Technical Education and Skills Development Authority

CONCEPCION VOCATIONAL SCHOOL

TRC. Alfonso, Concepcion, Tarlac

ANIMAL PRODUCTION (POULTRY-CHICKEN) NC-II

(Perform Pre-Lay and lay Activities)

Layer poultry farming means egg laying poultry birds for the purpose of commercial egg production.

Layer Chickens are such a special species of hens, which need to be raised from when they are one day old. They
start laying eggs commercially from 18-19 weeks age.

LAYER TYPE
 Bab cock
 De kalb
 H&N
 Star cross
 Lohmann
 Hy – line
 Hi- sex

INTEGUMENT - a system comprises of the comb, wattles, feathers, the preen gland, and skin.

Comb and wattles - are used in identification among birds and as an area for dissipation of excess body heat.
Feathers - covers almost completely the body of the bird and this makes them different from other vertebrates. It
comprises 4 to 8 % of live weight.

WHAT IS PULLET

are hens under the age of one year. They typically begin laying eggs between 18 and 20 weeks old and, in
the first year of life, lay eggs every few days. Hens do not need a mate to produce eggs.

Perform preparatory activities

Preparing the house for layers arrival is important to ensure health and growth of the pullet. Two weeks
prior to arrival, the house should be cleaned and disinfected and a rodent-control program should be implemented.
Old feed should be removed from feed bins and feed troughs. The house should be fumigated. Fumigation will help
avoid the introduction of diseases.
Start lighting the house 2 days prior to arrival to ensure that the house and equipment is warmed thoroughly.
The 2 days of heating is often necessary because the equipment and litter will warm at a slower rate than the air
(where temperature is measured). The water lines should be cleaned and disinfected at this time.

House Preparation Check List

 Prior to delivery of Pullets

o Clean and disinfect cages or floor brooding area and equipment, the building interior and attached
service areas and equipment.
o Check to make sure equipment is working properly and is adjusted to the right height.
o Remove all old feed from bins, hoppers, and troughs. Disinfect and allow to dry before new feed is
delivered.
o Place rodenticide where it will not be consumed by the chicks.

 One day before delivery

o Set heating system at correct temperatures.
o Check water system and adjust to proper height for chicks.
o Disinfect and flush water lines.

 On delivery day
 o Have waterers full or water system in operation.
o Check brooder temperatures.
o As chicks are placed, trigger water cups or nipples to encourage drinking.
o When nipple drinkers are used, reduce the water pressure so birds can see the drop of water
hanging on the drinker.
o Feed should be on placed in cage.
o Operate feeders at highest feed level.
o Maintain the required light and temperature of the birds

Laying House

In the tropics, the most common houses for layer chickens are either of elevated floor type. The litter floor
type of housing is likewise unpopular for layers due to sanitation and litter procurement problems.

 Elevated – floor Type – bamboo slats or welded wire are commonly used flooring materials in this type of
laying house. The house should be open sided with either bamboo slats or nylon nets as walling material The
style of roof should be of the monitor type. This type of house can accommodate eleven layers per square
meter of floor area.
 Cage type – In chicken most laying cage are constructed with a height of 41 cm. The size of the floor varies. A
cage with floor dimension of 31 cm x 41 cm can accommodate one layer while a 60 cm x 90 cm floor area
can accommodate 6 to 10 layers at any given time. The floor size of the bird can be reduced provided that
beak trimming of the birds is done and there is proper ventilation.
 Single cages – can only accommodate one layer at a time.
 Multiple bird cages – can hold 2 – 10 pullets.
 Colony cages – can hold 20 – 30 pullets at a time.

 Reversed Caging – the depth becomes the width (46 cm) and the width becomes the depth (31 cm) This cage
size can be accommodate 4 layers at a time at the feeder can accommodate 4 layers at a time.
 Cage arrangement – can be classified as single deck, double deck, triple deck, and flat deck.

Equipment and Facilities

 The kind of equipment used for egg-type chickens during the brooding and growing stages is similar to those
used in breeders or broilers.
 Equipment and facilities used in raising egg-type chickens include the following: heater, brooder guard,
feeders, drinkers, debeaker, catching crate, weighing scales, and cart for feed and egg transport.
 The presence of foot baths, manure shed, incinerator, and hospital pens are needed to support the program
for hygiene and sanitation in the farm

Space Allowances

 During the growing and laying stages, birds should be given the appropriate floor, feeding, and drinking
space allowances.
 Comfortable chicken are able to move, eat, and drink normally, grow normally, and produce more eggs than
those kept under overcrowding conditions.

