Calcium is an indispensable dietary element for laying hens. If the calcium content in the feed is insufficient, it will directly affect the laying hen’s egg production, egg shell thickness, egg fertilization rate, chick emergence rate and serum calcium content. Therefore, supplementing calcium for calcium-deficient laying hens is not only extremely important, but also very particular. Pay attention to the calcium source, time, quantity and method of calcium supplementation.
Calcium supplement calcium source The choice of calcium source feed is the effect of sea shell powder**. Coarse shell powder is made from crushed large shells, does not contain fine sand, and generally contains 35% to 37% calcium. It is a high-quality calcium source feed for laying hens.
Calcium supplementation time The continuous laying hens usually lay eggs in the morning. Half an hour after laying, the next egg yolk is discharged from the ovary into the fallopian tube. Therefore, continuous laying hens do not need calcium supplementation in the morning. After 2 o’clock in the afternoon, as the eggshell deposition rate increases, the amount of calcium required by the chicken also increases. Therefore, in order to make the laying hens produce more eggs and produce good eggs, the effect of supplementing calcium feed to the laying hens from 2 pm to 6 pm every day**.
The amount of calcium supplementation Calcium supplementation is needed for layer production, but it is not as much as possible. Generally, each egg lay requires 4.4 grams of calcium, and the calcium content of the diet is 3% to 3.5% to meet the production needs of the layer. If the calcium content in the diet exceeds 4%, adverse symptoms will occur: on the one hand, the palatability of the feed will be worse, and the feed intake of the flock will be reduced; on the other hand, it will cause the accumulation of urate in the laying hens, leading to Indigestion can cause diarrhea, and in severe cases it can cause gout symptoms.
Calcium supplement method The calcium source feed can be placed separately, allowing the chickens to eat freely, or it can be mixed in the feed.