Re: Amber Stars - Now months on

Hi Tina,

Thanks for that. We had a real problem with Black Rocks but suspects a
rouge batch. They pecked holes in ech other, were small and well under
developed, except oine, who we kept in a seperate cage as she was
picked on. Shes now with the others.

My view is that Black Rocks are good for true free range but any form
of confinement and forget it. The Amber Stars however, are a eral
pleasure. Still want to experiment and try other birds though; Marans
are something I want to try.

On Sat, 2 Feb 2008 21:42:21 -0000, "Christina Websell"
<spamfree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi, Steve

Nice to know you are getting on well with your Amber Stars. I've never had
them myself, I did have 10 Black Rocks some years ago as a neighbour was
moving away and couldn't take them so I said I would. I didn't find mine
had an "in yer face" attitude though. They were rather charming birds and
some of them lived a long time.

I have now moved on to rare breeds.

As for the layers mash question. Yes, switch them to layers pellets
gradually by mixing increasing amounts of pellets into their mash until it's
all pellets. The only reason hybrids are reared on mash is that they will
have to eat it in the battery in those moving hoppers, and to put pellets in
would clog it up.
Mash is a very wasteful method of feeding a chicken that now has a life, as
you have discovered. It's like sawdust and why would they want it unless
they had to?
Go for the pellets. As they are outside a lot no doubt picking up worms and
insects once they are on the pellets they can have a bit of wheat too!
Only in the late afternoon/evening though for them to go to bed on. It
fills their crop overnight without interfering with the 16/17 per cent
protein the layers pellets provide next day that they need in order to lay
to their optimum.

Hope this helps.

Tina
.

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