100 Broilers and Fermented Feed Project

[kuntrygirl]

What's the average time to allow FF to set before it's ready to feed to your birds?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Bee may have a more precise response but, in general, overnight is better than not wetted at all and the longer the better. Mine is usually 3 or 4 days when I start using it.

 

[pipemum]

Starting from scratch FF, or with old FF mixed in? If it's just a refreshed batch, I start using it within the next feeding. If it's a new batch...well, temps are warm here and it's ready in as early as 2 days.

 

[aoxa]

What's the average time to allow FF to set before it's ready to feed to your birds?

Any amount of time is okay to feed it. Until it is actively bubbling when you stir, it is just soaked or very mildly fermented. 48 hours is average. The longer the better

 

[Arielle]

On the FF I started using a double bucket system. Two 5 gal buckets as my cornish were eating a lot.

Use one bucke and refill at end of day. Next morning, use second bucket, and refill. THe longer it ferments the more good bacteria in the mix. Also I use braggs to get it started. IT is more expensive than another brand , Heinz possibly, but the Braggs seems to be stronger and bubbles sooner. THere is no regulation on the number of colony forming units that I know of. SO it is up to the producers apparently.

I feed the mash and toss scratch at another time.

I also started FF using alfalfa cubes for my horses-- they loved it. THe birds were not too intersted though.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Thanks for the responses.

I"m thinking I'm going to go broke trying to feed 100 broilers when they get to be around 6 weeks. Depending on the weights, I may try to process some early.

What do you all think is a good weight to process? I know the live weight will be different than the dressed weight? So, if a broiler weighs (say for example - live weight is X lbs and X ounces, then you can expect their dressed weight to be around a guesstimate of X lbs and X ounces.)

 

[ChickenCanoe]

On the FF I started using a double bucket system. Two 5 gal buckets as my cornish were eating a lot.

Use one bucke and refill at end of day. Next morning, use second bucket, and refill. THe longer it ferments the more good bacteria in the mix. Also I use braggs to get it started. IT is more expensive than another brand , Heinz possibly, but the Braggs seems to be stronger and bubbles sooner. THere is no regulation on the number of colony forming units that I know of. SO it is up to the producers apparently.

I feed the mash and toss scratch at another time.

I also started FF using alfalfa cubes for my horses-- they loved it. THe birds were not too intersted though.

Does Heinz make sell a raw ACV?
I've never seen it but they might.
It doesn't have to be organic (Braggs) but it must be raw or it will do nothing for the FF. Pasteurized ACV has had all the goodies killed.

Thanks for the responses.

I"m thinking I'm going to go broke trying to feed 100 broilers when they get to be around 6 weeks. Depending on the weights, I may try to process some early.

What do you all think is a good weight to process? I know the live weight will be different than the dressed weight? So, if a broiler weighs (say for example - live weight is X lbs and X ounces, then you can expect their dressed weight to be around a guesstimate of X lbs and X ounces.)

I usually process as many as half at 3 1/2 to 4 weeks as game hens.

Guestimate is a little over half.
A 4 lb. broiler will be a little under 3 eviscerated. 6 lb. will be a little over 4 lbs.
A 1.5 lb. game hen will be about a pound processed.

 

[kuntrygirl]

 
On the FF I started using a double bucket system. Two 5 gal buckets as my cornish were eating a lot.  

Use one bucke and refill at end of day. Next morning, use second bucket, and refill.  THe longer it ferments the more good bacteria in the mix.  Also I use braggs to get it started. IT is more expensive than another brand , Heinz possibly, but the Braggs seems to be stronger and bubbles sooner. THere is no regulation on the number of colony forming units that I know of. SO it is up to the producers apparently. 

I feed the mash and toss scratch at another time.

I also started FF using alfalfa cubes for my horses-- they loved it. THe birds were not too intersted though.

Does Heinz make sell a raw ACV?
I've never seen it but they might.
It doesn't have to be organic (Braggs) but it must be raw or it will do nothing for the FF.  Pasteurized ACV has had all the goodies killed.

Thanks for the responses.


I"m thinking I'm going to go broke trying to feed 100 broilers when they get to be around 6 weeks. Depending on the weights, I may try to process some early.


