, make sure that there are no drafts in it.

In addition to all the factors listed above, roosters, or rather, their proportional relationship to the number of hens, influence the egg production of chickens in a certain way. Many people think that there should be only one rooster in one pen. Then the number of chickens is limited to ten. Some half a hundred hens keep four or five roosters in one pen. But if a third of the total livestock turn out to be roosters, this will lead to a periodic struggle for superiority.

The influence of solar and lunar cycles, as well as geomagnetic storms and other natural phenomena, has been little studied. But there is no doubt that they also affect the number of eggs laid. By the way, folk methods for increasing egg production are based on rituals associated with the lunar cycles.

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Modern breeds and hybrids of chickens are characterized by very high productivity. From one laying hen you can get up to 300 eggs per year. However, sometimes it happens that the nests in the poultry house remain completely empty for a long time - the hens do not rush. What to do in this case? Of course, first of all, you should find out the cause of the decrease in egg production, and then deal with its elimination.

Low temperature

In winter, the cold is often the most accurate answer to the question of why laying hens do not lay. What to do in this case, the owners of household plots? Of course, insulate the barn. Also, in order to get eggs at this time of the year, it is worth arranging heating in the house. You can put there, for example, a closed fireproof heater. Some breeds of chickens can also be laid at fairly low air temperatures in the barn. It is not necessary to arrange heating for such a bird. However, in this case, a bedding of straw or sawdust with a thickness of at least 40 cm should be laid on the floor. In the cold season, various biological processes will begin to occur in it, accompanied by the release of heat.

Also in winter, chickens may stop laying due to lack of lighting. In this case, you just need to hang additional lamps in the chicken coop. It is very good if the poultry house is illuminated for at least 16 hours a day.

crowding

This is another reason why chickens may stop laying eggs. A similar problem usually also arises in the winter period, when the owners stop letting the birds out for walking. When buying chickens or building a barn, it should be borne in mind that there should be at least one square meter of space for 6-7 individuals. But it is better to place no more than four chickens on such an area.

Of course, in the house you need to arrange or hang a sufficient number of nests. For ten individuals, at least two are required. It should also be taken into account that one bird should have at least 15-20 cm of perch length.

Feeding

An improperly designed diet is also a common reason why chickens do not lay. What to do in this case? Of course, to make a new, more balanced menu for the bird. Laying hens need to be fed at least three times a day. In the morning they are usually given grain. You can add a little granular compound feed or inert meal to it. Barley grain - food is quite heavy for chickens. Feeding it to a bird can also cause a decrease in egg production. A much more correct solution would be to pour wheat into the feeders.

During the day, chickens are fed wet mash. The more varied this "salad" is, the better. In addition to root crops (beets, carrots, cabbage, potatoes), greens should be added to the mash. It can be tops of carrots, beet leaves, fresh nettles, quinoa, etc. Fruits are also rubbed into the mixer - usually apple carrion. You can add some overgrown cucumbers or zucchini to the “salad”.

Also, white bread and bran are usually placed in wet mixers. You can pour the “salad” with boiled water or weak meat broth. Be sure to add a little salt and chalk to the mixers. These trace elements are simply necessary for the body of chickens. After all, the shell of eggs is mainly composed of calcium. In the evening, the hens should again be fed with grain. Of course, the bird needs to provide constant access to water.

It is also impossible to overfeed the bird. Often obese adult hens and young hens do not rush. What to do in this case, of course, is clear. You should give the bird less food. Chickens should be fed enough food in the feeder so that they eat it completely in no more than half an hour.

If the chickens are fat and do not rush (we figured out what to do with the diet), you also need to arrange a good paddock for them. Daytime walks are what a bird of this productivity direction simply needs. They are kept in cages without walking mainly only meat crosses.

Moult

For this reason, chickens may stop laying several times a year. However, usually a decrease in egg production due to molting does not cause much concern in the owners. The fact is that replacing a pen with a new one in chickens usually lasts a very short time - no more than 8-10 days. Autumn and shortening of daylight hours is the main reason why chickens molt and do not lay. What to do in this case? Of course, nothing. You just need to wait for the end of the molt.

Diseases

Treating chickens on your own, however, is still worth it only in the most extreme cases. The bird can simply be killed. It's best to call your veterinarian and follow their instructions.

