French frogs

[Ravynscroft]

Ahem, you mean "eggceptionally successful"? Good morning all you good people!

Ha... ha... ha...

@LocalYokel Pretty babies! My sister-in-law hatched TWIN QUAILS last week! Yes, from the SAME EGG!! Unreal. One died the next day, but they both lived for a little while.

That's usually how twins that hatch ends, unfortunately... why I won't set them... would rather deal with DIS than hatching one I know won't make it... :/

I had real good luck with that "Layena with oyster shell"... I know you use Flock Raiser.. But no doubt I got bigger whiter eggs with the food change.... Have an enjoyable day....

I do have Layena as well... tried that with these 2... they refused to eat it and went on a forage only diet... picky little buggers... I actually think it has more to do with how they were raised early... my friend I bought them from actually got them from a really well known Call breeder... his direct stock... she told me when she picked them up that not impressed with his setup was an understatement... they're also the only ones of mine that don't groom regularly, they have to be 'persuaded'... gonna try giving them calcium gluconate from now on... tried to get it before, but TSC was out...

When do you guys start your young birds on oyster shell and laying feed?

Like Local said, first egg... oyster shell can be put out a bit earlier, they really don't seem to start eating it til they need it, but if you see them chowing on it too much (more than just some pecks to see what it is) then I'd pull it til eggs come...

@RavynFallen - these are my two silver leghorns. The first one is the smaller one. Do you think pullet or roo? They are about 4 weeks old now. This one is significantly larger, and I'm fairly sure based on the hackle feathers it is roo.

Frmboy, you have 2 very pretty pullets... those aren't pointy hackle feathers, it's the pattern... I see salmon breasts on both, males will have black breasts...

Can bantams handle regular size oyster shell?

Yep... and if it looks like they have any issues with bigger pieces just crush them up a bit more... Also, Layena has a slightly more pricey pellet I like to give my all adult bantams sometimes... called Layena Plus with Omega 3... mine don't really need that added Omega 3, but the pellet size of it is smaller than regular Layena, but bags are 40# instead of 50# too...

I give it to mine. They seem to break it up just fine. I also just put some 8-week old youngens in with my older silkies and cochins. And the older ones have been on layer feed. I usually switch to layer around 16-17 weeks. How bad it is to let the younger ones eat the layer feed?

The issue is people don't see the effects of too much calcium right away so they assume it isn't hurting them... but the buildup of excess calcium continues through their life and in the end can shorten their lives quite a bit... Bird suddenly drops dead at 3, 4 or 5 years old, for example...

You could get a bunch of different answers. Although it's not recommended I have some 4 months old eating layer and it has not hurt them that I can tell. The layer feed has several times more calcium than starter/grower and the concern is buildup of calcium in the kidneys etc. Whereas these little ones aren't using the calcium and passing it on in the eggs(not laying yet) , makes the kidneys work harder I suppose

You're full of awesome info today, Jack... keep it up... Just remember, working harder equals shorter working life...

Yea, thanks. That's what I was thinking from when I first started. These are the first that I've grown out in a while. I did transfer "their" feeder, with starter/grower in it, from the baby pen with them, so maybe they will eat more out of it, and less out of the adult feeder. Or I guess I can switch them all to flock raiser with free-choice oyster shell for the girls.

You just have to go with what works for you... balance the pros and cons, the extra hassle and work for you, number of older birds vs younger birds... what is best for the whole over what is best for a few...

 

[frmboyinthecity]

This is the first time I have ever been disappointed for not having a roo. I guess I better get ready to order some more hatching eggs to try to get a rooster.

 

[Ravynscroft]

This is the first time I have ever been disappointed for not having a roo. I guess I better get ready to order some more hatching eggs to try to get a rooster. 

Sorry, lol... since you gotta get more, might look into another line, maybe? That way you would be sure you aren't breeding full sister to full brother... just a thought...

 

[LocalYokel]

Ha... ha... ha...
That's usually how twins that hatch ends, unfortunately... why I won't set them... would rather deal with DIS than hatching one I know won't make it... :/
I do have Layena as well... tried that with these 2... they refused to eat it and went on a forage only diet... picky little buggers...

