"David (in Normandy)" wrote in
message ...

"Mike" wrote in message
I give this advice as you are wishing to produce for the family, but I
feel
that 4 will NOT feed your family round the year.

Mike


Thanks Mike. Advice noted. There are only two of us to feed with eggs so I
was working on the basis of 2 eggs every three days - I think I read
somewhere that was the average? That would work out at 8 eggs every three
days which would be more than adequate. Though I understand that without
prolonging daylight during Winter that egg production can stop completely.
In your experience what laying rates would you expect at different times
of
the year?
--
David
... Email address on website http://www.avisoft.co.uk
... Blog at http://dlts-french-adventures.blogspot.com/


David I was running Thronbers 404 and Thornbers 606 birds in a controlled
Deep Litter House, but this was in the 60's and times and birds change. The
404's were a very dark bird with a 200+ egg per year and the 606's were a
white bird with a higher laying rate 300+ but to be honest I cannot remember
the exact figures..

Summer and Winter do make a difference as does heat and cold and whilst the
quantity of birds does generate heat, so does it introduce a condensation
problem on an uninsulated house.

Another thing to remember that 2nd year birds lay less and 3rd year birds
'even lesser', (how do you like my English? ;-)), so you must be considering
either buying in chicks and bringing them on or replacing your layers with
laying birds.

Great fun and full of frustration when in a production situation, but even
more fun when you only have a few for home. After we got rid of the farm, we
just had a dozen at home, until the Fox got in and reduced the number :-((
and then we got rid of the rest when we built flats on the land. well not
'us', we sold out to a builder :-))

Hope that helps, BUT, my experiences waas the 60's ;-))

Mike


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