A fit chicken lays long

A good chick quality and a coordinated rearing are the basis for a successful, long laying period. The duration of laying is determined during the sensitive phase of transitioning to laying hens. Breeding aims for persistence and a flat egg weight curve in hens. Due to breeding progress, the laying duration can be extended by about half a week each year. It has become almost normal for chickens to lay 500 eggs in 100 weeks of life. With white laying hybrids, it is now possible to expect 600 eggs in 120 weeks. Sensitive Transition Period Thanks to their genetic makeup, laying hens today complete this long laying period without molting. The shell stability often determines how long a flock will last. A targeted feeding program and maintaining liver health are essential. This begins in the chick phase. The necessary adjustments to the feed in different stages of the animal's development can be found in overview 1. During the transition from young to laying hens, the length of time the flock can be kept is determined. A premature start to laying is disadvantageous because the young hen still needs to gain weight. Starting immature and underweight into the laying phase greatly harms the persistence and longevity of the flock. The goal should be to increase the feed intake to 120g per animal as quickly as possible after placing them in the laying house. To ensure this, training the feed intake during rearing is important. This is achieved through feeding management. Adequate roughage content is essential for this. Block feeding can help support lower-ranking animals. If a flock declines shortly after reaching peak performance, the reason is often "thin" feed or insufficient feed intake. Fatty liver syndrome due to malnutrition is often an additional factor. This will result in a permanent shortfall in laying performance compared to the target. Missing eggs impact the economic success of the operation. The Gut is the Control Center Animal health begins in the gut. The gut is one of the body's most important organs and is also referred to as the control center of the immune system. Promoting gut health plays a central role in the well-being of the animals. Gut health starts with tailored nutrition for the hens. It is important to calculate a ration based on digestible amino acids. At the same time, the crude protein content in the feed should be reduced. This is not only crucial for environmental reasons but also because it reduces the animal's metabolic burden and promotes gut stability. Amino acid supply should be tailored to the egg mass produced. Certain safety margins are essential. The adequacy of the hens' supply can also be seen in the litter. If feathers are visible there, the supply is sufficient. A lack, especially of essential amino acids like methionine and indigestible fiber, causes hens to start eating their own feathers. This behavior can quickly spiral out of control for the flock. A flock that loses feathers is already lost. Coarse, Textured, and Homogeneous A good and uniform feed intake is based on a coarse, textured, and homogeneous feed structure. Large components are undesirable as hens tend to pick them out. This can lead to a deficiency in essential minerals and vitamins. It is best to regularly check the feed structure using a shaker box. The recommended grain size distribution is shown in the overview. Feeding laying hens is done in stages. The different feeds used are no longer based on the age of the flock but rather adjusted to their condition and performance. As long as a flock's laying performance is over 90%, it must be well-nourished. Nutrient deficiency creates physiological stress and compromises longevity. Especially with an extended laying period, supporting eggshell stability is crucial. The calcium content of the feed and its origin (fast or slow influx) are important. The eggshell also contains about 3% proteins that give the rigid structure some elasticity and promote shell stability. Promoting Liver Metabolism To ensure adequate synthesis of these proteins, promoting liver metabolism is essential. The energy content of the feed remains constant throughout the laying phase. However, the protein content, amino acids, and linoleic acid content decrease. The same goes for phosphorus. The demand for calcium increases because the hen's ability to metabolize this mineral decreases as it ages. By adjusting the feed composition, the poultry farmer can support liver health. A certain proportion of energy should be added through fats and oils. This relieves the liver metabolism. Choline chloride to support energy metabolism and betaine have positive effects. If necessary, a so-called "fatty liver mixture" enriched with vitamins B, K, and E can be used. Consider Fiber Content Increasing attention is now being paid to the fiber content in feed conception. Fiber always has a positive effect on the gut. The proportion in laying feed should be 4 to 5%. Especially indigestible fiber has a beneficial effect. Pure corn and soy rations are recognized as problematic. In the context of a long laying period, the gut flora plays a crucial role. It communicates with the animal's brain through certain metabolic products and influences animal health and well-being. With a balanced diet, the poultry farmer can maintain and promote gut stability. Gut problems in animals always lead to nutrient losses, even if the feed is optimally composed. Nutrient losses "stress" a high-performing animal and lead to decreased performance. But not only the composition of the feed itself affects the gut. The poultry farmer should also focus on the transport and storage of the feed. Important questions in this context are: Are the transport vehicles free from contamination from the previous load? Are the feed silos regularly cleaned and kept clean? Feed should not be stored for too long (maximum one month in summer). If feed sacks are used, they must be stored dry and protected from damage and pests. The article was originally written by feeding expert Robert Pottgüter and first appeared in the weekly newspaper for agriculture and rural life 20/2025.