The layer breeds we supply
Hy-Line Brown is a calm brown-egg layer bred for high egg numbers and strong shells over a long laying cycle.
Lohmann Brown is a German brown-egg strain that adapts well to deep litter and cages alike, and is widely kept on commercial egg farms in Ghana.
Bovans Brown is a tough Dutch layer that keeps laying through heat and less-than-perfect conditions. It is a safe first choice for a new egg farmer.
Hy-Line White is a lighter bird that lays white eggs and eats less feed per egg, which helps when you sell by the crate and feed is your biggest cost.
Current layer chick prices
| Breed | Each, from | Box of 50, from |
|---|---|---|
| Hy-Line Brown (imported) | GH₵ 23 | GH₵ 1,150 |
| Hy-Line White (imported) | GH₵ 25.50 | GH₵ 1,275 |
| Bovans Brown (imported) | GH₵ 25.50 | GH₵ 1,275 |
| Lohmann Brown (imported) | Ask for today's price | – |
From chick to first egg
- Weeks 0 to 8: chick mash. Brood them warm for the first four weeks. See the brooding guide.
- Weeks 8 to 18: grower mash. The aim is a well-framed pullet at the right weight, not a fat one. Fat pullets lay fewer eggs.
- From the first eggs: layer mash. It carries the extra calcium that shells need. Change over when the first eggs appear.
- Feed to budget for. About 7 kg per bird to bring a chick to point of lay, then 110 to 120 g per hen every day.
- Housing. On deep litter allow about 5 to 6 hens per square metre and one nest box for every five hens. Cages hold more birds in the same house and keep eggs cleaner.
Vaccination for layers
Layers live far longer than broilers, so they need more protection. A typical programme in Ghana covers Gumboro in the first weeks, Newcastle disease several times through rearing and again before laying starts, and fowl pox at around six to eight weeks.
Programmes differ from one district to another, depending on which diseases are active. Use the schedule your vet or district veterinary office gives you, and ask us what your batch has already had.
Day-old pullets or point-of-lay?
Day-old chicks cost far less per bird, and you control how they are raised and vaccinated. Point-of-lay pullets cost more but start earning within weeks and skip the brooding risk. We supply both. Use the profit calculator to see how a flock of day-old layers pays back over its laying cycle.
Questions farmers ask
When do layers start laying eggs?
Commercial layer strains such as Hy-Line, Lohmann and Bovans start laying at about 18 to 20 weeks of age and reach peak production a few weeks later.
How many eggs does a layer lay in a year?
A well-managed commercial layer lays about 300 eggs in its first laying year. Feed quality, lighting, heat and disease all affect the number.
How many crates of eggs will 500 layers give per day?
At a laying rate of 80 percent, 500 hens lay about 400 eggs a day, which is about 13 crates of 30.
How much is a day-old layer chick in Ghana?
Imported layer chicks start from GH₵ 23 each, or from GH₵ 1,150 for a box of 50. The exact price is confirmed when you order.