Floor Area,
Age in weeks Age in weeks Feeder cm/bird Drinker cm/bird
SQM/100 birds
0–3 2.8 0–2 2.5 0.5 cm or 1 gal/100
 bird
3–8 4.7 2–6 4.5 1.0
8 – 12 9.3 6–8 7.5 2.0
12 – 20 13.9 8 – 20 7.5 2.0
Beyond 20 8.0 2.5

Culling and Selection

 Sexing Errors – Males should be culled at once because only females are needed in a commercial farming
operation.
 Deformed Individuals – Chicken with deformities such as those with cross beak, crooked backs, or are lame
or runts.
 Birds that are obviously suffering from disease must be culled at once so that they would contaminate the
healthy ones.

Signs of Sexual Maturity

 Increase in size of comb and wattles

 Reddening of the comb and wattles
 Becoming friendly and cackling
 Instinctively looking for nest
 Becoming docile and gregarious
 Pubic and abdominal spread become enlarged

The surest sign of sexual maturity is the laying of the first egg. Pullets which mature early do not have the
physiological body size, hence, results in the following:

 Too many small-size of eggs are produced

 Egg production rate is low
 Mortality rate is high
 Incidence of vaginal prolapsed is high.

Various ways in delaying sexual maturity.

 Reduction on the amount feed given

 Providing high fiber diet
 Providing low protein, specifically low lysine diet
 Skip feeding
 Reduction of light exposure.

Guides in choosing the strain of egg-type chicken to be raised.

 High egg production – not less than 25 eggs in laying year

 Big eggs – average weight of not less than 60 grams
 Small body size – not more than 1.3 kg at point of lay
 High livability during the growing period 94 – 96 percent
 Low depletion rate during the laying period – not greater than 1 percent per month.

Stage Types/Kind of Feed Amount of Feed

Brooding (0-6 weeks) Booster/Starter/Mash/ Crumbles 3 kg/head
Growing
(6-12 weeks) Grower/Mash/Crumbles 7 kg/head
12-20 weeks Pullet Developer/Layer 1.5 kg/head
1/Mash/Crumbles
Laying
2 weeks up to culling Laying Mash/Pellets 90 – 110 g/day
Chick Booster(Crumbles, 50 kgs., crude protein 21.5% min, crude fiber 4% max, crude fat 3.0% min, calcium 0.9-1.1%,
phosphorous 0.55% min, moisture 12% max)

Feed Starter (crumbles, 50 kgs, 21% crude protein min., crude fat 3.5%, crude fiber 8%, calcium 0.90-1.10%,
phosphorus 0.55% min, moisture 12% max)

Grower (crumbles, 50 kgs, 18% crude protein min., crude fat 6%, crude fiber 5.5%, calcium 0.80-1.10%, phosphorus
0.7% min, moisture 12% max)

Layer Feeds (Pellets, 50 kgs, 17% crude protein min., crude fat 5%, crude fiber 5%, calcium 3.80-4.20%, phosphorus
0.7% min, moisture 12% max)

The following Characteristic can be used as guides in choosing the strain of egg-type chicken

 High egg production – not less than 250 eggs in laying year
 Big eggs – average weight of not less than 60 g.
 Small body size – not more than 1.3 kg at point of lay.
 High livability during the growing period
 Low depletion rate during the laying period

Feeds and Feeding

 Layer chicken should be provided with good quality feeds at all times.
 To stimulate feed consumption, feeding should be done at least 3 times a day.
 Egg-type layer will be able to consume between 90 – 110 g per day.

Transfer layers in laying house

The body weight and the weight uniformity is the best indicator of how well the pullet is performing. In the
past, shank length was used as an indicator of pullet flock performance, but it is difficult to influence shank length
without also influencing body weight. As a result, monitoring the body weight on a regular basis throughout grow is
recommended.
The pullets’ rate of body weight can be controlled, in part, by the lighting program. Moreover, the rate of
body weight gain is influence by nutrition, the number and timing of beak treatment, the vaccination program, and
the overall health status of the pullets.
In addition to the body weight average which is 1,300 – 1,400 grams, the uniformity of body weights within
the flock is an indicator of normal flock development. The goal at point of lay is minimum 80% uniformity, although
uniformities of 90% are often seen. Flocks lacking uniformity at point of lay often exhibit lower and later peaks than
expected and are more difficult to design diets.

Factors, which can be adversely, affected the uniformity are:

 Crowding
 Disease
 Vaccinating program
 Poor Beak treatment
 Lack of Perches
 Inadequate nutrient and energy intakes.

