Fermented Feeds

[dancingqueen]

I've got your answer. FIRST, you brew your kombucha. With twins you need the stamina.

You can do a 3 jar method but just do it tonight. One jars needs to set at least 4 days to properly ferment. Then add some of it to the other two jars and ferment overnight. All you need is the first 4 day wait. Stir daily. Then it's always ready overnight. I have 16 and had a trough built that allows them to eat at the same time. You know they are gonna walk on it. But it's gone so soon that it doesn't matter. I feed a small feeding in the morning about 8 am and the big one at 4 pm. What ever is the best for you. Mine can't forage so we make do. I take them weeds and seeds from the yard. Couldn't do a garden but I might try an small one for kale and mustard greens. They love it.

Thanks, and yes I do have my hands full at the moment. Maybe this weekend I can brew some strong booch.

Lets see if I get this...So I start one jar, let it sit for 4 days, then feed it to the chicks, and use a little of the old stuff and add it to the new batch? So the new batch doesn't need 4 days? Am I getting this right, or did I totally misunderstand? I like the trough idea, that just might work for us and take up a smaller foot print in our coop.

 

[LindaB220]

Thanks, and yes I do have my hands full at the moment. Maybe this weekend I can brew some strong booch.

Lets see if I get this...So I start one jar, let it sit for 4 days, then feed it to the chicks, and use a little of the old stuff and add it to the new batch? So the new batch doesn't need 4 days? Am I getting this right, or did I totally misunderstand? I like the trough idea, that just might work for us and take up a smaller foot print in our coop.

I have 16 birds 7 wks old and I make up a 5 gallon bucket. Fill half full of grain or feed and add a gallon or more water. Stir and cover with tower. Stir daily for 4 days. Easy Peasy. It lasts for weeks if you stir daily when you dip it out. I started out with a 2 gallon bucket with 1 gallon water and glug of ACV. But you don't even need that. Make a big bunch and it's done for a week or so. White film may start on top. That's the good stuff. Stir it in and feed. Good luck. Give babies a hug.

 

[LindaB220]

I am guessing on the cup but it is a couple of hand full single layer deep. I have average size meat hooks.

The FF is like a grout consistency. I have also left the dry feeder out for them, I just can not bring myself to starve them, and they are not making a mess of the dry like before the FF. How long can they go with out food if I take the dry food out before I get nervous about them starving.

Don't worry. They will start eating the ff in a couple of hours after you take the other out. Train them instead of them training you.

They are babies and are spoiled.

 

[cornfedhogedito]

Don't worry. They will start eating the ff in a couple of hours after you take the other out. Train them instead of them training you.

They are babies and are spoiled.

Ok, here goes nothing or everything!! The girls are like grandchildren

I thought the goal was to spoil them!!

 

[kpgoldstar]

Ok, here goes nothing or everything!! The girls are like grandchildren

I thought the goal was to spoil them!!

Mine are spoiled too, but they only get a SMALL handful of dried mealworms about once a week LOL!
They won't starve. Be strong, take away the treats and dry food and they will eat the FF. Then when you do give a treat they will be soooo happy!!

 

[cornfedhogedito]

Mine are spoiled too, but they only get a SMALL handful of dried mealworms about once a week LOL!
They won't starve. Be strong, take away the treats and dry food and they will eat the FF. Then when you do give a treat they will be soooo happy!!

I did it, and they are eating the FF, as a treat I gave them a had full of meal worms and the roo about punched a hole in my hand from/for the joy of the treat!

How much BOSS should be in the FF mix, and when would be a good age to start giving them that?

Thanks again

 

[kpgoldstar]

I did it, and they are eating the FF, as a treat I gave them a had full of meal worms and the roo about punched a hole in my hand from/for the joy of the treat!

How much BOSS should be in the FF mix, and when would be a good age to start giving them that?

Thanks again

Good for you!!

My FF is in an 8 quart bucket and I mixed in about 3/4 cup BOSS. I started giving it to them when they were about 3 months old. I live where it can get excessively hot, so I stoppped adding it about a month ago as we've already seen 100+ degrees. My girls LOVE BOSS and picked it right out first thing!

 

[cornfedhogedito]

Good for you!!

My FF is in an 8 quart bucket and I mixed in about 3/4 cup BOSS. I started giving it to them when they were about 3 months old. I live where it can get excessively hot, so I stoppped adding it about a month ago as we've already seen 100+ degrees. My girls LOVE BOSS and picked it right out first thing!

So when it is hot you forgo the BOSS? Why is this? We live in the central valley of CA and it is getting hot here too.

 

[LindaB220]

So when it is hot you forgo the BOSS? Why is this? We live in the central valley of CA and it is getting hot here too.

Yeah I'm in NW La. I had no idea. Hummm. I just bought 25# today.

 

[kpgoldstar]

This is my philosophy and mine alone. I have no idea if it has merit or not. On the very rare occasion that I give a treat of scratch, my girls (4 RIR hatcheries) go absolutely crazy for it. However, I notice when they've searched and eaten every morsel, they are VERY thirsty. They just drink and drink and drink like there is no tomorrow. Is it the corn, the sugar? I'm not sure but it makes me uncomfortable since not only is it hot here it is very dry.

I have a flock block too that they only get a small hunk of about every 2 weeks. They drink a ton after munching on that too, not as bad as the scratch. It does contain BOSS along with normal scratch-type grains.

I have fed FF since they were chicks and I don't give many treats, even table scraps are minimal. I know that BOSS is a protein booster and I'm not sure that my girls need the extra protein. I used it in the FF during the winter (not really winter compared to everywhere else!), but they were also still growing. They are just 8 months now. I think they get a complete diet nutritionally with just the FF, and I don't want them putting on extra weight with the heat coming. I don't think the BOSS is necessary and even possibly detrimental so I chose to leave it out about a month ago.

I've been mixing their FF a little more moist this past week too but they aren't liking it as much. So far we've had a couple days at 105 and they've been fine. I'm happy this year our heat has made a gradual entrance.