For egg laying operations and hatcheries, floor eggs can be a costly problem. But through use of the correct lighting, problems with floor eggs can be reduced.
Paul Obers, CEO of Netherlands-based agricultural lighting company HATO, discussed why it is so important to make sure light is distributed properly in poultry houses during a TechTalk at the 2022 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, Georgia.
Obers said when hens lay eggs outside of their traditional nesting areas, it can be “very annoying.” It is time- and labor-intensive because of the need to gather the eggs from beyond the nesting area. Those floor eggs are also not as hygienic and have a reduced quality.
However, the right light distribution and intensity can help assure that hens will lay eggs where they are supposed to.
When lighting the poultry house, the intensity of the lights in the nesting area versus other parts of the house is very important, said Obers.
“Chickens tend to lay eggs in a darker area. So, you want to have the light in the nesting area darker, but not completely dark,” said Obers. “If the nest is too dark, it often works against you because they don’t go into the nest easily.”
Obers also advised that the feeding and watering areas are appropriately lighted, particularly related to the time of the day. If a hen is attracted to the feeding and watering areas around the time to lay an egg, they will choose the feeding area over the nesting area.
Also during his presentation, Obers stressed the importance of lighting with the correct coloring and intensity levels to help prevent feather pecking. He also said that it is important to not have lights that are flickering, because that will add to the birds’ stress level and increase the odds of aggressive pecking behaviors.
