Perhaps many chicken farmers think that the higher the egg production rate in the winter that year when new chickens are hatched in spring, the better. In fact, this view is unscientific. Because, if the egg production rate of new chickens in winter exceeds 60%, it will stop production and moulting when the chickens should be the peak period of egg production in the next spring, especially those chickens with egg-type good breeders. During the spring, it is time to collect eggs. The season of breeding chicks will bring difficulties to the breeding of good breeders and affect economic benefits; even if the production of new chickens does not stop in the spring, it will also cause thin protein concentration and poor quality, which will affect the hatchability and survival rate of the chicks. Therefore, the winter egg production rate of new chickens should generally be controlled at 40%-50%.
The method to control the egg production rate of new chickens is mainly to adjust the ratio of protein and carbohydrate in the diet. The protein content in the feed before laying eggs should be kept at 16%-17%, and the metabolic energy should be kept at 2700-2750 kcal/kg. When the laying rate of new chickens in winter reaches 50% or more, the protein content in the feed should be reduced. To 13.5%-14.5%, the metabolic energy increases to 2800-2850 kcal/kg. In mid-to-late January of the next year, the protein content in the feed will be increased to 15.5%-16.5%, and the metabolic energy will be reduced to 2700-2750 kcal/kg, so that the new chickens can continue to mature and increase production. The amount of eggs is more conducive to the reproduction and development of fine breeders in the coming year.