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How to guide for keeping Egg laying birds (Layers) in Uganda

by Admin

If you've been planning on starting a commercial Poultry Farm with layers, kindly take time and review this
poultry guide for managing your birds before you even start building your poultry house in Uganda.

But first, let us hear what some poultry farmers for layers have to say:

Ms Mutyaba, who has 500 chicken, sells 10-15 trays of eggs every day to whole sellers at Shs7,000 per tray.
If there happens to be a low egg production, the farmer attributes it to the weather conditions
like thunder and heavy winds that affect the chicken.



Mr Lawrence Kulumba, another chicken farmer, collects 26 trays of eggs every day that he sells to wholesalers
and retail shop owners. He currently has 1,000 layers and sells a tray between Shs7,000 and Shs7,500.



“I only supply wholesalers and retailers because they are easy to deal with. In most cases,
I already know how many people I am to supply on a particular day because I get the orders a day before,” he adds.
“I don’t deal with supermarkets because of the delays in payment yet I always have to purchase the feed and other
things to feed the chicken in order to get more eggs,” he says.




Before your Layer chicks arrive at home



make sure that;

  • A brooder is in place

  • Paraffin lamps/electric bulbs/charcoal stove is available

  • Litter for the floor is available

  • 1m2 will accommodate 20 chicks upto 4 weeks old.

  • Temperature control: 350C for day-old chicks, 24-270C for 1 week.

  • Reduce heat as they grow especially at night.




Feeding your Layers



Layers – 1 to 8 weeks feed on chick mash, after 8 weeks introduce growers mash gradually, then with layers mash
after drop of first egg.



From the day a layer chick hatches, the chicken takes about five months before it starts laying eggs.
As a poultry farmer you must be prepared to meet the expense of rearing these young birds (pullets) through this period.
Feeding the young pullets is a major challenge. In an effort to cut down costs, many farmers make the mistake to
underfeed the birds during this pre-lay period.

When your hens are laying eggs, you may not feel the burden of purchasing feeds since they are generating some
income from the sale of eggs.

Do not forget that the performance of your commercial layers is greatly influenced by how you
manage them in brooding and pullet growing phases.

There must be clear performance indicators which you have to monitor during the brooding, growing and laying phases
of egg-type chickens (layers).

Body weight is a major performance indicator.


Under-feeding pullets produces underweight
birds which mature late, produce small eggs and decline more sharply after peak egg production.


Overfeeding produces overweight birds. Overweight pullets are not good because they neither attain nor
sustain high egg production.


Pullets which have been raised well attain high peak production and are less prone to
subsequent egg production problems.




How to mix chick Mash



Give your layers Chick Mash from 0-6 weeks Starter.
For 100 kg of Maize brand mix with 12 kg fish, 10 kg sun flower, 10 kg cotton, and 4 kg shells.


How to mix grower's mash



Grower's mash is also called layer replacement/developer/gain and you give it upto 10 weeks.


You will give grower's mash as gian prior to selling off your birds for meat in the market as
what in Uganda most of us call off layers.


You mix 100 Kg of Maize brand with 15 kg fish meal, 12 Kg cotton seed cake, 8kg of shells,
4 kg bones, ½ Kg calcium, ½ Kg premix, 50 gm Furazolodine, 1 kg red salt, 1 kg fossil.



How to mix layer's Mash



Given your chicken layers mash from start of Egg laying to selling off, typically a 20 weeks egg laying cycle.
For every 100 kg of maize brand, mix 25 kg of fish meal, 10 kg of Sunflower, 10 kg of cotton seed cake, 8 kg of shells,
1/2kg of calcium, 3/4kg Primix, 150 gm of Lysin and 2 kg of Red salt.



Good management practices/tips for your layer chicken




  • Allow for good air circulation in your poulty house for egg laying birds

  • Layer needs on average 120 gm of food per day

  • Distribute food troughs and water troughs evenly (one basin/50 birds)

  • Provide grit at 20 weeks, you give your birds small, loose particles of stone or sand.

