The cellular maintenance of laying hens is one of the most popular methods. But each poultry breeder needs to know how to properly create all the necessary conditions to maintain good health in birds and obtain high egg production.
Advantages and disadvantages
The cell content of laying hens has many pluses:
- the ability to keep more individuals in a limited area;
- it’s easier and more convenient to maintain a birdhouse;
- reduction of feed costs due to the exclusion of spilling it past the cells;
- the egg collection process is greatly simplified;
- the safest way to keep it;
- reduction of lighting and heating costs by reducing the area.
In addition to the advantages, the fact that birds move less in a limited space, which means they eat less food, can be attributed.
The cellular content of chickens also has some limitations:
- low quality of life of birds;
- need for additional feeding with vitamins and minerals;
- the rapid spread of infections and parasites between birds;
- lack of natural light in the room;
- increased risk of heart disease due to restricted bird movements and excessive feeding.
Basic rules for laying hens
When keeping chickens in their cages, it is necessary to adhere to certain rules that will help prevent various problems with the health of birds, as well as with a decrease in egg production.
Bird density
With the cell content of laying hens, one of the most important factors is the density of the birds. Experts recommend placing only hens of one breed and preferably the same age in one cage. This approach will help prevent conflicts between birds.
When landing hens in one cage should be allocated at least 0.1 square meters. m per individual (not more than 5-6 chickens per standard cage). In the case of each chicken in a separate cage, at least 0.5 square meters should be allocated. m per individual.
Cell lighting
When organizing the cellular maintenance of laying hens, it is also necessary to take care of the proper lighting. The number of eggs produced is strongly dependent on this factor, since egg production increases significantly with longer daylight hours.
For bird health, it is very important to get vitamin D, because its deficiency leads not only to diseases, but also to a decrease in the quality of eggs.
To prevent deviations in the mental health of chickens, experts recommend purchasing special lamps that work in automatic mode and allow you to smoothly and evenly illuminate the entire area of the cage.
Cleaning
In conditions of cellular maintenance, it is necessary to regularly clean. This will help prevent the development and spread of various diseases in birds.
To maintain cleanliness in cells, the following measures are taken:
- daily wet cleaning;
- half-eaten food must be removed;
- the drinker and feeder are washed after each feeding;
- water is changed daily;
- litter is cleaned several times a day with the obligatory disinfection of pallets.
Feeding
When the hens are kept in cages, they should carefully monitor the diet of birds, since in the absence of free-range walking they cannot independently receive additional elements that are necessary for the proper functioning of the body.
In this case, ready-made balanced feeds are used, which are selected depending on the breed and the needs of the animals.
In case of self-preparation of the diet, use the following components for food:
- wheat;
- sunflower meal;
- vegetable fats;
- calcium carbonate;
- salt;
- vitamin supplements.
As additives, you can use "Zdravur." This is a well-established complex that is designed specifically for laying hens.
The diet of birds must be properly balanced, so daily chickens should receive 72% carbohydrates, 15% protein, 6% fat, 3% fiber, 2% vitamins and minerals.
Additionally, read the article on daily nutrition of laying hens.
Prevention of diseases and parasites
In the conditions of cell keeping, birds are more susceptible to various diseases and parasites. For prevention, vaccination is often used. Pay special attention to young animals, as the immunity of young individuals is weaker than in adults.
For the prevention of feather parasites, experts recommend installing special containers in each cell that need to be filled with ash and sand. If birds regularly use the ash bath, the parasites will not be able to survive and breed.
In case of infection, the infected bird is isolated from healthy individuals and the cell in which it was located is completely disinfected. Use ash, sand or dust.
Temperature mode
In the chicken coop, it is necessary to maintain the correct temperature depending on the time of year. In the warm period, the recommended temperature is from 23 degrees to 25, in the cold - 15 degrees. In summer, to maintain the temperature, keep the windows open, in winter you need to insulate the house and install heating devices.
Ventilation
In addition to temperature, take care of the ventilation of the room. For small chicken coops, you can make several windows. For large rooms - a special ventilation system.
To create it, two holes are made on the roof, placed in each pipe and its upper ends are led out onto the street. The air intake pipe should be located below the exhaust pipe so that warm air from the chicken coop can easily go outside.
Experts recommend taking into account the height of the ceiling when building a chicken coop. 180 cm is optimal, since at a lower room ventilation is difficult, and at a height of more than 180 cm in winter it is difficult to maintain the room temperature.
4 useful tips
To maintain high egg production and healthy chickens in the room in which the birds are kept, must be present:
- Artificial lighting. Use LED lamps for lighting rooms, as they are more economical and safer for birds. Lamps are placed throughout the territory at a distance of 2 m from each other. The daylight hours for birds should be between 14 and 16 hours.
- Ventilation system. Often, electric fans are installed for this, which prevent the accumulation of moisture and ensure good air circulation in the chicken coop.
- Heating. In most cases, poultry farmers use steam or stove heating, infrared and oil heaters, as well as fan heaters.
- Automatic drinkers. For this, a vacuum feed is used. Above the level of the drinkers, a common hermetically sealed tank is installed, from which conduct the tubes to each drinker.
How to make a cage for laying hens?
For laying hens, you can buy ready-made cages or create them at home yourself.
Cell requirements
There are some requirements for creating cells for laying hens. Their observance will help to significantly increase the egg production of birds and prevent health problems.
