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BREEDING TIME
"This is my basic breeding time method that has been used successfully for over 40 years"
Many birds are paired or going to be soon. Supplements are essential at this time, such
as, Calcium for egg production and all purpose vitamins. Remember to check and
see if you cut the feathers around the fecal area well, as I previously
stated in the reminders. If not, take scissors and trim them up a little
closer. I normally would think it would be the male’s problem for not
fertilizing the egg, but it could be just the contact when mating. Sometimes I use the Medpet cock fertility
pill every other day during this time until the hen lays her second egg; wheat germ oil is also beneficial on the feed.
When a hen is not laying eggs, I use a product called Fish
Mox: code number 1124 from Jedds.com, which is a 250 mg capsule of Amoxicillin. I dump out ½ of the contents and refill the other up with pink Vita Mineral
powder (DES003), giving the treatment for 10 days, a pill a day. If you're not experienced giving a pill to a bird, just dip the pill in water before dosing the bird. Doing so helps the bird swallow the pill. This has worked very well for me and others for treating a
bacterial infection in the egg track of a hen. I separate the hen at this time
for treatment and re-mate her soon after treatment.
Nest material is important and using the nest pads is always
beneficial at this time. The added warmth and softness can stop breakage of
eggs and definitely stops crooked keels. It also prevents leg deformity, especially
once a young has hatched. I use tobacco
stems, straws, or even pine needles, but I am careful when using the latter, for mice
or rodents may have urinated on them. I would recommend washing them and letting those dry before using the nest bowls.
Checking the eggs at about five days old is done at this time
by taking a flash light in to the loft and holding it in the upright position. One
by one I hold each egg over the flashlight to see if blood vessels are starting
to form. If I find that no vessels have formed I may wait another couple of days and view again. If not, I toss the
eggs and start the pair over again. Be careful when doing this procedure with some of these couples. They can be so
defensive that you may break an egg when retrieving them from under the bird or
putting them back. I sometimes make some
notes about the color or surface area of the egg shell at this time. If I find a rough surface, I may use a calcium pill for that particular hen because they may be calcium deficient. Jedd's
part number is 1262 and I give a ½ pill per hen at this time, at three different
times before she lays.
Grit and pick stones are essential in my program to give the
birds the added calcium needed to grow the egg.
I also sprinkle any of the fine powdered Vita Minerals on the grain
about every other day. I’ve used lettuce
and carrots in the past on a one day a week basis, but now I use a product called
Carrot Corn, a vegetable formulated pellet.
I also use a product called 5 Star Grit and mix at least every other day
on the feed. The product is a combination of grits, pellets, seeds, egg food and
minerals of all kinds; remember to give
fresh grit daily. I use smaller
containers and add fresh mix to them everyday; which the birds go for readily. I use
a mineral powder, which is a replacement for any loss of electrolytes, a product
from JeddS call Mineral salt (#1123). Remember
this quote, “Bring the outside in” for these prisoner birds.
After hatching, I sometimes use a Versele Laga pellet called
Success corn for the first week of the parent birds milking stage. This helps at this particular time with its
25% protein and easily digestible pellet; it is very good for the new hatchlings.
Water supplements are necessary, and I have described in my
previous Season Reminders that I use
something in the water daily. B-12 &
Iodine are beneficial at this time, along with Calcium liquid. Some type of all purpose vitamins twice a
week, along with a breeding formula. Breeders edge is one that is full of amino acids. VBG (Avian Solution) or Bragg’s apple cider
vinegar is some times used at the same time with your vitamin supplement. Electrolytes
are given when the babies are starting to be fed a grain mixture once or twice
a week.
The grains given vary with the cycle of the birds. My basic mixture is a 16% protein with a
candy treat mix of about 10%. When the babies
are in the milking stage, about the first week of their lives, I use the basic mixture mentioned above, with added Safflower at about 20% with some pellets added in. When the babies are now being fed a grain
mixture, I use the basic mixture mentioned above with a product from Jedds named Breeders
Protein Pack, which is a 25# bag for about $19. Then you should mix 1/3rd of this mixture
to the basic mix until out of the nest. This will increase the protein content at
this stage of their lives and gives them and the parents the added protein for
the feather growth needed. In the past, I have added some of the protein pellets to
the mixture, but the birds will eat the grain before the pellets, so I got disgusted after a few weeks and gave that up.
Remember the Jedds 5 Star Grit I use has a round pellet in it and is loaded
with all that’s needed. When using a pellet, I like the round shape ones. Also, I
think the birds are fooled thinking they're a type of pea.
Special touch sometimes used, such as Fabry pills, given to
the babies in the nest to help the development until taken out of the
nest. In some cases, some pairs will have a wet nest around the
nest bowl, which is usually caused by the parents drinking excess water. I think this is due to lack of salt or an electrolyte imbalance, so the use of the mineral salt and
electrolytes are beneficial at this time and usually correct the problem. I have at times when all the birds are on
eggs, given them a five day treatment of Medizole (Med 037) for canker, well
before hatching time.
If a nest is wet you must keep it dry and figure what the problem is, especially when only one pair is showing this result. Most of time it’s a result of too much water
intake so the above steps should be effective with this, but please clean the box
out and use a drying powder such as floor white from Natural code (#1504)
I hope and wish you all a good season and remember: whomever makes
the least mistakes wins the race!
Happy New Year.
Yours in the sport,
Greg McKnight
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