Calcium supplement is needed for laying hens. Calcium supplementation for caged laying hens

Caged laying hens often produce a certain number of soft-shell and thin-shell eggs, especially before the peak of egg production, reducing production efficiency. The main reason is that the calcium intake of laying hens does not meet the normal needs of the laying period. Practice has proved that calcium supplementation for caged laying hens is not only simple and easy, but also can prevent soft shell and thin shell eggs. The specific methods are as follows:

Laying hens

First, calcium material selection. Eggshell powder is the best, followed by shell powder and bone powder. Because the size of eggshell powder is uniform, which accords with the feeding habits of laying hens, and the sizes of shell powder and bone powder are different, which affect the pecking effect, other fine powdered calcium feeds are not suitable for supplementary feeding of laying hens.

Second, the quantity of supplementary feeding. The amount of calcium supplement should be determined according to the proportion of soft shell and thin shell eggs. Stop feeding when soft shell and thin shell eggs basically disappear and laying hens are unwilling to peck at calcium. If the eggshell is not smooth, there are protuberant calcium spots, it means too much calcium supplement. It is usually about 0.5 kg per 100 laying hens.

Third, the time of supplementary feeding. Supplementary feeding is available from afternoon to night before lights out, but it is best at 2-4 p.m. According to the measurement, most of the calcium absorbed by laying hens in the morning is hidden in the bones, while the calcium absorbed in the afternoon or evening is directly used for the formation of eggshells on the same day, and the feeding peak of the day is from 2 to 4 p.m., with the strongest appetite and the fastest and most eating.

Fourth, supplementary feeding method. If you are free to eat, let the layers eat up the feed in the trough after 2 p.m., and spread the calcium evenly in the trough half an hour later when the layers have a certain appetite; if fed regularly, they can be fed with calcium before feeding in the afternoon, and then fed with full-price feed. Either way, it is necessary to ensure that all laying hens can eat calcium at the same time, so as to achieve the purpose of supplementary feeding.