BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[3riverschick]

Like BGMatt, I don't think most of us can come up with better feed than a professionally formulated ration. My problem with what i can get is that its full of soy, which I think is a poor source of protein for a number of reasons.

For simplicity sake, I'm switching to flock raiser. I've got geese and multiple feeds has become a hassle. My geese like my fermented grain mix. I've switched over to barley, oats and wheat with some flax added on top. The chicks struggle with the whole grains so I run it thru the mill for them right now. I'm doing too much. Gotta figure out a simpler way. Free choice calcium source, grit, fermented grain at night and free choice flock raiser. The things like alfalfa I normally add in the winter months when they can't get out as much. When I start doing breeding pens, I'll have to change a couple things. I'm on a quest to find a good breeder ration. I can just keep their food in their building. Grrr....KISS otherwise when someone other than me takes care of things it will get messed up.

Jennifer

Hi Jennifer,
I have Light Sussex and was feeding them Dumor 16%. They just were ok but didn't thrive on it. The I switched to Flockraiser ( 18%) and they did better but still not what I wanted to see. Then I read from a breeder that the heavy dual purpose really needed at least 22%. So I found Agway Gamebird at 22%. They are doing better now. I like what I am seeing. I think that advice had merit.
Plus Agway Gamebird can be fed from day one. Tho it is not medicated and I prefer to feed medicated chick feed. It does, however, eliminate the step of feeding that Developer formula between chick and laying age. Plus I can feed it to both sexes. The calcium is just right. And put out a small dish of oyster shell if I want. Tho frankly the shells on the eggs are good and hard without the oyster shell.
So what will I use for a chick feed? I am looking at a commercial medicated gamebird chick feed ( Maybe Agway?) . Not poultry feed any more because I have not been able to find a poultry formula with the protein % I need, that's medicated, affordable, and not custom.
Best,
Karen

 

[LindaB220]

FYI My son and I are fairly good at the art of caponizing cockerels but I failed to learn how to alter pullets many years ago when I had the opportunity. I decided that carousing and BSing around was a more reasonable thing to do in summer.

Alas, we have found someone willing to teach us how to 'poulardize' a pullet. I'm not sure how to correctly spell the act in English but folks should grasp the idea. When I was in college, caponization was taught to me by a friend/classmate who worked here for a couple summers...now we are going to have to pay a serious practitioner to come here for a weekend and teach us how...I think it might be well worth the cost and effort. Time will tell!

Love to be in your shoes on that day. I'm been trying to find someone who knows the basics. Several of us on Graphic Pics of my day learning to caponize thread would be so interested in finding out. Maybe you might have tips or pics later.

 

[3riverschick]

@ 3riverschick. Jason is fine with spotting you the trio in the summer if you wish. You really don't live that far from us and could come down and pick them up. Ol' dad will be down south where it's cool...no joke. Coming up on fall and winter where I plan to be for about a month but not so far south that it will be unpleasant...some where like Porto Alegre.

I'm dumbfounded! Really !?! Oh My! I don't know hat to say except, Thank you!

Would love to come down and visit for the day.I am sorry I didn't see this lovely offer sooner.

This list moves fast and I was out all evening reading about poultry in another country.

I have one hutch made and the foundation for another 3 cages. Plus the winter killed my cherry trees, a very sad thing.

I can cut them down and move the rabbitry where they were.

Oh Thank you!

Karen

 

[hellbender]

Love to be in your shoes on that day. I'm been trying to find someone who knows the basics. Several of us on Graphic Pics of my day learning to caponize thread would be so interested in finding out. Maybe you might have tips or pics later.

It's gonna' be a three day thing, and we are going to alter several pullets of three breeds. Jason is going to be on the learning end as well as I so we are trying to get a friend of Jason's to handle the cam. throughout the whole affair.

I'm paying a pro to teach us both but I don't know if he will charge more for others to sit in or not but he had better not try to charge for filming. His transportation and room is prepaid but he will not get a penny until the Sunday afternoon when the third and final class ends.

