1. LAYERS
Trevor Lowein

3. FROM DAY OLD TO LAYER

4. • Hy-Line Brown Commercial Layers
• Performance Summary
• Growing Period (to 17 weeks):
• Livability 97%
• Feed Consumed 5.62 kg
• Body Weight at 17 Weeks 1.36 kg
• Laying Period (to 80 weeks):
• Percent Peak 94–96%
• Hen-Day Eggs to 80 Weeks 350–371
• Hen-Housed Eggs to 80 Weeks 341–361
• Livability to 80 Weeks 94%
• Days to 50% Production (from hatch) 142
• Body Weight at 32 Weeks 1.87 kg
• Body Weight at 70 Weeks 1.98 kg
• Shell Strength Excellent
• Average Daily Feed Consumption (18–80 weeks) 107 g/day per bird
• Feed Conversion Rate, kg Feed/kg Eggs (20–80 weeks) 2.08
• Feed Utilization, kg Egg/kg Feed (20–80 weeks) 0.481
• Feed per Dozen Eggs (20–60 weeks) 1.54 kg
• Feed per Dozen Eggs (20–80 weeks) 1.58 kg

5. BROODING
• FEED.
• LIGHT.
• LITTER.
• AIR.
• WATER.
• SANITATION.
• SPACE.
• TEMPERATURE TEMPERATURE

6. FEED
• BEST QUALITY (PREFERABLY CRUMBS).
• 60% OF FLOOR AREA TO BE COVERED (ON
PAPER).
• CLEAN AND EASILY AVAILABLE.
• EQUAL DISTRIBUTION AND ADEQUATE SUPPLY
• CROP FILL TEST (6 HOURS POST PLACEMENT).
• 1 TRAY PER 60 CHICKS.
• CHICKS MUST HAVE FEED WITHIN 1 METRE

9. LIGHT
• ENOUGH LIGHT TO BE ABLE TO READ A
NEWSPAPER.
• ALL LIGHTS WORKING.
• 23 HOURS LIGHT WHILST BROODING TO
ENCOURAGE FEEDING.

10. LITTER
• 5-7 CM OF LITTER. WHEAT/BARLEY
STRAW/WOOD SHAVINGS (NO SAWDUST)
• DRY, TURNED AND SUFFICIENT.
• NO WET PATCHES.

11. AIR
• ADEQUATE FRESH AIR, NO DUST, NO
AMMONIA.
• DON’T COMPROMISE VENTILATION TO
MAINTAIN TEMPERATURE. USE EXTRA FUEL.
• NO DRAUGHTS OR DIRECT COLD AIR.
• STALE AIR WILL LEAD TO CRD AND STUNT
GROWTH.

12. WATER
• CLEAN FRESH AND READILY AVAILABLE. FIT
FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.
• 1 FONT PER 60 CHICKS.
• FONTS CLEANED AT LEAST ONCE A DAY.
• ADD VITAMINS AND ELECTROLYTES FOR FIRST
FIVE DAYS

13. SANITATION
• AT LEAST TWO WEEKS REST AFTER PROPER
CLEANOUT AND DISINFECTION.
• ALL EQUIPMENT REMOVED AND DISINFECTED
• ISOLATION. FOOTBATHS. OTHER LIVESTOCK
AND WILD BIRDS
• BIOSECURITY

15. SPACE (STOCKING DENSITY)
• CHARCOAL BROODING 15 BIRDS/SQ M
• GAS/ELECTRIC BROODING 35 BIRDS/SQ M
• 3 WEEKS TO 12 WEEKS 10 BIRDS/SQ M
• 12 WEEKS TO DEPLETION 6 BIRDS/SQ M

16. HEATING
• THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF RAISING A
CHICK.
• PREHEAT HOUSE AT LEAST 24 HOURS PRIOR
TO ARRIVAL
• MAINTAIN CONSTANT TEMPERATURE 24
HOURS A DAY WHILST ALLOWING FRESH AIR.
• CHILLING WILL LEAD TO LOW FOOD INTAKE,
DISEASE AND LOSS OF POTENTIAL.

17. • PRODUCTION AT A LATER STAGE.
• BEWARE OF INCREASED CARBON DIOXIDE
LEVELS – ENSURE VENTING AND HEATING.
• GRADUALLY REDUCE TEMPERATURE.
Recommended Brooding Temperatures
Age (days) Temperature
1–3 35–36°C (95–97°F)
4–7 33–35°C (92–95°F)
8–14 31–33°C (89–91°F)
15–21 29–31°C (84–87°F)
22–28 26–27°C (79–81°F)
29–35 23–25°C (74–77°F)
36+ 21°C (70°F)
Modify the temperatures as needed to meet the chicks’ comfort
needs

