Maintenance Period
Maintenance period for us gamebird breeders here in the Philippines is the period from about June to October. This is the time when we just keep our chickens in the cord, wait for it to finish moulting so that we can start conditioning them for the derbies to come or for breeding.
This is a very important phase that our chickens go through once a year.
Sad to say, many gamebird raisers feel that the chickens in the farm have no use so they switch to the cheapest feed available. Let us remember 2 key things during our maintenance period.
1) Our chickens are moulting
2) Our maintenance period coincides with the rainy season
Knowing this, the worst mistake is feeding them something lacking in the needed nutrients for them to cope up with the key items mentioned above.
During moulting, especially when the new feathers start to grow, this is the stage in the chickens' life where they would require a higher protein supply needed to have feathers that are brightly colored, shiny and also very durable.
The rainy season compounds this situation for they need the right balance of nutrients to be able to combat all these stress factors and remain healthy.
If we are not able to give them the right nutrients needed for this period you will surely have roosters that would be thin, have dull and brittle feathers. The reason for this is, they will have to get the nutrients needed from their body reserves instead. This is very dangerous for breeders, especially the brood cocks for a 25% loss of body weight can cause the roosters to be sterile.
This is a very important phase that our chickens go through once a year.
Sad to say, many gamebird raisers feel that the chickens in the farm have no use so they switch to the cheapest feed available. Let us remember 2 key things during our maintenance period.
1) Our chickens are moulting
2) Our maintenance period coincides with the rainy season
Knowing this, the worst mistake is feeding them something lacking in the needed nutrients for them to cope up with the key items mentioned above.
During moulting, especially when the new feathers start to grow, this is the stage in the chickens' life where they would require a higher protein supply needed to have feathers that are brightly colored, shiny and also very durable.
The rainy season compounds this situation for they need the right balance of nutrients to be able to combat all these stress factors and remain healthy.
If we are not able to give them the right nutrients needed for this period you will surely have roosters that would be thin, have dull and brittle feathers. The reason for this is, they will have to get the nutrients needed from their body reserves instead. This is very dangerous for breeders, especially the brood cocks for a 25% loss of body weight can cause the roosters to be sterile.
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