How to Raise Green-Shell Laying Hens? Key Points of Breeding Technology Explained
Chicken meat and eggs are common poultry products on our dining tables. As people's health awareness strengthens, the demand for pollution-free and green food is also increasing. For poultry farmers, how to raise green chicken products and reduce breeding costs are things they urgently need to understand. Now let's learn about the breeding technology for green-shell laying hens together.
1. Chicken Coop Construction
The chicken coop should be built in a well-ventilated, sunny location, with a lighting and ventilation window every 3 meters along the front and back. On one side inside, perches, drinkers, and feed troughs can be placed. On the sunny side, a small door should be opened, with an exercise area covered in sand outside the door, ensuring the flock has sufficient space for activity.
2. Incubation
During incubation, eggs weighing over 40 grams should be selected as breeding eggs. Artificial incubation technology should be adopted, with eggs incubated in batches at constant temperature, paying attention to staggered intervals. During the first 18 days, the temperature should be maintained at 37.8°C in winter and 37.5°C in summer. On the 19th day, they should be transferred to the hatching unit, placed flat, with the temperature maintained at 37.2°C in winter and 37°C in summer. Eggs should be turned once every 2 hours at a 90-degree angle. Generally, they will hatch on the 20th day, and hatching will be basically complete by the 21st day. Disinfection should be carried out once before incubation and 30 minutes after laying to ensure the healthy growth of breeding eggs and chicks.
3. Feeding
Green-shell laying hens have different nutritional requirements at different growth stages. Generally, the crude protein content in the diet is 20% for chicks, 15% for growing chickens, and 17% for breeding hens. The brooding period for chicks is within 30 days after hatching, during which the most important thing is keeping warm. Within 3 days after hatching, the temperature should be maintained at around 33°C, then lowered by 2°C every week thereafter. Before the first feeding, they need to drink water first, then be fed complete chick feed daily, 4 to 6 times per day. At the same time, the brooding room should be well-ventilated, and as the chicks age, the stocking density should be gradually reduced.
4. Disease Prevention and Control
Disease prevention and control runs through the entire breeding process of laying hens, especially the prevention of bacterial diseases such as Salmonella and E. coli. The primary drug is enrofloxacin, which can be added in appropriate amounts to drinking water. Letting the chickens drink freely can effectively prevent these two bacterial diseases. In addition, drugs such as tylosin and doxycycline can be used to prevent respiratory diseases such as mycoplasma. Around 20 days of age, chicks should be protected against coccidiosis, and at 7-10 days of age, they should be vaccinated against Newcastle disease and fowl pox.
The above is an introduction to the breeding technology for green-shell laying hens. We hope it can help you. For more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.