FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[Poop Cleaner]

Those things always looked like a rodent problem waiting to happen.

 

[aart]

flock block = candy bars.....hahaha!

 

[lazy gardener]

Well, I've hit a bump in the road, and it's my own fault... my four chickens have been happily eating ff and a daily handful of boss, with veggie scraps as I have them. A week ago I bought a "flock block" thinking it would be a good treat. Of course the label says the chickens will self regulate how much to eat, which I naively believed. Day one, fine. By day two they ate zero ff. By day three they were lethargic and grumpy, and the poops! ! I covered the block with a plastic bag, but it took them only a couple hours to peck through the bag. On day four I removed the flock block, and now we are on day three of only ff available. No snacks of any sort. They haven't touched the ff and are all hanging around in the coop far longer than usual. They have zero energy, and don't even come to see what I have for them when I come in. The poops are ridiculous- runny, multicolored... poor girls. I'm hoping today will be the turning point and they eat some ff. Need to get those guts back in order.
Should I put some acv in their water to kick start things??

What are the ingredients of the flock block? Do your birds have access to grit? I'm concerned that they may have a huge upset in their gut flora. When you say their poops are multi-colored, can you be more descriptive? Even a pic might be helpful. You might do a thread search for photos of chicken poop, to help you figure out if they have an infectious process going on. The fact that they are lethargic x 2 days is of huge concern.

 

[shodack]

The wrapper for the flock block went to the landfill yesterday. I do remember it had molasses in it and was 9% protein. Corn, boss, not sure what else...
They did eat a good amount of ff today, and even though they were in the coop already when I got home from work (already dark), I opened it up and checked in. They seem somewhat perkier, and the friendliest one did come out to say hello, which was good.
The poops have been slimy white and browns. The white is a color I haven't seen since I started them on ff. And much more frequent and liquidy than I've gotten used to. No red or black, which made me happy. We've had lots of rain in the last few days, so not much to take a picture if.
Thanks lazy gardener for your help!

 

[Bridebeliever]

Tallow, lots of tallow, beef fat. It's what holds it together. They probably feel pretty gross. I would...like if I pig out on junk food.

 

[Leigti]

Do people make their own flock blocks?

 

[Bridebeliever]

I'm sure they could. I don't buy them just because the thought of them gross me out. (And I'm not vegetarian!) I do crazy things like make my chickens home made granola for a special treat! (Okay, technically it was for the humans in my life but I shared it with the chickens.)

 

[mainechicklet]

Same here. Been feeding FF since mid Nov.......they LOVED it. Suddenly overnight, three days ago, they refused to eat it. Unwilling to leave no other food source in a winter storm with low temps, I rehung dry pellets. Even now they're barely picking at the FF I continue to provide.
Two buckets fermenting. No obvious change in texture or smell. ??

I also gave my flock a poultry block a couple years ago really just to give them something to occupy themselves. They would eat nothing but and all wound up with diarrhea. I threw it away. I also think it looks like a rodent problem begging to happen.

 

[Beekissed]

Same here. Been feeding FF since mid Nov.......they LOVED it. Suddenly overnight, three days ago, they refused to eat it. Unwilling to leave no other food source in a winter storm with low temps, I rehung dry pellets. Even now they're barely picking at the FF I continue to provide.
Two buckets fermenting. No obvious change in texture or smell. ??

I also gave my flock a poultry block a couple years ago really just to give them something to occupy themselves. They would eat nothing but and all wound up with diarrhea. I threw it away. I also think it looks like a rodent problem begging to happen.

Could be they don't like cold and wet food....you could try dumping it out of the feeder onto the ground/floor and see if they will clean it up from there. I'd also give them some grit if they don't have some on hand...could be they are a little backed up on digestion and need a little clean out. Put out less each day until they are cleaning up the whole amount. Their appetites and needs fluctuate all the time, so be prepared for that and just adjust feed amounts accordingly.

 

[redsix]

Same here. Been feeding FF since mid Nov.......they LOVED it. Suddenly overnight, three days ago, they refused to eat it. Unwilling to leave no other food source in a winter storm with low temps, I rehung dry pellets. Even now they're barely picking at the FF I continue to provide.
Two buckets fermenting. No obvious change in texture or smell. ??

I also gave my flock a poultry block a couple years ago really just to give them something to occupy themselves. They would eat nothing but and all wound up with diarrhea. I threw it away. I also think it looks like a rodent problem begging to happen.

I'm having the same problem getting them to eat the fermented feed this winter. They ate it real well in the summer. i added sprouted barley this fall since they weren't getting as much green stuff.. I thought perhaps they are spoiled from getting sprouts. I try to give them the fermented feed first, but they just seem to stand around waiting on something better.