SPRING SUMMER BONUS MAGAZINE 2026

before natural day length exceeds 12 hours • Ensure light intensity in laying house exceeds rearing house (20-30 lux vs. 5-10 lux) Spring placements are generally not recommended for inexperienced farmers using open-sided houses. These birds encounter increasing day length during the critical 12-17 week period, making it extremely difficult to prevent early sexual maturity without sophisticated light-proofing. When moving pullets to open laying houses: • Never increase day length by more than 2-3 hours at transfer. • Maintain lights on time, consistent with the rearing farm initially. • Gradually adjust to laying house schedule over 1-2 weeks. • Ensure laying house light intensity (20-30 lux warm light) exceeds the rearing house. Pullets reared with correctly timed lighting programmes that avoid early stimulation demonstrate: • Better persistence of lay (maintaining production above 80% for longer periods). • Improved shell quality throughout the laying cycle. • Reduced incidence of double-yolked and oversized eggs. • Lower mortality during peak production from prolapses. • More uniform flock performance. Research confirms that pullets reared under controlled short-day conditions and properly stimulated, produce significantly more eggs than those exposed to increasing natural day length during the rearing phase. Conclusion The Avian Influenza crisis reshaped South Africa’s egg industry, highlighting both opportunity and risk. While pullet rearing has become more attractive and convenient for smaller to medium farms, success in open- sided systems depends on disciplined lighting and environmental management. Aligning placements with natural day length and adhering to established rearing principles ensures proper development, optimal onset of lay, and sustained production. Ultimately, farmers who manage light correctly will convert a challenging environment into a consistent and profitable advantage. To learnmore about the best times to rear layer pullets in South Africa in open-sided houses, contact your local technical advisor - https:// www.deheus.co.za/meet-our-team/. Figure 2: Use of shading cloth to reduce natural light intensity in rearing houses (Picture from Hyline Management guide) www.deheus.co.za | 031 785 1575 | infosa@deheus.com www.agribonus.co.za Spring/Summer 2026 BONUS 73