At this time of year, it’s one of the things that’s at the forefront of our minds; make every egg count.
Below are just some of the interventions you can make to support bird health, egg production and eggshell quality.
Make every egg count: Six things you can do:
Support gut health
As birds come in to lay, there is an inevitable amount of stress – something we have been seeing. Look out for signs that include frothy droppings and/or hunched birds. Generally, they are responding well to products such as ABC Start, ABC pH or Ultimate Acid that can help stabilise the microbiome in the gut. A healthy gut will also help the birds to absorb the nutrients they need – nutrients that then get passed to the egg.
Product: Ultimate Acid
The acidification of drinking water to promote gut health is a long-established protocol. The product helps control the pathogenic bacteria by penetrating the bacterial cell wall, lowering the pH within the bacteria, and preventing it replicating.
Drinking water acidifier which lowers the pH of natural and mains water supplies to a target of 3.5 pH – 4 pH, when used at the recommended usage rate.
Maximise eggshell quality
There are several things you can do to ensure adequate shell thickness, to minimise the risk of weak shells that will be prone to cracking or microfractures – and therefore poor hatching. This involves a combination of good gut health (see above) and the bird has sufficient calcium and vitamin D.
Product: 50 Week Plus
Supplementary liquid containing a blend of calcium, minerals and vitamins that supports breeding birds when strong shells are needed.
Support the liver
Livers work hard to metabolise, amongst other things, vitamin D to maintain calcium levels for shell quality. They also support the immune status of the bird.
Product: Hepamix Plus
The combination of ingredients – B-group vitamins combined with natural plant extracts, and amino acids – work to protect the liver cells and aid liver cell regeneration.
Egg washing
Egg washing should only be done on eggs that are visibly contaminated (dirty). This is because an egg has a protective protein layer that stops bacteria getting into the egg. This is removed when you wash the egg, meaning bacteria can get in. However, the benefits of cleaning a dirty egg, outweigh the risk of removing this protective layer. Cleaning dirty eggs can reduce the risk of eggs exploding (due to gas producing bacteria inside them), poor hatch rates and an increased risk of poor-quality chicks.
Get in touch if you would like more information on the process to follow.
Product: Halamid
Defra approved, safe to handle and low corrosive, which makes it ideally suited for hatcheries with delicate materials. If is effective against a large spectrum of bacteria, virus and funghi and not absorbed through the eggshell if the usage instruction are followed. Speak to our team about a Halamid protocol for egg washing.
Parasite control
We have been seeing some mite issues – in barns, raised laying units and floor-based systems. This can suppress egg production and have an impact on eggshell quality. There are a number of products to suit your situation – including Dergall and Ezxholt.
It is also important to keep up with regular worming.
Product: DE Powder
A product that you can give the birds to dust in. The material (under various brands) can be spread around the unit. It desiccates the mites in direct contact with the powder and as it damages the exoskeleton, the mites cannot develop resistance to the powder. It is useful in controlling low level infestations.
Water hygiene
When birds are in lay, their water intake goes up. An egg is made up of mostly water. Therefore, the ‘financial value’ of the water contained in the birds and the eggs produced is significant. Good water hygiene can improve egg production, and the quality of the eggs produced (amongst other benefits).
Product: Aqua-clean
A stabilised hydrogen peroxide liquid water system sanitiser that prevents biofilm establishing in the drinking system. It is safe to use daily, weekly or at higher levels at the start of the season.
