Layer poultry farming means raising egg-laying poultry birds for commercial egg production. Layer chickens are such a special species of hens, which need to be raised from when they are one day old.
Poultry Layer Management System
PoultryCare Layer Farm Manager you can manage your farm and monitor the performance of the farm. You can easily and quickly get the necessary data.
Layer Hen Selection
You have to keep in mind some essential information before selecting the layer hens for your poultry farming business. You have to select those breeds which are suitable for your layer poultry farming business and can produce well in your area.
Keeping Chicks for Layer Poultry Farming
During the first weeks after birth, many chicks do not want to drink the water due to transporting them from one place to another. So you have to make adequate water drinking systems in their brooder house, and you have to train them for drinking water. Mix 5% glucose with water, so that they can easily get energy.
Marketing for Layer Poultry Farming
Eggs are stored in a cool room at about 13oC and transported in an insulated truck. Unfortunately, many shops selling eggs do not store them under ideal conditions. In the home and shop situation, it is best to store them at normal refrigerator temperature (4-6oC). Marketing involves a range of prices, depending on the different sizes of egg, different brands, or other differences which attract particular buyers. Free-range and fat-modified eggs are among the varieties available.
Feeding for Layer Poultry Farming
There are many companies available throughout the world, which are producing commercial feed and feed supplements for layer chickens. You can buy feed from your local market or make the feed at your own house. You have to be sure that the feed and feed supplements you bought are enriched with essential food value. Protein, Vitamins, and Mineral are very important for laying hens which are affecting the quality of eggs, layer poultry fertility, and layer bird’s health.
Egg Production for Layer Poultry Farming
Egg production from a Layer Poultry Farming depends on the care and farm management. If you take good care of your birds and manage them properly, then the production and profit will be high.
Poultry Feed
As feed is the major cost of poultry production and it significantly affects the production performance of the birds. So feed and feeding is the most important consideration for efficient poultry farming. Improper feeding not only affects the production performance but also causes several deficiency diseases. Also, the feed needs to have all the nutrients (carbohydrates, protein, fats, minerals & vitamins) in the right proportion. Also, some additives to facilitate digestion and growth are often added in reputed commercial feed.
BIO-Security Measures in a Layer Farm
Bio-security is a practice designed to prevent the spread of disease onto your farm. Bio-security has three major components: 1. Isolation. 2. Traffic Control. 3. Sanitation.
Bio-Security Measures Fencing
- Keep visitors to a minimum.
- Limit visits to other poultry farms.
- Keep all animals and wild birds out of poultry houses.
- Practice sound rodent and pest control program.
- Inspect flocks daily and recognize disease symptoms.
- Good ventilation and relatively dry litter.
- Keep areas around houses and feed bins clean.
- No exchange of feed and equipment.
- Disinfection and sanitization of poultry house & types of equipment
Equipment Register
This includes various farm equipment pieces of machinery like feed mill, vehicles, cages, incubators, feeders, waterers, etc. The date, source, number, and cost of purchase of equipment must be recorded. The repairs carried out along with the details of repairs also must be indicated. The annual depreciation should be calculated for equipment and the actual post-depreciation value for equipment must be brought forward for the next year.
Broiler Farm Records
For broiler farms, a batch-wise performance sheet has to be maintained, with the following columns.
Before the regular columns, the batch number, source of chicks, number of paid and free chicks received, date of the hatch, cost per click and strain, have to be recorded.
Below these regular columns the following particulars like total live body weight of birds sold, number of birds sold, percent mortality, total feed consumed, feed conversion ratio, cost of feed, the sale price of broilers sold, cost of chicks, and miscellaneous cost (electricity, labor, medicine, vaccination, fuel, etc) have to be recorded.
Raising a home chicken flock can be a good experience and a source of enjoyment. As a family project, it teaches about living beings and responsibility. The home chicken flock also can be an excellent source of low-cost, high-quality poultry products. This publication should provide the basic tools to start a successful flock.
