Most modern laying crumbles and pellets are quite good complete feeds and contain everything in them right down to a grit source. I like the pellets as there is less waste with them. They do not even need to be supplemented with scratch grains.
In no way can all of the ins-and-outs of detailed poultry health care be outlined here, but the following are some measures and practices that have worked for us.
Long before the acquisition of even a single bird, flock creation begins with a number of preliminary steps. Each is designed to prepare the producer and his or her facilities for the selection and rearing processes.
The numbers one through sixteen can be encoded into a chick via the toe punch system. These punches can denote the hatch from which the chicks came, the breeding pen that produced them, their time of hatch or other designation.
The white-shelled eggs can be produced organically, cage free, and on range. With the breeds as they are currently available, it may actually be possible to produce more large and extra-large eggs from the white egg layers than the brown.
The Rosecomb Rhode Island White, the breed variety currently sanctioned by the American Poultry Association would be a good choice for those needing a moderate egg layer to produce in cold and harsh climates.
