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Backyard Chicken Seminar at Rieger Farms.
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Backyard Chicken SeminarWho should attend?
If you would like to raise your own chickens, have your own eggs,
or be just a consumer who would like to know more about chickens and eggs, etc.
That's the seminar for you.
TOPICS INCLUDE
1. The Basics-Feeding, Care & Housing of Chickens
2. Biosecurity of the Backyard Flock
3. Common Infectious Diseases Chickens
4. Raising Chickens the Natural Way Egg 5. Handling & Understanding Salmonella.
Guenter and his wife Regina operating Rieger Farms since 1982, and have over 25 years of experience raising chickens and layers. Guenter Rieger a retired research engineer, who is passionate about organic farming and permaculture, is sharing his knowledge and experience as an egg producer to keep your birds healthy and happy.
Backyard Farmers info
How Long Do Chickens Lay Eggs? Goals for Laying Hens
Consistent egg production is a sign of happy, healthy hens. Most hens will lay their first egg around 18 weeks of age and then lay an egg almost daily thereafter. In their first year, you can expect up to 250 eggs from high-producing, well-fed backyard chickens.
Overall, 80 to 90 percent is considered excellent egg production (100 percent = 1 egg per hen per day), but breed, housing, weather, management, parasite load, and nutrition can all affect the rate of the lay of your hens. Remember, most hens will naturally slow down in the fall and winter unless you add supplemental light for a consistent 16 hours of light per day. There’s nothing like the first egg happy dance. Around 18 weeks of age, you can switch to a complete layer feed and expect your first farm-fresh egg. Laying hens: How many eggs to expect production goals by laying hen age, starting with the highest production in year one and fewer eggs each year after. High-producing, well-fed backyard hens can lay up to 250 eggs per year. This is because it takes 24-26 hours to create each egg, and hens take a natural break each year for molting – often as days get shorter in the fall. How to race chickens, ...more
Consistent egg production is a sign of happy, healthy hens. Most hens will lay their first egg around 18 weeks of age and then lay an egg almost daily thereafter. In their first year, you can expect up to 250 eggs from high-producing, well-fed backyard chickens.
Overall, 80 to 90 percent is considered excellent egg production (100 percent = 1 egg per hen per day), but breed, housing, weather, management, parasite load, and nutrition can all affect the rate of the lay of your hens. Remember, most hens will naturally slow down in the fall and winter unless you add supplemental light for a consistent 16 hours of light per day. There’s nothing like the first egg happy dance. Around 18 weeks of age, you can switch to a complete layer feed and expect your first farm-fresh egg. Laying hens: How many eggs to expect production goals by laying hen age, starting with the highest production in year one and fewer eggs each year after. High-producing, well-fed backyard hens can lay up to 250 eggs per year. This is because it takes 24-26 hours to create each egg, and hens take a natural break each year for molting – often as days get shorter in the fall. How to race chickens, ...more
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Three Tips to Help Molting Chickens
This feather loss phenomenon first happens around 18 months old and occurs annually. Backyard flock owners should expect about eight weeks of feather loss and regrowth. Many factors determine how long chickens molt. Age, nutrition, and the environment all contribute to how long a chicken molts. Feathers may first lose their sheen. Hens may then gradually lose a few feathers, or it could happen overnight. We’ve noticed that more productive egg layers and younger hens recover from molt more quickly than older or less productive hens.
Three tips for molting chickens1. Pack the protein just like humans, birds need a different diet depending on their current activity or life stage. Protein is the key nutrient in a flock’s diet during molt. Feathers are made of 80-85 percent protein, whereas eggshells are primarily calcium.
