TOP DRESSING FOR LAYING HENS AND CHICKENS. HOW TO FEED POULTRY IN A CHICKEN COOP

Whatever the main purpose of chickens, the health of the birds and the quality of their productive characteristics are of paramount importance.

What feed, what feed, with what frequency - the primary questions of any poultry farmer.

Feeding

Properly organized feeding of chickens has a beneficial effect on their health and productivity (eggs all year round). The quality and nutritional characteristics of food depend on the balanced composition of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in it, as well as on the availability of essential vitamins and minerals.

Squirrels. The main component of the cells, as well as the main component of the egg. There are vegetable (contained in legumes, rapeseed, soybean, cake) and animals (found in bone meal, mollusks, earthworms, amphibians, fish waste) types of fats. Both are useful.
Fat They form a supply of energy that accumulates under the skin and is consumed when an egg is formed. To replenish their feed, corn and oats are added.
Carbohydrates. Necessary to maintain the work of organs and muscles. A significant amount of them is present in potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, beets, whole grain shells.
Vitamins. Vital components. Especially vitamins A, D and B. Their deficiency threatens with an increase in the incidence and a decrease in the productivity of chickens. Green grass, pine meal, baker's yeast, cod-liver oil, silage are the main suppliers of vitamins in the diet of chickens.
Minerals. The building component of the bird's skeleton and egg shell. Watch for the presence of gravel, chalk, lime, crushed shells in certain feeders.

Chickens need more thorough care and a special feeding ration, rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins. In addition, the portions are reduced, and the new feed is introduced gradually. Do not forget about drinking with the content of ascorbic acid and glucose in the first days of the life of young animals.

Important! The quality of the feed ration is determined by the composition of bird droppings, which in a healthy individual has a thick, dark-colored consistency with a whitish coating. Any change from the usual form entails a revision of the components of the feed and the process of nutrition.

Lack of water can cause chick death. The life and productive characteristics of adults depend largely on their care and feeding at a young age.

What to feed chickens

Chicken body is characterized by a short digestion and accelerated metabolism. That is why cereals become the most preferred feed for chicken and occupy 60% of their diet.

Whole and crushed grain is equally well eaten by poultry. The amount of protein in the grains is small, which means that it must be given with food rich in proteins (bone meal, legumes, fish waste).

In summer, give preference to:

barley - meat becomes tasty and juicy;
oats, but not more than 20% of the whole grain per day, as it is heavy food for chickens;
millet, it is desirable to give adults, as the grain contains fiber in excessive quantities.

Young generation replace millet millet.

In winter, feed:

corn, which contains a large amount of nutritious fats, carbohydrates and starches;
wheat, a source of vitamins B and E;
buckwheat, but not more than 10% of the whole grain per day (heavy food for chickens);
sunflower and flax seeds, which contribute to the accumulation of fat and energy storage in case of cold weather. And also contribute to the increase in the activity of the chicken, resulting in improved egg production.

The remaining 40% of complementary foods fall to root vegetables, green fodder (hay), animal feed, and mineral supplements.

Did you know? Some people suffer from actorophobia (alektorophobia) - an obsessive fear of the whole chicken. It may even be the feathers and eggs of chickens. Patients panic when they see an innocent picture of a chicken.

Roots

The presence of a vegetable garden simplifies the process of making root crops in the feeding process.

Useful vegetables for young and adult individuals are:

turnip;
beet;
carrot;
pumpkin;
potatoes.

An extremely important ration unit is carrots, as it is a surrogate for fish oil and contributes to an increase in the number of eggs laid.

Per day requires 20 g of raw carrots or 7 g of dried per unit of chicken farms. Vegetables are rubbed on a grater before use and given simultaneously with green mass or bran.

Hay

Green feed (hay) provides poultry with extremely important vitamins and minerals, other useful elements for the speedy assimilation of food. Approximately 20% green should be present in the daily rate of all feed. In spring and summer, free-range chickens are looking for greens on their own.