  • Laying nests must be kept in dark places, collect eggs 3 times a day, allow a nest for every 5 layer hens

  • Provide soft clean litter

  • Store eggs with the small end facing down

  • Clean dirty eggs with steel wool/coarse leaves, Never wash your eggs

  • Add greens to the diet of your layers and whenever possible vitamins to their water

  • Debeak your layer chicken at onset of egg laying

  • Cull your Layers when egg production drops below 40%. To cull, simply means you start slaughtering your birds for meat.



How to identify the characteristics of a good layer




  • Look for the bright red comb and wattles

  • Good layer should have Alert eyes

  • Width between pelvic bones should measure at least 2 fingers, big enough for the egg to pass through!

  • The beak and claws should look bleached

  • The cloaca (behind) should be moist, well lubricated for the egg to slide over.




How to store your eggs well



Keep your eggs away from cooking heat, do not store eggs in a kitchen where it is hot.
Heat might partially incubate your eggs and kill the embryos in them


Do not store them on top of a cupboard where heat from the roof can reach your eggs and incubate them.


Keep your eggs in a cool secure dry place.


Do not wash your eggs with water




The records you should keep for your layers




  • Production data e.g. number of eggs produced

  • Amount of food eaten

  • Health interventions e.g. treatment

  • Deaths

  • Sales and purchases

Comments for How to guide for keeping Egg laying birds (Layers) in Uganda

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A vote of thanks
by: Irene Mbabazi

I thank you for the advice, i have picked alot.

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Ms
by: Nakalema

Easy reading and clear guidelines. Thank you.

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Cost estimate of 500 layers
by: Anonymous

Thanks!!
My question is, what is the average cost of rearing 500 layers, with one already having a poultry house?

Joseph

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Am Kelly
by: Anonymous

Please if possible, do you HV chicks,vi wanted like 1000..I wanna start as soon as possible

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Am 20 years of age n I have got only 250k UGX can I start a poultry egg layer farm
by: Ssonko Arafat

Am 20 years n I have 250k UGX can I start a poultry egg layers farm

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Layer birds
by: Ivan T

Thanks the admin,. Is it necessary to apply vitamins in drinking water of the pullets? If so, which one is the best.

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Management of young chicks
by: Richard kizito

I’m planning to start a poultry project and I want to know how to brood the young chicks, hoe much growers mash feeds to give over the 6weeks. Then how to vaccinate them . Thank you for the information about the mature layers. It’s quite helpful.

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amount ov feed
by: nyirandolero gloria

i am inquiring how much of feed from starter to grower to layer du i need for 300layers to point ov laying do i need

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Poultry Farmer
by: Vicent

Iam impressed with the guiding principles you have provided on feeding. Im now taking a decision to switch to mixing the feeds for my layers using the formulae provided, I have been using a concetrate and the results are not so good.

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appropriate weight
by: Esther

What's the appropriate weight of layers at 10 weeks of age

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Starter
by: Moses Fitness

The piece is so resourceful thanks

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Good advice I want to start laying birds help thanks
by: Abert

I want to start laying birds I need yr help thanks

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prices
by: Anonymous

Thank you so much for the information, may I please know the prices of lysine and fossil, as I've seen them in your formulae/ than you very much

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drop in production
by: Okomor

I missed feeding my hens in evenings twice in a week. Now the egg production has dropped to 25 %.
since 9 days now no improvement.
what should I do to bring them up again.
thanks.

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layers
by: olivia

how can i make a good parent stock?

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Thanks
by: Sam kalita

Great job done @poultry guide admin, we really appreciate
Soon booking one old day chicks with you
keep up the spirit for teaching the nation
Jah bless

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MAY ALLAH REWARD YOU WITH THE BEST. THANK YOU.
by: Anonymous

But how do i get access to the answers for the questions that have been put forward?

