FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[chickengirl1193]

Does anyone here add thorvin kelp to their ferment? I have some and want to give it to my.girls but im not sure how much or if it should be fermented or offered dry.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I use dried kelp/seaweed blended to chop it finely and add it to both dry and FF. It's pretty high in salt so I don't add a lot. Perhaps 3 tablespoons to a bucket. I don't add it all the time.

 

[chickengirl1193]

Okay thanks! Maybe I'll add it to every other or every third batch. I've read about all the health benefits and all the vitamins and minerals in kelp so I think they could benefit from it.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It will definitely benefit them. I use it to boost nutrition for breeders and always add it to feed for a few weeks prior to collecting eggs for incubation.

Where do you get your kelp?

We have a huge Asian/Latin American market. They have a whole aisle of dried seaweed. So far, I'm just buying the biggest (i.e. cheapest) package I can find.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I just saw a post on the Philippines thread about adding seaweed.
It said you could add up to 5% dried seaweed powder to your feed.

8.76% raw protein
7.76% raw fiber
36.67% ash and
46.26% free nitrogen extract
Every kilo of this contains 2,452 calories.
Source: Technological Information Pilot System AgriBo 62/1 May 25, 1989 Mexico

If one does not live where they have free seaweed (that would be me) adding that much would be costly.

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

I just saw a post on the Philippines thread about adding seaweed.
It said you could add up to 5% dried seaweed powder to your feed.

8.76% raw protein
7.76% raw fiber
36.67% ash and
46.26% free nitrogen extract
Every kilo of this contains 2,452 calories.
Source: Technological Information Pilot System AgriBo 62/1 May 25, 1989 Mexico

If one does not live where they have free seaweed (that would be me) adding that much would be costly.

I live in Nova Scotia and never thought about using seaweed to add to my FF. Given it is so readily available to me on the shoreline I may grab some, dry it, blend it up and add it to the FF once in awhile. Thanks for a great suggestion !

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Lucky you.
The post said to dry it in the sun and grind it to a powder.
It would be a great additive to FF since the FF would hold it in suspension.

 

[niqueie]

You can just go get the stuff laying in the sand that washed ashore and then rinse it and dry it? Really? Wow, we live in San Diego and they are a real nuisance on the beach. My husband runs on the beach all the time. Maybe I can get him to pick stuff up before he comes home. Do you get the freshest stuff I'm assuming? Also do you just grind up the kelp leaves or the whole stock and ball like floaters too?

 

[chickengirl1193]

I got the kelp I have now from mcmurray but my feed store is.going to order some for me. We can get seaweed in the supermarket pretty cheap but its like wasabi or teriyaki flavored. I have a small flock so a few tablespoons every week wont be too expensive.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Right now I have about 70 birds and will be hatching more so that's a lot to feed.