FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[Beekissed]

Yep...for years at my last place of residence I sold enough eggs to cover feed costs for all the year and still have some left over. But I culled strenuously for laying performance, free ranged and kept breeds known for excellent laying only. All these factors kept me at top laying for most of the year, which really pays for the feed and even for fresh stock from the hatchery when needed. I wish I had known about fermented feed back then...imagine how much feed savings I would have had and how much more profit I would have made on my eggs.

I'm getting ready to start culling retirees around here to cut feed costs for winter, so my old Gnarly Bunch are going to get carved down to a mere few birds soon. I'll keep Little Red Hen because she lays steady all year round, if not daily, at least consistently for a bird of her age. Plus she is one of my best foragers and is light on feed. I hate to do it, but the last of my old WR ladies will be going in this cull as they have outlived their laying life now. It will be sad to not have many WRs around but I'll still have the two that Kathy sent me. My BRs will also go, as they eat way more than they lay. Fanny will stay for a bit because she is so small, though she doesn't lay much anymore....I don't know her age but I'm thinking she is one of my oldest birds. Toby will stay because he's Toby...but if I'm still here in the spring, he may be replaced with a younger RIR rooster that I'll let him raise up for me. Then Toby will likely either be retired or be culled.

 

[bruceh]

Yep...for years at my last place of residence I sold enough eggs to cover feed costs for all the year and still have some left over. But I culled strenuously for laying performance, free ranged and kept breeds known for excellent laying only. All these factors kept me at top laying for most of the year, which really pays for the feed and even for fresh stock from the hatchery when needed. I wish I had known about fermented feed back then...imagine how much feed savings I would have had and how much more profit I would have made on my eggs.

I'm getting ready to start culling retirees around here to cut feed costs for winter, so my old Gnarly Bunch are going to get carved down to a mere few birds soon. I'll keep Little Red Hen because she lays steady all year round, if not daily, at least consistently for a bird of her age. Plus she is one of my best foragers and is light on feed. I hate to do it, but the last of my old WR ladies will be going in this cull as they have outlived their laying life now. It will be sad to not have many WRs around but I'll still have the two that Kathy sent me. My BRs will also go, as they eat way more than they lay. Fanny will stay for a bit because she is so small, though she doesn't lay much anymore....I don't know her age but I'm thinking she is one of my oldest birds. Toby will stay because he's Toby...but if I'm still here in the spring, he may be replaced with a younger RIR rooster that I'll let him raise up for me. Then Toby will likely either be retired or be culled.

bee you know you got them reds coming.

 

[Beekissed]

I often dream about them, especially when I see a pic of a great heritage RIR...then I get the want me's, but I'm not making many plans for the future. I'll take it day by day, step by step, and won't make any plans, just dreams. I don't know what the Lord has planned for me this year, so I leave my mind and heart open to what He wants, not what I want, for I know what He wants is so much more wonderful than anything I could ever dream of.

If I'm still in this place next spring, if the world is still conducive to raising chickens and if you are still doing what you do and the Lord wills it, Bruce, I would love to have one of your fine birds...yes, indeedy!

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

Yep...for years at my last place of residence I sold enough eggs to cover feed costs for all the year and still have some left over.  But I culled strenuously for laying performance, free ranged and kept breeds known for excellent laying only.  All these factors kept me at top laying for most of the year, which really pays for the feed and even for fresh stock from the hatchery when needed.  I wish I had known about fermented feed back then...imagine how much feed savings I would have had and how much more profit I would have made on my eggs. 

I'm getting ready to start culling retirees around here to cut feed costs for winter, so my old Gnarly Bunch are going to get carved down to a mere few birds soon.  I'll keep Little Red Hen because she lays steady all year round, if not daily, at least consistently for a bird of her age.  Plus she is one of my best foragers and is light on feed.  I hate to do it, but the last of my old WR ladies will be going in this cull as they have outlived their laying life now.  It will be sad to not have many WRs around but I'll still have the two that Kathy sent me.  My BRs will also go, as they eat way more than they lay.  Fanny will stay for a bit because she is so small, though she doesn't lay much anymore....I don't know her age but I'm thinking she is one of my oldest birds.  Toby will stay because he's Toby...but if I'm still here in the spring, he may be replaced with a younger RIR rooster that I'll let him raise up for me.  Then Toby will likely either be retired or be culled. 

I just love reading your plans, Bee. At some point I'd like to start doing some culling, perhaps in a few years, in order to make better stock for egg laying and meat, etc. I always read your posts on how you do it in order to acquire and maintain a tip-top flock

 

[Beekissed]

You'll get the feel for it if the notion takes you. Back in the day I didn't think much about managing a flock as intensively~ we just had them, gathered eggs, killed those who didn't lay anymore and then got replacements. Then I took a notion to explore my roots and Grandma Ruby's flock came to mind, so I started out stepping back in time a little...then I joined this forum, met some OTs and that feeling grew. Thought maybe I should go a little deeper into money management, time management and flock management and tie it all together into something more efficient, more profitable and money saving for my family and also something more fulfilling in my livestock husbandry. Though we had chickens when I was growing up and beyond, I think that was the first time I really felt like I was doing it with intention instead of just having a food supply out back.

