Hello,
I have a question.
I know I am a bad owner to start with, I will accept if i get bashed for it.
I cannot figure out if my hens are getting really fat only because of their feed, or if there are strong genetic factors at play.
I have 2 flocks, 5 lohman brown (equivalent to isa browns, layers) that are less than 4 pounds in weight,
the second flock is composed of 17 hens and one rooster, those were hens I saved from the meat flock, which is, well normal barnyard mix.
both of them are fed the exact same diet, which is a bagged milled grains i buy from a local mill, fresh, the exact composition is unknown to a 100% accuracy
the guy says he puts 50 or 60 percent corn, 20-30% wheat and unknown proportions of field peas and sunflowers. the sunflower is probably 5% or so, the field peas I have no clue, i see some intact in there, really no idea.
I put this feed at being between 12 and 14% protein.
They eat about 0.33# per day per head
So, no, that's not an ideal feed, but that's all i can afford. adding additional field peas would cost double what it costs now.
all of the hens are in an enclosed run, not big, not small well above the 20sqf per animal.
I observe the following:
the layer's flock produce 2-3 eggs a day, sometimes 4, the birds are not fat, are light like a feather, and they move around a lot, even if for now they cannot go on my other pasture as i was having it resting so that the grass regrows.
the other flock? Mixed results. How much eggs they lay and who does, i have no clue, i find anywhere between 1 and 7 eggs, but mind, it's not yet full spring. some are youngsters from this fall, the others are 2-3 years old. a few birds, are light and slim, and by the colour of their legs, they are laying something, and move around. some other bird, have a big belly, weigh much more than the rooster and do not move around. A few of the big ones are likely from the ranger's genetics. by heavy, I mean, hard to pick up. they probably weigh 10, 11 pounds.
By experience, that's only "too much carbs too little movement too little protein" or there's also the fact that the egg laying hybrids were bred to lay eggs so they do not get fat even with the wrong feed, and the hens i saved because i felt sorry for them also have a strong genetic component to put up weight and fat because they were selected for meat?
Last year that i could afford putting in "concentrate" which is nothing more than powdered soymeal in, yes, i did get some extra eggs, but the difference would be between 14 and 18 or so, so i am not sure the base feed I buy is that low in protein to begin with.
thoughts?
I have a question.
I know I am a bad owner to start with, I will accept if i get bashed for it.
I cannot figure out if my hens are getting really fat only because of their feed, or if there are strong genetic factors at play.
I have 2 flocks, 5 lohman brown (equivalent to isa browns, layers) that are less than 4 pounds in weight,
the second flock is composed of 17 hens and one rooster, those were hens I saved from the meat flock, which is, well normal barnyard mix.
both of them are fed the exact same diet, which is a bagged milled grains i buy from a local mill, fresh, the exact composition is unknown to a 100% accuracy
the guy says he puts 50 or 60 percent corn, 20-30% wheat and unknown proportions of field peas and sunflowers. the sunflower is probably 5% or so, the field peas I have no clue, i see some intact in there, really no idea.
I put this feed at being between 12 and 14% protein.
They eat about 0.33# per day per head
So, no, that's not an ideal feed, but that's all i can afford. adding additional field peas would cost double what it costs now.
all of the hens are in an enclosed run, not big, not small well above the 20sqf per animal.
I observe the following:
the layer's flock produce 2-3 eggs a day, sometimes 4, the birds are not fat, are light like a feather, and they move around a lot, even if for now they cannot go on my other pasture as i was having it resting so that the grass regrows.
the other flock? Mixed results. How much eggs they lay and who does, i have no clue, i find anywhere between 1 and 7 eggs, but mind, it's not yet full spring. some are youngsters from this fall, the others are 2-3 years old. a few birds, are light and slim, and by the colour of their legs, they are laying something, and move around. some other bird, have a big belly, weigh much more than the rooster and do not move around. A few of the big ones are likely from the ranger's genetics. by heavy, I mean, hard to pick up. they probably weigh 10, 11 pounds.
By experience, that's only "too much carbs too little movement too little protein" or there's also the fact that the egg laying hybrids were bred to lay eggs so they do not get fat even with the wrong feed, and the hens i saved because i felt sorry for them also have a strong genetic component to put up weight and fat because they were selected for meat?
Last year that i could afford putting in "concentrate" which is nothing more than powdered soymeal in, yes, i did get some extra eggs, but the difference would be between 14 and 18 or so, so i am not sure the base feed I buy is that low in protein to begin with.
thoughts?
