FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[Beekissed]

Perchie girl, I think it was, did a little tutorial for us on the other FF thread about the meanings of the numbers on the bottom of the buckets and there are certain numbers that are considered safe for putting food into, some that are ideal for putting food into, and some one shouldn't put food into. I'm pretty good with the safe for putting food into buckets I got from Lowe's but I didn't have to knock myself out with worry over searching for places that will give away a bucket. Some will, some won't, some are not allowed to do so due to liability issues.

In the broad scheme of things it's easy for some and some just stress out about getting one when they can't because everyone says they should or their chickens may suffer from it...but we all are eating foods every single day that are filled with the junk in our food supplies and gagging on this one gnat while swallowing the mule of that food supply out there is inconsequential...it's making a mountain out of a molehill.

Sure, if you have one, use it. If you do not, don't stress it. You are slowly getting poisoned anyway...even the carpet fibers in your home and the plastic your car's dashboard is formed out of are putting off toxic gases at all times. I don't think your feed bucket will beat them to the punch on getting you dead.

 

[kpgoldstar]

I could kiss you, BeeKissed! lol Thank you for explaining it so simply to me! Before I forget, how to you determine the amount you feed each day? Ahhhhhh I'm so excited to do this for my incubated babies! I've had chickens in the past, layers & meat, but moved to a tiny sub and couldn't keep them through the winter. Fast forward a year and we bought a small foreclosed farm with 2 amazing coops!! So excited to get my feathered friends back! 10 days left 'till hatch!

I started my chicks on FF when they were just 3 weeks old. I got them at 2 wks, read this thread and switched right away. They are now 20 weeks and we are waiting for eggs. I live in the desert so my free-range pickins are slim at best. I can't remember how much I fed them when they were little, but now they get close to 1/2 c. per bird in the morning. They are not ravenous pigs like they used to be, so they take their sweet time cleaning the trough. I also toss out kitchen scraps occasionally, mostly carrot celery squash trimmings that keep them occupied in their run all day since I work. I also feed a snack of about 1/4 their morning ration when I get home in the evenings and they get let out to roam the backyard. Their free-range diet is mostly weeds, grass and rocks with a rare bug.

They probably got a total of 3/4 c. (4 of them) as small chicks and I have just gradually increased the portion as they have grown.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Putting on my engineering and plastics hat here.... IF there is going to be any out gassing from the plastic it will be negligeable because the buckets are open to the air. What you have to know is some plastics turn into other things and in that process they release nasty chemicals. I have marked the ones that are listed as food grade.

Look at the recycling symbol
Number 1 is PETE or Polyethelene Terephthalate is acceptiable but its the stuff bottled water is packaged in... one use only
Number 2 Is HDPE or High Density Polyethelene. Is preferred containers sold specifically for food storage will be made of this.
Number 3 is PVC or Vinyl PVC pipe feeders
Number 4 is LDPE or Low Density Polyethelene and is acceptible
Number 5 is PP or Polypropelene is acceptible
Number 6 is PS or Polystyrene Foam cups and containers... I hate em.
Number 7 is a group of plastics which also contains Bio plastics made from plant materials. Unless you know what you have Id stay away from storing food in these.... BioPlastics May be OK. but they break down very very quickly.


This chart will show more of what they are all used for and what their recycle products.

http://www.almanac.com/sites/new.almanac.com/files/Plastics_284_11OFT.pdf

I know for a fact that pickle buckets are HDPE. Horse buckets are either recycled tires or Polyethelene... doesnt say what type

ABS is also a common plastic used in making containers.... Truck bed liners etc. Its vacu-formable which makes it an easy plastic to make products out of. Trough feeders I suspect are made from ABS though I havent really scruitinized them.

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene = ABS.... I have used this plastic in many different applications. Its listed under number 7 of the recycling lists. Though I know its pretty much inert,,,, For what its worth Legos are made from ABS. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylonitrile_butadiene_styrene

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Perchie girl, I think it was, did a little tutorial for us on the other FF thread about the meanings of the numbers on the bottom of the buckets and there are certain numbers that are considered safe for putting food into, some that are ideal for putting food into, and some one shouldn't put food into. I'm pretty good with the safe for putting food into buckets I got from Lowe's but I didn't have to knock myself out with worry over searching for places that will give away a bucket. Some will, some won't, some are not allowed to do so due to liability issues.

