30/09/2013
how many eggs does KENBRO layer lay?
For a normal chicken (Meeting the criteria below), it lays eggs from age of 5 months to age of 18 months. This applies to most commercial breeds as well as Kenbro and Dorep chicken. In line with number of eggs laid also comes the number of eggs eaten by the hens. The birds eat eggs due to lack of minerals and you would need to suppliment to ensure the number of eggs on your egg trays add up.
The criteria
- good breed, not inbreed (meaning that there is no in**st in the blood line). If you hatch your own hens remember to constantly change the c***s.
- well fed, Calcium and minerals affect the growth and laying capability of chicken. so dont just give it maize and think it will lay egg. This is why some farmers crash egg shells and feed them to the hens. If using commercial feeds, remember to provide your hens with peckers - for instance cabbages, maize on corn as this will also prevent cannibalism.
- stress free . Ensure that your hens are not stressed. There should be no attacks from dogs, foxes, and other preditors. This is also a basis for free range farming.
- Use a booster only if you have to, clearly you need to avoid this as it messes up with the natural operations of the hen reproductive system.
- make sure your chicken are well medicated, dont over do it and follow the instructions given.
On average chicken will feed on 150g a day, but ideally there must always be feeds in the trays for them to feed on
Another important factor is the number of hours the hens have access to light. The typical hours recommended are 14 hours - you thus would need to provide lighting for an extra 2 hours a day to optimise egg production.
Remember to watch your animals carefully, for instance if there are hens dozing off, it means that they are ill. You also need to ensure that the hens cages are clean as droppings do form a breeding ground for coccidiosis which will also affect egg laying
Hens do have a molting season where they dont lay eggs at all - they arent like people - they do run out of eggs and their bodies needs to restart the process again - this is when a Kienyeji is sitting on its eggs to hatch ( she doesnt lay eggs at the same time remember!)