Chickens in coop systems are transferred to egg-laying coops at 16 weeks. The coop and equipment should be disinfected before the chickens are brought in. There are three types of coop systems where chickens will spend their egg-laying period: 1- Floor system (with litter), 2- Grill system (1/3 or 2/3), and 3- Cage system.
Floor-based Coops (with litter) for Poultry and Egg-laying hens: The floor is concrete. Straw, rice, straw, and sawdust are spread on top. These are spread out at a thickness of 7-10 cm. In floor-based coops, the ratio of 6-7 chickens per square meter during the egg-laying period should be 6-7.
Poultry Farming: Grid-System Coops: (1/3 or 2/3) 1/3 or 2/3 of the coop is griddled, the rest is floor-standing. Grids are raised 1/2 to 1/4 cm from the floor. Chickens generally stand on the griddle.
Manure falls into the manure pit below. This provides 6-7 chickens per square meter. Manual Nests: One nest is for 4-5 chickens. These nests are placed in the darkest areas of the coop. Sawdust or straw is used as bedding. Waterers and Feeders: An automatic hanging waterer is used for poultry farming. The height of the waterers should be 2-3 cm above the chickens' backs. Waterers should always have clean, fresh, and sufficient water; one feeder is calculated per chicken. The feeder should contain enough feed for 1-2 days. The coop is lined with a row of waterers and a row of feeders. More modern systems use automatic nest systems. Clean eggs, fewer broken eggs, a lower percentage of floor eggs, and lower labor costs.
Layer Hens, Cage System Poultry Farming Cage system: Coops have become very common. In this system, the recommended width is one hen per 400 cm. Cage mesh should be large enough to accommodate four hens for brown-layer layers and five hens for white-layer layers. A 10 cm distance should be left in front of the cage for feeding and drinking water.
Advantages of the Cage System in Poultry Farming: Chickens can be controlled, feed loss is minimal, litter is not needed, and floor egg-laying is not a problem. The coop accommodates more birds per unit area. Eggs are cleaner, and the rate of breakage and cracking is lower. Egg-eating habits increase rapidly in floor systems once established, while they decrease in cage systems. Chickens do not brood, and excessive labor is not required.
Disadvantages of the Cage System: Poultry farming: It's an expensive system. Blood-stained eggs are more common, and manure removal is problematic. Vitamin supplements should be added to the ration of caged hens to prevent cage fatigue. This system is gradually declining globally due to animal rights and natural egg issues.
Light Needs for Chickens Poultry Farming: Light increases egg production. During this period, a light intensity of 3 watts per square meter is recommended. During the egg-laying period, the daily light amount is increased by half an hour per week, increasing the lighting duration to 1 hour. Lighting in the coops is provided by sunlight and electricity. Bulbs should be two meters above the ground and have reflectors. 40-watt bulbs are used at 4-meter intervals to provide illumination.
Poultry Farming Temperature: The temperature range where laying hens consume the least feed and produce the most is 100°C. If the temperature drops, the hens will eat more feed to stay warm, but egg production will decrease. If the temperature rises, appetite increases, feed intake will decrease, egg production will decrease, and the eggs will be thin-shelled and small.
Humidity and Ventilation in Poultry Farming: When the coop temperature is 18°C, the humidity level is 60%. As the temperature in the coop increases, so does the humidity level. If a foul odor is felt upon entering the coop, it means that carbon dioxide and ammonia gases have accumulated in the coop, and the temperature and humidity have increased. In this case, the coop must be ventilated. Ventilation in coops should be provided using ventilation shafts and automatic or semi-automatic fans. House ventilation should be carried out using an automatic system. Aqua Maker cooling pad systems should be used for ventilation in the summer. 1 kg of live weight in coops requires 5-6 m3 of fresh air per hour.
Egg-laying Poultry Farming: Feeding Chickens The laying period is divided into two parts: Weekly: During this period, which is the continuation of growth and egg development, chickens are fed feed with a minimum of 16% protein and 2650 kcal/kg metabolic energy. Weekly: During this period, up to the 60th week, this period is called the production period, and the following weeks are called the maturity period. During this period, chickens are fed feed with a 15% protein and 2650 kcal/kg metabolic energy.
Egg-Laying Poultry Farming: Feed is the most significant expense in poultry farming. Feed should be purchased from reputable factories, and the feed bag should state the type and ingredients. A good mixed feed, when taken in the palm of your hand and inspected, should be moisture-free, fluid, odorless, and uniform. Feed brought to the farm should be stored in a dry and well-ventilated area and stacked on grates no higher than 1.5-2 meters.
Egg-laying Poultry Farming: Grain feeds (such as barley, wheat, corn, etc.) constitute 60% of chicken feed. Protein-rich nutrients (such as soybean meal, cottonseed meal, alfalfa meal, fish meal, and bone meal) constitute 30-35% of the feed. The remaining 5-10% consists of vitamins and minerals. In our country, a chicken's daily feed consumption is between 1000 and 2000 grams. This amount varies depending on the breed of chicken, feeding system, feed quality, and the temperature of the coop. Additionally, pellets and granulated feeds are more readily consumed than fine feeds.
Practical Adjustments to Feed Consumption Poultry Farming: For every 100 kcal increase or decrease in ME per kilogram of feed, feed consumption increases or decreases by 5 g. When the ambient temperature (21°C) falls below optimal, feed consumption increases by 1 g for every 1 °C (21-4°C). If the ambient temperature is above optimal (21-38°C), feed consumption decreases by 2.5 g. For every 10% increase or decrease in egg production beyond 70%, feed consumption increases or decreases by 4 g. For every 50 g change in body weight, feed consumption increases or decreases by 1.3 g.
