Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
If your birds are confined and are not allowed to range, you must carefully choose
a balanced laying ration. This is especially important for crossbred hybrid types, as they
require a specific ration in order to do their egg-laying job properly. (See chapter 5 ,
Feeds and Feeding.)
If your birds are going to be free-ranged or roam around, you can be a little less
picky about the ration, but be sure that it's balanced with at least somewhere in the
neighborhood of the 16 to 20 percent protein.
The protein must be labeled as “usable” or “digestible.” Feathers and fingernails
are pure protein but they won't benefit the birds. Protein percentages in feeds can be de-
ceptively raised with the inclusion of indigestible forms. Look at your label and make
sure that it is a good, balanced feed.
LAYING CHICKENS
Tom Bruning, Treynor, Iowa
A N AVID POULTRY RAISER since childhood, Tom Bruning has turned his hobby into a
profit-making business. He has several flocks of birds for egg production. One flock
is a group of sex-link hens that are used strictly for commercial egg sales at farmers'
markets and local pickup at the farm. He also has the remnants of an old-fashioned
egg route where he delivers eggs on his way to a part-time job away from his full-
time farm work.
Timing is crucial, Tom has found, to keep keep up a steady and consistent supply
of eggs. He has worked hard to maintain a productive flock and has learned exactly
when to obtain new replacements so they will enter productivity as the older birds
become tired and ready to quit. He has the management skills to work through the
seasonal changes of such a venture. In order to keep a continuous supply of eggs to
the regulars on his route and those who pick them up at the farm he must carefully
plan for the growth and arrival of his replacement pullet chicks for egg production.
Tom also has three other flocks that serve dual purposes. One is a purebreed flock
of large exhibition-quality Black Minorcas, of which he maintains a strong line of
high-producing birds. (The size of his birds is unbelievable.) This productive egg-
laying flock is reminiscent of the pure-breed laying flocks of the mid-twentieth cen-
tury. Out of this flock, Tom sells eggs both for eating and for hatching. Since the
stock is of high quality, he can obtain more money for hatching eggs, when there is a
demand, than for eating eggs, which helps to increase the farm income.
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