Stress

Fright is another common reason why chickens do not lay eggs. What to do in this case, many farmers know. In fact, you just have to wait a bit. After a while, the bird will come to its senses, and many eggs will again appear in the nests.

Sometimes, for example, chickens do not lay eggs after purchase. What to do in such a situation? If the bird has not started laying eggs 6 weeks after moving to a new "place of residence", then it is no longer a matter of stress. Perhaps the owners of the farm were simply sold too old a bird. In this case, the chickens, unfortunately, will most likely have to be slaughtered.

Until six weeks after purchase, the absence of eggs in nests is completely normal. Moving to a new "place of residence" does not work in the best way for a bird of any breed. Anxiety with a decrease in productivity in chickens can also be caused by a sharp change in diet. New foods should be introduced to the menu carefully and gradually.

Another reason that causes stress in chickens is the close presence of some predators. For example, a hawk flying over a paddock can frighten a bird so much that it will stop rushing for a while. It is also undesirable to allow strangers to enter the chicken coop.

bird age

Sometimes the owners of household plots are also worried that young chickens do not rush. What to do in this case? If the bird was not frightened and not subjected to any stress, the reason for the lack of eggs may be precisely its young age. Modern breeds and hybrids of chickens usually begin to lay at the age of 4.5-6 months. Of course, the appearance of eggs in the nests before this time should not be expected.

At the age of 7 to 10 months, chickens are especially active. Further, the intensity of oviposition gradually begins to decrease. The optimal term for keeping a chicken herd without renewal is 2 years. Then it may just become not very cost-effective. However, the above does not apply to all breeds of birds. Some hybrids and crosses can lay very well up to the age of five.

Experienced poultry farmers do not advise beginners to purchase poultry in the market. Often, unscrupulous sellers slip sick or very old chickens to buyers. It is better to organize your home farm with the purchase of chickens or hatching eggs. Or, as a last resort, buy chickens at a poultry farm.

Hatching chickens

Why don't laying hens lay? What to do, for example, if only one individual has stopped laying eggs? In this case, you just need to watch the bird. Such a chicken will most likely try to sit on the eggs in the nest and occasionally cackle loudly. This means that the bird simply decided to become a mother hen. In many modern breeds of chickens, the instinct of motherhood is completely lost, but far from all. There are many ways to walk a bird. Some owners even advise dipping such chickens into the water. But, of course, this is by no means the case. This can cause the death of the bird due to severe stress.

It’s better to knock down a box of boards for the chicken and close its top with a grate. The chicken is planted in it for several days. Of course, the bird should be periodically fed and watered. You can not put chickens in steel boxes, cover them with buckets, etc. Metal gets very hot in the sun, and the bird can die from the heat.

Herd Composition

Hens, as you know, can lay eggs without a cockerel. However, it may still be worth buying a “cavalier” for your birds even if the owners of the household plot are not going to incubate the eggs. It has been noticed that with a cockerel, chickens begin to lay better. However, the herd should be observed after it has been replanted. The authority of a cockerel hens in the event that he, for example, is very young, may simply not be recognized. In this case, the most active laying hen usually becomes the dominant individual. Sometimes it also happens that the cockerel, on the contrary, begins to behave too aggressively towards the chickens. At the same time, chickens are frightened and reduce egg production.

What other reasons could there be

Sometimes homeowners are also interested in the question of why chickens do not lay eggs in the summer. What to do in this case first of all? If the bird is healthy and has not been stressed, you just need to carefully observe it. Sometimes the owners do not find eggs in the nests, not because the bird is frightened, poorly fed, or sick. It often happens that for some reason the chickens do not like the nests installed in the house. In this case, they begin to rush anywhere - in bushes, under boards, boxes, etc. Attentive owners will sooner or later find the place chosen by the chicken for laying.

Sometimes chicken eggs from nests are also stolen by various kinds of small predators or rats. In this case, you should carefully inspect the house and block the "thieves" from entering it.

Output

As you can see, the reasons for the decline in egg production of laying hens can be different. If the owners stopped finding eggs in the nests, first of all, you should think about making adjustments to the bird's diet. You also need to try to create optimal conditions for the chickens, arrange walking for them and try to protect them from stress. All this guarantees good bird productivity.

