Whether you are considering feeding and breeding poultry and chicks for the first time, or are an experienced breeder looking to get the best from your birds, Small Holder Feeds can help.

In terms of breeding an important point to note is that switching birds to Specialist Poultry Breeder pellets four-to-six weeks prior to breeding can significantly improve fertility, hatchability and chick survival rates – as long as it is combined with good management and incubation techniques. Healthy birds are, of course, an essential prerequisite in producing eggs that will hatch and produce healthy chicks.

The importance of carefully calculated nutrition and vitamins should not be underestimated when breeding. Optimum vitamin supplementation is actually critical to all aspects from fertility and hatchability to proper development of the newly hatched chicks. Particular emphasis is placed on vitamin D3 for bone strength, B vitamins for breeding and vitamins C and E for immunity and fertility. Housed poultry are completely dependent on the vitamins present in their compound food and any green vegetables that are provided. Cereals are a relatively poor source of vitamins, and feeding too much wheat or mixed corn can upset a balanced ration. Also, feeding too much corn, or wheat, can discourage birds from eating as many of the nutritionally-balanced pellets. This can result in the protein level and vitamin and mineral content of the diet being reduced. This is often the cause of problems such as birds being slow to come into lay or producing soft-shelled eggs. When rearing chicks it is vitally important that they are kept supplied with Baby Chick Crumbs, as well as fresh water - from the moment of hatching onwards. Any delay can have serious and significant long-term consequences. Flint grit is another essential as it assists the gizzard in the process of grinding up food. Like food and water it should be considered as an integral part of rearing the chicks and failure to provide it may result in birds that never reach their full potential.

During the first couple of days food should be sprinkled around liberally to encourage the chicks to eat. Feeders and drinkers should be placed near the source of provided heat and should be cleaned daily until the chicks have grown sufficiently to allow for the feeders and drinkers to be raised clear above the litter.

While getting the feed right is crucial so is creating the correct climate. Chicks need supplementary heat for the first three-to-six weeks – but this, can vary depending on seasonal temperatures and the type of housing in question. This extra heating is crucial because they are unable to generate enough warmth themselves to maintain their own body temperature. However, as they grow, their fluffy downy coat is replaced by feathers that are far more substantial and more than compensate for the extra heating which can be reduced gradually until discontinued.

Once the chicks are big enough to do without this artificial heat they should be provided with their own run with plenty of grass. However, it is not generally a good idea to mix them with older birds because at this early stage they will not have had time to build sufficient immunity to disease.

At the six-week stage a feed such as Poultry Growers Pellets should be gently introduced into the diet - it should, at first, be mixed with the Baby Chick Crumbs. At eighteen-weeks, as the birds are maturing, their food should be changed again – this time to something like Natural Free Range Layer’s Pellets if they are to be egg layers, or Ornamental Poultry Pellets if they are going to be shown.

For further help and information please write to Small Holder Feeds, Norfolk Mill, Shipdham, Thetford, Norfolk, IP25 7SD, telephone +44 (0)1362 822900, e-mail helpline@smallholderfeed.co.uk, or visit www.smallholderfeed.co.uk.