The health status of the chicken largely depends on the quality of food. From what to feed the bird will depend on its performance. Balanced feed, proper addition of food additives, provide the laying hens the production of eggs every day throughout the year.
A great advantage nowadays is the availability of free specialized literature, studying which you can find answers to any questions.
Feeding of laying hens, something that worries many people who decide to start a household.
Proper nutrition for laying hens
In order that the hens laid throughout the year, you must take care selecting the right diet. It is not enough to choose a good breed that has a good egg production, but also fully feed the animals. Many farmers are wondering how to feed of laying hens at home. The answer to this question is a varied diet.
Usually laying hens are very fussy about care and nutrition. The number and quality of eggs can also be highly influenced by the age of the bird.
A laying hen begins to lay eggs starting from the seventh month of life. The highest productivity is observed with higher age up to two years.
For full-fledged life and development of the chicken is necessary to observe the rule and to include in the diet of substances such as:
- Vitamins;
- Proteins;
- Legumes – such as peas, beans, lentils;
- A variety of grains.
In order for the bird body got used to the new diet, gradually introduce new foods in small portions. Useful elements are added to regular food or making the mixture.
What to feed chickens at home
Food for the birds in the first place should be balanced and varied.
Chicken need to obtain all the necessary components. The diet should be varied diet.
Feed for egg laying hens at home to cook simple, but if you follow all the rules, you can succeed.
Protein feed
Most importantly, maintain a diet adequate amounts of protein, as it affects the quality of eggs and their number. The more hen’s rate of egg laying, the more it is necessary special additives.
In order to keep the body in the required quantity and in a timely manner to compensate for losses, it is necessary to include in the diet components, such as:
- Bean;
- Sunflower;
- Rape culture;
- Meat and bone meal;
- Earthworms;
- The remains of fish and shellfish.
All this contains protein in large quantities, if a laying hen will get enough of these products, her health, nothing hurt.
As you know, protein is the primary building element that is required for all animals and birds for the qualitative growth and development of the organism.
Vitamin and mineral
In the diet of all living creatures should be present vitamins and minerals.
Chickens, laying hens, it is especially important to include in food items such as:
- Vitamin D;
- Vitamin b and all its derivatives;
- Vitamin A.
- If an item will be missed, the bird can show a variety of types of complex diseases.
- To create chickens a correct diet is necessary to feed them such foods as:
- Silage;
- Softwood flour;
- Fish oil;
- Yeast;
- Green grass, especially during spring and more.
Minerals are also very important, to ensure the quality of lifestyle and maintaining optimum egg production.
Food which includes a sufficient amount of minerals must consist of:
- Wood ash;
- Lime;
- Ground shell;
- Bone meal;
- Chalk and other significant elements.
If you mix at least a few of these substances and periodically feeding it to a chicken laying hen, it will not only increase the number of eggs that they will have to bear, but will also improve their quality. From food depends on the quality and structure of egg albumen, yolk and shell.
How to make the diet of laying hens
When composing a diet for the nutrition of birds, consider what to feed her every day.
It is also important to take care about the proportions of the elements are added to ordinary food.
Items such as protein, greens, flour and other you must constantly alternate. The bird should be fed several times a day, at least three or four times.
In the morning during the first feeding, it is best to give the chicken dry food grain, which is recommended to pour into the trough as soon as possible;
In the second and third just give wet food is right for the mash, any kind of cereals with the addition of a large amount of vitamins;
The last meal is usually before bedtime, it consists of the same as the morning – namely, from dry food.
It is important that the food was not only varied but also qualitative. How many nutrients will receive an animal will depend on its ability to resist various harmful factors that can occur. But also, the quality of food affects the number of eggs in laying hens it should always be on top, as this breed have been made bred with this sole purpose.
Peculiarities of seasonal diet
Spring chickens especially need proper nutrition, as this is the period of transition from winter feed to summer. The main thing is to arrange things so that the jump was not too sharp. Birds after winter starts to leave and they have access to spring grass they can consume in unlimited quantities.
Along with regular feed and need to enter into the diet of sprouted grains, drive is rich in various vitamins, especially E.
Food is useful to mix the brewer’s yeast, which contain large amounts of vitamin b and C.
A distinctive feature of the nutrition of laying hens in the spring is that the birds spend a lot of time on the street and can get some food. Gradually reduce the amount of chalk and gravel, as well as the total number of feedings to two times a day. But if the chickens are in the room, even in the spring and summer, then feed them still need three times a day.
Daily diet should include:
- Five grams of salt and minerals;
- Ten to fifteen grams of protein;
- Two grams of bone meal;
- Ten grams of vitamins;
- Fifty grams of grass or other green feed;
- Fifty grams of grain;
- Fifty grams of flour.
That should be enough so that the chicken could fully develop and live.
Feeding of laying hens during molting
When daylight begins to decrease in chickens usually molt begins and starts to decrease productivity, including egg production.
At this time birds need care, they need more rich food in order to have enough strength to cope with all the obstacles. First, it is important to provide high calorie food. This can be important for a full life of chicken.
You can find all the necessary substances on the plot, all that grows will fit for eating birds.
Food in winter
Winter birds should be fed at least three times a day.
It is important to observe a certain sequence:
- Morning feeding about eight in the morning;
- The day is about thirteen hours;
- In the evening before going to sleep, about eight or nine hours.
In winter, food should be diverse, each meal has to be a certain composition. So in the morning suitable grain feed, it needs to be dry. During the day feeding it is best to give vegetables and juicy food, such as porridge with added carrots, zucchini, and other. The evening also it is best to give grain.
At any time of the year, you must take care that the chickens had water. This is very important, the bird should be able to drink anytime she wants.
Ready mix and feed for chickens
Feed of laying hens it is sometimes difficult, as not everyone can make the correct proportions themselves. Can help specialized food for cats that have already followed the correct formula of power.
In order for the birds not a vitamin deficiency, they need special yeast food, which contains large amount of minerals and nutrients.