Many novice farmers are often concerned about the question at what age and in what period of time to expect the first fruits from chickens. You need to answer the question posed, based on what breed of layers you purchased. Breeds of young chickens such as Lohman Brown, White Hisex are capable of laying eggs from 17 weeks.

When should young hens start laying eggs, at what age

How long does it take for young chickens to lay eggs? The average age for all breeds of hens is between 20 and 22 weeks when they start laying. If you keep meat breeds of chickens, then they can start laying after 6 months, some even later - after 8 months of life. All these terms depend on how well the diet for chickens is chosen and in what conditions they are kept.

Photos of the dominant breed are presented.

If all the norms are observed, then at 22 weeks the chickens will begin to lay eggs. Usually the weight of the eggs does not exceed 45 grams, they are also medium-sized in size. But this is temporary. Young laying hens lay the most delicious eggs, the yolks have a special taste. Over time, the weight of the eggs will increase - the average weight is 60 grams.

If a young laying hen began to lay eggs before the right time, then the first fruits will be very small. Therefore, it is better to monitor the behavior of chickens. The weight of laying hens at the beginning of laying should be approximately 1400 grams. It is often recommended to purchase chickens from different batches and different ages. While the older ones will bring full-fledged large eggs, the young ones will only begin to lay. You do not need to keep chickens for more than one year if you do not need chickens and do not want to add offspring.

Why chickens eat their eggs and what to do about it read.

Reasons for the lack of eggs

Many farmers have a problem: are the hens not laying eggs or are there very few eggs? To find out, and with what frequency, it is worth considering a set of problems, each of which can give unexpectedly bad results.

Chicken nutrition: feed

Violated feeding is the main mistake in keeping birds. If laying hens are overfed or underfed, this will be one of the reasons for the lack of eggs. As a result, the body is depleted or, conversely, the chicken becomes obese. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to the rules of feeding birds.

The entire diet can be divided into several categories:

1. Protein nutrition.
2. Carbohydrate.
3. Mineral.
4. Vitamin.

Read about laying hens.

Protein foods contain proteins. Without these nutrients, a chicken cannot live normally, let alone lay. Proteins can be included in the composition of feed of animal raw materials and in the composition of feed of plant origin. Fish, any dairy products, meat and feather meal, fish and scythe meal belong to the first type of feed. Yeast, cake, any legumes such as beans, peas, soybeans, cake are classified as second type feed.

Carbohydrate foods that contain a lot of starch in their composition. Oats, wheat, corn and other cereals, beets, potatoes, radishes, milling waste.

Mineral feeds include a large amount of minerals in their composition. For example, calcium, which helps in the formation of shells on eggs, sodium, iron. Chalk, shell rock, salt, various mineral supplements should be included in the diet of birds.

Feeds with a complex of vitamins are highly valued. It is vitamins that help chickens to rush. You can use the remaining dust, green grass, flour from it, fish oil and various industrial concentrates.

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Usually, people who keep laying hens in their household feed them with wheat, corn, barley and other cereals. These foods contain varying amounts of protein, fiber, fat, and minerals. Each type of grain has its own value, so it is better to give mixed feed. Compound feeds, which contain 50% wheat, 15% oats, 25% barley, 5% rye or millet, 5% corn, have proven themselves well.

You can give food to birds in different forms: in dry and wet, in whole grains and in crushed form. It is recommended to crush the feed during the day, and give grains as a whole at night. Whole grains are digested for a long time, so the chickens will not feel hungry all night. Feed in the form of mash is also well absorbed by birds. Here you can add mineral and vitamin complexes, and dairy products.

The rate of feed, which is given in wet or dry form, per day for one chicken should be about 150 grams. Moreover, the feed should consist of 1/3 of the protein component, and 2/3 of the carbohydrate component. Any vitamin feed is introduced into the mix. Water should always be near the birds so that they can drink at any time. The purity of the water must be controlled, plus it must be warm. The owner must ensure that there is gravel in the feeder all the time, as it improves the functioning of the digestive tract.

Food in chickens passes through the digestive tract very quickly due to the structure of the organs. Therefore, they are usually fed 4 times a day. You can give food 3 times a day according to the following scheme: put dry food in the feeders, give wet food in the form of mash during the day, give whole grains at night.

