How to Raise Black-Feathered Green-Shelled Laying Hens? A Detailed Guide to Breeding Techniques
The difference between black-feathered green-shelled laying hens and ordinary green-shelled laying hens is that the feathers of black-feathered green-shelled laying hens are black, and they are mainly concentrated in Yichang, Hubei. Because of their different feathers, they are quite attractive to consumers during the sales process. Today, let us briefly get to know the black-feathered green-shelled laying hen.
Breeding Techniques for Black-Feathered Green-Shelled Laying Hens
Black-feathered green-shelled laying hens have the characteristics of glossy black feathers, skin that is redder than that of ordinary native chickens, and tender meat. Eggs and chicken meat are common poultry products on ordinary people's dining tables, and as people's lives have become more affluent, great changes have also taken place in the quality of life. At the same time, the demand for pollution-free and green food is getting higher and higher, and for chicken farmers, raising black-feathered green-shelled laying hens precisely meets the current public demand for green chicken products.
1. Chicken coop construction
The chicken coop should be built in a well-ventilated, sunny place. Along the front and back of the coop, open 1 lighting and ventilation window of 70 cm x 120 cm every 3 m. Inside, perches, drinkers, and feed troughs can be placed on one side. On the sunny side, open 1 small door 160 cm high and 70 cm wide, and set up a exercise yard covered with sand outside the door.
2. Hatching
Select eggs weighing more than 40 grams as breeding eggs and use artificial incubation. Incubation technical requirements:
① Temperature and humidity
For eggs set in batches, constant-temperature incubation should be used. Each batch of eggs should be placed at staggered intervals, and when setting breeding eggs, be careful to place them on the egg tray with the large end up. From day 1 to 18 of incubation, the temperature inside the incubator (egg surface temperature) should preferably be 37.8C in winter and 37.5C in summer. On the 19th day of incubation, transfer them to the hatcher, taking care to place the breeding eggs flat; the temperature inside the machine should preferably be 37.2C in winter and 37C in summer. The relative humidity should be 60% from day 1 to 18 and 70% from day 19 to 21.
② Turn the eggs once every 2 hours, at an angle of 90 degrees.
③ Hatching out
Generally, chicks begin to break out of the shell on the 20th day of incubation, and hatching is basically complete by day 21.
④ Disinfection
Breeding eggs must be disinfected once 30 minutes after laying and once before incubation. After hatching is complete, disinfect once, commonly by formalin fumigation or spraying with disinfectants such as Baidusha.
3. Nutrition and feeding
The nutritional requirements for green-shelled laying hens are as follows: crude protein in the diet accounts for 20% for chicks, 15% for growing chickens, and 17% for breeding hens. The 30 days after hatching are the brooding period. The key during this period is keeping warm. Within 3 days after hatching, the temperature should be kept at about 33°C, and thereafter lowered by 2C every 7 days. The principle is that the chicks are evenly distributed around the heat source. Provide water first, then start feeding. Feed complete-priced chick feed all day, 4-6 times per day. During the brooding period, attention should also be paid to ventilation. For density, generally at 10 days of age, 40-50 birds per square meter; at 20 days of age, 30 birds per square meter; at 30 days of age, 20 birds per square meter. At 140 days of age, the body weight of hens is generally controlled at about 1.1 kg, and that of roosters at about 2 kg. At 140 days of age, change the growing chicken feed to complete-priced laying hen breeder feed, and add water-soluble multivitamins and so on to the drinking water. Farmers raising them can feed some green vegetables or green grass, generally about 20% of the total feed, but do not mix it into dry feed for feeding. The lighting requirements for laying are: in the early stage of laying, reach 16 hours per day, and at the peak of laying, reach 16-17.5 hours per day. During laying, feed consumption is about 85 grams per bird per day. Pay attention to regularly adding medium and coarse sand particles, at a rate of 6-7 kg per 1,000
chickens. Each flock of breeding hens can be kept at 100-200 birds. In addition to restricted feeding, breeding hens should also have restricted lighting where conditions permit; it is best to provide 8 hours of light per day after 55 days. The breeding hen house can be equipped with nesting boxes, using wooden boards to make rectangular laying pools, placing fine sand on them, and keeping the environment quiet and dry.
Breed Characteristics and Traits of Black-Feathered Green-Shelled Laying Hens
The Oasis black-feathered green-shelled laying hen has the characteristics of a relatively small body size, relatively high egg production performance, strong adaptability, and a prominent appearance with an all-black body. The high-yield line has a red comb and lays green-shelled eggs. It is an excellent dual-purpose breed for both eggs and meat. Hens have compact feathers, a single upright comb with 5—6 comb teeth, large and spirited eyes, most ear lobes light green, deep and thin wattles, feathery plumage, and thin and short shanks. Adult body weight is 1.2—1.4 kg.
Production Performance of Black-Feathered Green-Shelled Laying Hens
The survival rate of chicks from 0—6 weeks of age is 94%, the rearing rate from 7—20 weeks of age is 95%, the survival rate of hens housed is 90%, and the age at first laying is 145—155 days. Body weight at first laying is 0.9—1.05 kg, egg weight at first laying is 36—40 grams, egg production at 500 days of age is 200—220 eggs, egg weight is 48—50 grams, breeding egg fertilization rate is 88—92%, breeding egg qualification rate is 95—96%, and hatching rate of fertilized eggs is 88—92%. The Oasis black-feathered green-shelled laying hen has all-black feathers, and black skin, black bone, black internal organs, black beak, and black toes are all black. The high-yield line has a red comb, and the body size and appearance are basically consistent. The offspring have a black feather rate of more than 90%, a single comb rate of 100%, and a green-shell laying ratio of more than 98%, and the eggshell color is nearly uniform, being dark green.
Economic Benefits of the Oasis Black-Feathered Green-Shelled Laying Hen
The introduction of the Oasis black-feathered green-shelled laying hen has provided a way out for many laying hen farms to replace new breeds, also provided potential business opportunities for many investors, and will also completely eliminate people's various concerns about ordinary eggs, leading them to gradually like nourishing and health-care green eggs. At present, there are only 100,000 green-shelled laying hens in stock, including 35,000 breeding hens, which is less than one millionth of market demand. In particular, as China has already joined the WTO, the green-shelled laying hen, as a high-quality livestock and poultry product unique to China, is one of the green agricultural products most likely to enter the international market and participate in international market competition. Experts predict that within ten years it will be difficult for green-shelled laying hens to meet market demand, and they will gradually replace ordinary poultry eggs. The market potential is huge, and the prospects for raising them are very attractive, making them the first-choice project for breeding enthusiasts and laid-off job seekers. At present, some far-sighted laying hen farms have already switched to producing green-shelled eggs and have already obtained high profit returns.
As the saying goes, whatever type of thing is popular with the public will drive the development of a related series of businesses, and the rise and popularity of green-shelled laying hens have also prompted many farmers and retired people to start switching to raising green-shelled laying hens, while the special nature of the black-feathered green-shelled laying hen is their better selling point.