Ahh... feed protein debate

[CARS]

I can see where the higher protein increases egg production. Last winter my chickens just stopped laying. After trying every other trick in the book I called the mill and told them to boost my feed to 20%. Within a week they were laying again. It was a cold, long winter last year and those hens were almost 2 to 3 years old.

I am not hatching anything yet. I guess we will have to see if the 16% leads to hatching problems.

 

[CARS]

I'm just following up on this thread I started.

It's been almost 6 months since I took over the flock of A&M's from the high school Ag class. Still feeding the 16% layer feed I get from the mill. Still haven't lost any birds (except for the 20 that we butchered

)

I took 20 eggs from 4 breeder pens I established and gave to destiny_56085 for a fertility experiment. 14 hatched on their own, 2 she helped but didn't make it out of the shell, 2 developed, and 2 had no development at all. (those 2 came out of the same pen)

I still have the 14 little ones in my brooder (steel water tank for cattle with a screen door on it) because I haven't been able to sell any of the adults off. (I need to do some more processing or start giving them away as door prizes) These "little ones" are now fully feathered and look so much better than the "little ones" I received when I took the school's flock. They are all pure white with just a dot of black on the back of the head and are so much more energetic (not sure if that is good or not. Kinda hard to catch when they get out) than their older siblings.

I really want to keep these and continue my protein ration to see if they get any size to them. The parent stock is hardly worth the time to butcher and there is absolutely no truth to A&M's being all white meat. I consider the breasts to even be a med. dark meat.

Is anyone else still ignoring the lab tests and feeding other rations?

(anyone want some 1 year old quail???)

 

[Cherlyn]

Quote:
Ironsun,

Where do you get your quail food? I am having a hard time finding any.

~Cherlyn

 

[pringle]

My normal chicken laying crumbles has 22% protien.Its from blue seal.I guess all I have to do is supplement some eggs and im good