You will also be interested to know what it is.

The stirrer is made by mixing different grains, then moistened with either plain water or milk residues. In this case, the food should be just moist, not sticky. Otherwise, blockage will occur in the nose, and even the nose will become clogged. You do not need to rely on the fact that the mash can be eaten during the day. Chickens must eat it in half an hour, a maximum of 40 minutes, otherwise the food will go bad. If the regimen and nutritional norms are violated, then this will be the result of poor egg laying. Therefore, you need to choose the right food and time for feeding.

There are several ways to prepare bird feed:

• raw materials are crushed;
• mix;
• make yeast;
• boil;
• germinate.

It has already been said about grinding and mixing that in this form the feed is absorbed much better. Sprouting is also a good way to prepare raw materials. The grain should be soaked in warm water for a day and drained, then poured out in a small layer. Don't forget to stir the grain. Wait for the sprouts to appear. They are white at first and you can already use them, or wait for green sprouts. Such raw materials are considered really useful and very nutritious.

The yeast method is also used to obtain nutritious feed. To do this, the yeast is soaked in water along with the feed. For 100 g of yeast take 8 kg of feed. Then concentrates are added. Every hour the mass is stirred for 9 hours. Everything will depend on the speed of the yeast. The temperature for the process should be 22 degrees. The mass is distributed to the birds for feeding. As a result, the work of the gastrointestinal tract will be improved and productivity will be increased.

Potatoes and other root crops should be added to the feed in a pre-boiled form. But carrots should be offered raw, this will preserve all the beneficial properties and vitamins. It is advisable to grind any herb with a meat grinder. This also applies to bots. Do not overfeed the birds with vegetables, this will lead to diarrhea and a decrease in egg production. Therefore, in order to prevent this, it is necessary to observe the rules of feeding.

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After nutrition, the wrong conditions for living and keeping are considered the second point that affects how many eggs a hen carries. It is important to make good lighting in the chicken coop, as this type of bird does not see well in dark rooms. Good lighting should be for 12 hours. Otherwise, the chicken will sit still and not move, eat little, not eating all the norms, as a result, egg production will fall.

Heat in the chicken coop is also an important point. So that the chickens do not spend all their energy on heating, but are directed to egg production, you need to heat the room well. In the chicken coop, the air temperature should be at least 15 degrees.

A well-ventilated room will only positively affect the productivity and health of chickens. But keep in mind that a draft can worsen the condition of the bird. Maintain cleanliness and order in the room, this is not unimportant.

The health status of chickens - why they do not rush

Usually, young chickens, whose age does not exceed a year, are distinguished by high productivity. Older hens lay much less. Therefore, it is necessary to update the composition of the chicken coop after a maximum of two years, otherwise it will not be advisable to keep laying hens.

The time of year is an important factor influencing the productivity of chickens. In the warm season, chickens lay much better than in winter. The highest level is reached in late spring and early summer. In winter, many farmers notice that the hens do not lay eggs at all. This is influenced by the length of the day, the number of walks in the air.

Often, chickens begin to incubate eggs in winter, so productivity decreases. With an increase in body temperature, the chicken goes to incubate, it begins to "soar".

Any transferred stresses affect the state of productivity of chickens. You need to find out what caused the stress. You need to fully analyze the life of chickens.

Stress can be caused by:

• extraneous noises and loud sounds;
• abrupt change in diet;
• the appearance of new residents in the chicken coop;
• a small room where chickens are kept;
• new feed.

Video

This video will tell you about the reasons why chickens do not lay.

Many factors affect egg production: improper care, stress, seasonality, and others. If the chickens stopped actively laying eggs in September or do not lay eggs in winter, then it is worth reviewing the diet, conditions of detention, etc. It is important to identify the cause of the deterioration in egg production.

To determine if an individual is rushing, it is necessary to examine it. Pay attention to:

1. Scallop, earrings. The color should be bright red. With the growth of the yolk, the volume of the scallop, earrings increases, the temperature is slightly elevated. If the bird has stopped rushing, then the comb turns pale, wrinkled and cold.
2. The eyes should have a clearly defined pupil.
3. The beak of an egg-laying chicken is pale, small in size.
4. The skin should be light and soft
5. Short back.
6. Straight paws.
7. There are few feathers on the head.
8. Big and soft belly.
9. Enlarged cloaca. On examination, soft and moist.
10. Feathers in the tail area are partially broken off.
11. Between the hips (protruding bones) there should be a distance of at least three fingers.