With restrictions on freedom of movement, chickens must be given:

clover;
young meadow grass;
alfalfa;
dill;
young peas;
nettles

The chicken egg production is determined by the presence of green mass and vegetables in their diet.

Learn how to increase egg production in chickens in the winter and what vitamins are needed for this.

They are necessarily ground for high-grade assimilation.

Unsurpassed green food in winter is considered to be pine needles, containing carotene and vitamin C, which have the ability to stimulate appetite and improve the functioning of the digestive tract.

Did you know? Ayam Tsemani - the rarest breed of chickens from Indonesia. Due to the hyperpigmentation caused by the dominant gene, the chickens are black, not only outside, but also inside: the tongue, meat, internal organs and bones are also black. The blood is dark red. Bred them as a decorative miracle.

Animal feed

Feed of animal origin supply the body of birds with essential amino acids that have a positive effect on the growth and egg production of chicken stock.

There are the following useful components:

milk - extremely useful for chickens; it can be kefir or cottage cheese, and whey can be given instead of water;
meat and bone meal - added to the mash;
meat waste - give for increased productivity (before use, boil and grind);
fish and fish meal - enrich the body of the hens with calcium and phosphorus, making the eggshell harder;
bones - are given to the bird in a crushed form, increase egg production;
worms - they are given if the bird does not walk in nature and does not extract them on its own.

Mineral feed

The composition of mineral additives include:

ash;
a piece of chalk;
salt;
limestone;
gravel;
shell rock.

Free-walking chicken itself compensates for the lack of these useful elements. In other cases, they are poured into special feeders.

Essentially important components of the food menu of layers are gravel and clear water. Without their participation, normal digestion and full development is impossible. Water change as pollution.

Required feed for laying hens

The best option for proper feeding of hens will be dry feed. It is designed specifically to increase egg production and balanced nutrition of chickens, contains all the vitamins, minerals and other vital components.

The disadvantage of it is the high cost, and as a result, the cost of eggs increases. Consider the examples of feeding layers without feed.

Everyday eating hens of hens must contain whole grains, flour, green mass, supplements of vitamins and minerals, while it is important to alternate between types of grain, flour and additives. Mineral feed and fresh water must always be present.

Summer indicators of the main components of the daily feed of layers are:

grain - 50 g;
flour mixture - 50 g;
vitamin hay meal - 10 g;
juicy solid food - 30-50 g;
protein feed - 10-15 g;
bone meal - 2 g;
mineral supplements and salt - 5.5 g.

In the winter indicators added wet mash and potatoes, replacing fresh greens.

Daily ration such:

grain - 50 g;
mash - 30 g;
potatoes - 100 g;
cake and meal - 7 g;
hay flour or dried nettle - 10 g;
yogurt or dairy products - 100 g;
bone meal - 2 g;
salt and mineral additives - 5.5 g.

Adding crushed eggshells to food leads to an increase in the number of eggs laid.

The temperature in the chicken coop affects the frequency and quality of feeding. The lower it is, the more often and better the nutrition of the hens. And, conversely, a warm room requires to monitor sufficient amount of water, which should be at room temperature.

Important! All components of the diet should be of high quality. The absence of one of them leads to the replacement of equivalent nutritionally. Laying of hens should not be overfed, otherwise they will become overgrown with fat and stop nesting.

In winter, watching the addition to the food turnips, cabbage, fodder beets. Warm spring and summer contribute to the increase of green food, rich in vitamins.

In the diet should be present:

germinated grain - 40 g;
Baker's yeast - 3 g;
grain (optional) - 50 g;
straw or hay (chopped) - 15 g;
cake (sunflower) - 15 g;
shells or eggshell - 25 g;
bone meal - 3 g;
salt - 3 g

It is important to know not only what you can eat layers, but also what is impossible.

