Helen M
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purple tipsWilliam the dorking cock has got purple tips to the top of his comb. He has also lost lots of feathers including most of his tail, I am assuming moult.....stress? circulation? heart? what do we think?
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bodger
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Too warm for frost bite, probably a dicky ticker.
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Castle Farm
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He has liver trouble..are you feeding layers pellets?
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Shan
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Sounds like heart problems.
How is his breathing?
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GSHP
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Castle Farm why do you think it's liver and how does this connect to feeding layers pellets? I'm not questioning your opinion at all, genuinely interested. I've read your blog on how you feed your hens and am thinking it's the way to go.
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Castle Farm
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Hi GSHP.
Layers pellets contain about 4% calcium to help the hens with egg shell production.
If their not laying and not likely to lay, ie to young/moulting/out of lay/cockerel thats far to much for the birds to handle and it can cause liver damage.
They need a certain amount that can be got from grit and free-range.
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GSHP
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So next year if I wanted to set up a breeding pen with a cockerel and a few hens and was still using commerical feed, what should I be feeding ? if not pelleted food what would you recommend?
Sorry Helen didn't mean to hijack you post. I do hope you find out the cause of William's purple tips.
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bodger
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I'd feed pellets but not laying pellets. You need a good level of protein in the birds diet if you want to produce good strong healthy hatching eggs.
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Helen M
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hmmmm, very odd. almost no purple tips today 
and no he doesn't get layers 
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