What are the reasons for the decline in laying performance of laying hens

1. High-quality feed: it should be nutritionally complete, palatable, fresh and mold-free, easy to digest, containing 21%-23% crude protein and 3100-3200 kcal/kg metabolizable energy;

2. Unstable feed quality: deficient or excessive nutrients, substandard feed hygiene, poor palatability or excessively high ash content can all cause a decline in laying performance.

3. Too low a qualification rate of growing pullets: the qualification rate is the ratio of the number of qualified hens (body weight within +/-10% of the standard body weight, shank length 104-106 mm) to the number of chicks housed. A low qualification rate indicates more deaths during the brooding and growing periods, and poor physique and poor uniformity of the growing pullets. Being underweight or overweight will lead to delayed or early laying, an unstable peak laying period and low performance, while uniformity is the main factor directly affecting the production performance of laying hens.

4. Failure of body maturity and sexual maturity to be synchronized before the start of laying: this is shown as not starting to lay upon reaching the normal laying body weight, or body weight being below standard when reaching a 5% laying rate. This results from unreasonable feed nutrition, an unreasonable lighting program, restricted feeding and disease. If the formula cannot be adjusted in time during the brooding and growing stages and when the climate changes, the proportions of energy, protein, calcium, phosphorus and other components in the feed at each stage will become unreasonable, affecting body weight gain and sexual maturity. Lighting is one of the important environmental conditions in chicken production; the duration and intensity of lighting play a vital role in the chickens' activity, material metabolism, growth and development, and the exertion of production performance. Incorrect restricted feeding can affect the development and maturation of the reproductive system. In the late brooding period, at 6-8 weeks, sudden restricted feeding will affect the normal physical development of the chickens. Disease can also cause poor physique in chickens and affect their normal development and maturation.

5. Unscientific feeding and management: unreasonable temperature control, insufficient lighting and drinking water, and extensive routine management will all lead to reduced production performance. In addition, the invasion of disease and other stressors are also reasons for the low laying performance of chickens.