When you notice your chickens losing feathers, switch to a complete feed with 20% protein, probiotics, prebiotics, and key vitamins and minerals. Purina® Flock Raiser® is a great option for molting chicken A high-protein complete feed can help hens channel nutrients into feather regrowth and get back to laying eggs. For organic flocks, try switching hens to Organic Starter-Grower when molting begins in order to maintain organic status and provide a higher level of nutrition for feather regrowth. 2. Keep stress low While on vacation, people generally want plenty of comfort and room to relax. It isn’t so different inside the coop during molt. Keep molting chickens comfortable by preventing stress. During molt, the area where the feather shaft meets the skin can be very sensitive, so reduce handling and provide plenty of clean bedding. Offer enough space for your birds to rest and relax in private. For each bird, four square feet inside the coop and 10 square feet outside of the coop can keep them comfortable. In addition, provide access to plenty of fresh, clean water and proper air ventilation. Hydration and ventilation can help keep the backyard coop spa-like for feather regrowth. Avoid introducing new flock members during this time, as adding in new friends and potentially re-shuffling the pecking order could add stress.
3. Transition back to layer feeding birds are ready to return from vacation and begin producing eggs, it’s time to adjust the nutrient profile to match their energy needs once again. When hens begin laying eggs, transition back to a complete layer feed that matches your goals. Gradually mix the complete layer feed with the high-protein feed over 7-10 days. This can help avoid digestive upsets and allows birds to get used to the taste and texture of their new feed.
Three tips for molting chickens1. Pack the protein just like humans, birds need a different diet depending on their current activity or life stage. Protein is the key nutrient in a flock’s diet during molt. Feathers are made of 80-85 percent protein, whereas eggshells are primarily calcium.
When you notice your chickens losing feathers, switch to a complete feed with 20% protein, probiotics, prebiotics, and key vitamins and minerals. Purina® Flock Raiser® is a great option for molting chicken A high-protein complete feed can help hens channel nutrients into feather regrowth and get back to laying eggs. For organic flocks, try switching hens to Organic Starter-Grower when molting begins in order to maintain organic status and provide a higher level of nutrition for feather regrowth. 2. Keep stress low While on vacation, people generally want plenty of comfort and room to relax. It isn’t so different inside the coop during molt. Keep molting chickens comfortable by preventing stress. During molt, the area where the feather shaft meets the skin can be very sensitive, so reduce handling and provide plenty of clean bedding. Offer enough space for your birds to rest and relax in private. For each bird, four square feet inside the coop and 10 square feet outside of the coop can keep them comfortable. In addition, provide access to plenty of fresh, clean water and proper air ventilation. Hydration and ventilation can help keep the backyard coop spa-like for feather regrowth. Avoid introducing new flock members during this time, as adding in new friends and potentially re-shuffling the pecking order could add stress.
3. Transition back to layer feeding birds are ready to return from vacation and begin producing eggs, it’s time to adjust the nutrient profile to match their energy needs once again. When hens begin laying eggs, transition back to a complete layer feed that matches your goals. Gradually mix the complete layer feed with the high-protein feed over 7-10 days. This can help avoid digestive upsets and allows birds to get used to the taste and texture of their new feed.
Why do eggs come in different colors?
Fact sheet: Let's talk about Rieger Eggs and the color of eggs.
WHITE Rieger Eggs are laid by white-feathered hens or other hens with white earlobes.
BROWN Rieger Eggs are laid by brown-feathered hens or other hens with brown earlobes
WHITE Rieger Eggs are laid by white-feathered hens or other hens with white earlobes.
BROWN Rieger Eggs are laid by brown-feathered hens or other hens with brown earlobes
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Different chicken breeds.
How to register
If you're interested please send us an email, containing the following:
First Name
Last Name
Street Address
City
Postal Code
Province
Age
Email
Phone number
Number of students
Did you raise chicken before?
How many chickens do you have?
Just to find out more details about chicken and eggs.
Students under 16 have to be signed in by their parent/s. One parent has to attend the seminar with the student.
Maximum attendance 12 students
Time Saturdays
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Cost $54
please bring your own lunch
Register to.
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your email message
and fill in the blanks
Email it to:
info@riegerfarms.com
Subject Backyard Chicken Seminar
Rieger Farms
632 Otter Lake Road
Armstrong, BC V0E 1B5
info@riegerfarms.com
Tel: 250 546 6059
Copyright ©, 1989-2023 Rieger Farms