Experts have identified several recommendations for the design of cells:
- in each cage it is necessary to place a feeding trough and a drinking bowl, necessarily removable;
- all walls in the cells must be made of steel and grating;
- the diameter of the rods of the cell bottom is at least 2.5 mm;
- the distance between the rods of the front wall must have a width of 5 cm and a height of 10 cm;
- when designing an egg collector, make a protrusion of about 6-8 cm, and a bend of the edge - 3 cm;
- feeder and drinking bowl should be well fixed, but easy to remove;
- the ceiling is made to grate to ensure good ventilation;
- the slope of the cell floor is 6-8 degrees, the diagonal of the hole is 1-1.5 cm.
Below are the optimal parameters for the cells depending on the number of chickens:
The number of individuals in the cage | Depth cm | Width cm | The height of the back wall, cm | Total height cm | Area for 1 individual, sq. m |
2-3 | 50-60 | 60-100 | 45 | 65 | 10-30 |
4-5 | 50-60 | 100-140 | 45 | 65 | 10-21 |
6-8 | 60-80 | 140-180 | 50 | 70 | 10-22 |
9-12 | 70-100 | 180-200 | 50 | 70 | 10-24 |
Cell species
Laying cages vary depending on the requirements and capabilities of the breeder. Conventionally, they can be divided into two types:
- Litter cells. In this case, the floor is made deaf and covered with straw or sawdust.
- Cells with sloping floors and egg collectors. In this variation, a double floor is created, the upper part being made of a lattice with an inclination. The lower part, in turn, is made deaf and, often, equipped with a pallet.
This option allows for maximum purity and dryness in the cells. Thanks to the sloping floor, the egg rolls into a special egg collector. This type of cage is more popular among poultry farmers.
Specialists in laying hens in cages that have a large number of birds often use a cell battery for chickens when the rows of cells are on top of each other. At the same time, each row is placed slightly behind the bottom so that the chickens do not stain their neighbors from below.
Step-by-step manufacturing instructions
Cells are made from a lattice that is made of metal. You can fix both in a metal and wooden frame.
For a cell with a metal frame, the following materials are required:
- galvanized wire mesh, shallow (cell diagonal - 1.5-2.5 mm, rod thickness - 2.5 mm);
- wide mesh for the front wall (cell - 5 cm);
- corners made of metal (thickness - about 3 mm);
- galvanized sheet metal for the tray (thickness - 1.5 mm);
- sheets of plywood for the feeder (thickness - 1.5-2 mm);
- water pipe (diameter - 5-7 cm);
- steel hinges and hooks;
- dowel nails or anchor bolts;
- self-tapping screws for metal and wood.
The litter tray can be made of plastic.
From the tools you need the following:
- welding machine;
- screwdriver;
- tape measure with marker;
- building level.
Before you start creating cells, you need to determine their size and quantity, as well as make a drawing of the frame. You can use a drawing of a cage made of metal, which is designed for 4 birds:
1 - cell framework; 2 - drinkers; 3 - door; 4 - feeding trough; 5 - egg collector; 6 - mesh floor; 7 - litter tray.
To install the cells and mount the frame, you must perform the following steps:
- grinder cutting a corner for the frame;
- installation of vertical frame elements and welding them with horizontal;
- measuring the horizontal level of the crossbars and its adjustment;
- reinforcement of the frame by welding additional diagonal corners (length 3-4 cm);
- cutting from the mesh of an inclined egg collector and bending its edges;
- clipping of the side walls and roof of the cage;
- processing the front wall (slice of horizontal cells at a height of 15-20 cm from the bottom to create an opening of 5 x 10 cm);
- collecting cells, welding fixed parts;
- fastening the movable part to the hinges;
- bending the edges of the sheet of tin, so that their height is 2-4 cm, and the internal dimensions are 60-70 cm;
- creating the necessary number of trays;
- welding to the front parts of the cells of two metal plates (2 by 3 cm) on the sides;
- the installation of cells on the frame, fixing with screws;
- manufacturing feeders from thin plywood sheets (vertical wall height - 10 cm, bottom –15 cm, rear wall height - 12.5 cm);
- attachment of metal hooks to the feeders using self-tapping screws and their installation at a height of 15-20 cm from the bottom of the cells;
- longitudinal cutting with a hot knife of plastic pipes for drinking bowls, installing sealed plugs on the sides and fixing them 7-10 cm above the level of the feeders;
- bringing water to the drinkers.
The frame can be mounted on wheels. This will help to easily move the cells indoors or outdoors in the warm season. For convenient transportation, it is necessary to install wheels on small frames where up to 6 cells with layers are placed.
Cell covers can be made mobile. Such a reception will facilitate their service.
In the case of installing cells on a wooden frame, the metal corners can be replaced with a square beam of 10 cm for vertical support and a beam of 4 cm for a horizontal beam. They assemble it using self-tapping screws with the installation of additional crossbars at an angle of 45 degrees to the bearing beams. To speed up installation work, you can install one common floor with a slope, and on top already put cells without a floor.
Trays for litters should be installed one at a maximum on two cages, this will facilitate its cleaning.
In this video, the poultry farmer talks about the features of creating cell structures for keeping laying hens:
Cellular maintenance of laying hens will significantly save the cost of birds and facilitate the process of caring for them. However, with this method, it is necessary to observe the basic rules regarding cells, cleaning and temperature conditions in the room.