Feeding
New feeding program:
After young bird racing all new race cocks will be introduced to the race loft and all hens will be kept separated. Stock birds are also separated. From now until Christmas the hens will remain shut in, only being allowed into the aviary during the day and only the race cocks will be given some light exercise once a week usually on a Saturday. During that exercise keep all hens inside and not visible to the cocks.
Stock Birds:
August/September/October
Fed once a day only:
I now feed a good Widowhood mixture as this contains a lot of the grains required but I add some Hemp, Linseed, Wheat, Barley, Beans & Peas. This is a fairly light mix but contains enough protein for new feather production.
Widowhood Mixture 70% + Beans & Peas 12.5% + Wheat & Barley 15% + Hemp & Linseed 2.5%
All birds are fed from a trough and if any feed is still remaining during next feed then reduce the amount.
November/December
Still fed once a day.
Keep the feed light to lose some of the weight from the hens before breeding begins. Remove the Beans & Peas.
Widowhood Mixture 85% + Wheat & Barley 12.5% + Hemp & Linseed 2.5%
December/January
Still fed once a day.
Two weeks before pairing increase back to:
Widowhood Mixture 75% + Beans & Peas 12.5% + Wheat & Barley 10% + Hemp & Linseed 2.5%
January/February/March
Trough fed 2-3 times a day remove all Barley
Widowhood Mixture 25% + Beans & Peas 57.5% + Wheat 15% + Hemp & Linseed 2.5%
I usually put a small pot of Hormoform down once a day during breeding and will put a pot of feed in each nest box when the chicks are two weeks old until weaned. This in on top of the daily feed so they always have access to some feed.
April/May/June/July
Fed once a day only:
Once breeding has finished in the stock loft return to the light mixture until August.
Widowhood Mixture 85% + Wheat & Barley 12.5% + Hemp & Linseed 2.5%
Race Birds:
August/September/October/November/December
For Old race birds and young cocks when introduced to the loft.
Fed once a day only:
I now feed a good widowhood racing mixture as this contains a lot of the grains required but I add some Hemp, Linseed, Wheat, Barley, Beans & Peas. This is a fairly light mix but contains enough protein for new feather production.
Widowhood Mixture 75% + Beans & Peas 12.5% + Wheat & Barley 10% + Hemp & Linseed 2.5%
All birds are fed from a trough and if any feed is still remaining during next feed then reduce the amount.
January/ February/ March
Same feeding as for Stock birds before & during breeding until March. Hens removed from loft after last young bird weaned usually middle of March.
April/May/June/July
All race cocks now fed in pots in widowhood box twice a day with a 15ml scoop per bird, per feed.
No feed on Basket afternoon but usual in the morning.
Widowhood Mixture 100%
Young Birds:
After weaning:
All young birds trough fed twice a day with 15ml scoop per bird of mixture. Once weaned they go straight onto a young bird mixture with a high percentage of Maize. They are kept on this mixture throughout training & racing. Reduce amount if any is left from previous feed.
Young Bird Mixture 100% (there a lot of different young bird mixes available so make sure it is one with a high percentage of maize)
No feed on Basket afternoon but usual in the morning.
Watering
During breeding and racing, birds are given Aviform Ultimate added to the water 7 days a week.
A respiratory formular like Aviform Mycoform T is added to the water on a Wednesday.
Young birds are given a Canker treatment every 5 weeks from the day they are weaned.