Management of laying hens in battery cage system
Time : 2002-03-13

Basic information

Most laying pullets are housed in cages and should be moved to these facilities at least 1 wk. before egg production begins. Breeders moved from a growing house to an adult house should also be given at least 1 wk. to adjust to their new environment before the stress of egg production begins. Beaks should be retrimmed as necessary, and cull birds removed at the time of rehousing. Off all chicken breeds, layers require more care and attention because of the relationship that exists between their production and the profitability of the enterprise. When a laying bird is stressed or unproductive, the enterprise bears the loss. Most farmers accord their losses to the genetic make-up their laying birds; however, lack of proper management can also deteriorate the productivity

Management of laying hens in battery cage system


Precaution for laying hens

Feeders and waterers should be of the proper type, size, and height for the stock and management system. Feeders that are too shallow, too narrow, or lacking a lip or flange on the upper edge may permit excess feed waste. Uneven distribution of waterers or lack of water space results in reduced intake and thus reduced performance. Others include

1. Artificial light

Day length should be increased gradually as the pullets come into egg production and should reach a 14- to 16-hr light period/day at peak production for both market-egg and hatching-egg layers. An intensity of at least 1 foot-candle of light (10 lux) at the feed trough should be provided; this is about equal to one 60-watt light bulb to each 100 sq. ft. (~9 sq. m), hanging 7 ft. (2.1 m) above the birds. Production may decrease if day length or light intensity is reduced during the laying period. With cage systems of all types, illumination is more even if smaller wattage bulbs placed closer together are used, rather than large bulbs suspended over the centre of each aisle. With tiered cages, the bulbs are suspended 6–7 in. (15–18 cm) above the level of the top cage

2. Keeping laying birds in battery cage system

The battery cage system is the common method used in commercial egg production; it is an intensive system whereby large laying birds are raised in a relatively small area of land. In the system, laying birds are confined in cages. Each cages accommodates 2-4 birds depending on the size and type of the cage you bought. This system saves labour and space as the battery cages are set up in tiers

3. Floor spacing, feeding and water requirements

Egg-production birds usually spend their entire lives in cages. Although some broiler breeders are similarly housed, most are reared on litter floors or in pens in which as much as two-thirds of the floor is slatted. For egg-strain pullets reared in cages, there is little chance of altering the feeding and watering space available, but periodic checks are necessary to ensure that feed and water are being continuously supplied. With the success of nipple- and cup-waterers and the various types of automatic feeding systems, it becomes more difficult to give specific recommendations for feeding and watering space. Decisions must be made about optimal floor space and feeding and watering requirements based on advice from equipment manufacturers, primary breeders, careful observation, and past experience as to productivity

4. Recording keeping

Successful intensive poultry keeping requires good records of all flock activities, including hatch date, regular body weights (to ensure that the pullets will have reached optimal body weight when they are brought into egg production), lighting program, house temperatures, disease history, medication and vaccination dates, quantity and type of feed given (important in calculating efficiency of feed utilization), and mortality


Series of products to serve the poultry farm fully, click the name to learn more

1. Steel structure poultry house, opening type for hot countries and close type for cool countries

2. Poultry hatching equipment’s capacity of eggs up to 120,000+ to be hatching house

3. Chicken rearing cage and equipment of layer, day old chicken, brooder, broiler and chicken parents

4. Chicken feed processing equipment from feed crushing and mixing to stock to feeding chicken

5. Paper egg tray manufacturing equipment, the output from 1000 trays per hour to 6000 trays per hour

6. Egg processing equipment from automatic egg collection to packing egg to trays

7. Chicken slaughtering equipment from slaughter to vacuum package

8. Chicken manure cleaning and drying equipment to control the water content in chicken manure between 10% and 40%

9. Other poultry farm equipment are coming soon...

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Advantages

Battery cage as a means of caring for laying birds are numerous but we will provide you with few of them.

1. Battery cage system controls cannibalism

2. It increases high rate productivity of eggs

3. It controls infection of parasitic diseases and rapid spread of diseases

4. It reduces cost of labour

5. It enhances high income and profits


Frequently ask questions

Q: Which species of birds is more profitable?

A: Both broiler and layers are profitable but the longevity of layers is more than that of broilers

Q: Which method of rearing layers is the best?

A: Without any doubt, battery cages still remain the best method of rearing layer birds.

Q: Where can I get battery cages in Nigeria?

A: Vanke Machinery and Equipment is the number one supplier of battery cage in Nigeria and its environment

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