The suitable temperature for laying hens is 13℃-20℃. In hot areas of Africa, it often exceeds 40℃. The temperature in a closed chicken house can reach above 38℃, resulting in:
– Egg production rate decreases by 30%-50%
– Eggshell thinning and egg breakage rate increases
– The risk of death from heat stroke in chickens increases
High temperature and high humidity accelerate bacterial reproduction, and feces fermentation produces ammonia, which can easily cause:
– Intestinal diseases (such as Escherichia coli infection)
– Parasitic infections (such as coccidia)
– Respiratory diseases (such as mycoplasma pneumonia)
Heat stress leads to a 30%-50% reduction in feed intake, insufficient energy, protein, and vitamin intake, affecting:
– Egg production performance (reduced egg weight, extended egg production cycle)
– Immunity (reduced vaccine potency)
Ventilation and wet curtain system
-Install negative pressure ventilation + wet curtain cooling to reduce the house temperature by 5℃-8℃.
-Note: Disinfect the wet curtain pool regularly to prevent the growth of pathogens.
Shading and heat insulation
-Paint the roof white or cover it with a sunshade net to reflect more than 60% of the heat.
-Plant climbing plants (such as loofah and creeper) to form a green barrier.
Spraying and spraying
-Roof spraying + high-pressure spray (water mist particles ≤50μm) to promote evaporation and cooling.
-Note: Use ventilation to avoid excessive humidity (recommended humidity ≤70%).
Adjust feeding time
-Feed during low temperature periods in the morning and evening (before 6:00 in the morning and after 18:00 in the evening), and fast for 2-5 hours at noon to stimulate appetite.
Nutritional fortification program
| Nutritional categories | Adjustment strategy | Goals |
| Energy | Add 1%-2% oil (soybean oil) | Make up for insufficient feed intake |
| Protein | Increase crude protein to 18%-19%, add methionine and lysine | Maintain egg weight and egg production rate |
| Vitamins | Vitamin C (100-200mg/kg feed) + vitamin E | Anti-oxidation, relieve heat stress |
| Minerals | Calcium-phosphorus ratio 4:1, add electrolytes (NaCl, KCl) | Prevent soft-shell eggs, regulate body fluid balance |
Drinking water management
-Water temperature control: bury underground water pipes + add ice cubes to ensure that the water temperature is ≤28℃.
-Nighttime water replenishment: turn on the lights for 1 hour after turning off the lights for 4 hours to stimulate drinking.
Biosafety measures
– Regularly clean manure and disinfect (lime water/potassium persulfate complex).
– Eliminate sick and weak chickens (recommended proportion ≤5%) and reduce stocking density (5/m²).
Immunity enhancement
– Add Chinese herbal medicine (astragalus, isatis root) or bile acid to feed to enhance immunity.
– Vaccine selection: give priority to heat-resistant strain vaccines (such as Newcastle disease I vaccine).
Power outage plan
– Equipped with generators to ensure 24-hour operation of the ventilation system.
– Backup plan: open the emergency door + artificial spray cooling.
Heat stress first aid
– If a chicken with heatstroke (open mouth panting, wings drooping) is found, move it to a cool place immediately and give it cold water + electrolytes.
Closed cage laying hens in hot areas of Africa need to be managed comprehensively in three dimensions: “environment-nutrition-disease”. Priority should be given to investing in ventilation and cooling systems (such as wet curtains + sprays), followed by optimizing feed formulas (oils + vitamin C), and finally strengthening biosafety (disinfection + immunity).