In the broad scheme of things it's easy for some and some just stress out about getting one when they can't because everyone says they should or their chickens may suffer from it...but we all are eating foods every single day that are filled with the junk in our food supplies and gagging on this one gnat while swallowing the mule of that food supply out there is inconsequential...it's making a mountain out of a molehill.

Sure, if you have one, use it. If you do not, don't stress it. You are slowly getting poisoned anyway...even the carpet fibers in your home and the plastic your car's dashboard is formed out of are putting off toxic gases at all times. I don't think your feed bucket will beat them to the punch on getting you dead.

LOL I responded before I read your post. I have the same point of view as you.

deb

 

[Tikkijane]

Perchie girl, I think it was, did a little tutorial for us on the other FF thread about the meanings of the numbers on the bottom of the buckets and there are certain numbers that are considered safe for putting food into, some that are ideal for putting food into, and some one shouldn't put food into.  I'm pretty good with the safe for putting food into buckets I got from Lowe's but I didn't have to knock myself out with worry over searching for places that will give away a bucket.  Some will, some won't, some are not allowed to do so due to liability issues. 

In the broad scheme of things it's easy for some and some just stress out about getting one when they can't because everyone says they should or their chickens may suffer from it...but we all are eating foods every single day that are filled with the junk in our food supplies and gagging on this one gnat while swallowing the mule of that food supply out there is inconsequential...it's making a mountain out of a molehill.

Sure, if you have one, use it.  If you do not, don't stress it.  You are slowly getting poisoned anyway...even the carpet fibers in your home and the plastic your car's dashboard is formed out of are putting off toxic gases at all times.  I don't think your feed bucket will beat them to the punch on getting you dead. 

.

 

[Tikkijane]

I mean, y'all know there's fire retardant in breastmilk, yes? We are inundated with toxins every day, all the time. Personally, I think we should start with our contaminated food supply.....

 

[Beekissed]

Too late. I just live my life and don't worry about the things I cannot control. That horse has done left the barn long years ago and no one can get him back in. Just live each moment like it's your last and you'll be prepared when it is your last one.

Life is so short..fill it with meaningful action.

 

[azygous]

I didn't know we were talking about the plastics safety rating numbers. All my FF buckets are #2 HDPE. I just bought another one at the hardware store yesterday. They sell them as paint buckets for around $3. 50. It's also #2 HDPE. Practically every hardware store carries these 5 gallon white buckets. They don't come with lids, though.

 

[kpgoldstar]

WOOOOHOOOOO!
First egg!! I think it was probably Lemon as she has been fully squatting more the last few days. Leticia squats too, but she was a couple days behind Lemon. Snoop's comb grew about a half inch since 2 days ago and is super red, but she doesn't squat yet.

Dottie on the other hand has started pecking on everyone's legs, like an attack chicken. She has the smallest comb and wattles of anyone and still quite pale. Is she mad that she isn't progressing like the others? She gets scolded and swatted every time she pecks but she is persistent and follows waiting for the opportunity. My best friend and #1 babysitter is starting to fear her!

Back to my egg!!

Here it was just waiting for us!

So pretty and really small!!

Broke it into the skillet and WHAT? a double yolker first time out of the gate??

Look at the super dark orange yolk oozing out! Seriously a drop to your knees flavor reminiscent of my childhood raising chickens! What an awesome feeling today! We figured mid-March when we first got our chicks, thinking about 25 weeks. They just turned 20 weeks on Tuesday and we just can't believe we have an egg already!

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

WOOOOHOOOOO! First egg!! I think it was probably Lemon as she has been fully squatting more the last few days. Leticia squats too, but she was a couple days behind Lemon. Snoop's comb grew about a half inch since 2 days ago and is super red, but she doesn't squat yet. Dottie on the other hand has started pecking on everyone's legs, like an attack chicken. She has the smallest comb and wattles of anyone and still quite pale. Is she mad that she isn't progressing like the others? She gets scolded and swatted every time she pecks but she is persistent and follows waiting for the opportunity. My best friend and #1 babysitter is starting to fear her! Back to my egg!! Here it was just waiting for us! So pretty and really small!! Broke it into the skillet and WHAT? a double yolker first time out of the gate?? Look at the super dark orange yolk oozing out! Seriously a drop to your knees flavor reminiscent of my childhood raising chickens! What an awesome feeling today! We figured mid-March when we first got our chicks, thinking about 25 weeks. They just turned 20 weeks on Tuesday and we just can't believe we have an egg already!

Congrats, KP! It's a great feeling !