In breeds of Plymouthrock, Rhode Island, Russian White and Leggorn chickens, the color of the paws and beak is saturated. When the beak and paws begin to turn pale, laying hens stop laying. Associated with the transition of the coloring pigment to the yolk.

A reliable method for determining egg production is palpation. It is necessary to carry out the manipulation in the evening. With the palm of your hand, you need to feel the upper body of the bird above the cloaca. Movements should be pressing, light. You can feel the egg inside the bird.

Important! The abdomen should be soft like a sponge.

Causes of egg production decline and ways to eliminate them

Why the chickens stopped laying, if no deviations were found by external signs, it is difficult to determine. There are a number of reasons why chickens have stopped laying eggs consistently:

• insufficient lighting;
• low or high temperature;
• seasonal molt;
• unsuitable level of humidity;
• stress;
• malnutrition;
• disease;
• seasonal changes;
• age;
• breed;
• incubation;
• the presence of predators.

So what to do if the chickens stop laying eggs?

Lighting

It is necessary to provide the birds with adequate lighting. The day should last at least 13-14 hours. The chicken coop will have to be equipped with additional lighting and windows. Perches in the poultry house are located opposite the windows so that the laying hens actively lay their eggs.

Temperature

It is important to create the right conditions for chickens. Sudden fluctuations are fraught with a decrease in productivity. During the winter season, the temperature in the poultry house should not fall below 15°, in summer it should not exceed 25°. The optimum temperature for maximum productivity is 21°. To achieve a stable temperature, the chicken coop must be insulated and lined with straw.

Moult

Molting is a natural process that cannot be avoided. In the first year of life, chickens molt three times;

1. The first time is in the fourth week, when the chicks shed their fluff.
2. The second time - down feathers are replaced by contour ones. Occurs at 10-12 weeks.
3. For the third time, individuals up to a year molt in the spring.

Then the change of plumage occurs once a year - during the period of shortening of the day. When molting, egg production is reduced, since the blood flow is directed to the papillae of growing feathers, and not to the reproductive system. Typically, plumage renewal takes 6 to 8 weeks. If the molt began out of season or the process lasts longer than 8 weeks, this is a signal of health problems for the individual.

Air humidity

Humidity in the room - no higher than 75%. If the humidity is too low or too high, egg production is reduced, and the birds begin to get sick. There must be constant air circulation in the chicken coop.

stressful situations

Stress is understood as the tension of the body under the influence of various negative factors. Laying signs:

• lack of appetite;
• excitability;
• frequent breathing;
• increased heart rate;
• bluish mucous membranes;
• reduction in egg production;
• lethargy;
• disease;
• increase in feed intake with a decrease in productivity;
• trembling in the body;
• temperature.

Factors leading to stress:

1. Physical;
2. stern;
3. Technological;
4. Biological;
5. Transport;
6. Chemical;
7. Traumatic;
8. Experimental;
9. Mental.

To normalize the productivity of an individual, it is necessary to identify the stress factor and eliminate it.

The following methods are used to prevent stress:

• Under heat stress, birds are fed in an increased volume during the cool time of the day, thereby reducing heat transfer. Ascorbic and citric acid are added to the feed. Use intermittent lighting. Cool water up to 15°. Reduce the density of planting on perches.
• With feed stress, birds are given Phenibut, fumaric or succinic acid before and after stress according to the instructions.
• To avoid transport stress, the day before transportation, the birds are given "Trioxazine", "Reserpine" or "Aminazin".
• For the prevention of technological stress, one of the drugs is used: Aminazine, Triftazin, Phenazepam, Elenium, Vigozin, lithium carbonate or Aminovital.
• With vaccine stress, "Aminazin", "Triftazin", "Reserpine", succinic acid or "Aminovital" are used.
• To prevent surgical stress, do not operate the bird during the formation of the reproductive system, sick laying hens, immediately after transportation or vaccination. Three days before the proposed procedure, increase the dose of vitamins. 8 hours before the operation, the individual is not fed. From medicines use "Reserpine" or "Aminovital". After the manipulations, the bird is placed in a room with an air temperature higher than usual by 2-3 °, the volume of water and feed is increased. Granular feed in the postoperative period should be excluded.