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Want to start
by: Isa

How do i know that this hen is not laying.


Response:
Hello Isa, thank you for your question.

Please inbox the Poultry guide directly by filling out the form on this link to get further advice on how to identify which hens are not laying and on what you can do to boost egg production from your birds.

Thanks
Noah

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poutry keeping guide
by: Anonymous

My name is Rhona,very greatful about your Guide to poutry keeping and as well as egg laying techinics.
5 Starts for you people. THANK YOU

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About broiler birds
by: JOSHUA

This was so helpful! Could you please bring something of this kind about broiler birds? we need it too or if it was uploaded already, i would like to know how to access it by a link or something

Thank you!

Response:

Thanks Joshua for your comment.
The Uganda Broiler Guide is already Uploaded and you can find it on this Link.

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Alot of sense though I prefer private chat.kindly find me on +971565952881.whatsap.thanks
by: Leeman UAE

Advise me about rearing in cages n how much do one need to accommodate 1000layers . in others words total capital right from buying cages , housing n feeding up to production period (4months). thanks

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Wow,so informative. Made so simply for one to understand. Be blessed
by: Lilian

So wonderful.am now well informed on the way to go.be blessd

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Encouragement and word of thanks
by: Accend

For the last one month ,i had been studying how to keep and manage poultry Farming especially here in Uganda but i was reading information only from outside world which could n,t guide me well especially as a beginner. Iam grateful that i came across this very important information and this alone has motivated me so much to carry on with my plan of starting Poultry farming.

My one request though is to know how much space i need for 500 birds? and what kind of building should i put up for the chicken?.

Thanks

Accend

Response:
Hello Accend, thank you for your wonderful comments.

Please inbox the guide directly by filling out the form on this link to get further advice on how much space you need for your birds.

Thanks
Admin

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Farmer
by: Emma

Emma from kalangala i started laying layers they 6 months now but they have failed to lay
feeding formula
100kgs Maize brand
19 kgs fish
15 kgs shells
15 kgs cotton
premix 1/2
salt 1/2
Now whats the problem please help me



Response:
Hello Emma, thank you for your question.

Please inbox the Poultry guide directly by filling out the form on this link to get further advice on what you can do to boost egg production from your birds.

Thanks
Admin

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Appreciation
by: SANGAI MORIS

I really appreciate the writer of this guide all together with the contributing partiners and i am convinced that in the next one year,, i will be in position to draw a tangible poultry project from the knowladge of the guide

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after debeaking my layers are not laying as they use to
by: John

I just debeaked my layers and now are not laying as they use to .... I have 213 birds and for about six days they are only giving me two trays of eggs instead of six. My bird are 10 months old


Response:
Dear John, thank you for your question.

Please inbox the Poultry guide directly by filling out the form on this link to get further advice on what you can do to boost egg production from your birds.

Thanks
Admin

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wonderful piece.
by: Shaldong Selman

Its a wonderful time of study. You imparted so much in my life of Layer Production. Keep it up.

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Premix a& High protein Soya
by: Ali

Hi, I see many other formulas mentioning premix as an ingredient in making feed, yours don't have any.

Can you please advise why? Is there any problem if you do not add any premix for the chicken?

Can you replace fishmeal with Soya and is high protein Soya available in UG?


Response:
Hello Ali, thank you for your question.

Please inbox the Poultry guide directly by filling out the form on this link to get further advice on our recommended formulae for making Chicken feeds.

Thanks
Admin

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egg laying
by: lukia

How do i know that a certain egg is not producing...how do i identify it

Response:
Hello Lukia, thank you for your question.

Please inbox the Poultry guide directly by filling out the form on this link to get further advice on how to identify fertile eggs and eggs which are not fertile.

