south africa layer chicken cages

Misunderstandings and Countermeasures of Lighting Management in Open Chicken Coops

With the development of the market economy, the total amount of aquaculture in the countryside has continuously increased, but the overall breeding level, such as laying hens, has decreased egg production and profits. The reason is mainly that the rural chicken houses are mostly open type, and there are many misunderstandings in the light management of farmers, and the lighting procedures are very confusing. Therefore, only the correct use of light can promote the healthy growth and development of chickens, at the same time, timely production, stable production, high yield, thus improving the breeding efficiency.

First, brooding period

The lighting during the brooding period mainly stimulates the feed intake of the chickens, and the influence of light on the chicks is mainly reflected in the illumination time and the light intensity. It is easy to have problems with the lighting time.

Some farmers do not consider gaining weight and give 8 hours of light in the first 2-3 weeks of the brooding. Chicks have poor anti-stress ability, low feed intake, plus many times of immunization in the brooding period and stress, and the chickens often fail to reach the standard weight. If the illumination time is too short at this time, the flock intake time will be shortened accordingly and the body weight will be seriously insufficient. Therefore, the weak chicks will only increase and the death rate will increase.

In addition, some breeders have been given light for more than 20 hours for a long period of brooding, and even 14-16 hours of light have been given after 60 days. In this way, although the chickens take a long time to eat, the feed intake increases, but the chickens are in a state of fatigue for a long period of time and are not sufficiently rested. This will also affect the growth and development of the chicks, which in turn will cause feathers, anal fistulas, weakened constitutions, and death. The rate rose.

We use 23 hours of light three days before the brooding period, and then we can flexibly control the speed of declining light according to the weight and physical condition of the chicks. Normally, 3 hours per week is reduced until fixed light in natural light or in the rearing period. When the weight of the chicken is small and the constitution is weak, the speed of light reduction can be delayed. The light intensity is generally: the first week with 40 watt bulbs (3 meters spacing, 2 meters above the ground), the first 3 days also available 60-100 watt bulbs. After the second week, a 25 watt bulb can be used. The light intensity is generally 3 watts per square meter. The illumination is even and the individual light bulbs do not exceed 60 watts to avoid causing defects.

Second, the growth period

Due to the differences in regions and seasons, open chicken houses do not have and can not have a fixed light time during the breeding period. Therefore, the chaos on farmers' lighting time is mainly reflected in the breeding period.

The first is that natural lighting has been used throughout the breeding period. This will inevitably result in the following undesirable consequences: If the natural light is gradually extended at this time, it will lead to the early arrival of the sexual maturity of the flock, and the weight does not reach the standard at the time of opening. This has not yet been achieved. The pre-production period involves the production of eggs in advance, the weight of the eggs is light, and the production of small eggs takes a long time, resulting in a drop in profits. If the natural light is gradually shortened at this time, it will lead to the maturity of the chicken population in advance, and the ovaries have not yet fully developed, causing delays in the opening of production, waste of feed, and increase in costs, as well as a drop in profits.

Second, some farmers are afraid that the chickens won't reach the cage weight. The lighting time in the breeding period is 2-3 hours or even 16 hours longer than the standard time, which will inevitably shorten the time for lighting stimulation before and after the opening. It turns out that short-term light stimulation is not as effective as egg production for long periods of light stimulation, and even postpones production, with short peak durations and reduced total egg production.

The lighting time in the breeding period must be scientific and fixed and cannot be lengthened or shortened at will. In the late winter and early spring, the natural illumination duration is gradually extended, and the fixed illumination duration in the rearing period is based on the 18-week-old natural illumination time. From the late summer to autumn and winter, the natural light is gradually shortened. At this time, the natural lighting time in the seventh week is the fixed light time in the breeding period.

The light intensity during the entire breeding period should also be controlled. In the summer, the outside light intensity is too strong to block the windows, avoid direct sunlight on the chicken body, cause paralysis and affect the growth and development. In the winter, light intensity should be prevented from being too weak, and it is desirable to have 1-3 watts of illumination per square meter. When the light is filled, a 25-watt light bulb is generally used. The distance between the light bulbs is 3 meters and it is 2 meters from the ground.

Third, the egg production period

During the laying period, the light time is fixed and the light intensity cannot be reduced. Primarily prone to problems with light stimulation before egg production.

Some egg-laying 2-3 hours before, 2-3 times can add light to 16 hours. Because layers are sensitive to light stimulation, each light addition should not exceed one hour in addition to the first light addition. If the over-stimulation is excessive, the follicular development of the sexually mature chicks will be abnormal and the double yellow eggs will be too much. The production of chickens is more difficult to produce from the anal, and the other part of the late-developed chickens will reduce the chance of light stimulation, follicular development will be inhibited, will be postponed to open production, and even will not produce for life.

Under normal conditions, the chickens begin light stimulation before laying eggs at 18 weeks. If the light can continue to stimulate the peak of egg production, the light should be increased by 1 hour or increased to a minimum of 13 hours per week. Increase 15 minutes or 30 minutes in two weeks until the illumination time reaches 16 hours or 17 hours. After that, keep the light time constant. Light intensity is 5 watts per square meter.