Lancy:
Causes of decreased egg production include:

1.)Lighting

Conditions and shorter days.Laying birds require 16 hours of light for them to effectively lay.4 more hours of light should be added by using artificial light.The lighting stimulates their ovaries failure to which production goes down.In rainy seasons a farmer will mostly experience this.

2.)Moulting

It is the shedding of feathers in birds.It is a phase of growth in which egg laying stops and new feathers start growing.Normally happens when a bird is one year old in some breeds. Production goes down as the protein used for egg production is channelled towards feather growth.During this time farmers should ensure that high quality feeds rich in protein are provided and birds are kept as comfortable as possible.The feather grows back after a month or two.

3.)Broodiness
It is a situation whereby a birds sits on the egg until it’s hatched.Normally takes 21 days.A bird will usually spend most of its time sitting on the egg and will only leave for a short time to feed.This can be stopped by separing the broody birds from the rest,introducing cockerels to broody birds to distract them or placing the broody birds in a wire cage and hanging it to make them uncomfortable due to the airflow that will reduce the temperature needed for brooding.

4.)Egg eating
This happens when birds lay soft-shelled eggs which breaks on impact with the floor.The birds eats on the contents and other birds join in.This becomes a trend and the whole flock begin eating eggs.This will lead to loss of eggs .This behaviour can be prevented by early collection of eggs,keeping the laying nests darker,ensuring the feed has enough nutrients e.g protein and also ensuring that the birds are distracted by placing golf balls for them to peck.They will get tired and their beaks become sore.Some farmers trim the birds’ beak as a last option although stressfull for the birds.

5.)Predators
Laying birds have a variety of predators who steal and eat their eggs.The result of this is low production and stress from being frightened hence lowered egg production.Some common poultry predators include snakes,rats,foxes,mongoose,feral cats,dogs and humans too.To stop predators the poultry house needs to be properly secured and no cracks or crevices or any entrance should be left as this are the entry points of some predators.Proper security needs to be in place like hiring watchmen and keeping fierce dogs in the compound.

6.)Overcrowding
This limit their movement inside the poultry house and is stressful.It will often lead to competition of feeds and water and this will negatively impact them in terms of egg production due to less feed and water intake.Overcrowding can also lead to hygienic problems leading to disease spread hence affecting egg production.

7.)Change in nesting area
Birds like humans love their homes and nesting area.Switching the nesting area can break their routines and patterns of laying.Farmers should maintain the nesting areas to stop drop in egg production.

8.)Diseases and parasites
Diseases and parasites will often lead to reduced egg production.Some diseases such as newcastle disease,chronic respiratory disease,egg peritonitis,infectious bronchitis and egg drop syndrome usually affects the egg laying.This diseases normally cause drastic drop in production and even egg defects such as very small eggs,weak shells,shell less eggs,erosions on the eggs and eggs with odd colours.This leads to rejection of eggs by buyers.External parasites such as lice,mites,fleas and ticks and internal parasites such as roundworms and tapeworms utilise the cause discomfort to the birds by utilising the nutrients meant for the bird’s body and sucking on the blood.This negatively impacts the bird and will lead to drop in egg production.

Lancy:
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