Jan./Feb. 2014 hatch a long

[Whoops]

waiting for tomorrow night

C'mon, chickies! Wanna see some

 

[Heidisgran]

day 19 here!

 

[DeannaA]

THANKS FOR THAT!! I didn't understand it at all either. I didn't understand why or how. It was only on this thread that I had even heard of it. Tried doing some research and, your right, it sounded complicated so I gave up. You just put it in terms I completely understand and feel confident enough to try.

A few questions. I've read we are suppose to add to it and stir it. Can you tell us how that is done (in what I call Lisa Lingo = Lingo I can undersand. lol)? Are we suppose to have it in a warm place for fermentation to take place or is a cold shed fine?

It works better in warm areas. I have mine in the laundry room, I don't mind the smell (it's yeasty). You will notice how warm the container gets. I haven't done this but you could try, get it started then put the container into a cooler in the shed. Maybe wrap a towel around it. Check on it to see if it is still warm. Some people put it on top of the fridge. I have way too much for that.

It's best to start off adding a little at a time to the regular chicken feed to easy your chickens into it. I have heard over months, I did it over a couple weeks. I stired a little into there pellets. They turned there nose up the first day, nibbled the second and attacked it on the third. I started with a quart jar, now I have 2- 2.5 gallon containters that I fill 2-3 times a day. It sounds like a lot but remember it is over half water. About 3 gallons of actual food. I have 48 chickens that are eating it right now. It needs air so you can cover it with a cloth but not a lid. Mine container has a hole in the lid. I forgot to mention, don't fill it. It bubbles and swells. The first few times, only put in enough to fill half way so you can get an idea how much it expands. This is what I'm using.

I started out with purified water, but it got expensive. Then I went to letting tap water sit out over night so the chlorine would evaporate. But my chickens are eating so much now that I don't have room to let 5 gallons of water sit out. I use straight from the tap now. I had read this would kills of the bacteria and it wouldn't ferment. I haven't been having any problems. Everyone's water is different. So you will have to watch yours. If it's bubbling (very subtle bubbles), it's fermenting. There may be some probiotics that are affected but I don't know. I haven't noticed a difference since I started using tap water. There are so many levels of fermenting. All of the way from getting the feed wet to organic, purified, 15 grain, strained, super expensive, time consuming and special containers. I know a lot of people use BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds). I would because they are great but they are very expensive where I live. I might start adding them in the summer when it's too hot for scratch.

The container should be glass or ceramic (food safe of course). No cracks. I made mine because it was cheaper and there's a place I could do it by office. Walmart has glass containers resonably priced. I use a long handled spoon to stir. When you first start, use an old quart jar. Put in a cup of pellets and a cup of warm (I use warm because it helps ferment faster) water, stir and add 2 Tablespoons of buttermilk, stir and wait. I just pour in the milk, it doesn't have to be exact. You can stir whenever you think about it. After a few hours, if it's dry add water, runny add pellets. I like mine about like fluffy oatmeal. My friends is like think soup. My chickens don't like it very wet. There is nothing that has to be measured, there is no 'must' do with fermenting. When you feed it to your chickens, always leave a little in the container. Then you don't have to add the buttermilk again for awhile. The left over will start the next batch. You just add the feed and water and stir. Make sure to get it up off of the bottom when stirring.

Recap
-quart jar
-1 cup pellets
-1 cup water
-bit of buttermilk
-stir cover with wash cloth or paper towel
-wait 24 hours
-feed to chickens

 

[DeannaA]

day 19 here!

I don't know if I remembered to ask if you had pictures of the new duck eggs and the ducks? I'd love to see them.

 

[dfreas]

waiting for tomorrow night

C'mon, chickies! Wanna see some

I'm with you. Day 20, and tomorrow feels like forever from now.

 

[DeannaA]

I'm with you. Day 20, and tomorrow feels like forever from now.

I can't wait to see everyones chicks.

 

[Aacre]

Looking forward to seeing some chicks!!

 

[chickydee64]

What about a computer fan? I just googled "computer fan" and saw them as cheap as about $2.50. I am borrowing an incubator right now but working on plans for my own, and I am planning on using 1-2 of them in my design.

Thank You for the info.................I knew about them ...don't think I can figure out how to install it............

I will do some research...............

 

[gimmie birdies]

I am on day 17/15 on my fridge eggs- and I just put in some of my hens eggs, and the rooster is up and running!!!!

 

[Cynthia12]

BOSS what is it and where do I get this. My babies can't free range. I am concerned that just the laying food is not enough

Catching up. BOSS is Black Oil Sunflower Seed. Of course it has the protein in it..it's a nut. You can buy it anywhere! You see it pretty much in any big grocery store on the bird isle..Black sunflower seeds. They may not take to it at first, or they will! Make sure you have some way of them to get grit/rock. Mine are in their run for the winter, so I give them grit every now and again. I just throw it down on the ground. They love to scratch. They will find it.