What are some common causes of abnormal feathering?
Nutrient Deficiency Symptom Amino Acids slow feather growth, abnormally long primary feathers Iron complete depigmentation in red-feathered breeds Zinc, niacin, panthothenic acid fraying of the ends of the feathers folic acid abnormal coloration of pigmented feathers However, free-roaming home flocks with adequate feed probably won’t have feather problems related to feed. Check KSU publications MF2308 for other causes of feather loss. 6. Are roosters necessary in a laying flock? No. Roosters are only needed in the flock when fertile eggs are desired. Increasing photoperiods (amount of light per 24 hours) is the factor that stimulates egg production in birds. Usually 16 hours of light per day (natural & artificial) will keep hens in lay, in Kansas. 7. What do the terms such as “Cornish-Rock” and “Austra-White”mean? These are names used for two popular crossbreeds of chickens. The first part of the name signifies the male parent, the latter part the female parent. Thus Cornish-rock, a po
