I am getting 50 meat birds on April 30th... my first time. super excited however I'm getting a little scared/overwhelmed now! lol
I'm trying to gather as much info as i can... I've never heard of fermenting feed...? what is that and how is it different from feeding the purchased feed?
with having this many birds i would love to find out how to cut costs a little!
New to this site... love it!!!
Hi its easy. In a 5 gallon bucket add 12# chick starter and 2 1/2 gallon water. If you like you can add 2 T Mothered Apple cider Vinegar. It's just optional to speed it up a touch. Stir daily for 4-5 days and it's ready for feeding. Just put a towel over it. I fed my babies 3 times a day and left enough for it to be empty when I came back. You save money because it's the consistancy of thick oatmeal or peanut butter. and won't get thrown out and trampled. It swells so is cheaper. The nutrients are absorbed much better so the poop is less smelly. With fifty chicks I'd do 2 buckets a day or two apart. Feed out of one and let the other ferment. After it's about 80% down start out of the other bucket. Then just add feed and water (add water first and stir backslop from bottom) It will ferment in another 24 hrs or even 12. You don't have to add ACV after the first time. I'd keep a touch in their water to keep slime down. You can make a trough for them out of a 10' rain gutter. Cut it in half and you have 2. Some people steady it with a 2x4" board hammered on, but I've seen people stand a cinder block up sideways at each end and stick the trough in the bottom hole for babies and move it to the top hole later as they grow. Some people put yogurt container tops o the ends or buy end caps. You don't really have to have it because it won't last enough to leak out the end. My 16 babies have been on it from day 1 and are healthy, happy and GROWING.