As the broiler breeder industry and genetics have evolved, there has been considerable change in equipment. Over time, we have seen a large percentage of the production houses change from hand-gathered nesting systems to mechanical nests. The mechanical nests can either be a community nest system or an individual, single-hole system.
When mechanical nests were introduced, many people referred to them as automatic nests. One definition of “automatic” is “to operate with little human involvement.” While the term “automatic” technically applies to mechanical nests, these nests require human involvement to operate correctly and efficiently.
A key to achieving outstanding performance with mechanical nests is the correct training and rearing of females. Training females should start in the pullet barn. This training involves placing slat sections or perches in the pullet barn to help familiarize the birds on going up onto the slats. The training then should continue in the laying barn by routinely walking through the flock to encourage them to move onto the slats and toward the nests. The females should also be carrying an optimal amount of fleshing and fat reserve, which can help them come into production with productive nesting behavior.
Most mechanical nests are placed on slat sections, and these slats can play an important role in the nest performance. For a United States house configuration of 2/3 slats and a scratch area in the middle, make sure the slat height is not over 20 to 25 centimeters (8 to 10 inches). Anything higher will discourage birds from jumping from the scratch area to the nest area. If the slat height is taller, a step or ramp is useful to help the birds onto the slats. With community nests, the situation changes: Keep litter in the scratch area to 2 to 3 centimeters (1 inch) maximum to discourage the hens from laying eggs in the litter. Slats should be 45 centimeters high. Some nest and slat manufacturers have slats that can be placed in 2 positions: 35 centimeters high from the floor at start of production and then 45 centimeters at 40 weeks of age to prevent droppings from touching the underside of the slats.
The nests should be down and open to the females approximately 1 week prior to the expected first egg (approximately 1 week after light stimulation). This can give the pullets an opportunity to explore the nests and become comfortable using them. Close nests at night or 12 hours after the lights come on in the morning to help keep hens and males out of the nests when no eggs are being laid. Closing the nests can also help keep nest pads clean, thus keeping the eggs cleaner. This becomes even more important moving into an era of antibiotic-free broiler production.
Three areas of nest maintenance that have a huge impact:
- The nest pads
- The curtain that separates the nest box from the belt
- The nest belt
Nest pads should be clean. A dirty nest pad may decrease performance because a bird may be less likely to use that nest box. Furthermore, if the bird does use the nest box with a dirty nest pad, the egg will most likely be contaminated. The installation of the nest pad can also negatively impact performance. Nest pads not installed at an optimal angle can allow eggs to roll out of the nest box to the egg belt and may discourage hens from using the nest box. A typical nest pad inclination toward the nest belt is 8 to 9 degrees with a community nest.
On many center belt nests, there is a small flap, or curtain, that separates the nest box and the egg belt. This flap blocks the view of the egg belt from then hen in the nest. If this flap is missing or curled so that the hen can see the egg belt moving, hens will refuse to use the nest boxes. If there are many nests affected, there may not be enough nests causing floor eggs.
Egg belts should always be kept clean and in good repair. A belt that is not clean will often have an odor that the hens do not like and will deter them from using the nests. This odor can often be sourced to broken eggs or mice. If the edges of the belts become frayed, the edges can rub the hen while the belt is running and cause the hen to leave the nest.
Producers should have a consistent program when it comes to running their egg belts. It is best not to run the belts until you see 10 to 15 eggs. When first running the belt, run it slowly and one time late in the afternoon. This will prevent scaring the birds out of the nest with excessive vibration from a rapidly moving egg belt. Once the daily production reaches 5%, many producers run the belts at noon and again around 5 p.m. When production reaches 20%, gatherings are increased. A good rule of thumb is to gather eggs at 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. This will help acclimate the birds to the sound and vibration of the belt. Consistent, multiple gatherings can also be important in preventing egg loads on the belt and giving an accurate and daily egg count.
It is very important to accurately calculate and plan the proper amount of nest space required. When using a community style nest, a good rule is no more than 48 birds per meter of nest space. For single-hole nests, allow for a maximum of 5 hens per nest hole.
Other key areas:
- Equipment layout
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- With a community nest system: Place feed lines in the scratch area and on the slats. Water lines are typically approximately 60 centimeters (24 inches) from the nest entrance with adequate spacing between water and feed lines for the birds to use them comfortably.
- With individual nest systems: Have an adequate landing area from the front edge of the slat to the nest, which is typically 35 to 40 centimeters (14 inches to 16 inches). The distance from the back of the nest to the feeder and the feed to the drinker line should be sufficient, typically at least 45 to 60 centimeters (18 inches to 24 inches). The height from the slat to the bottom of the feeder should be sufficient for hens so that they can go under the feeder, typically 20 to 22 centimeters (8 inches to 9 inches).
- Ventilation
- . High temperatures on the slats can deter the hens entering the nest.
- Suboptimal inlet pressure can cause drafts in the nest, forcing the hen out of the nest.
- Light intensity and distribution
- . A minimum of 60 lux (6 foot-candles) at bird level is typical, but an approximate 6-fold increase in intensity from the brightest spot in rearing to the darkest spot in laying may be required.
- No more than 20% difference in light intensity across the barn is customary.
Paying attention to these details can help lead to a high-performing flock producing clean, high-quality eggs.
Incorrect installation of the nest pad can prevent the egg from rolling to the egg belt. Dirty, worn nest pads can cause contaminated eggs.
Worn pads should be replaced as they may deter the hens from using the nests.