It is essential to move the pullets to the lay house well in advance of the eggs being laid to ensure no eggs
are laid in the grow facilities and, if a cage-free system is used, to ensure that the females are well trained to use the
nest. The flock can be moved into the laying facility at 16-17 weeks of age or after last live vaccinations.
Employ lighting program

Egg production is very closely to the changes in day length. Body weight gain during grow, egg numbers, egg size,
livability, and total profitability can be favorably influenced by a proper lighting program.

Guidelines for Laying Period

Onset of sexual maturity generally depends on the following requirements

 A minimum chronological age which is genetically determined.

 A minimum body weight
 A nutrient and energy consumption to support production
 A constant or increasing day length of at least 12 hours

Light stimulation should not be provided until flocks reach the optimum body weight. Flocks which are light-
stimulated into production at lower body will likely produce normal egg weight and suffer from reduced peak
production and post-peak dips in production.
Timing of light stimulation can be used as a tool to help attain desired egg size. Lighting programs can be
customized to best meet the egg size demand of a particular market. Provide light stimulation when the target body
weight is reached, usually around 17-19 weeks of age. The appropriate target body weight depends in part on the
variety of hen and in part the desired egg size. Increase the day length by 15-30 per week or once every 2 weeks
until 16 hours of light is reached. Preferably, the period of increasing day length stimulation should last until peak
production. The light intensity at housing should be 5 – 10 lux. Allow no decrease in day length or light intensity in
adult layers, Such decrease in day length will adversely affect egg production.

Apply feeding activities

Regularly empty, clean, and disinfect feed bins and avoid unnecessary build-up of dusty, stale, moldy, and
unpalatable feed. Birds should be allowed to occasionally empty feeders to avoid feed build-up in the feeders and to
allow the birds to consume the fines often left in the feed trough. Order feed in good time to avoid running out of
feed.

Feeding of Pullets

Feeding and management of pullets during the growing period have major effects on egg production and egg
weights during the laying period. Mistakes made during the growing period can lead to poor production in lay and
cannot easily be corrected during the laying period. Therefore, flexibility in pullet diet formulation and in the timing
of diet changes is necessary to ensure that body weight and uniformity targets are met. Feeding the starter diet as
crumbles can improve body weight gain and uniformity by increasing the chicks’ feed consumption and avoiding
selective feeding.

Factors that affect feed intake and, therefore, consumption of energy and nutrients.

 Speed of feeders and the duration of the feeding.

 The number of feedings per day
 Drinking water flow rate
 Insufficient feeder or water space
 Feed refusal
 Abrupt feed-formulation changes
 Lack of perches

Light Management

 Exposure of light can affect the sexual maturity of the chicken.

 The rule is not to increase the day length exposure of the flock during the growing period.
 When excessive lighting or increasing day length, pullets will start to lay eggs at an early age.
 In general, pullets laying eggs at an early age tend to lay small-sized eggs and have a short production period.
 Egg production and egg size are associated with stimulation.
 Light stimulation is initiated when lights falls on the eye of the chicken.
  Lights activates the anterior lobe of the birds pituitary gland located at the base of the brain, which causes
the release of the follicle stimulating hormone.
 With the release of this hormones, there is an increase in the growth of ovarian follicles
 During the laying period, a lighting program can be implemented to increase egg production and egg size.

Lighting program

 Provide a 15 minute or a 20 minute light increment per week until 16 hours of light per day achieved.
 Provide a 30 minute light increment every two weeks and then a 15 minute light increment every week until
16 hours of light per day is achieved.

SELECTION OR REPLACEMENT STOCKS

Watch for your pullet to begin growing a red comb. This usually happens between three and four months of
age and is a sign of sexual maturity. Some pullets develop a brighter red comb just before they lay eggs.

Chickens grow wattles as they reach sexual maturity. These are loose, fatty growths, usually red or pink,
under the beak. These serve several functions including keeping chickens cool, but almost always develop just before
a pullet begins laying eggs.

Look for nesting behavior. If you provide your pullet with a nest or nest box, the pullet may develop a
sudden interest in this area a day or two before it lays eggs. Pullets may also begin pecking the ground in a single
location, digging, gathering debris and building a nest. Some pullets become anxious just before they lay eggs.

Be aware of your pullet's behavior. Chickens are highly social animals and each has its own personality. Most
chickens begin behaving differently just before they lay eggs. Docile pullets may become aggressive. Social pullets
may become more fearful or territorial. By observing your chicken's normal behavioral repertoire, you'll be better
able to notice changes and predict egg laying.

