What is the reason why hens lay soft-shell eggs

As we all know, hens laying soft-shell eggs is a common phenomenon in chicken production. However, for chicken farmers, the most feared thing is hens laying soft-shell eggs. Soft-shell eggs generally cannot be sold or eaten. If soft-shell eggs are produced in large quantities, this will directly affect the economic benefits and cause economic losses. This article briefly introduces the reasons why hens lay soft-shell eggs and the preventive measures.

There are many reasons why laying hens lay soft-shelled eggs, including insufficient or unbalanced calcium and phosphorus in the diet, the indoor environment, drinking water, lack of nutrients in the diet, the chickens being too old or laying eggs continuously for a long time, etc. Understanding the causes of soft-shelled eggs and implementing effective preventive measures is the key to promoting egg production.

Cause Analysis

Lack of calcium and phosphorus in the diet or an imbalance in the ratio of calcium and phosphorus in the diet: Laying hens need a lot of calcium to form eggshells. If there is a lack of calcium, laying hens will lay thin-shelled or soft-shelled eggs. The calcium provided in the feed alone is not enough for laying hens to produce eggs, because the utilization rate of calcium in the feed is 60%. A certain amount of calcium source must be added to the feed to supplement the calcium deficiency. At the same time, laying hens also need more phosphorus. The yolk of eggs contains phosphorus, and laying hens need 0.5% of available phosphorus.

The indoor temperature is too high or too low : The optimum temperature for laying hens is 13-25℃. When the temperature exceeds 30℃, the chickens will eat less and have difficulty in dissipating heat. Laying hens are in a high temperature state for a long time, which will cause metabolic changes, weaken the thyroid function of the chickens, affect the absorption of calcium, and thus affect the formation of eggshells in the uterus. Overheated weather increases the chickens' respiration and hinders the absorption and utilization of calcium, so ventilation in the house should be increased in the hot summer. On the contrary, when the temperature is too low, cold stress occurs and the eggshell becomes thinner.

Drinking water : Water is not only an important nutrient, but also acts as a solvent for nutrients, helping digestion, absorption, and transport of nutrients and metabolic products, and plays a role in excreting waste and regulating body temperature. Eggs contain 70% water. If the laying hens do not drink water for 24 hours, it will not only affect the egg production, but also increase the chance of laying soft-shell eggs. Laying hens change to laying feed late, and the energy in the diet is insufficient : Laying hens change to laying feed late will lead to insufficient calcium supply, resulting in insufficient calcium storage when laying hens start laying, affecting the formation of eggshells. During the breeding process, it is necessary to properly supplement calcium for the reserve hens and use feed for the peak egg-laying period. This can reduce the proportion of soft-shelled eggs after laying. At the same time, the energy supply in the feed must be guaranteed. If the energy in the feed is low, the laying hens will lack sufficient energy after the protein is formed, which will affect the deposition of calcium, and ultimately lead to an increase in the proportion of soft-shelled eggs.

Lack of trace elements and vitamins in the diet : The content of manganese, zinc and magnesium in the diet plays an important role in the formation of eggshells. For example, when laying hens are zinc deficient, the activity of carbonic anhydrase required for the calcification process of the eggshell will be reduced, thereby affecting the formation of the eggshell. A lack of magnesium in the diet will reduce the concentrations of magnesium and calcium in plasma, resulting in poor eggshell quality. Vitamin D can promote the absorption and utilization of calcium and phosphorus, which is beneficial to the formation of bones and eggshells. When vitamin D is deficient, even if the dietary calcium supply is adequate, the absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorus will be impaired, causing the eggs produced by laying hens to be small, thin, and soft-shelled.

The chickens are too old and have been laying eggs continuously for a long time : When laying hens are raised for more than 2 years, the eggs they lay are larger in size, but the eggshells are relatively thin, and as they age, the probability of laying thin-shelled and soft-shelled eggs gradually increases. Long-term continuous egg laying will disrupt the physiological functions of the hens, often causing the eggshells to become thinner and producing soft-shelled eggs. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen feeding management so that the laying hens can recover their physiological functions as soon as possible and ensure the quality of egg production.

Precautions

Control the calcium and phosphorus levels in the diet : The amount of calcium and available phosphorus in the laying hen's diet is generally 1% and 0.5% to meet the laying hens' needs for calcium and phosphorus. In addition, the laying hens should be fed egg-laying feed 1 to 2 weeks before they start laying eggs, so that the reserve hens have sufficient time to store bone calcium and increase bone ash. From the beginning of light stimulation to 32 weeks of age, laying hens should be fed feed containing 3.85% calcium and 0.5% available phosphorus respectively. After 32 weeks of age, the amount of calcium and phosphorus in the diet can be determined based on the food intake and egg production rate of the laying hens in production.

Provide reasonable nutrition level for laying hens : Provide high-quality complete feed according to the nutritional needs of laying hens at different stages, and adjust the nutritional composition according to the weight, feed intake and egg production rate of laying hens. Laying hens should be fed a high energy diet, with the energy supply increasing as production levels increase. Provide a comprehensive nutritional formula feed, especially the proportions of crude protein, essential amino acids, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins, while also taking into account the content of trace elements such as manganese, zinc, and zinc. Adjusting the feed to be weakly alkaline is beneficial to the formation of eggshells. The quality of the feed provided must be guaranteed to avoid mold and deterioration.

Provide a comfortable environment for laying hens : The temperature and humidity in the chicken house have a great impact on the eggshell, so it is necessary to ensure that the temperature and humidity are appropriate. Generally, the temperature in the house is required to be between 13-25℃, and the relative humidity is 65% for best. In a high temperature environment, feeding chickens with baking soda can increase the strength of eggshells and greatly reduce thin-shelled and soft-shelled eggs. On the contrary, when the temperature is below 5℃, the cold stress on laying hens will cause them to lay soft-shelled eggs. Therefore, protein feed and energy feed should be appropriately increased in the diet to improve the cold resistance of laying hens. Ensure the cleanliness and quietness of the chicken house and its surrounding environment. The chicken house should be properly ventilated to ensure fresh air in the house and reduce the concentration of ammonia in the house. Generally, it should be sufficient if the air is not pungent after entering the house. It is forbidden for outsiders and animals to enter the chicken house to keep the chickens and change the feed gradually to avoid stress reactions. Before laying hens are transferred to other groups, electrolytes and multivitamins should be added to their feed and drinking water to reduce stress.

Strengthen epidemic prevention work and prevent and control various diseases : Strengthening the breeding and management of laying hens while doing a good job in epidemic prevention and disease control is also an effective measure to reduce the production of soft-shelled eggs by laying hens. A reasonable immunization and disinfection plan should be formulated according to the actual situation of the farm to prevent the occurrence of diseases. Prevention should be the main focus in breeding production, and immunization of laying hens against Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis and egg drop syndrome should be carried out when they are 20 days old. Avoid vaccinating during the egg-laying period. The chicken houses and drinking water should be disinfected regularly, and the use of disinfectants should be alternated.