Sharing Bread With The Girls

Seems like the birds are moving right along toward breeding season. My cock birds got their second once weekly dose of Abba Fertility E yesterday, while the hens will get their first dose when the cocks get their 4th dose.

In the meantime, it is a good idea to introduce the girls to a mild wheat product. Wheat products like wheat germ are good conditioners but tend to encourage the hens to lay too quickly, so I like to hold back a few more weeks before giving wheat germ or even sprouted wheat. If you want to use the stronger wheat products earlier, limit the amount and frequency.

Soft white bread is placed between the bars of this German Roller flight cage.

Immediately, the girls start investigating and nibbling.

After tasting a few bites they sometimes take a bite from the lower part.

They like to stretch first one way and then the other.

Bread helps bring some thinner hens into condition and also is very effective in taming them.  Tamer hens are less protective of their chicks and tolerate Big Bird meddling better.

Thin cocks may not come into condition at all so in that case they should be fattened just a bit. Otherwise you want to avoid the cocks becoming too fat and interfering with fertilization.