Light Management

 Egg production and egg size are associated with light stimulation. Light stimulation is initiated when light
falls on the eye of the chicken. Light activates the anterior lobe of the bird’s pituitary gland located at the
base of the brain, which causes the release of the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). With the release of this
hormone. there is an increase in the growth of ovarian follicles. Upon reaching maturity, the ovum is
released by the action of another hormonal secretion from the pituitary, the luteinizing hormone (LH).
 There are various ways of increasing the length of light exposure to the laying chickens.
 Provide a fifteen – minute light increment per week until 16 hours of light is achieved.
 Provide a 30 minute light increment every week until sixteen hours of light per day is achieved.
 Cardinal Rule is never decrease the amount of light exposure during laying period.

The Formation of an Egg

OVARY - develops the Yolk: The chicken egg starts as an egg yolk inside a hen. A yolk (called an oocyte at this point)
is produced by the hen's ovary in a process called ovulation.

Infundibulum - where Fertilization takes place and chalazae is formed: The yolk is released into the oviduct (a long,
spiraling tube in the hen's reproductive system), where it can be fertilized internally (inside the hen) by a sperm. The
Chalazae: As the egg goes down through the oviduct, it is continually rotating within the spiraling tube. This
movement twists the structural fibers (called the chalazae), which form rope-like strands that anchor the yolk in the
thick egg white. There are two chalazae anchoring each yolk, on opposite ends of the egg.

Magnum - where the Egg White (albumin) is developed: The yolk continues down the oviduct (whether or not it is
fertilized) and it is covered with structural fibers, and layers of albumin (the egg white).

Isthmus - where the shell membrane is developed.

Uterus or Shell Gland - where the Eggshell is formed: The eggshell is deposited around the egg in the lower part of
the oviduct of the hen, just before it is laid. The shell is made of calcite, a crystalline form of calcium carbonate.
Vagina - the part where the egg turns 180 degrees so that the larger end will comes out first.

Vent - is the outer part of the vagina.

Incubation Period - it is the length of embryo development until hatching.

Characteristics of layers and non-layers

Character Laying hen Non-laying hen

Comb Large, red, Small, pale,

waxy, full scaly, shrunken

Wattles Large, Small

prominent contracted
Vent Large, moist Dry, puckered

Abdomen Full, soft, Shallow or full

velvety, pliable of hard fat

Pubic Bones Flexible, wide Stiff, close

open together

Size Term Weight range (Grams)

Jumbo 71 above
Extra Large 66 – 70
Large 61 – 65
Medium 56 – 60
Small 51- 55
Pullet 46 - 50
Peewee 41 - 45
No weight 40 and below
 Healthy bird Unhealthy bird
Posture Head and tail are Head is held close to its
elavated body, wings and tail are
possibly drooped and
twisted neck
Comb/wattle Clean, bright and red in Shrunken, cyanotic (blue), pale
color and swollen
Eyes Bright and alert Watery, swollen and dull
Nostril Clean without any kind of Presence of discharges
discharges
Musculature Heavy in weight when Shrunken resulting in a thin
handled breast
Legs and feet Clean and waxy, joints are Scaly, dehydrated, joints are
smooth and cool swollen and warm to touch

Feed and water Eats and drinks frequently Loss of appetite with excessive
intake to drink
Feces Formed, gray or brown with Chalky white, green, yellow or
white caps red and deformed droppings
are watery and very sticky

Manner of Absence of noise and less Gasping, rales, gurgling and

breathing movement of abdominal wall rapid movement of abdominal
wall

Egg Type Calories

Egg White 16-18

Egg Yolk 58-60

Whole Raw Egg 76-78

Soft Boiled Egg 78-80

Hard Boiled Egg 78-81

Scrambled Egg up to 100

Poached Egg 79-81

Egg Sandwich/ Egg Salad up to 556

Perform health care

A flock of pullets or layers can only perform up to its genetic potential when disease influence is minimized. The
appearance of various diseases can vary from a subclinical effect on performance to severe mortality. The diseases
of economic importance vary widely between locations, but in very case the challenge to identity and control
diseases.
Vaccination
Vaccination involves the administration of an antigen to stimulate the immune system to produce specific
antibodies against viral, bacterial and protozoa diseases.

