Feeding Practices and Production Performance of Commercial Laying Hen Farms in the Northeast of Algeria

Background: The researcher aims to investigate the process of feeding and assessing the performance of production in different farms with different capacities in Batna province, northeast of Algeria. Methods: The data have been derived from an organized questionnaire carried out between January 2024 and April 2025 in 144 commercial laying hen farms. Result: The tendencies of feed procurement were notably related to the farm capacity, with the smaller farms (less than 12,000 hens and 12,000 to 40,000 hens) being more likely to buy the feed in contrast to those larger than 40,000 hens. Supplying pre-lay diets depended highly on the capacity of a farm, with the majority of farms ( greater than 40,000 hens) providing pre-lay diets. It was noted that farms with less than 40,000 hens significantly lacked in the application of organic acids and mineral salt supplements compared with large farms. The farms with more than 40000 hens had longer laying periods, greater average and maximum rates of egg production and lower feed consumption and mortality rates than the smaller farms. The results show that most laying hen farms within the area have poor feeding regimes and their production rates do not meet the set standards of the breed.