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Backyard Chickens. Egg and Meat Production for Your Family Dianne Palmer-Quay dpalmerquay@gmail.com. Homegrown Feed. http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Growing-Poultry-Feeds-1.html Sunflowers, sorghum, millet Mangels, pumpkins Soldier fly larvae, earthworms
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Backyard Chickens Egg and Meat Production for Your Family Dianne Palmer-Quay dpalmerquay@gmail.com
Homegrown Feed • http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Growing-Poultry-Feeds-1.html • Sunflowers, sorghum, millet • Mangels, pumpkins • Soldier fly larvae, earthworms • Don’t let any calories go to waste!
Maintaining a Breeding Flock • Breed Standards • Body type, Color, etc. • APA Standard of Perfection • Breeding Plan • Overall Goals, Deliberate matings, Good records, Culling • Flock Size • 1 rooster per 3 hens minimum, two “families” or more • Flock Age • Hen age vs. hatchability
Healthy and Safe • Protection from predators • Flying, climbing, digging or slithering • Free from disease • Clean water, good food • Fresh air and sunshine • Limit exposure to wild birds, other poultry flocks • Protection from the weather • Space to escape bullying • Mixing flocks can be fatal
Challenges • Consistent egg production • Seasonal changes • Age related changes • Spent hens • Housing roosters when raising for meat • Rooster abuse of hens
Helpful Books • Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens • Gail Damerow • The Small-Scale Poultry Flock • Harvey Ussery • Success with Baby Chicks • Robert Plamondon