That gives me leverage.

 

[hellbender]

I'm dumbfounded! Really !?! Oh My! I don't know hat to say except, Thank you!

Would love to come down and visit for the day.I am sorry I didn't see this lovely offer sooner.

This list moves fast and I was out all evening reading about poultry in another country.

I have one hutch made and the foundation for another 3 cages. Plus the winter killed my cherry trees, a very sad thing.

I can cut them down and move the rabbitry where they were.

Oh Thank you!

Karen

E nada!

 

[hellbender]

@ Karen..you have time to do a bit of research as I'm sure you have already started. The Florida Whites do well in small cages. We don't use wood for any part of their cages, not even breeding boxes, which are galvanized. The only exception is some bucks like a piece of wood to stand on.

We keep them in hanging cages in a part of the new building. The NZ whites require larger cages and are kept in the same room. Aircraft cables is perfect to hang the cages and the waste drops onto a concrete floor. They can stand extremes of cold but not major heat and they need good ventilation.

Again..you will have time to pull it together. It's far easier than trying to build chicken houses...

 

[3riverschick]

E nada!

Oh yes,... I am so disappointed. I was hoping just the leaves got frozen last year. But the nursery expert said if that was so,

they should leaf out this year One is completely dead the other 3/4. 2 years ago a thick rough scar started climbing up

both tree's trunks. And the base of the trunks became engorged and rough. Not like cherry tree "skin" at all. Now the trees

are dead or nearly so. The freeze seems to be the factor but I am not sure. They were Queen Anne and Bing. Both 17 years

old and the pride and joy of my orchard. The Snow and Cider apple trees also went this yr. They were both 60+ yrs. and

past fruiting. The only tree I have left is the Fiji apple and it doesn't have another tree to polinatte it. I am so sad, I love a

home orchard. Hubby Bob has promised me a new start this year. Well, this Fall we will cut down the apple trees and

plant a dwarf orchard . Couple of apples, couple of cherries, couple of pears and maybe a peach. But this time

I am putting in trees zoned for zone 4, even tho we are zone 5b. That way if a polar vortex comes thru again,

the trees will be ready. The 106 y. old Maple and it's son did just fine!

Best,

Karen

 

[3riverschick]

@ Karen..you have time to do a bit of research as I'm sure you have already started. The Florida Whites do well in small cages. We don't use wood for any part of their cages, not even breeding boxes, which are galvanized. The only exception is some bucks like a piece of wood to stand on.

We keep them in hanging cages in a part of the new building. The NZ whites require larger cages and are kept in the same room. Aircraft cables is perfect to hang the cages and the waste drops onto a concrete floor. They can stand extremes of cold but not major heat and they need good ventilation.

Again..you will have time to pull it together. It's far easier than trying to build chicken houses...

Why don't you use wood?

Thanks,
Karen

 

[hellbender]

Why don't you use wood?

Thanks,
Karen

It's impossible to sanitize and holds stinch. Free-hanging cages is what we have always used...(after grandpap died) He HAD to have those awful wooden hutches that were impossible to clean but there his rabbits and was the boss. He only bred NZ Whites and it wasn't 'til about 12 years ago we first got into the FWs.

 

[mithious]

Love to be in your shoes on that day. I'm been trying to find someone who knows the basics. Several of us on Graphic Pics of my day learning to caponize thread would be so interested in finding out. Maybe you might have tips or pics later.

I too would be VERY interested. I wish I had spent the time with my late Dad and learned back when. Youth sure makes weird decisions and then we can't go back and have a do over

There WAS a girl here in NH that mentioned she was learning from someone, and I PMed her, but never heard back so not sure if that worked out for her or not????

It's a HUGE thing when growing out culled cockerels for meat. They are so quite, and sound like pullets, no fighting, and the meat is MUCH more tender and sweet.

LindaB220, do you have a link to your thread? I would be very interested in that thread also. Thank you!