- Thread starter
- #181
This should be a big year. Three old quality hens will be bred to the best cock I have ever had. Ideally, we will have at least 50 young birds upon which to start the selection process. By fall, the group should be whittled down to about a dozen pullets and half as many cockerels. Hens are of the age where they start dropping out because of age related infirmities.
First step is to isolate hens from general hen population and begin conditioning for production of hatching eggs. There will be some fermentation of feeds and application of sprouted grains. Base diet will be 2/3's layer pellets and 1/3 game bird starter laced with powdered paprika. Hens will get very little free-range time unless under direct supervision. Two of these gals are going to need babying to give eggs and survive production season.
First step is to isolate hens from general hen population and begin conditioning for production of hatching eggs. There will be some fermentation of feeds and application of sprouted grains. Base diet will be 2/3's layer pellets and 1/3 game bird starter laced with powdered paprika. Hens will get very little free-range time unless under direct supervision. Two of these gals are going to need babying to give eggs and survive production season.