Page 26 | Poultry Times

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By Jeff SteedSpecial to Poultry Times

SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. — From time to time we all experi-ence egg production issues that may or may not be explained. Of-ten the breed takes the blame when it might well be a mechanical issue on the farm.

Even though primary breeders have continued to select for breeder traits such as egg production and fertility, they have also put more emphasis on improving broiler traits such as livability, feed con-version, average daily weight gain and yield which can sometimes make it harder, but not impossible, to achieve the desired egg produc-tion.

The breeders have the same traits as their broiler offspring in improved feed conversion, better

weight gain, higher breast meat yields and even higher water con-sumption — and we must be pre-pared to meet these needs.

In this article we will assume that the pullets were reared to the desired weights and uniformity, so why is it that some flocks simply don’t perform well?

Getting the flock started off correctly from transfer to the hen house to the onset of lay (24 to 26 weeks) is one of the most critical times in the hen’s life and this will ultimately determine how well the flock performs overall.

There are three crucial areas to consider when troubleshooting:

Beyond the breedTroubleshooting hen performance

Photos special to Poultry Times

Chain covered.

Jeff Steed is a technical ser-vice representative with Cobb-Vantress Inc.

Poultry Times | Page 27

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House preparationThe question that must be asked

is, “Are the houses completely ready for the birds?” Sometimes due to scheduling issues some of the smaller details left undone ini-tially but later corrected end up contributing to egg production problems later on.

Ultimately, whether the house is relatively new or 25 years old, it needs to be as close as possible to “Like New Condition” for each and every flock.

House preparation checklist:

y Change, and/or check water filters and pressure regulators.

y Flush and clean water lines. y Clean nest pads and boxes

and replace worn pads and belts. y Check light intensity and

replace any nonfunctioning light-bulbs.

y Repair and replace broken slats.

y Check fan bearings and tighten belts.

y Check feeders and fill system

(Continued on next page) Chain not covered

Page 28 | Poultry Times

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y Replace belts, repair feeders and grill.

y Check scales for accuracy These are only a few examples in

the house preparation routine. Many other things need to be addressed but most of all remember that the house needs to resemble “Like New Con-ditions” for each flock.

Feeder/feed distributionToday’s breeders consume feed

very fast, and feed clean-up times can be short from 21 to 24 weeks (<45 mins) due to low feed allot-ments and the increasing appetite of the birds through breeder selection.

The birds must gain the proper weight from week to week as well as show improvement in uniformity and CV’s to ensure a good peak; we never want to see stalls in weight or loss of uniformity or CV during the onset of lay.

Feed must be delivered around the house evenly so all birds have an equal chance. This may require increasing chain feeder speed or if using pan feeders this will require

higher speed transmission on the feeder line, but also remember to look at the fill system to ensure it can keep up with the feed delivery.

If the feed delivery system can’t keep up with the feeder, this can cause skips in the chain feeder or if using a pan feeder can cause pans to be missed during feeding.

It is always good practice to feed the first round of feed in the dark on chain feeder or one cycle on pan feeder before house lights are turned

on to help with feed distribution. Re-member that missed or inconsistent feeding can cause unpredictable egg production for the entire life of the flock.

Feed distribution checklist:

y Feed system needs to be in ‘Like New Condition’ each day.

y Feeder needs to be run with as little off-time as possible, never let-

ting feeder get empty when multiple cycles are needed.

y Know your feeder speeds, and feed clean-up times.

y Be there at feed time, remem-bering no feed — no eggs.

Remember, too, that feed distri-bution for the males is just as im-portant; inconsistent distribution can cause mortality and fertility problems.

Water quality & volumeThe need for fresh clean water,

and enough available water volume, is essential for good egg production. Water makes up approximately 70 percent of the egg and if the water needs are not met it can adversely affect egg production.

Water requirements for the birds have increased over the last 15 years and it is essential the birds get the water when they need it.

The birds should be consuming no less than 45 percent of their daily amount of water by noon. There is a big difference in birds consuming enough water in a 24-hour period

(Continued from previous page)

Water consumption hourly

(Continued on page 30)

Page 30 | Poultry Times

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against getting enough water when they need it. If the water is restricted due to lack of pressure

or volume, issues such as increased feed clean-up times will occur and there may be a higher per-centage of slat eggs due to hens riding the drinker waiting for water to satisfy their needs. Low wa-ter consumption is typically the result of a me-chanical issue such as low volume (well source), improper plumbing (pipe size), improper drinker settings (set too low) and even stray voltage (im-proper groundings).

Checklist for water management:

y Keep a record of daily water consumption to identify any change.

y Monitor and change water filter. y Know make-up of water source (periodi-

cally sampling for impurities and bacteria). y Monitor drinkers for stray voltage. y Drinker height should not be too high or too

low. y Monitor cc (or ml) delivered from nipple

drinkers.

As previously stated, the bird’s greater water requirements today need to be met. Total daily water consumption can be as high as 10 gal-lons/100 birds (45 liters/100 birds) depending on time of the year and environmental conditions.

Most new housing specifications require a

2-inch (50 mm) water line from the water source to the house before stepping down to 1-inch (25 mm) line inside the house to the drinker line.

Older housing needs to be reviewed to ensure the water volume will meet the needs of today’s birds. Most housing built pre-2000 were plumbed with 3/4-inch (20 mm) piping and may experi-

ence issues with water volume, especially if the farm has multiple houses.

All three areas that have been discussed are very important and should always be considered when low or unexpected production issues arise.

However, nothing is more important than hav-ing enough available water when the birds need it.

(Continued from page 28)

Water consumption daily