What do you all think is a good weight to process? I know the live weight will be different than the dressed weight? So, if a broiler weighs (say for example - live weight is X lbs and X ounces, then you can expect their dressed weight to be around a guesstimate of X lbs and X ounces.)

I usually process as many as half at 3 1/2 to 4 weeks as game hens.

Guestimate is a little over half.
A 4 lb. broiler will be a little under 3 eviscerated. 6 lb. will be a little over 4 lbs.
A 1.5 lb. game hen will be about a pound processed.

I noticed that Heinz did have ACV with the mother but not sure if it read raw on the label.

Good to know about the weights. I think I will process a bunch early. A smaller broiler would be ideal for me for my small meals. I don't have kids or anything, so that would be perfect. So, it would only be me eating the smaller birds, and if I have leftovers, will bring them to work the next day.

 

[aoxa]

Thanks for the responses.

I"m thinking I'm going to go broke trying to feed 100 broilers when they get to be around 6 weeks. Depending on the weights, I may try to process some early.

What do you all think is a good weight to process? I know the live weight will be different than the dressed weight? So, if a broiler weighs (say for example - live weight is X lbs and X ounces, then you can expect their dressed weight to be around a guesstimate of X lbs and X ounces.)

I processed 4 at 7 weeks and got 3 and 4 pound birds. They were good enough. I like more breast meat though. We do a lot of stir fries and breast is important to us.

I think you lose 1/3 of the weight after processing. I know what I read online was much different than the actual.

How much does your feed cost per pound? You said you were going organic. I cringe thinking how much that would cost for 100 birds...

I ended up feeding around 8 lbs per bird by the time they were 11 weeks. That's dry, not fermented. I free ranged and really restricted their feed. I am estimating only.. How do I really tell when they are raised with all different chickens? I estimated they ate about 70% of my total feed last summer.

My feed is .37cents a pound. That's 2.96 per chicken for feed. Each chick cost me $1.30. Shavings - went through 5 bales = .59 cents per chick... I had whole grains as well. I'm not even including that.. Let's round up to $8. I believe that is what each bird cost me in the end without time and labour.. Not including cost of assets, because I can reuse.

I sold some at $3.99 a pound. You can get at least 5.99 if you are sticking with only organic. Unless you are selling them alive.. I'd go with $3.99 a pound live for organic. Unless there is no market for it there.

Am I rambling again? Do I make any sense?

 

[kuntrygirl]

Thanks for the responses.


I"m thinking I'm going to go broke trying to feed 100 broilers when they get to be around 6 weeks. Depending on the weights, I may try to process some early.


What do you all think is a good weight to process? I know the live weight will be different than the dressed weight? So, if a broiler weighs (say for example - live weight is X lbs and X ounces, then you can expect their dressed weight to be around a guesstimate of X lbs and X ounces.)

I processed 4 at 7 weeks and got 3 and 4 pound birds. They were good enough. I like more breast meat though. We do a lot of stir fries and breast is important to us.

Same here. I love more breast meat.

I think you lose 1/3 of the weight after processing. I know what I read online was much different than the actual. 

How much does your feed cost per pound? You said you were going organic. I cringe thinking how much that would cost for 100 birds...

I"m cringing right now as well. :/

I ended up feeding around 8 lbs per bird by the time they were 11 weeks. That's dry, not fermented. I free ranged and really restricted their feed. I am estimating only.. How do I really tell when they are raised with all different chickens? I estimated they ate about 70% of my total feed last summer. 

My feed is .37cents a pound. That's 2.96 per chicken for feed. Each chick cost me $1.30. Shavings - went through 5 bales = .59 cents per chick... I had whole grains as well. I'm not even including that.. Let's round up to $8. I believe that is what each bird cost me in the end without time and labour.. Not including cost of assets, because I can reuse. 

I sold some at $3.99 a pound. You can get at least 5.99 if you are sticking with only organic. Unless you are selling them alive.. I'd go with $3.99 a pound live for organic. Unless there is no market for it there. 

Am I rambling again? Do I make any sense?

Makes perfect sense. Great breakdown.

It's great to ramble on this thread. We tend to understand one another and that's how we learn. So ramble away.