Management experience of Open Chicken House Lighting

I. the period of rearing

The light during the rearing period mainly stimulates the feed intake of chickens, and the effect of light on chicks is mainly shown in two aspects: light time and light intensity. At this time, it is easy to have problems with the lighting time.

Some farmers do not consider weight gain and give 8 hours of light in the first 2 to 3 weeks of brooding. The anti-stress ability of the chicks is poor, the food intake is small, coupled with the number of immune drugs used during the breeding period, the stress is larger, the chickens often can not reach the standard body weight. If the lighting time is too short at this time, the feeding time of chickens will be shortened accordingly, and the body weight will be seriously insufficient, so the number of weak chickens will increase and the death rate will increase.

Some farmers are given more than 20 hours of light for a long time during the incubation period, and even 14 to 16 hours of light after 60 days. In this way, although the feeding time is long and the feed intake is increased, the chickens are in a state of fatigue for a long time and can not get enough rest, which will also affect the growth and development of chicks, resulting in feather pecking, anal pecking, weakening of physique and increase of death rate.

The author advocates the use of 23 hours of light in the first 3 days of the rearing period, and then flexibly grasp the speed of decreasing light time according to the body weight and physical condition of chicks. Under normal circumstances, minus 3 hours a week until natural light or fixed light during the breeding period. When the body weight of the flock is small and the physique is weak, the speed of light loss can be delayed. The light intensity is generally: 40 watt bulbs are used in the first week (3 meters apart, 2 meters high from the ground), and 60 watt 100 watt bulbs can also be used in the first 3 days. After the second week, you can use a 25-watt bulb, the light intensity is generally 3 watts per square meter, the light is uniform, and a single bulb does not exceed 60 watts to avoid pecking.

II. Breeding period

Due to the difference of region and season, the open chicken house does not have and can not have a fixed light time in the breeding period. therefore, the confusion in the light time of farmers is mainly manifested in the breeding period.

First, natural light has been used throughout the breeding period, which is bound to cause the following adverse consequences: if the natural light is gradually prolonged at this time, it will cause the sexual maturity of chickens to arrive ahead of time, and the weight does not reach the standard at the time of laying. In this way, the eggs will be laid ahead of time before they reach the expected date, the eggs are light, and the time for laying small eggs is long, thus reducing profits. If the natural light gradually shortens at this time, it will lead to the early arrival of chicken population maturity, while the ovaries have not yet fully developed, resulting in delayed production, feed waste, rising costs, and also reduced profits.

Second, some farmers are afraid that the chickens will not reach their cage weight, and the light time during the breeding period will be 2-3 hours, or even 16 hours longer than the standard time, which is bound to shorten the time leeway for light stimulation before and after the opening of production. It has been proved that short-time light stimulation is not as effective as long-time light stimulation in egg laying, even postponing the start of laying, the peak period is short, and the total egg production is reduced.

The light time in the breeding period must be scientific and fixed and cannot be extended or shortened at will. The natural light time of breeding in late winter and early spring is gradually prolonged, and the fixed light time in the breeding period should be based on the natural light time of 18 weeks old. The natural light was gradually shortened from late summer to autumn and winter, and the natural light time in the seventh week was the fixed light time.

The light intensity during the whole breeding period should also be controlled. The external light intensity is too strong in summer, so the windows should be shielded to avoid direct sunlight on the chicken, causing pecking habits and affecting growth and development. In winter, we should prevent the light intensity from being too weak, and it is ideal to have an illuminance of 1 to 3 watts per square meter. The 25-watt bulb is generally used to fill the light, the distance between the bulbs is 3 meters and 2 meters from the ground.

III. Laying period

During the laying period, the light time should be fixed and the light intensity should not be weakened. The main reason is that problems are easy to occur when the light is stimulated before laying eggs.

Some people add light for 2 hours or 3 hours before laying eggs, and the light can be increased to 16 hours for 2 or 3 times. Because layers are sensitive to light stimulation, except for the first time, light should not be added for more than 1 hour each time. If excessive stimulation, it will cause abnormal follicular development of earlier sexually mature chickens, too many double yellow eggs, and an increase in the number of prolapsed anal dystocia chickens. another part of the late development of chickens will reduce the chance of light stimulation, follicular development will be inhibited, will delay the start of production, or even life-long non-birth.

Under normal circumstances, chickens begin to perform light stimulation before laying eggs at 18 weeks. if light can continue to stimulate to the peak of egg production, the best effect should be increased by 1 hour or to at least 13 hours. add 15 or 30 minutes every week or every two weeks until the light time reaches 16 hours or 17 hours, and then keep the light time fixed. The light intensity should be 5 watts per square meter.