Layer Hen House Production

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Layer Hen House Production

• Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Written by Tiffany Prather and Dr. Frank
Flanders GA Ag Ed Curriculum Office To
accompany the Georgia Agriculture Education
Curriculum Lesson 01432-7.1
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Objectives

• Explain operations of a layer hen house
• Determine resources needed
• Explain layer house contracts
• Identify equipment needs
• Explain the reproduction cycle in layer hen
  houses
• Define time line for layer production

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What is the purpose of Layer Hen Houses?
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What is the difference in a Layer House and a
Layer Hen House?
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• Layer House
• Eggs are for human consumption
• Eggs are not fertilized
• No roosters necessary
• Eggs are kept cooler

• Layer Hen House
• Eggs are for hatching
• Roosters are necessary to fertilize eggs
• Eggs must be cared for to protect the embryo

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Operations of Layer Hen House

• Maintaining house temperature
• Feed truck
• Egg truck

• Walking the house
• Weigh and run feed
• Record egg production and mortality
• Lights on and off

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Operations cont.

• Picking up the eggs
• Pick up 3-4 times daily
• Sort by size and abnormality

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Operations cont.

• Picking up the eggs (cont.)
• Clean eggs
• Place eggs in trays
• Place eggs into buggies
• Put eggs into cool room

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Resources needed

• Hens
• Roosters
• Feed
• Water
• Medication
• Labor

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House Contracts

• The company pays for and delivers
• Chickens
• Feed
• Medicine
• Egg trays and buggies
• The grower pays for
• Water
• Electricity
• Propane
• Disposal of dead birds
• Wash down
• Clean out
• Shavings

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Reproductive Cycle

• Chickens received from pullet houses
• Roosters and hens mate
• Chickens begin laying eggs
• New roosters are added to the house to keep egg
  production steady
• Eggs are sent to company hatchery
• Hatched chicks are sent to broiler houses
• Chickens at 65 weeks of age are removed from the
  layer hen house and sold to companies
• New hens and roosters are received about 8 weeks
  later

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Layer House Equipment

• House
• Scale room and feed bin
• Generator

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Layer House Equipment cont.

• Conveyor belt and stations in newer houses
• Cool room

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Layer House Equipment cont.

• Nests, drinkers, and feeder chain
• Cool cells, fans, lights and curtains

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Time Line for Layer Hen House Production

• Receive chickens at 21 weeks of age
• Receive new roosters
• Egg production continues from 21 to 65 weeks of
  age
• Keep chickens until 65 weeks of age
• Clean out house
• Restock house with shavings and equipment
• The layer house is vacant for 8 weeks