"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

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Doing some research, I found that the Roy Autry rooster that Roslyn (from whom I got my RIR eggs) added to her flock 2 yrs ago, is descended from the Choctaw line of "Heritage" Rhode Island Reds, so I guess my (hopefully) chicklets will be "semi-heritage" in nature. Whew. I am so relieved. Now I can sleep peacefully, knowing I have semi-blue-blooded eggs in my bator.
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Actually this all stemmed from my wondering why the big deal about "Heritage" -- come to find out, it's mostly just a gimmick term. There is a vast difference in the production RIRs from hatcheries & the ones that have been bred for many years by breeders & used for exhibition purposes. There are 5 or 6 lines of RIRs that date back to the beginning of the breed & those apparently are cherished & kept going up to today. All I know is I liked those birds I hatched out before & am looking forward to hopefully hatching more of them & I plan to keep them as the main part of my flock from now on.
 
There is a big huge bird show at LSU in Baton Rouge tomorrow, if anybody is interested in going. I went last year & I was totally blown away by the sheer size & color & vigor of the poultry there. I also still have a yearning for call ducks - they were so cute!
 
Hey Ya'll I need some advice please :)

My birds will be 6 weeks Tuesday. I've been feeding chick starter crumble. I went today to pick up another bag and an employee said to start them on layer feed. I had a feeling he was wrong but I took his advice because I know him. Now I've searched the forum and I think it's way too early to be feeding the layer. Isn't this correct? At what age do I change the feed. Some of the pullets I plan to keep for awhile but most of the cockerels will be processed. What should I do?
 
TerriLaChicks said:
I sure do. I found out about it several years ago when I got some eggs from a BYC-er in Florida, gee can't even remember her name right off - she told me she went to dry incubation when her whole family came down w/the flu & for 2 weeks everybody, including her, were sicker than dogs---- she wandered past her utility room one day & heard cheeping -- had totally forgot she had chicks in a bator in there -- her bator was bone dry & had been for several days, but they were hatching & jumping around on the still-tilting turner like it was a carnival ride -- great hatch & healthy. I had had problems up to that point with "sticky chicks" hatching w/bits of shell still sticking & losing some in the shell & I gave it some thought -- look at how our humidity here fluctuates -- the very atmosphere here is unsettled humidity. I ran low humidity my next hatch & voila! great hatch & no sticky chicks. So I've done it that way ever since.

I think everybody needs to find the method that works best for them in their home. For me, low humidity, my Brinsea runs temps at a steady 99 degrees, & I don't candle - because I am lousy at it so I just lift the lid every 3-4 days to add a little water if needed, & do a quick "sniff test" if one is going bad believe me, you will smell it -- I've only had that happen once & I carefully removed the culprit & safely disposed of it way out back in the fields. Otherwise I leave them alone. I figure less is better.

And you know, if you think about it, Mother Nature is pretty forgiving. Conditions are not perfect under a broody hen. So, there is some leeway to hatching. When I stopped  being so nervous & anal about every little detail, my hatch rates went way up. Not to say I'm not worrying over this coming hatch, since shipped eggs are always a gamble!
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Thanks for the info when I got up it was 35% so I'm going to let it go down. I don't have a candler you can't tell with a flashlight on blue eggs. So I've changed my mine about getting one. Either they hatch or they don't. I was surprised two made it last hatch with getting unplugged the humidity was up an down on that one.
Here's some pics of them one is the color of my Easter egger hen with barring ths other one that had a spot on its head, I'm waiting to see if it's a rooster. It's the color of a legbar hen but has ear tufts. The tufts have been their from day one it's so cute.
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Cody A said:
Hey Ya'll I need some advice please :)

My birds will be 6 weeks Tuesday. I've been feeding chick starter crumble. I went today to pick up another bag and an employee said to start them on layer feed. I had a feeling he was wrong but I took his advice because I know him. Now I've searched the forum and I think it's way too early to be feeding the layer. Isn't this correct? At what age do I change the feed. Some of the pullets I plan to keep for awhile but most of the cockerels will be processed. What should I do?
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Chick feed till 8 weeks. Then change to grower I don't have a set time for grower. I keep them on grower till their combs turn bright red then I change to layer.most workers at TSC don't know what their talking about. Next time listen to that little voice that is telling you they are wrong. Pam
 
Ron Skekel said:
Chick feed till 8 weeks. Then change to grower I don't have a set time for grower. I keep them on grower till their combs turn bright red then I change to layer.most workers at TSC don't know what their talking about. Next time listen to that little voice that is telling you they are wrong. Pam
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:) Thank you Pam. How'd you know it was Tractor Supply, LOL. I was a little irritated that I bought a bag of layer feed. He was only trying to help. Oh well. :)
I'll watch for the colorful combs.

I can't believe how much these little birds are eating. They're like little vacuums. Do you leave the food available to your growing chicks at all times or feed at certain times of day.
I haven't tried the fermented route yet.
 
Cody A said:
Hey Ya'll I need some advice please :)

My birds will be 6 weeks Tuesday. I've been feeding chick starter crumble. I went today to pick up another bag and an employee said to start them on layer feed. I had a feeling he was wrong but I took his advice because I know him. Now I've searched the forum and I think it's way too early to be feeding the layer. Isn't this correct? At what age do I change the feed. Some of the pullets I plan to keep for awhile but most of the cockerels will be processed. What should I do?
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Cody, dont put them on layer until they are at least 16 to 18 weeks, some say once they lay the first egg, the layer has too much calcium and will damage their kidneys, change them to grower, not starter
 
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topdog24 said:
Cody, dont put them on layer until they are at least 16 to 18 weeks, some say once they lay the first egg, the layer has too much calcium and will damage their kidneys, change them to grower, not starter
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Thank you TopDog. I read that here on the forum. I'm gonna have to go back and tell the guy at TSC this. :)
 
@Ron Skekel
Hi Pam, I know you have German shepherds, how did you train them to be good with the chickens? Ours is an 8 month old puppy and she broke into the chicken yard and killed 4 ducks and 4 chickens. We aren't even sure how she did it...any advice? Thanks! Sad day at our house!
 

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