When pullets begin to lay approximately
Almost any person who has just started breeding poultry is interested in when pullets start to lay? Everything will depend on the breed characteristics of the chicken, the conditions of detention. This question is extremely important, because preliminary preparation for the first egg-laying is the key to obtaining high performance indicators in the future.
When pullets start to lay
What can affect the process?
At what age pullets will lay eggs will depend on many factors. Among the main ones:
- breed characteristics;
- conditions of detention.
Balance will greatly affect egg production. stern and feeding regimen. Often, chickens, after hatching in a warm season, lay eggs for the first time a little later than representatives who were born in the cold season. Keeping in a cold house, large crowding can completely relieve chickens from the ability to produce eggs. To improve production performance, it is necessary to create the most comfortable conditions for birds:
- the density of the content should be no more than 5 heads per 1 sq. m;
- at what age the chickens begin to lay, does not depend at all on the presence of a rooster, so it is not necessary to buy it if you do not need to increase the livestock;
- all indicators directly depend on the balance of feed and environmental conditions.
Determination of reproductive age
When laying hens begin to lay, even the most experienced farmer cannot accurately determine. If the chicken is kept in optimal conditions all the time, then the egg production period will begin fairly soon. In addition to keeping and feeding, the time of puberty affects when the first clutch will be.
It is possible to calculate when the bird will reach sexual maturity based on the current weight. If the body weight is 75% of the body weight of an adult, then very soon it will be time to lay eggs. How many months a hen begins to lay eggs also depends on the production focus. According to production data, chickens are divided into several types, and depending on this accessory, it will be determined after what time egg-laying will begin. So at what age do birds really start to fly?
- Egg representatives are often distinguished by their early maturity, their first oviposition occurs already at the age of 4-5 months.
- Chickens of meat and egg orientation lay eggs as early as 5-6.5 months.
- Have meat breeds the beginning of laying eggs falls on the 7-8 month of life.
The most egg-producing bird species
At what age the chickens will enter, directly depends on the breed characteristics. So, for example, Leghorn, which is the progenitor of almost all egg-bearing breeds, is first laid at 5 months, its average annual egg production is 300-320 eggs.It is not recommended to keep it at home because of its low stress resistance. Representatives are often subjected to noise hysteria, as a result of which they stop producing eggs for quite a long time.
Dominant for the whole year it can lay 300-320 eggs, the average weight of which is about 70 g. This is a rather picky bird in keeping and feeding. To improve the quality indicators of eggs, protein must be present in her diet. Layers of the Loman Brown breed begin to lay eggs at 4 months. Chickens do not require special housing conditions, but the herd should be periodically updated and discarded.
White Russian chickens the testicles are laid for the first time at the age of 5.5 months. Average annual rate of 300 eggs, weighing 50 g each. Bred on the basis of leghorn and outbred representatives. They have excellent immunity, are stress-resistant, picky about feeding. Orpingtons, eggs do not lay so many, however, their indicators constantly remain at the same level. In the first year, you can get about 180 pieces.
Hisex chickens are quite popular, due to their egg-bearing qualities, but they are quite picky about the content. The pullets do not tolerate drafts and are not resistant to stressful situations. Broilers, although they grow very quickly, are not used as eggs. Their first clutch occurs at the age of 7-8 months.
Earlier clutches can be observed only in representatives of artificial breeding. Stimulating the onset of early lay in normal breeds is strictly prohibited. When a chicken is laid ahead of schedule, it can cause irreparable harm to the body and even lead to death. The color of the eggs will depend on the color of the hen's plumage, for example, red chickens will carry brown testicles, while whites will have eggs painted white or cream.
How long will the pestle run?
Every farmer should know not only when his chickens begin to lay, but also how long the clutch will last. All domestic chickens rush in different ways. In addition to breed data, the duration of the process and the quality of the eggs will depend directly on the owner and his ability to take care of his pets. To increase egg production, the diet should include minerals, multivitamins. The most essential ingredient is calcium.
When organizing a habitat, it is necessary to correctly select and install feeders, drinkers, adapt nests and perches on which the chickens will sleep. If this is a closed type of content, care must be taken to maintain the required temperature and humidity conditions in the room and equip it with good illumination. Lack of sunlight, temperature drops reduce egg production.
Also, performance will depend on health and age. Upon reaching 1.5-2 years, egg-laying will already be at least 10% lower than in the first year. The pullets fly well before molting, this period can last from 14 days to 3 months. After that, the indicators gradually begin to increase. The most productive chicken of the egg breed lays for 1.5 years.
Practical tips for increasing productivity
When chickens begin to lay, it is necessary to change their diet as soon as possible and give more feed. In addition to feeding, when the chicken rushes, the duration of daylight will affect the quality indicators - it must be artificially increased. Poultry houses need to be well prepared for the winter period:
- reliably close all the cracks so that there are no drafts;
- insulate the room;
- establish an elementary ventilation system.
Experienced breeders say that when your chickens start to lay, you need to make a diet plan. For beginners, it is recommended to describe it to yourself on paper and count the amount of food, because you cannot overfeed and underfeed your pets.The daily diet should include proteins, vegetable fats, fast carbohydrates, phosphorus and calcium. For the most part, the diet consists of various grains, some root crops, you can add cottage cheese.
The quality of egg production will also be affected by how many chickens will live in one room. Ideally 1 sq. m should have 4 layers. During severe frosts, it is undesirable to take the livestock out for a walk. Another important point in the maintenance is treatment against parasites and vaccination.
If the pestles have stopped rushing
Layers may stop laying eggs abruptly. This can happen for several reasons:
- lack of lighting;
- stress;
- unbalanced diet;
- molt;
- elderly age;
- perhaps the pestle is not rushing in the nest, and you do not know about it.
The prolongation of daylight hours, the introduction of dairy products into the diet will help to quickly correct the situation. You can arrange an artificial molt. To do this, the laying hens must sit for a couple of days without food, then their body will receive stress and the hens will begin to shed. After that, the birds begin to feed abundantly, and after a few days it will be possible to notice that the egg-laying has increased.
If the number of eggs has decreased significantly, it is necessary to analyze the diet immediately and make sure that the bird is getting enough vitamins and minerals. Often the birds are stressed when they are transferred to another room, then in a week everything will work out by itself. If you could not find out the reasons for the decrease in egg production on your own, you should consult with your veterinarian.
Conclusion
Many people have long given up buying eggs in supermarkets because they are not at all similar in quality to homemade ones. Breeding chickens is a fairly popular activity today. You can breed them purely for yourself, or you can earn extra money by selling meat and eggs.
Any novice farmer wants to know when young chickens begin to lay, after how many months have passed, what to do to speed up the process. All production indicators will directly depend on the individual characteristics of the chicken breed, housing conditions and feed balance. The key to successful breeding of chickens is a careful attitude towards your pets. It is very important to pre-prepare the premises for containment, to equip them correctly. Calcium and minerals must be present in the diet so that the shell is strong and the eggs are not deformed.