Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[vehve]

That table is still a bit of a work in progress as I still need to gather some more info on the vitamin contents and such in my ingredients. I also supplement with dairy, meat and other household scraps from time to time, mainly due to the lack of methionine in their diet. The vitamin supplement is also switched around a bit.

Oh, and I'm actually feeding about 16% protein at the moment too, mainly because I have many growers in there, and some broodies too.

Calcium is offered as free choice.

 

[vehve]

I hope I didn't scare anyone away with my spreadsheet

 

[Kooka]

For people with mixed flocks it can be a mine field. I feed mine a higher protein up to 35 weeks then drop it to 15-16% . Too much calcium in non laying birds can and does cause visceral gout. Most feeds are targeted at production hens and not ' backyard flocks ' . The production hens are spent by the age of 2 where as your average backyard enthusiast wants nothing more than a long lived healthy bird. My gold laced wyandotte hens are 7 years old and still laying like clock work. It's taken me a while to get it right and in the early days I had a high turn over roos but since I dropped the calcium level they too are longer lived.
Most pelletised feeds have the vitamins , minerals and amino acids required but these elements can be diminished by moisture and or incorrect storage.

So do you segregate by age and feed accordingly, I could move the three youngies in with the 'teenagers'?
Your observation about health wellbeing and a long life is spot on target for me. I went with the Wyandotte as much for their lifespan and natural good health as I did for their looks and temperament.

Appreciate your advice,
Cheers

 

[Fancychooklady]

So do you segregate by age and feed accordingly, I could move the three youngies in with the 'teenagers'?
Your observation about health wellbeing and a long life is spot on target for me. I went with the Wyandotte as much for their lifespan and natural good health as I did for their looks and temperament.

Appreciate your advice,
Cheers

Ideally I try to keep Broodie's and chicks penned together for the first 10-12 weeks and then put the pullets into their respective breed pens.
Apart from the feed issues youngsters tend to find their way to water and drown in the main pens.
Occasionally it doesn't work that way, I have a Silkie named Priscilla that loathes her own kind. In her mind she is a wyandotte. Lucky for me her eggs are much smaller and a diference colour to her wyandotte sisters.

 

[Ashburnham]

The other great benefit is that if you have a breeding program going you can get two generations of chickens in a year.

 

[RodneyRooster]

Wow what a bummer steam!!!!

 

[Nu2chooks15]

Hi everyone, I've been a bit AWOL for posting but have been reading and trying to keep up with you all. Such a lot of information to take in!!

News from me is that now we are getting 3 eggs daily and I think there will soon be 4, the other two are still looking quite "juvenile" with their combs still not enlarging (now that I can see the difference I know sort of what I'm looking for LOL)

I'm learning so much from you all ... must admit I read about the nail polish and read it wrongly too ha ha and even though I'm a dog breeder and show I didn't know about the doggy nail polish!!! Will have to go check it out would be good to have multi colours and paint them before a show just for fun

I'll keep checking back and if possible will get some photo's this weekend if time permits

 

[satay]

Hi everyone, I've been a bit AWOL for posting but have been reading and trying to keep up with you all.  Such a lot of information to take in!!

News from me is that now we are getting 3 eggs daily and I think there will soon be 4, the other two are still looking quite "juvenile" with their combs still not enlarging (now that I can see the difference I know sort of what I'm looking for LOL)

I'm learning so much from you all ... must admit I read about the nail polish and read it wrongly too ha ha and even though I'm a dog breeder and show I didn't know about the doggy nail polish!!!  Will have to go check it out would be good to have multi colours and paint them before a show just for fun  

I'll keep checking back and if possible will get some photo's this weekend if time permits  

Congratz on the eggs. My girls are still slacking off with a grand total of 2 eggs most days...

 

[satay]

That table is still a bit of a work in progress as I still need to gather some more info on the vitamin contents and such in my ingredients. I also supplement with dairy, meat and other household scraps from time to time, mainly due to the lack of methionine in their diet. The vitamin supplement is also switched around a bit.

Oh, and I'm actually feeding about 16% protein at the moment too, mainly because I have many growers in there, and some broodies too.

Calcium is offered as free choice.

HI ya Felix Are you starting to warm up over there yet? Do you ever really warm up? What are your summer temps like?. It's very crisp in the air here in the mornings already... I am so not looking forward to winter coming.. Same as every year really

 

[satay]

Ideally I try to keep Broodie's and chicks penned together for the first 10-12 weeks and then put the pullets into their respective breed pens.
Apart from the feed issues youngsters tend to find their way to water and drown in the main pens.
Occasionally it doesn't work that way, I have a Silkie named Priscilla that loathes her own kind. In her mind she is a wyandotte. Lucky for me her eggs are much smaller and a diference colour to her wyandotte sisters.

Me too. I have one white faced black Spanish hen that will not stay in the layer pen.. She is convinced she is a marans and there is no other place she is going to be... Lucky too for me she lays a white egg..