The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

Doesn't seem to be as many posts since Bob passed away. I still go to his website which has a wealth of information. http://bloslspoutlryfarm.tripod.com/id29.html

No, there's no replacement for Bob. But…… this is a notoriously slow time of year on BYC. Half the US is encased in horrid wintry weather and the holiday season is upon us. Just wait for the breeding, incubating, hatching, chicks and showing off juvie seasons that are coming up soon!!! Personally, I cannot wait and it can't come soon enough.
 
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Any tips for getting my RIR hens to lay single yolk eggs. They are new to laying but I'm really wanting to set some eggs.
Also my roosters do not like the snow. They did not try to attack me or anything mean when I put them outside but each of them took turns making lots of noise. It was the most crowing I have heard from these roosters.
It is too cold here to be out taking pictures, maybe next week I'll get a few for you Doc. Still they won't be the best as the predicted highs are going to be at freezing. Combine that with my chicken's fear of the camera and most of my pictures are horrid.
 
What are you feeding?

I could "force" double yolkers and/or ginormous eggs out of my production birds by feeding too much protein content. This time of year, I prefer both protein and energy, as it is so darn cold.

I do feed the higher protein feed, it is 21% protein.
Should I toss in some corn or scratch? Or would it be best to get a lower protein all flock for a while?
 
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This is JUST my 2 cents. I'm not a nutritionalist nor do I play one on TV.
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I would back off that protein and see what happens. The easiest way to reduce the protein percentage is not to change the feed, but to supplement a larger portion of the diet with cracked grains. If your cracked grain or whole grain mix is a 10% mix, which would be very likely, then you can do the math on the resultant protein of their whole feed program.

50-50 with your feed would average 15-16% protein. 60% feed with 40% grains would average out at 16-17% protein.

Give it a whirl. Try the regime change for a week or two. It could do no harm and evaluate the result. My guess, just my sheer guess based on experience, but still just a guess is that they are gobbling up the high protein feed in hopes of generating body heat in this cold weather. This MAY result in your propensity of getting all these double yolkers. Again, part of what we learn is by trying and evaluating. See how it goes. Note the results.
 
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This is JUST my 2 cents. I'm not a nutritionalist nor do I play one on TV.
big_smile.png



I would back off that protein and see what happens. The easiest way to reduce the protein percentage is not to change the feed, but to supplement a larger portion of the diet with cracked grains. If your cracked grain or whole grain mix is a 10% mix, which would be very likely, then you can do the math on the resultant protein of their whole feed program.

50-50 with your feed would average 15-16% protein. 60% feed with 40% grains would average out at 16-17% protein.

Give it a whirl. Try the regime change for a week or two. It could do no harm and evaluate the result. My guess, just my sheer guess based on experience, but still just a guess is that they are gobbling up the high protein feed in hopes of generating body heat in this cold weather. This MAY result in your propensity of getting all these double yolkers. Again, part of what we learn is by trying and evaluating. See how it goes. Note the results.

Thanks I can try that. They are eating so much more feed. I was thinking it was due to decreased free ranging but your theory makes good sense too.
 
We got a water heater that is thermastically controlled and a galvanized waterer. It works wonderfully. The waterer is the kind with the sleeve cover that you can fill from the top. I wish I bought both a while ago.

Your chickens are beautiful.
 
You might look into making your own scratch. I like to feed oats and wheat because it helps feathering and if you put corn in that is even better.
Fall, Spring Summer mix - using 3 pound coffee cans I mix 1 each of wheat and oats and half of cracked corn.
Winter mix 1 each of wheat and oats and 1/2-3/4 of whole corn.

There is very little waist as compared to a lot of the commercial mixes.

Rob
 
You might look into making your own scratch. I like to feed oats and wheat because it helps feathering and if you put corn in that is even better.
Fall, Spring Summer mix - using 3 pound coffee cans I mix 1 each of wheat and oats and half of cracked corn.
Winter mix 1 each of wheat and oats and 1/2-3/4 of whole corn.

There is very little waist as compared to a lot of the commercial mixes.

Rob

What kind of oats do you use? I use steal cut but was wondering if you had to use a more processed oat?
 

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