Medication
Antibiotics and chemotherapeutic compounds are administered to flocks to treat outbreaks of disease. The
administration of drugs is generally a last resort to salvage the value of a flock and to reduce losses following
infection. Over-reliance on medication is both expensive and has negative flock and public health implications
 Administration of vaccines
1. Post-hatch spray vaccination - for mass-administration
of aerosol vaccines to day old chicks.
2. Subcutaneous injection - to administer either live or
inactivated emulsion vaccines.
3. Wing-web stab - to administer live vaccines directly to
each bird.
4. Eye drop and intranasal routes - for hatchery
administration and during brooding of chicks.
5. Aerosol administration - using knapsack or electric
sprayer to deliver vaccines to flocks as a coarse spray.
6. Drinking water administration
.

Age (days) Medicines/vaccines Route Dosage Duration

0 Dextrose/electrolytes Drinking water 2.5 g/li 3 hours

1-3 Antibiotics Drinking water as prescribed 12 hours

4 New castle disease (NCD Eye drop or 1 dose per bird

B1B1) Intranasal or
Spray
5-8 Multivitamins Drinking water as prescribed 3 hours

9 Plain water
10-12 Vitamin E Drinking water as prescribed 3 hours

13 Infectious bursal disease Drinking water 1 dose per bird

(IBD)
14-18 Multivitamins Drinking water as prescribed 3 hours

19 Plain water
20 New castle disease (NCD Drinking water 1 dose per bird
la sota)
21-23 Plain water
24-26 Antibiotics Drinking water as prescribed 12 hours

27-30 Plain water

31-harvest Electrolytes Drinking water as prescribed 3 hours

Egg Incubation

Incubation – Refers to the process by which birds hatch their eggs, and to the development of the embryo within the
egg. The most vital factor of incubation is the constant temperature required for its development over a specific
period. The average incubation period for chicken is 21 days.

Types of Incubation

There are two types of incubation

 Natural incubation – It is incubation under
broody hen is the ideal way to hatch a small
number of eggs. A hen can successfully hatch
12-15 eggs depending on her size
 Artificial Incubation – it is incubation using machine with warms, turns, humidifies birds egg to incubate and
eventually hatch them

Requirement for Incubation

 Temperature – it is the most critical environment concern during incubation. During setter phase
temperature required is 98.5 – 100.5oF/37.2 – 38.3oC. During hatcher phase temperature required is 98-
99oF/37-37.5oC. When incubation temperature deviate from the optimum level, hachability will decline and
the incidence of the malformed chicks will increase. Too high temperature results in excessive late
embryonic mortality. Low setter temperature result in show embryo growth, late and uneven hatching and
high percentage of unhatched eggs.

 Humidity – humidity is also important because the rate at which eggs

lose water by evaporation depends on the ambient relative humidity.
The relative humidity of air with in incubator should be about 60%.
During the last 3 days the relative humidity should be nearer 65-70%.
Too much moisture in incubator prevents normal evaporation and
results in a decreased hatch, chick with a large yolk and a sluggish chick,
which is difficult to save. Too little moisture result in excessive
evaporation, causing chicks to stick to the shell, remain in the pipped
shell, and sometimes hatch crippled.

 Ventilation/Air – proper ventilation is important for successful incubation. Insufficient ventilation may result
in embryo of chick death. During the hatching period additional ventilation must be supplied to reduce the
carbon dioxide in the incubator. Each process is speed up approximately 100 times between the first and the
21st day of incubation. Since 1,000 eggs required 143 ft3 of fresh air per day(oxygen in the air at 21%) on the
18th day of incubation. As the embryo grows it needs a larger supply of fresh air. The movement of gases
through the pores of the shell and the shell membrane is important because the developing embryo must
receives a constant supply of oxygen and must eliminate carbon dioxide and moisture.
 Turning –The turning process allows the embryo to revolve and slides in the inner white, yolk does not
adhere to the shell membrane and provide access to additional nutrients for embryonic development. If
turning is not occurring in the incubator deforming of the inner membrane started and eventually the yolk
will touch the shell membrane. If it is happens embryo upper most the embryo will stuck the shell and die.
For this reason turning in essential for the survival of healthy chicks. For good hatchability, eggs should be
turned to a position at least 45 from vertical, and then reversed in the opposite direction to a similar position.
The egg turning should be undertaken 6-8 times per day.
Transfer hens to layer cages
 Give antibiotics to prevent cases of peritonitis, give multivitamins to enhance their resistance to stress
 transfer the layer strain chicken to the layer cages before 16 weeks old
 give 24 hours light at the day of transfer to allow the hens to get familiar and comfortable to the new house,
feeders and drinkers
 Provide the ideal light intensity is 5 to 10 lux and day length of layers is 16 hours
 Inspect the physical attributes to check if the layer is productive or not (The comb must be well developed
and super red in color, the periphery of the anus is moistened and devoid of feathers)