Effect of seasonal variations on production performance of layer chicken

Abstract

This study evaluated the impact of seasonal fluctuations on phase-wise production performance in commercial BV-300-layer chickens in Namakkal District, Tamil Nadu. Data were collected from ten farms across the summer, rainy and winter seasons. Production indicators such as hen-day egg production (HDEP), feed intake, broken egg percentage, egg weight and livability were assessed across four laying phases, viz., phase I (19–30 weeks), phase II (31–50 weeks), phase III (51–72 weeks) and phase IV (?73 weeks). Seasonal differences were clearly reflected in the quantitative data. In Phase I, HDEP was lowest in summer (85.9%) and highest in winter (89.4%), with summer also showing the highest broken egg percentage (0.70%) and lowest feed intake (98.6 g/bird). In Phase II, egg weight increased from 47.64 g in summer to 53.09 g in winter, and broken eggs declined sharply from 0.85% in summer to 0.55% in winter. Phase III showed a similar pattern, with egg weight rising from 52.33 g (summer) to 55.67 g (winter), along with significantly higher winter feed intake (111.7 g/bird). In Phase IV, winter again produced heavier eggs (55.50 g vs. 51.88 g in summer) and higher feed intake, whereas summer recorded the highest broken egg percentage (1.18%). The findings provide robust phase-wise evidence of environmental impacts on layer performance under tropical production systems and offer baseline information for developing predictive models and targeted management strategies.