All chickens need good nutrition; however, if you are raising a certain type of chickens (for meat, eggs or even as pets), you need to think about a specific diet for their particular needs. Specifically, those laying hens need a special diet to be able to produce eggs regularly and ensure that they have a shell that is strong enough to be able to take them to the kitchen without breaking them. Fortunately, making sure that the hens lay eggs and that they do a lot of them is not a task that requires technical expertise; with a little effort and attention you can ensure good egg production.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Feeding the Laying Hens
Step 1. Provide the right food and nutrients at the right time
When the hens are sufficiently grown to produce eggs regularly (18-24 weeks, depending on the breed), you need to provide them with the right nutrients and foods for them to produce eggs suitable for human consumption. Otherwise, the production will be reduced and the eggs will be fragile to the point of being able to break even before bringing them to the table. Proper nutrition allows hens to look and feel healthy.
Step 2. Add calcium to their diet at the appropriate time
When they have reached around 20 weeks of life, you need to increase the amount of calcium they are absorbing; Laying hens need 2.5-3.5% more of this mineral than other hens, because it provides adequate nutrients to lay healthy eggs. You can consider:
- Oyster shells;
- Calcium powder;
- Feed enriched with calcium.
Step 3. Leave the hens free to roam the yard
Free range hens are able to supplement their diet with a variety of insects, berries, seeds and grains; these products not only provide additional nutrients for healthy egg production, but also improve the flavor of the eggs themselves. In addition, this way you get happier chickens and you can also be able to sell the eggs at a higher price to the consumer, who is increasingly interested in the conditions under which the animals are kept.
Step 4. Maintain adequate amounts of protein
Laying hens should not eat too much protein, unlike specimens raised for meat which need 20-24% of this nutrient in their diet; for those that produce eggs a ration equal to 16% (or even less) is sufficient. Therefore, pay attention to the type of feed you buy and what your pets eat. To increase your protein intake consider:
- Leave the hens free in the yard to catch the worms;
- Provide growth feed;
- Integrate with feed formulated specifically for laying hens.
Step 5. Find good quality pellets
This type of feed contains all the nutrients these animals need to produce healthy eggs. If you don't want to spend too much time checking your chickens' nutrition, consider purchasing premixed pellets. If you make food for your feathered friends yourself, make sure it contains protein (16% or less) and adequate levels of calcium (2.5-3.5%) to ensure eggs that are sturdy enough to bring them to the table.
- Typically, a laying hen consumes about 100 g of feed per day.
- Offer her the entire daily ration at once, preferably in the morning.
- Always check the amount of food in the bowl to make sure you have enough.
Step 6. Provide your pets with a handful of sand
These are tiny pebbles or fine gravels that remain in the hens' gizzards and help them break up the food; they represent a fundamental element of their diet, because they favor the digestion of food. Without sand, chickens are unable to digest and harness all the nutrients needed to produce healthy eggs. Adding sand is even more important when the hens are confined to a confined space and are not allowed to roam free.
Step 7. Avoid giving them an excessive amount of table scraps
Although they represent a supplement to their diet, you must act with caution; some foods can harm egg production rather than improve quality and / or quantity. Considers that:
- Laying hens should not eat more table scraps than they can consume in 20 minutes;
- Potatoes, pasta, beans and even stale bread are all suitable;
- But avoid avocado, chocolate, citrus and tomato stalks;
- Also avoid strong-flavored foods, such as garlic and onions, as eggs may have the same aroma;
- Table scraps can also increase fatty tissue, with the risk of overweight and poor health.
Step 8. Provide flour moths from time to time
These are small worms very rich in proteins and other useful nutrients for hens; therefore, consider incorporating them into their diet only as a delicious treat every now and then. Although chickens are very fond of this food, overdoing it could compromise egg production by excessively increasing their protein content.
- Feed these worms to the hens once a week at the most.
- Meal moths may not even be necessary if the animals are kept outdoors, as they are able to get hold of the worms and other insects on their own.
- If you don't want to buy worms, you can decide to breed them yourself.
Part 2 of 2: Ensuring a Healthy Environment
Step 1. Keep the coop in good hygienic condition
Its general condition and quality greatly affect egg production, as well as the consumption of food by the hens. An unhealthy environment promotes the development of bacteria and disease, which contaminate food, make chickens sick and potentially reduce the amount of eggs. However, there are some things you can do to prevent these problems. For instance:
- Clean the chicken coop about every month;
- Let the hens roam freely for at least a couple of hours a day;
- Do not keep too many animals so as not to overcrowd the chicken coop; the recommended "population density" is one hen for every 0.35 m2 of surface area for specimens reared outdoors, while 0.9 m2 of space for each chicken that remains locked up all the time.
Step 2. Raise the chickens early on with a healthy diet to achieve early egg production
Animals should consume chick food until they are 6-8 weeks old; this product provides them with all the vitamins and substances to become healthy adult hens. The daily portion varies according to the breed and age of the chicken, so you should read the instructions on the package or ask the shop assistant for information. A good initial investment and careful breeding procedures from the start allow you to get more eggs in the future.
Step 3. Switch to a growth feed at the right age
When the chickens are over 6-8 weeks old, you can offer them follow-on food, which helps them develop into mature birds that start laying eggs just when you want them. At 20 weeks you have to change the food again by choosing a specific product for laying hens; again, read the instructions on the package or inquire at the feed store to find the correct rations based on the breed and age of the animals.