As with many things, it grew out of a need to be more frugal, to intensify my skill level, and to make things actually pay for themselves instead of just breaking even. Sort of a game that I set out to win and each year I gained a little on my goals. I wanted to have money left over from my paychecks to give away to those in need, so I started doing many things to keep from spending money...changed out the lightbulbs to the squiggly kind, put all my appliances on power strips so they could be turned off and wouldn't be drawing phantom loads of electricity, heating with wood, living at a place where I didn't have to pay for city water and sewage, where I had lower rent and could expand on growing more foods, increased my scavenging for items I could get for free so I wouldn't have to buy new, making my own laundry soap, etc.

Intensifying my flock management fell into line with that goal to spend less money, so it was the primary motivation on that.

 

[RoseMarie1]

I've been saving egg cartons for over a year now ! I have a bunch of friends and neighbours that I can sell my eggs too ! Finally going to see a little return on these birds.. Hopefully make enough to cover feed costs and that's all I ask

yep me to on saving those egg cartons and they're finally laying. Don't think any of those Aussies are laying yet but close I think! Can't wait to hear you to are getting eggs! Hubby is LOVING gathering the eggs!

and to think I had to litterly talk the man into letting me have chickens!

 

[Beekissed]

I've heard that story over and over on here!

Gathering the eggs is fun if you are 7 or 70, it never gets old..it's like finding a treasure each time. My ol' Bat turned 79 last month and it still thrills her to go gather the eggs, though she has done it for a good part of her life. She's just nosy and likes to see what's in those nests!

 

[bruceh]

I often dream about them, especially when I see a pic of a great heritage RIR...then I get the want me's, but I'm not making many plans for the future. I'll take it day by day, step by step, and won't make any plans, just dreams. I don't know what the Lord has planned for me this year, so I leave my mind and heart open to what He wants, not what I want, for I know what He wants is so much more wonderful than anything I could ever dream of.

If I'm still in this place next spring, if the world is still conducive to raising chickens and if you are still doing what you do and the Lord wills it, Bruce, I would love to have one of your fine birds...yes, indeedy!

bee,
i do not tear often, however with the passing of robert blosi one of the original Mohawk Red men and what you have taught me with natural chicken keeping i did just now have a tear. it will be my my pleasure to hand you some heritage red fowl. i do have a pullet i am very close. she is a great looking bird.her name is Lucy as in Lucille Ball. she is a dainty. however my number 14 is a large than normal cock bird. those offspring should be awsome birds.nice mahognay with cherry undertones and very nice black neck ticking and brick shape. they will be my pride and joy lord willing. you bee my dear friend shall have these birds. okay i am back to posting
also for giggles in the feild i bring you some barnevelders .also.

 

[Beekissed]

I've often wondered about Barnevelders..they are a beautiful bird and I've heard such good things about them. I would love to try a hen or two of the breed. Bruce, can you post pics of your RIRs? I think everyone should get to see what quality looks like and there are few things as beautiful as a heritage RIR.

Bob's passing really shook me up too...he's made some big foot prints in the breeds I love best and has been a wonderful teacher. Irreplaceable, really, in the poultry community. I'm so glad you got into heritage birds, Bruce, so that more heritage breeds will be developed and passed along. Something that fine in this world needs to be carried on.

 

[kpgoldstar]

I am new to adult chicken raising. I have 4 RIR's that I got at 2 weeks old, they will be 4 weeks on Tuesday. I started them on ff about a week ago made from commercial chick starter. It seems to be coming along nicely, but they certainly do not eat in one fell swoop. Most mornings they get feed around 8, about 3/4 cup total in 2 different containers. They are in the brooder box still and get to come out and free range on my small lawn in the evenings. We are in AZ so brooder in garage is between 82 and 90 with no heat source. They pick at the morning food for hours, usually up until about 1:00 and get fed again around 5 which lasts them through the night until the morning ration again.
Yesterday morning they got to range on the lawn, finished all their food by 1 then we put them in the coop run for the afternoon since it was high 80's. Got home around 5:30, fed them on the lawn then they went to the brooder for night with their leftover mash. Today was basically the same schedule. Morning was lawn time with ff around 9, they pecked on it until 1. Then we had to go to town so into the coop run they went. We got home around 3:30-4 and there was nothing but constant squawking from the coop. I know they are spoiled rotten brats and wanted to be out on the lawn. So far the coop has felt like prison even though it is MUCH roomier than the brooder. I finally gave in and fed them fresh ff at 4:30. They acted like they were starving! The loud peeping subsided and I have now decided that they will only get fed in the coop or brooder and not in the range pen.
My question is, should I only be feeding them twice a day or 3 times due to their age? I am trying to break the habit of having dry food available 24/7 so why are they not devouring and eating all the food at once? After finishing their morning ration well into the afternoon, why would they be ravenous only a couple hours later? I thought with ff you can reduce your feeding times down to even once a day when the hens are older. By providing ff nearly all day, are they eating too much?
Thanks for any advice.