4 Tips You Must Know about Transferring Laying Chicken

Generally speaking, poultry house of large-scale laying hen cage applies two rearing stages – brooding and laying to maximize the utilization of the poultry house and equipment. Therefore, after the laying chicken reaches a certain age, they will be transferred from chicken brooder cage to laying hen cage. In the process of transfer, much attention should be paid to completing a safe transfer and reducing the emergency impact of laying hen. There are 4 tips for the transfer process:

1. Transfer Time

10-12 weeks of age is a critical period for skeleton development and body weight growth of laying chicken (reach 80% to 90% of the adult skeleton and 48% to 56% of the adult body weight). 16-18 weeks of age is a critical period for the growth and development of fallopian tube of laying chicken (fallopian tube length increased by more than 3 times and weight increased by more than 30 times). If the group is transferred too early, the chicken will be small and the skeleton will be tender. If the group transfer is too late, the growth and development of the fallopian tubes will be affected due to the stress response of the transfer, and the egg-laying time will be delayed. Generally, it is best for laying chicken to transfer at 13 to 16 weeks of age.

2.Eliminate Unqualified Chickens A Week Ahead

Qualified laying chicken should be healthy and lively, has good reflexes, dry feathers, bright and clear eyes, closed and clean beak and nostrils and umbilicus, abdomen soft and stretchable (yolk sac absorbed well) normal body temperature normal (cloaca temperature maintained at 40 degrees Celsius), bodyweight uniform≥90%, shin-length uniformity≥90%.

3.Drinking and Feeding

In order to reduce the stress response, vitamin C, electrolytic multi-dimensional and other anti-stress additives should be appropriately added to the water 2-3 days before the transfer. Feeding should be stopped on the day of the transfer.

4. All in All Out Method

The all-in-all-out transfer method can effectively prevent the spread of infectious diseases in chicken farmhouse. The transfer should be completed within one day if possible. Take it lightly when catching chickens, and fill the chicken coop all at once to prevent fights. Let the chicken brooder cage and laying hen cage maintain empty for 3-4 weeks to clean and disinfect for the next production.