Thanks
Admin

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poultry breeds
by: Anonymous

I am researching poultry and would like to find out what the traditional 'village' breeds of chicken of Uganda are. Does anyone know where I can look?

thanks

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Happy
by: Mutheru

Am a kenya and am happy ave been all fighting to get the formulae so that i can start making my own feeds and now i got..it the so much..May God Bless u Admin

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VERY PRODUCTIVE INFORMATION
by: AFIA

Thank you very much for sharing. Your information has been helpful to me as a starter in breeding layers.

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Appreciation
by: Haruna

Many thanks to the admin for going out of your way to educate and empower the masses at absolutely no cost to the beneficiary.
I can't find suitable words to thank you better. Your information was spot on and really preemptive of all my curiosity on layer birds management as an income generating activity in Uganda. Be blessed in all your endeavor and be rewarded in in the best way multiple times!

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layers
by: tebugulwa isaac

Hero am isaac from kamengo mpigi i want to start commercial layer for eggs but were i can get more knowledge on it and in such area we have a problem of clean water is it impossible to use wells water for your birds and i want to know the capital i need to rear 1000hens as my start and am need power and the bird can give whow many trays of eggs per day and it can eat waht average for five months of giving eggs and were i can find u in uganda thanks

Tebupaul@gmail.com

256777237676/ 252616799027
Or fbk isaactebu@yahoo.com

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THANKS
by: Anonymous

INDEED AM SO HAPPY FOR THE ADVICE YOU HAVE GIVEN TO THOSE OF US WHO WANT TO START

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Help identifying costs
by: Anonymous

Question:
Hi
This is a very informative arrival thank you .
Regarding the different types of feeding and mixers can you please let me know what the costs are?

Thanks
Again

Answer:
Contact the Poultry Guide Admin for further details.

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Feeding Kuroiler Chicken
by: Julius Onencan

I have started rearing kuroiler chicken lately. I bought 12 week old birds. I have information on the type of feed to give before and after they start laying. The bit of information still lacking is how much feed to give per bird per day, and at what intervals.

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The Sick Layers
by: Noah

How to know that your layers are sick




  • You will find them Dull

  • They will reduce feed intake

  • You will your birds have reduced water intake

  • The birds will have low egg production

  • If they we're still young, the rate of growth is reduced.

  • The feathers of the bird will be rough- Rough coat





Common problems in the management of layers


The following are some of the problems which farmers encounter. Many of them can be avoided if the farmer is informed.
These problems could lead to serious economic losses if they are not addressed promptly.

Cannibalism


This is when chicken peck and injure each other.
It starts when one bird gets injured and others peck it.
The victim often bleeds to death.
You can prevent this by trimming the birds’ beaks.Immediately remove of the injured bird to prevent serious injuries.
Cannibalism can also be brought about by protein or amino acid deficiencies, over-crowding, insufficient feed quantities and boredom.

Egg-eating


The vice of egg eating may develop if a hen lays soft shelled eggs. This happens when there is a nutritional deficiency.
For this reason, layers’ mash must have a good balance of nutrients. If a hen watches another one laying an egg,
it is tempted to peck at the emerging egg and break it. Once the egg is broken, hens will immediately eat it.

You need to construct proper nests to avoid this. Individual nests should be big enough to allow only
one hen at a time. If communal nests are used, they should be partially covered so as to make them dark.

Broodiness


Broodiness is a natural tendency where hens try to incubate their eggs. Commercial layers do not have this characteristic
because it was bred out. However, once in a while, a few hens in the flock may become broody.
A broody hen is unproductive and sits in the nest, inconveniencing others.

Such a hen should be isolated and kept on a rough floor until it loses broodiness.
Then, it can be returned to the laying house to resume laying eggs.

Infertility


Due to either ill health or infertility or both, some hens may fail to lay eggs.
These should be removed from the flock (culling). By 25 weeks (six months), all hens should be laying eggs.
Thereafter, unproductive birds should be identified promptly and culled to avoid losses caused by feeding them.

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