How to manage laying hens in winter so they don't stop laying? Detailed practical measures

To keep hens laying through the winter, effective feeding and management measures must be taken to meet the laying hens' requirements for temperature, light and nutrition.
1. Cold protection and insulation. The most suitable living temperature for laying hens is 18°C, and in winter the coop temperature should be kept above 10°C as much as possible. Generally, windbreaks are set up around the coop, plastic sheeting is added over doors and windows, and cracks in the walls are plugged to prevent “drafts” from entering the coop.
2. Increase lighting. Light not only strengthens the hens' constitution but also promotes the secretion of pituitary hormones in hens, making their egg-laying vigor strong. Therefore, in winter, because daylight hours are shortened, artificial lighting should be added to stimulate laying hens to produce more eggs. Usually, electric lights are installed in the coop so that the light the hens receive reaches 15 hours; alternatively, the method of turning the lights on early in the morning and off late at night can be used, so that laying hens receive 0.5-1 hour more light in winter than in summer and autumn.
3. Increase feeding frequency. Winter temperatures are low, and laying hens must obtain enough nutrition from feed to resist the cold so as to ensure their high-production performance. The number of feedings can be increased to encourage laying hens to eat more.
4. Increase nutrition. Winter is cold, and laying hens consume more energy themselves, which needs to be replenished by eating from feed. Therefore, in winter, the energy level in laying hen feed should be appropriately raised, reaching 0.12 megajoules per kilogram. In addition, appropriately increasing the amount of vitamins in the feed in winter can increase the egg production of laying hens. According to experiments, adding double the amount of vitamin A and D3 to the feed in winter can increase the laying rate by more than 3.5%.
5. Strengthen disease prevention and control. Winter is the season when respiratory infectious diseases spread among chickens. Once symptoms are found, corresponding drugs should be used immediately for early prevention. At the same time, disinfectants such as Baidusha can also be used every 5-7 days for disinfection with the chickens present.