EGG LAYING CHARACTERISTIC OF LAYERS POULTRY

Layer poultry farming means raising egg laying poultry birds for the purpose of commercial
egg production. Layer chickens are such a special species of hens, which need to be raised from
when they are one day old. They start laying eggs commercially from 18-19 weeks of age. They
remain laying eggs continuously till their 72-78 weeks of age. They can produce about one kg of
eggs by consuming about 2.25 kg of food during their egg laying period. For the purpose of
producing hybrid eggs layer, consider the various characteristics  of cock and hen before
breeding. There are various types of highly egg productive layer breeds available throughout
the world.
LayersBreeds:
According to the nature and color of egg, layer hens are of two types. Short description of these
two types are listed below.
 White Egg Laying Hens: This type of hens is comparatively smaller in size. Relatively eat
less food, and the color of egg shell is white. Isa White, Lehman White, Nikchik, Bab Cock
BV-300, Havard White, Hi Sex White, Sever White, Hi line White, Bovanch White etc. are
some popular white egg laying chickens.
 Brown Egg Laying Hens: Brown egg laying hens are relatively larger in size. They eat
more foods, compared to white egg layers. Lay bigger eggs than other laying breeds. Egg
shell is brown colored. There are many types of brown layer available. Among those Isa
Brown, Hi Sex Brown, Sever 579, Lehman Brown, Hi Line Brown, Bab Cock BV-380, Gold
Line, Bablona Tetro, Bablona Harko, Havard Brown etc. are very suitable for
commercial layer poultry farming.
Common breeds of layers
Rhode Island Red
Rhode Island Red’s originated from America and are known as a ‘dual purpose’ chickens. This
chicken breeds because they are tough and lay lots of eggs.

Eggs: young Rhode Island Red to lay 250 eggs a year. These eggs are brown and medium sized.

Colour: Contrary to their name, Rhode Island Reds actually have brown and black feathers
giving them a dark appearance.Character: They are more than capable of looking after
themselves, and are well known for being tough. Rhode Islands are very friendly and are
commonly picked by first time chicken keepers .

Leghorn

Leghorns were brought to the States from Italy back in the 1800s and have made the perfect
backyard chicken ever since. Eggs: They should lay around 250 eggs per year. These eggs will be
white and medium sized. Colour: They are one of the most unique breeds going, with a full
white body and a large thick red comb. Character: Whilst they would still make an ideal pick for
a beginner, anyone looking to tame their chickens shouldn’t choose Leghorns as they are

known for being shy and hard to tame .

Sussex

Like the Rhode Island Red, the Sussex is a ‘dual purpose’ hen which means they can be raised
for either eggs or meat.Eggs:  A Sussex is easily capable of laying 250 eggs a year. The colour of the
eggs will vary from brown through to creamy white.

Colour: The Sussex breed has eight different colours, the most common one being a pure white
body with black neck and tail feathers.Character: They are a very calm breed who would
happily free range in a garden without destroying it

Plymouth Rock

Eggs: A healthy Plymouth Rock should lay around 200 eggs a year. These eggs will be small to
medium sized and are a light brown colour.

Colour: They are predominately grey with white stripes wrapping around their body.

Character: Plymouths are a large bird that is much better suited to the free range lifestyle. Like
the Sussex they are very friendly birds who can easily be tamed.

Ancona

The Ancona is a small hen which originates from Italy but is now much more common in the
United Kingdom and the US.

Eggs: It will lay around 200 eggs per year. These will be small white eggs.

Colour: In feather appearance, it looks very similar to the Plymouth Rock except it is less than
half the size.Character: The Ancona isn’t a breed to be picked as a pet. It is skittish and will need
its feathers clipping often as it’s notorious for flying out of chicken pens!Eggs: They will lay
around 200 eggs per year. These will be small to medium sized eggs and will have a white glossy
shell.
 Good layers
Character Poor layers

s
 full, large, waxy, bright red and small, scaly, pale, and shrivelled
warm.
Comb and
wattle
flexible pubic bones, wide apart tight, quite rigid and narrow, not
to allow three fingers to fit allowing the fingers
Pubic bone
wide, oval, moist and warm vent dry, small/tight, round and
cold.
Vent
large, bright, prominent and small, sleepy/dull and sunken
sparkling. eyes.
Eyes
have clean-cut, strong, refined have coarse, meaty/thin, blocky,
weak looking head.
Head
that is deep and soft, easily a hard and shallow abdomen. This
pliable without body fat depth of the abdomen is
Abdomen accumulation by probing fingers measured between the breast
bone and the pubic bones.

generally bleached or bright, dark-pigmented or dull skins,

though sometimes it depends on earlobes and shanks,
Colour when you check them.

normally alert to her surroundings hand, look dull and are most of
and is not lazy. The bird is active the times droopy.
Behavior and exhibits normal chicken
behaviour like scratching litter
and running around.

hand, look dull and are most of it starts early and is slow, making
the times droopy. the latter appear better groomed
Moulting
have a laying percentage of over below 60 per cent, after molting,
80 per cent, then starts dropping they hardly go above 10 per cent.
Egg production laying after molting to about 50
per cent. On average, in a week, a
hen in this flock can give about
five eggs.

Conclusion:
In order to prevent economic loss in poultry industries one should follow the principal of
selection and culling. The best performing breeds of poultry should be selected for breeding.