I am. Will be my first time showing. Showing my Wheaten Marans cockerel. Will be showing my Silkies in the spring, hoping they won't be broody like they are now or they would be coming too.
I would just keep offering the oyster shell as free choice. They will eat it when they NEED it. First eggs can be shell less, soft, weird shapes and such. Takes a couple of weeks to get their body into the swing of it. If this is still happening in a couple of months, then I would maybe change...
While this is true to some extent, you still can do nothing to ANY bird of prey. They are Federally protected. All governments will tell you you need to make your pen/runs more predator proof. You can submit for extreme predation permits, but they will likely get denied and will cost a small...
Send Cowgirlgrace a PM. She does not post on here anymore, but she does respond to PM. Not sure what colors she has, but I think she is one of the good breeders on the wet side of the state. Pips n peeps is on the dry side, she may ship.
Also, by showing and placing with a bird, when you are breeding it's line you can say it comes from show stock. It fetches a higher price for the offspring.