How to achieve higher egg production rate in large-scale laying hen farming? In pursuit of high-yield and efficient laying hen farming, attention should be paid to temperature control in the chicken house. Are you still troubled by temperature fluctuations in the chicken house? Do you want to know how to improve egg production rate through precise temperature control?
There are three major pain points in traditional artificial temperature control methods:
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Large temperature changes: temperature difference between day and night, seasonal changes, leading to stress response in the flock;
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High management cost: 24-hour manual monitoring is required, and the annual labor cost of 50,000 chickens exceeds 100,000 CNY;
- Serious energy waste: non-intelligent equipment causes electricity bills to account for 35% of the total cost;
Chickens mainly rely on evaporative cooling through the mouth and respiratory tract as the main way to regulate body temperature. The main symptoms of heat stress are panting, crawling, spreading wings and drinking a lot of water; panting refers to shallow and open breathing, which increases the evaporation of water in the respiratory tract. When panting cannot maintain the body temperature of chickens, chickens will become restless, comatose, or even die. The decline in eggshell quality is due to reduced feed intake, which reduces the content of nutrients (such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus) used for egg formation.
Does temperature affect egg production in chickens?
Temperature has a significant impact on the growth and egg production of laying hens. Suitable temperatures can promote the health and egg production of chickens, while extreme temperatures may lead to a decrease in egg production and even affect the growth of chickens.
1. The impact of high temperature on egg production in laying hens
High temperature environments can cause stress responses in laying hens. Heat stress can reduce the egg-laying performance and diet of poultry, and also reduce the quality of eggs. Studies have shown that when the ambient temperature exceeds 30 degrees Celsius, the egg production rate of laying hens may drop by 10% to 20%. High temperatures can also cause chickens to lose their appetite, which in turn affects their nutritional intake and leads to weight loss. In addition, high temperatures may also cause physiological problems in chickens, such as dehydration and heat stroke. Affecting their health and egg production.
2. Effect of low temperature on egg production in laying hens
Cold stress is considered an environmental stress. When the ambient temperature is below 16°C, it will have a negative impact on the production performance of poultry, such as egg production, egg weight and egg quality. Compared with high temperature, low temperature also has a negative impact on the egg production of laying hens. When the ambient temperature is below 10 degrees Celsius, the metabolic rate of laying hens will decrease, resulting in reduced egg production. Low temperature will also cause chickens to consume more energy to maintain body temperature, thus affecting their growth and egg production. In addition, low temperature environment may lead to decreased immunity of chickens and increase the risk of disease.
Compared with normal ambient temperature, low temperature environment stimulates feed intake and increases body weight and feed conversion rate (FCR).
In summary, high or low temperature will affect egg production:
- Decrease in egg production rate
- Decrease in eggshell quality
- Increase in mortality rate
Suitable temperature for laying hens
Under general feeding and management conditions, the suitable temperature for egg production of various poultry is 55.4~77 ℉, and the comfort zone of laying hens is 66.2-77 ℉.
How to make chickens lay eggs faster?
In addition to temperature control, there are other factors that affect the egg production rate of laying hens. Here are some practical tips to improve egg production rate
- Provide balanced nutrition: Make sure that the feed contains enough protein, vitamins and minerals to meet the nutritional needs of laying hens.
- Light management: Laying hens need sufficient light to stimulate egg production. According to the growth stage of laying hens, reasonably control the light time and intensity.
- Sufficient drinking water: Ensure that laying hens can drink clean drinking water at any time.
- Disease prevention: Regular vaccination and deworming to prevent the occurrence of diseases.
- Reducing stress: Avoid stress factors such as fright and crowding to provide a quiet and comfortable growth environment for laying hens.
- Replace the flock in time: As they age, the egg production rate of laying hens will gradually decrease. Replace the flock in time to maintain the breeding efficiency.
- Select high-quality breeds: Selecting laying hens with excellent egg-laying performance is the basis for improving egg production rate.
How does the modern environmental control system effectively reduce the temperature of the chicken house?
Modern chicken houses are usually equipped with efficient ventilation systems, including exhaust fans and air inlets. Mechanical ventilation can quickly exhaust the hot air in the chicken house and introduce cooler air from the outside, thereby reducing the temperature in the house.
1.Cooling Pads: This is the most common evaporative cooling method. Cooling pads are usually installed at one end of the chicken house and fans are installed at the other end. The fan draws outside air into the chicken house. When the air passes through the cooling pads, the water evaporates, lowering the air temperature, and then the cool air enters the chicken house
2.Fogging/Misting Systems: Water is atomized into fine droplets through high-pressure nozzles and sprayed in the chicken house. The evaporation of water droplets absorbs heat and reduces the temperature of the chicken house. The advantage of fogging cooling is that the cost is relatively low, but it is necessary to pay attention to controlling the humidity to avoid the chicken house being too humid
3.Tunnel Ventilation: A high-power fan is installed at one end of the chicken house and an air inlet is set at the other end. The fan draws air into the chicken house from the air inlet, forming a strong airflow to take away the heat in the chicken house. Longitudinal ventilation is suitable for large chicken houses and has a good cooling effect.
Retech farming design modern chicken houses
Large-scale laying hen farming, when the chickens start laying eggs. Let Retech Farming build a modern chicken house for you. We are committed to providing the most advanced laying hen farming solutions to customers around the world. The modern chicken houses we build use a fully automated environmental control system, including automatic temperature control, automatic egg collection, automatic ventilation, automatic feeding, automatic drinking water and automatic manure cleaning. We have project design experience in more than 60 countries around the world. We can provide a safe and comfortable environment for your chickens, meet the physiological needs and behavioral habits of laying hens, and improve egg production and breeding efficiency. Are you interested? Contact us now! Find retech farming’s customer projects near you and start your breeding business!
You may be interested in: Environmental control system in the chicken house, how to adjust the temperature of the chicken house?
In the process of large-scale laying hen breeding, the application of automatic temperature control system is very important. Effectively reduce the stress of the chickens, provide a suitable breeding environment, and by optimizing feed, feeding conditions and using modern chicken houses, farmers can effectively improve the egg production rate of laying hens.
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E-mail：director@retechfarming.com
Post time: Apr-15-2025