20. THE CHICKS WILL TELL YOU IF THEY ARE COMFORTABLE

23. FEEDING

24. • FEED A PROPERLY FORMULATED RATION.
DON’T TRY ANY SHORTCUTS. BIRD HEALTH
WILL DETERIORATE AND EGG PRODUCTION
WILL DROP.
• USE FEEDERS DESIGNED TO PREVENT
WASTAGE. FEED IS ABOUT 80% OF COST OF
PRODUCTION.
• HANG AT THE CORRECT HEIGHT (LEVEL WITH
THE BIRD’S BACK).
• SHAKE FEEDERS REGULARLY TO STIMULATE
FEEDING. LAYERS ARE LAZY EATERS.
• DAILY FEED INTAKE - CAGE 107GMS/BIRD/DAY

26. • OUR LOCAL CONDITIONS 115GMS/BIRD/DAY
• DON’T ALLOW FEED TO BE CONTAMINATED
OR WET. MYCOTOXINS WILL MULTIPLY AND
ARE TOXIC.
• STORE IN A VERMIN PROOF STRUCTURE. RATS
CARRY INFECTION.
• 1 TUBE FEEDER TO 30-40 BIRDS.

29. HEALTH
A flock of pullets or layers can only perform up
to its genetic potential when disease
influence is minimized. The appearance of
various diseases can vary from a subclinical
effect on performance to outright severe
mortality. The diseases of economic importance
vary widely between locations, but in every case
the challenge is to identify and control
those diseases.

30. HOW DISEASE IS TRANSMITTED

33. • BIOSECURITY
• MAINTAIN TIGHT RULES AND OBSERVE
STRICTEST HYGIENE REGIME.
• ISOLATION, FOOT BATHS, SHOWERS,
CLOTHING, FOOTWEAR.
• CLEAN HOUSING AND SURROUNDS
• NO UNECESSARY VISITORS – HUMANS, WILD
BIRDS, RATS.
• CLEAN WATER.
• PLAN WORK TO ATTEND YOUNG BIRDS FIRST
MOVING TO OLDER FLOCKS

34. • ACHIEVE TARGET BODY WEIGHTS AND
MAINTAIN OR ELSE BIRDS WILL STRUGGLE TO
PRODUCE AND BECOME SUSCEPTABLE TO
INFECTION

35. • VACCINATION
• PROPERLY VACCINATED BIRDS WILL HAVE A
SHIELD AGAINST MOST COMMON DISEASES.
• VACCINATE ACCORDING TO PROGRAMME
ISSUED BY CHICK SUPPLIER OR LOCAL VET.
• ENSURE WATER IS CLEAN AND NOT
CHLORINATED. ALL LIVE VACCINES WILL BE
DESTROYED BY THE MINUTEST AMOUNT OF
CHLORINE.
• USE A WATER STABILISER/CONDITIONER E.G
SKIM MILK POWDER/AVIBLUE

36. • OBSERVE THE SAME PRINCIPLES USED
DURING BROODING. F.L.A.W.S.
• MEDICATE ONLY AFTER RECEIVING
PROFESSIONAL ADVICE.
• REMOVE AND DESTROY MORTALITIES ASAP.
ISOLATE SICK BIRDS TO PREVENT POSSIBLE
DISEASE TRANSMISSION.

40. HOUSING
• HOUSES SHOULD FACE EAST WEST TO AVOID
EXTREMES OF SUNLIGHT AND WIND.
• ISOLATE HOUSES AT LEAST 30M APART.
• ROOF AT LEAST 3 M ABOVE GROUND WITH A
GOOD SLOPE. PAINT WHITE INSIDE AND OUT FOR
COOLING.
• USE TREATED POLES AND PROPER ROOF SHEETS,
NOT THATCH (RATS,DISEASE ETC)
• LOW SIDE WALL +/-75CM TO ALLOW AIR FLOW

41. • END WALLS SHOULD BE BUILT TO ROOF
HEIGHT TO MINIMISE EFFECTS OF WIND AND
SUN.
• HOUSE NO WIDER THAN 10M OR
VENTILATION BECOMES A PROBLEM.
• COVER SIDES WITH 13MM WIRE MESH
SEALING RIGHT TO THE ROOF TO PREVENT
WILD BIRDS ENTERING.
• IDEALLY FLOOR SHOULD BE CONCRETED BUT
WELL COMPACTED GRAVEL IS ACCEPTABLE.
• KEEP GRASS WELL CUT AROUND PERIMETER.

43. EGG COLLECTION AND GRADING
• 1 NEST BOX TO 8 BIRDS.
• MOST EGGS LAID WITHIN 5 HOURS OF FIRST
LIGHT. REGULAR COLLECTIONS TO PREVENT EGGS
BUILDING UP AND DAMAGE.
• MORE FREQUENT COLLECTIONS IN HOT
WEATHER.
• KEEP CLEAN AND DIRTY EGGS SEPARATE.
• COOL EGGS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. STORAGE LIFE
DECREASES RAPIDLY WITH ELEVATED
TEMPERATURES.

44. • IDEALLY COLLECT IN TRAYS NOT BASKETS.
• DIRTY EGGS TO BE EITHER DRY CLEANED OR
WASHED IN WARM WATER AND MILD
DETERGENT, DEPENDING ON AMOUNT OF
SOILING.
• NOT ECONOMIC FOR SMALL SCALE GROWERS
TO PURCHASE EGG GRADERS.

45. THANK YOU