Nutrition

What should you pay attention to when:

1. It is necessary to give food strictly according to the regimen, at regular intervals. The first feeding immediately after waking up, the last no later than an hour before bedtime, so that the chickens do not get fat. Prevent stress diet and better quality food.
2. The diet of laying hens should be varied.
3. Only balanced feed.
4. It is important to follow the rules of feeding. If the birds are overfed, they get fat and stop laying.

With improper nutrition in chickens, the level of calcium in the body decreases. This trace element is found in the eggshell. To understand that there is not enough calcium is simple - the laying eggs become fragile, the shell breaks easily. You can increase the level of the microelement by adding crushed shells of mollusks, chalk and eggshells to the feed.

In addition to proper nutrition, laying hens need a sufficient amount of water. With feed or water starvation, the bird's body is depleted - fraught with illness or even death of the bird. About 300 ml of water falls on one individual per day.

Alarms:

• pale scallop;
• temperature;
• lack of appetite;
• mucus secreted from the respiratory system;
• diarrhea;
• premature molting;
• lethargy;
• lameness;
• temperature;
• blood in stools;
• sagging goiter;
• the appearance of wheezing;
• apathy;
• weight loss.

Any deviation from the usual state can signal health problems with the chicken. Diseases cannot be ignored. Otherwise, not one individual, but the entire livestock may die.

seasonal changes

Egg production is greatly influenced by the time of year. The highest productivity is observed in the spring. Why chickens stop laying in autumn can be explained by natural phenomena. When the day shortens and the night gets longer, the molting process starts. If chickens stop laying eggs in the fall, this is an absolutely standard situation. This period must be overcome.

Hens stopped laying in the summer - why and what to do? Most often this happens because the room temperature is too high. It is important to ensure adequate ventilation of the chicken coop and the required amount of water. Even in summer, chickens will actively lay eggs, if conditions are kept comfortable for them.

During cold snaps, productivity drops for two reasons - too low a room temperature, lack of daylight. Insulation of the chicken coop and additional lighting will correct the situation.

Age changes

A logical question is how old a chicken lays eggs. Upon reaching five to six months, the reproductive system is fully formed. At the same time, the egg-laying process starts. Young hens are most productive in their first year of life. The average lifespan of a laying hen is three years. Up to three years, the bird justifies the feed costs. Upon reaching the age of three, productivity drops, and the meat becomes tougher. Therefore, experienced farmers recommend not keeping an individual for more than 36 months.

Breed

There are three types of breed:

1. Egg. Small birds that give the greatest result - up to 315 eggs per year.
2. Meat-egg. They can lay up to 220 eggs per year.
3. Meat. The least productive individuals. They can lay no more than 160 eggs per year.

hatching instinct

If the feathered one shows the instinct of incubation, then during this period of time it will not rush. In poultry farms, this instinct is artificially stopped by hormonal and technical methods. Directed selection is also possible, but this method entails changes in the genetic structure.

Predators

Rats and weasels are very fond of chicken eggs. If a pest is wound up in the chicken coop, the birds stop rushing. This problem cannot be ignored. Predators must be fought.

To get the best performance from your hens, here are a few tips to follow:

• Renew stock annually. This does not mean that all livestock should be replaced with pullets. Once a year, it is enough to add young ones to the old laying hens.
• Laying hens will lay eggs consistently in the summer if they have enough water and a well-ventilated coop.
• Do not overfeed the birds. Overfeeding will reduce productivity.
• Stick to a feeding schedule.
• Protect the chicken coop and walking area from predators.
• If the chicken is lethargic, with a pale comb and has stopped laying eggs, contact your veterinarian immediately.
• Get vaccinated on time.
• Warm up the poultry house.
• Keep the hen house clean so that the bird does not get sick.
• Protect laying hens from stressful situations.
• Provide proper conditions for laying hens.

Breeding egg breed birds is profitable, but troublesome. The poultry farmer must carefully study the rules for keeping laying hens, breed characteristics and diseases. It is important to remember that the condition of the livestock depends on the health of each individual.

Useful video

Video about why chickens do not lay: