100 Broilers and Fermented Feed Project

[CackedNut]

subscribing

I did too!! This should be better that PayPerView!!! Sit back with a fire and a glass of wine and watch/read about the entertainment each night!

 

[kuntrygirl]

This will be their brooder, for the 1st week. We used shelves from in the garage and turned them in to a brooder. The size of this brooder is 8 ft long x 2.2 ft wide by 2.2 ft tall. I will put them in to see if they will have enough room. If so, they will be in there for a week or so. If not, some will be taken out and placed in my kiddie pools. I have 4 kiddie pools set up with heat lamps hanging down. I will get a call tomorrow (who knows what time) telling me to go and pick up my 100 broilers. I'm nervous and scared. I"m thinking about placing the liner down on the floor along with a little bit of hay. I"m not looking forward to all of the poop. Here are pics of the inside brooder/shelf. I have 3 heat lamps in it. I have tested out the temps and it's holding a steady 99 degrees. I will put the feeders and waterers in this evening. Everything was from recycled stuff. The doors were from a wooden cabinet that an old fish tank sat on. I have also started their fermented feed. Will have to add more water to this batch. I will start another batch of FF tonight. If anyone has any suggestions or comments throughout this 8 week process of me posting pics and stories, PLEASE feel free to chime in and comment. You won't hurt my feelings either way good or bad. This will be my first time, so I'm really learning as I go. Any meat bird experts are welcome to give input on any changes you see I need to make.

For what it's worth, I would NOT add more water to that. You'll have to drain it if you do, and that's time consuming. It is the perfect consistency by looking at the picture. That brooder might be too small after a few days. Time will tell, and I'm glad you have backup They grow so fast!!

Sounds good about the FF. I wasn't sure if I was on the right track or not. I don't see any bubbling yet. When should I see bubbles or should I? I was thinking about adding some yogurt to the feed. What do you think? And how much do you think? I was skeptical about the brooder being too small but the person who built it was bent on using those shelves and I didn't want to hurt his feelings, so I didn't say anything. You know how some people have to see for themselves that something won't work. Well he is that type of person. I hate for people to think I'm Miss Know It All when it comes to my animals, so I remained quiet. And that's why i have a couple of back up plans. Thanks for the comments. Most appreciated.

 

[kuntrygirl]

subscribing

I did too!!  This should be better that PayPerView!!!  Sit back with a fire and a glass of wine and watch/read about the entertainment each night!

hee hee hee

 

[LemonMeringue]

I subscribed too. Looking forward to learning even more!

 

[foreverlearning]

Sounds good about the FF. I wasn't sure if I was on the right track or not. I don't see any bubbling yet.

When should I see bubbles or should I?

I was thinking about adding some yogurt to the feed. What do you think? And how much do you think?

I was skeptical about the brooder being too small but the person who built it was bent on using those shelves and I didn't want to hurt his feelings, so I didn't say anything. You know how some people have to see for themselves that something won't work. Well he is that type of person. I hate for people to think I'm Miss Know It All when it comes to my animals, so I remained quiet. And that's why i have a couple of back up plans.

Thanks for the comments. Most appreciated.

The colder it is the longer it will take to bubble. I start mine in the winter with hot water to speed up the process. Even if it doesn't fully ferment it does still give them more nutrients with less waste by being a mash.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Sounds good about the FF. I wasn't sure if I was on the right track or not. I don't see any bubbling yet. When should I see bubbles or should I?


I was thinking about adding some yogurt to the feed. What do you think? And how much do you think?


I was skeptical about the brooder being too small but the person who built it was bent on using those shelves and I didn't want to hurt his feelings, so I didn't say anything. You know how some people have to see for themselves that something won't work. Well he is that type of person. I hate for people to think I'm Miss Know It All when it comes to my animals, so I remained quiet. And that's why i have a couple of back up plans.


Thanks for the comments. Most appreciated.

The colder it is the longer it will take to bubble. I start mine in the winter with hot water to speed up the process. Even if it doesn't fully ferment it does still give them more nutrients with less waste by being a mash.

Oh ok. That makes sense. I thought that I was doing something wrong and that the feed would not be nutritional. Thanks for the tip. Is it ok to add more ACV or not? I didn't think about the hot water.

 

[foreverlearning]

Oh ok. That makes sense. I thought that I was doing something wrong and that the feed would not be nutritional. Thanks for the tip. Is it ok to add more ACV or not? I didn't think about the hot water.

Yes, it is ok, it won't hurt them at all. Just remember the more you put in there the more feed it can ferment at one time.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Oh ok. That makes sense. I thought that I was doing something wrong and that the feed would not be nutritional. Thanks for the tip. Is it ok to add more ACV or not? I didn't think about the hot water.

Yes, it is ok, it won't hurt them at all. Just remember the more you put in there the more feed it can ferment at one time.

So that's a good thing? The more yogurt?

Ok, so now I'm going to ask a crazy crazy crazy question. How is it that the yogurt won't go bad just sitting out (in the FF bucket?

 

[foreverlearning]

So that's a good thing? The more yogurt?

Ok, so now I'm going to ask a crazy crazy crazy question. How is it that the yogurt won't go bad just sitting out (in the FF bucket?

Yes it is a good thing, means that you can do bigger batches quicker. I know it seems strange but yogurt is already bad when you buy it from the store. It is a form of fermented milk, the worst you can get is cheese unless you don't stir it. It needs to be stirred at least once a day to prevent mold (the only true bad part) and fed (adding feed) at least once every three days.

 

[foreverlearning]

I learned more then I ever needed to know about fermented feed on the fermented feed for meat birds thread. There is a lady called Beekissed on there that seems to know just about anything you need to know for a homestead.