100 Broilers and Fermented Feed Project

[apteryx]

I will go online and find a conversion chart and try to figure out how many bags (at 8 cubic feet per bag) are really needed for my 12 foot long 4 foot wide brooder area. to get a 4 inch layer. :/

To fill that space to 4" deep you will need two 8 cubic foot bags. (4 x 12 x 1/3 = 16)

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Ummm, deep litter means to add material and turn it over, do not remove soiled litter. Just add more and turn over. Easy-peasy. NOT clean out evern 1.5 dats!! NOnonO. Add shavings and mix it in. Add some powdered l imestone as needed to cope with any lingering ammonia odors. Just keep adding shavings, stir, add shavings, stir. One clean out at the end hopefully.

 

[Beekissed]

Yep...that!

 

[WalkingWolf1]

Yes, I thought about selling some for the same reason that you have mentioned. I will just have to figure out a good price to make sure that I get my money's worth after all of this feed has been eaten.

And yes 100 is a lot especially when there is only 1 person (ME) who does ALL of the watering, feeding, cleaning, etc. And at this point, I don't think that it's worth it. I know that I will only do a small portion next time. I think I can handle 25 like you all did. I know that will be more than enough for my freezer.

You kinda got hit with a "perfect storm" scenario. You have a lot of animal husbandry experience so this would have been more manageable had you not got hit with so much cold weather so early on in your process. As you can well imagine, once they are able to get out there will be a lot less stress for both you and the birds. Selling off half this batch is still probably a viable route. 50 will still give you the same experience but you'll only be half as tired

. Isn't there and elderly gentleman not too far from you that had/has chickens? Would he taking some be a possiblity??

 

[kuntrygirl]

 

Kuntry girl  here is a big   for you!!


I would do as Chicken Canoe suggested and just go deep litter-- stir up the litter every day and addmore bedding and stir again.  You can give them grain to dig into the litter but they will need grit also. THe gissard will be more dveloped in the bird that gets grit and grain. I found the litter issue to be the biggest management problem. Holding back feed is not not necesasarily a bad thing as you know-- meaning being without food for a few hours will not kill these pigs. 


Constantly emptying out the litter is a PITA.  I have gone to DL with all my coops. Easier.  I use powdered lime to help with odor, and more shavings ( and dried leaves racked up in the fall). Check out the deep litter thread for info-- otherwise ask Beekissed.

Thanks. I will try the deep litter method. I guess I was trying to see how long the shavings would be "ok" before it got too bad. It looks like it lasted 1 1 1/2 days. So after I clean this batch, I will add more bags of shavings and clean it out daily. I will go online and find a conversion chart and try to figure out how many bags (at 8 cubic feet per bag) are really needed for my 12 foot long 4 foot wide brooder area. to get a 4 inch layer. :/

Ummm, deep litter means to add material and turn it over, do not remove soiled litter. Just add more and turn over. Easy-peasy.  NOT clean out evern 1.5 dats!! NOnonO. Add shavings and mix it in. Add some powdered l imestone as needed to cope with any lingering ammonia odors.  Just keep adding shavings, stir, add shavings, stir. One clean out at the end hopefully. 

You mean I have to ADD to that poopy mess? When I stepped in it this evening, I "stepped" in it. It felt like I was walking in mud. That's how bad it is. So I should just add more shavings to the poop quick sand? :/

 

[kuntrygirl]

Yes, I thought about selling some for the same reason that you have mentioned. I will just have to figure out a good price to make sure that I get my money's worth after all of this feed has been eaten.


And yes 100 is a lot especially when there is only 1 person (ME) who does ALL of the watering, feeding, cleaning, etc. And at this point, I don't think that it's worth it. I know that I will only do a small portion next time. I think I can handle 25 like you all did. I know that will be more than enough for my freezer.

You kinda got hit with a "perfect storm" scenario.  You have a lot of animal husbandry experience so this would have been more manageable had you not got hit with so much cold weather so early on in your process.  As you can well imagine, once they are able to get out there will be a lot less stress for both you and the birds.  Selling off half this batch is still probably a viable route.  50 will still give you the same experience but you'll only be half as tired  .  Isn't there and elderly gentleman not too far from you that had/has chickens?  Would he taking some be a possiblity??

Thanks.

I think 50 is also a good number. I must have been drinking my home made wine the night I decided to order 100 broilers. :/

And yes, there is an elderly gentleman down the road. I can always ask him and see what he says. With the cold weather, it may be challenging for him. I think if the weather was warmer, it would be fun for him for a few weeks. Nonetheless, I will still ask him. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[BCMaraniac]

Thanks.

I think 50 is also a good number. I must have been drinking my home made wine the night I decided to order 100 broilers.

And yes, there is an elderly gentleman down the road. I can always ask him and see what he says. With the cold weather, it may be challenging for him. I think if the weather was warmer, it would be fun for him for a few weeks. Nonetheless, I will still ask him. Thanks for the reminder.

Note to self: Avoid drinking the home made hard cider if looking at the chick catalog........

 

[Beekissed]

You mean I have to ADD to that poopy mess?

When I stepped in it this evening, I "stepped" in it. It felt like I was walking in mud. That's how bad it is. So I should just add more shavings to the poop quick sand?

Word to the wise...don't stir it up, just layer it on top of the mush/mess. Light and often. Let the bottom build a "pack" that will start to heat up and consume your poops. Be careful when applying the lime with the birds in there...that stuff really gets in the lungs. I didn't use lime with mine, just kept making poop lasagna.

Maybe next time order your broilers in early/mid March so you can miss all this winter weather? Most will do that so they can butcher in the spring before it gets too hot. Then again later they will order chicks in mid/late August so that they have time to grow out before it gets too cold and they are still small when it's hot so they don't get too heat stressed. Both seasons are also good foraging times for the birds so you can really save on feed and get them out of the coop/brooder so that the manure build up isn't so intense.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Thanks.


I think 50 is also a good number. I must have been drinking my home made wine the night I decided to order 100 broilers. :/


And yes, there is an elderly gentleman down the road. I can always ask him and see what he says. With the cold weather, it may be challenging for him. I think if the weather was warmer, it would be fun for him for a few weeks. Nonetheless, I will still ask him. Thanks for the reminder.

Note to self:   Avoid drinking the home made hard cider if looking at the chick catalog........

Too funny! I will remember that note as well.

 

[kuntrygirl]

 

Word to the wise...don't stir it up, just layer it on top of the mush/mess.  Light and often.  Let the bottom build a "pack" that will start to heat up and consume your poops.  Be careful when applying the lime with the birds in there...that stuff really gets in the lungs.  I didn't use lime with mine, just kept making poop lasagna. 

Maybe next time order your broilers in early/mid March so you can miss all this winter weather?  Most will do that so they can butcher in the spring before it gets too hot.  Then again later they will order chicks in mid/late August so that they have time to grow out before it gets too cold and they are still small when it's hot so they don't get too heat stressed.  Both seasons are also good foraging times for the birds so you can really save on feed and get them out of the coop/brooder so that the manure build up isn't so intense. 

WOW!!! Awesome information to know. I wasn't aware of the bottom starting to heat up. That's perfect. Poop Lasagna sounds good to me.

I have to get my ordering scheduling on track next year. This was definitely a test for me but I think I'll be ready. I have a lot of ides for the next batch.

Has anyone tried saving that poop for a garden or would the poop be too "hot" or powerful for the garden right away?