Eggs
- Thread starter wampum
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I assume that is yours. What show was that at? It was doing well not being handled. That is a testament to working with your birds. How did it do when washed?
Well, the test started. The owner said he has been getting 8 eggs/day from the birds. I threw them about 3-4 cups of cooked beans and some pasta today. He fed and watered them tonight and got 8 eggs. I'll see what the egg production is for the next 5 days. I'm also thinking of throwing a 4' LED light in there on a timer to come on @ 5am. Sunrise here now is 6:23 am, sunset is 5:35 pm. He has a heat lamp on at night hanging over the waterer. How much water should a chicken drink a day if there is no food with moisture in it? (layer mash during the winter and outside is froze with no snow.) I'm not 100% sure how many birds there are, I believe it's around 22. No roosters, all Americana's with the exception of one pure white one.
Nope, just a picture of a fat bird. Never washed or showed a chicken. I did have some roosters judged once as I was thinking about doing a few shows. Judge worked for the state and did the NPIP inspections and judgeing at poultry shows.
Negative. None of them are even close to.looking like that.
I forget where I read it but the avg adult egg layer consumes 1.5 - 2 lbs of feed per week, depending on breed and age.
I've never had to regulate how much feed my hens eat. But they also have a large outdoor pen and get the run of the yard several days a week. They're pretty active.
I've never had to regulate how much feed my hens eat. But they also have a large outdoor pen and get the run of the yard several days a week. They're pretty active.
I dont have a exact weight for my rooster, but last time he flogged me, I slung him around by his neck until I slung the crap out of him. Probably had him down to 2 or 3 lbs. Playing football with him didnt work but after the slinging, he runs when he sees me now.
James Sawyer
ArboristSite Operative
As some said make sure you have enough protein 18% or higher in your feed. Stress will also reduce laying, new additions to your flock, predators, etc. Molting, seasonal weather changes and Sun light. There are some rumors out that some of the big feed companies have changed their protein levels in their feed and the stuff you use to get is not the same.
Lots of rumors, to be sure. Would be interesting to see some testing done on said feed.
well, I have 17 hens right now. I am averaging 13 eggs a day, but I turn mine out every day after dinner [ lunch for some of you] I give them a scoop of scratch , about a quart , in each hen house I have 2 hen houses. And 5 roosters I will sell three of the young roosters soon. Cause the hens are getting too much of a workout lol.
I looked at the neighbors "layer crumbles" and it says 16% protein. Unless they are missing something in their diet, the video of feeding them cooked beans I think is a bunch of BS. I looked a the bags of different legumes and the highest protein level in them was 12%. The neighbors left early this morning for a 5 day vacation. Yesterday he got 8 eggs, today I got 9. I will swing by Tractor Supply and the local feed mill tomorrow to see what protein their chicken feed/layer mash is.
I have some different bags of commercial fish food that vary in protein levels. One is 40% protein/10% lipids, another is 42%/10% another is 45/16 and I even have one that is 52/20. But I won't be experimenting with that - they aren't my birds and that seems pretty hot compared to what they are getting now.
Anything much over 20% protein is a waste for laying age chickens from what I've read on the interwebs.
GenXer
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I only have the one rooster and 6 layers. He seems happy, it's less noisy with just the one rooster as well.
I dont think just looking at protein levels is all there is to it. Many different kinds of protein and sources. Just saying protein is missing all the other nutrients that may or may not be missing. Feed mills dont say what kind of protein they are sourceing from and two kinds of feed can have the exact protein levels and completely different nutrient levels. I have seen the tags on feed being sold in 2018 and comparing to the tags of today and there are differences in levels of some materials, but the protein levels have remain the same.
^^^ Definitely. There can be protein in there that they can't utilize. I got 8 eggs yesterday and there are 24 birds. I'm going to throw a 4' 7,000 lumen LED white light inside the coop for the next 3 days to see if that changes the production any. After that the neighbors will be back home. Might not be enough of time to get a result though.
Just ask them if it's a local mill. Can't think of any of the mills around here that won't tell you exactly what goes into any of their feeds.
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