poultry nutrition Archives | Midwestern BioAg

Egg Production | Bailey’s Bit About Nutrition

By: Bailey Farrell · Livestock Nutrition

The Effects of Sunlight on Laying Hens
As the days get shorter, egg production starts to decline. Hens need a certain amount of daylight in order to maintain peak egg-laying. A hen’s reproductive cycle is controlled by photoperiod, or light exposure. Hens require at least 14 hours of light per day to lay eggs. Chickens produce eggs at a maximum rate with 16 hours of light exposure. Once daylight is less than 12 hours, egg production slows down considerably if not ceasing completely.

Poultry Nutrition | Bailey’s Bit About Nutrition

By: Bailey Farrell · Livestock Nutrition

Poultry Nutrition
Poultry diets are made up of a mixture of several different feedstuffs including cereal grains, soybean meal, animal by-product meals, fats, and vitamins and mineral premixes. Together with fresh water, these elements provide the energy and nutrients essential for the bird’s growth, reproduction, and health.
To understand poultry nutrition, first, we need to understand their unique digestive system. First, food is taken in with the beak which is a perfect tool for pecking feed in crumble or pellet form, small grains, grass, or insects.