Let's call forbidden products:

white bread, loaf - bread can be black, dried, soaked in water or milk before consumption;
salted or fresh fish - it is better to give boiled fish or fish waste, mixing them with the main feed;
beets - it is not recommended to give a vegetable itself (causes diarrhea), but it can be given in feed form or only tops;
citrus fruits and their rind;
tomato tops;
celandine;
sweet and salty foods.

We define the five main tips on feeding the hens.

Feeding birds should be three times, balanced and correct.
Compliance with the hourly mode of food intake should be mandatory and, if possible, with the same hourly intervals between feedings. In cold weather, the water and the mash must be warm.
Overfeeding has a downward effect on egg production.
The water in the drinkers should be clean and fresh.
The autumn period of molting should introduce diversity into the diet, and it is also necessary to put sulfur and crushed shells into the feeders.

Special worms feed for laying hens

When infected with worms affects not only the bird's organism, but also the eggs it has laid, the shell of which becomes soft, and clots are found inside. Chickens at the same time badly and reluctantly eat, feathers get an untidy disheveled appearance, the scalp fades, diarrhea appears, breathing becomes heavy.

Learn more about how to treat worms in chickens, as well as how to give the drug "Alben" to chickens for worms.

Detection of symptoms of worms poisoning in at least one individual requires immediate treatment and preventive measures. The most effective in the treatment are veterinary drugs that can destroy adult parasites and their eggs.

Let's name the most effective:

"Fenenvet" - powder 1% and 2.5%, poured into the feed. In no case can not violate the specified dosage;

Levamisol Plus - soluble in water and added to the drinker. Do not change the rules of the drug yourself;

Piperazin - the tablets are crushed and dissolved in water. The mixture is watered with adult chickens and young animals (1/3 tablets per 1 kg of bird weight);

Pyrantel - The course of the drug is carried out three times, between which a break of six days is observed. After completion of treatment, poultry meat should not be eaten for 2 months, and eggs should be eaten four days after the last dose of medication.

Developed by the people means of dealing with "uninvited" guests have passed the test of time and in some cases successfully cope with the problem.

It has long been popularly used:

finely chopped green onions;
crushed garlic;
berries of wild garlic;
cowberry berries;
decoction of needles (chop and pour boiling water);
pumpkin seeds.

The most popular means are pumpkin seeds, which are well crushed, poured with water, insist 3-4 hours. For prevention, you can add raw sunflower seeds in the feed ration. We focus on the fact that folk remedies are effective in the initial stages of infection and as measures to prevent morbidity.

Watch carefully for the behavior and general condition of the bird population, observe hygiene standards, carry out preventive measures, and the threat of infection will be minimal.

Types of mineral supplements

Minerals are divided into macro-and micronutrients. Mineral supplements for poultry in home gardens mainly consist of macronutrients.

Learn more about what mineral supplements your laying hens need and how to make them yourself.

At home, for chickens, sodium, chlorine, calcium and phosphorus become the most important macroelements. Seedium is extremely important for the hens to restore reproductive function. Broilers need iodine and manganese more than other types of chickens.

Backyard poultry needs the following mineral supplements:

salt. Contains sodium and chlorine. A lack of salt is manifested in a decrease in the number of eggs laid, a change in the state of the shell, a slowdown in the growth of the bird, the appearance of convulsions and a general lethargy of the chicken population. Add to the mash amount of 0.2-0.4% (2 g per head per day);

shell. Contains 38% calcium, iodine, magnesium. Layers constantly lose calcium when forming the egg shell, and broilers and chickens are used for the skeletal system. The rate per day for adults is 6–9%, for chickens 1–1.2%. Symptoms of a lack of an element are modifications of the shell (or its absence) and fragility of the bones of the skeleton. Caspian shell is inexpensive and of high quality;

chalk feed. Contains 75-85% calcium. The number of chalk per day is 0.5-3.0%;

limestone. Contains about 32% calcium, some iron, sulfur, magnesium. Daily rate - 3-4%;