I actually think it has more to do with how they were raised early... my friend I bought them from actually got them from a really well known Call breeder... his direct stock... she told me when she picked them up that not impressed with his setup was an understatement... they're also the only ones of mine that don't groom regularly, they have to be 'persuaded'... gonna try giving them calcium gluconate from now on... tried to get it before, but TSC was out...
Like Local said, first egg... oyster shell can be put out a bit earlier, they really don't seem to start eating it til they need it, but if you see them chowing on it too much (more than just some pecks to see what it is) then I'd pull it til eggs come...
Frmboy, you have 2 very pretty pullets... those aren't pointy hackle feathers, it's the pattern... I see salmon breasts on both, males will have black breasts...
Yep... and if it looks like they have any issues with bigger pieces just crush them up a bit more...

Also, Layena has a slightly more pricey pellet I like to give my all adult bantams sometimes... called Layena Plus with Omega 3... mine don't really need that added Omega 3, but the pellet size of it is smaller than regular Layena, but bags are 40# instead of 50# too...
The issue is people don't see the effects of too much calcium right away so they assume it isn't hurting them... but the buildup of excess calcium continues through their life and in the end can shorten their lives quite a bit...

Bird suddenly drops dead at 3, 4 or 5 years old, for example...
You're full of awesome info today, Jack... keep it up...

Just remember, working harder equals shorter working life...
You just have to go with what works for you... balance the pros and cons, the extra hassle and work for you, number of older birds vs younger birds... what is best for the whole over what is best for a few...

 

[frmboyinthecity]

Sorry, lol... since you gotta get more, might look into another line, maybe? That way you would be sure you aren't breeding full sister to full brother... just a thought...

I have thought about trying that, if I can find some show quality. I found a facebook group for leghorns, maybe I'll ask on there. The ones in the 24 hour auction thread are hatchery stock.

 

[Ravynscroft]

 

[Ravynscroft]

I have thought about trying that, if I can find some show quality. I found a facebook group for leghorns, maybe I'll ask on there. The ones in the 24 hour auction thread are hatchery stock.

Yep, that sounds good... if you can find them... if not, and your previous source has good diversity and is trustworthy, go for those again... like I said before, it's all about what you want and how you want to proceed...

Personally, I want to be self sustaining in my genetic diversity for at least a few years... that's one of the key reasons I cut back on breeds... I now have all I need for my Am's to do that, if I do it correctly... but it means breeding a few different pens for 1 breed...

 

[frmboyinthecity]

Yep, that sounds good... if you can find them... if not, and your previous source has good diversity and is trustworthy, go for those again... like I said before, it's all about what you want and how you want to proceed...

Personally, I want to be self sustaining in my genetic diversity for at least a few years... that's one of the key reasons I cut back on breeds... I now have all I need for my Am's to do that, if I do it correctly... but it means breeding a few different pens for 1 breed...

Makes complete sense to me. I would like to be able to have multiple pens for one breed, but I'm not there yet.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Makes complete sense to me. I would like to be able to have multiple pens for one breed, but I'm not there yet. 

And that works, just as long as you don't breed off the same pair in a pen for many years...

I've actually been discussing an issue caused by that with a guy I sold some Lav Am eggs to... in his area the only Lav Am's around were bred from a single pair from one source that a guy got and bred for years... never refreshed his genetics and did not implement any type of breeding plan, like line/spiral/clan etc... the offspring now are stunted, laying super skinny and pointed eggs that at least 90% fail to hatch and the ones that do are awful runts...

Look into the different breeding styles, bet one of those will work well for you...

 

[frmboyinthecity]

And that works, just as long as you don't breed off the same pair in a pen for many years...

I've actually been discussing an issue caused by that with a guy I sold some Lav Am eggs to... in his area the only Lav Am's around were bred from a single pair from one source that a guy got and bred for years... never refreshed his genetics and did not implement any type of breeding plan, like line/spiral/clan etc... the offspring now are stunted, laying super skinny and pointed eggs that at least 90% fail to hatch and the ones that do are awful runts...

Look into the different breeding styles, bet one of those will work well for you...

I was reading about Spiral vs Line breeding. To accomplish that, I'd have to build some more pens, which is something that I haven't sold my wife on yet. I may just have to try to sneak some in. Line breeding is fairly simple in the short-term, but it's after your first rooster is retired that I feel like it gets more complex. I need to establish a good system/approach before I start breeding to make sure my approach makes sense.