Best Practice in the Breeder House: Preventing floor eggs by Aviagen
Eggs laid on the floor (floor eggs) have a significantly higher risk of contamination and will reduce hatch and chick quality.
18 November 2015
2 minute read
By: The ideal number of floor eggs is zero but it is reasonable to expect some eggs to be laid on the floor in every flock. If levels of floor eggs exceed two to three per cent across the life of a flock there is a problem.
Floor eggs will be much higher at the start of production but by peak production should be down to a level of one to two per cent.
The reasons for high floor egg levels should be investigated and action taken to resolve the issue.
Best practice for preventing floor eggs
The key to preventing floor eggs is
early training of birds to use the nests.
Prevention is better than cure.
Three key management tasks for preventing floor eggs:
| 1 | Training – to get birds to use the nests |
| 2 | Environment – to keep birds in the nest |
| 3 |
Remove alternative nesting sites – to prevent birds laying on the floor |
For more information on Best Practice management for the prevention of floor eggs visit Aviagen®'s website for Arbor Acres®, Indian River® and Ross®.
More in the Best Practice series:
- Best Practice in the Breeder House: Transfer (Rear and Move)
- Best Practice in the Hatchery: Transfer
- Best Practice in the Broiler House: Biosecurity
- Best practice on the farm: Rodent Control