eggshell. Serves as a complete source of calcium and other minerals. Before use, the shell is boiled and crushed, added to the feed at the rate of 10-15 g per unit of adult livestock. Daily rate for chickens - 2%;

phosphates. These include phosphate desfluorinated feed, mono-, di- and tricalcium phosphate, prescribed for a lack of phosphorus. This element must be balanced with calcium. The rate of calcium to phosphorus is 3: 1 (at egg laying it reaches 6: 1), in chickens it is 2: 1. Given the known amount of calcium, calculate the required rate of phosphorus. It is recommended to add easily digestible tricalcium phosphate to feed. Daily allowance for adults - 1.5-2%, for chickens -0.5-1%;

wood ash. Contains calcium 33%, phosphorus 2%, sodium 9%, potassium 7%, magnesium 7%, manganese 0.47%, iron 0.8%. 10 grams per unit of livestock is added to the feed or placed in a separate feeder indefinitely;

sapropel or lake silt. Includes protein (up to 6%), calcium (1.2%), as well as other elements. Add 20 g per adult unit, the norm for chickens is 5-15%.

The doses indicated above are designed for one head of hens or 1 kg of dry mix for young animals and broilers. When calculating, keep in mind that, in addition to protein and bone and bone meal, there is a lot of calcium and phosphorus, and fish meal is also rich in phosphorus and can be salted (mineral supplements reduce or cancel).

Important! The presence of salt more than 0.7% in the diet is fraught with poisoning, and 1% can cause death. It is strictly forbidden to use ready-made feed for animals (pigs, cows), because the salt rate here is much higher than for birds.

Green feeds require an increase in salt in the feed to 0.5-0.7%, since it is necessary to balance a large amount of potassium in greens. An excess of minerals is no less harmful, it leads to incomplete assimilation of food and a lag in the growth of bird stock.

There are ready vitamin and mineral premixes. Their use is justified with a poor diet and the apparent inadequate development of young and adult composition.

Here are some examples of vitamin and mineral premixes:

"Country Yard". Vitamin and mineral supplement for chickens. Dosage - 1 g per head.
"Ryabushka". Contains vitamins and trace elements - iron, copper, zinc, manganese, cobalt, iodine, selenium. Dosage - 0.5 g per head.
"Agroservice". It contains proteins, vitamins and the mineral part - calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, cobalt, iodine, selenium. Give at the rate of 10 g per head of hens.

If you have a few chickens, it is enough to give eggshells or wood ash.

Water mode

Water is the main component of living organisms. Its lack leads to death. Clean, fresh water in the drinkers should always be, and access to it is not limited to time, space and freedom of movement.

Keep in mind that the water exchange of layers is an order of magnitude more intense than broilers. During the day she drinks a glass of water. Dry feeding makes you increase the rate by 20-30%.

Chickens need a special drinking regime:

daily chickens consume water heated to 30 °;
week-old drink water not lower than 25 °;
chickens 21 days of life need water 17-19 °;
2-month youngsters can normally drink cold water - from 10 degrees.

Important! Prolonged drinking regime with heated water is fraught with intestinal disorders and digestive disorders.

Cold drink helps to reduce its consumption, and thus helps to keep the humidity of the house normal.

The amount of water consumed depends on the age of the bird:

до 1 месяца. На грамм корма - 1 мл воды;
больше месяца. На 1,5 г корма - 1 мл воды;
chickens oviparous age. 2.5 g of feed - 1 ml of water.

Wet agitators reduce water intake by a third.

Pay attention to the fact that the drinkers are located 10-15 cm above the floor, otherwise especially active individuals will put mud and sand there. The best option would be a nipple drinker. Drinking bowls for babies are designed in such a way that chickens cannot choke or get wet.

Did you know? Frost to -15 °With are not an obstacle to walking the chicken population. Birds are beginning to bite the snow, because throat diseases do not threaten them.

Only severe frosts can freeze scallops and paws, reward the bird with bronchitis. That is why the hen house creates a comfortable temperature without drafts and open doors.