100 Broilers and Fermented Feed Project

[Angelicisi]

I compost our deep litter for the veggie and flower gardens through summer and till it into the garden beds right after the last fall harvests and I use it straight outta the chickens on my banana plants. Have gotten very large banana harvests since. Banana trees are heavy feeders it works wonders.

 

[Beekissed]

Sometimes I'll make it into manure tea and side dress with just the liquid and this is pretty successful. Works better when it's pig manure but I'll take what I can get.

 

[aoxa]

I've heard you can't get any better manure than Alpaca. We shall see this year. I should do separate experiments for each type of manure.. Goat, rabbit, poultry and alpaca.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Some charts comparing manures

http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/pnw0533/pnw0533.pdf

this one compares alpaca to others but I don't know the source of info

http://alpacasofmontana.com/naturalfertilizers.html

comparison to fertilizer

http://landresources.montana.edu/so...ercial Fertilizer_Gal Co Crop School 2006.pdf

 

[Arielle]

I'm in favor of using what ever you have. I've never used commercial fertilizer and don't intend to. Another good reason to freee range, or use rotational management, gets the fertilizers on the range plants. One fellow in VT keeps his hogs wintered on the summer garden space.

 

[WalkingWolf1]

Quote:
Lol -- they are attracted by the carbon dioxide given off from the ferment -- that is why I quit making wine.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Must have been goooood stuff if it attracted the fruit flies!!

x2

 

[kuntrygirl]

I've heard you can't get any better manure than Alpaca. We shall see this year. I should do separate experiments for each type of manure.. Goat, rabbit, poultry and alpaca. 

Alpaca? I want an Alpaca so bad!!!

 

[kuntrygirl]

The broilers survived the freezing temps last night. Someone gave me some left over insulation from a project(the kind with the hard back) and I was able to place that on top of the comforters and blankets that I have draped over their brooder. It definitely kept the warmth in. Temps in the brooder with the insulation on top was 65 degrees as opposed to 45 - 55 degrees without the insulation. This confirms my idea of having an insulated brooder if I decide to raise broilers in the winter months again.

The water consumption has slightly changed within the last day. I filled all (5) gallon waterers up on Tuesday evening. I checked on their water on last night (Wednesday evening) and 3 of the gallon waterers were EMPTY and 2 of the gallon waterers had 1/4 water remaining. So they are drinking more and more water. So the 5 gallons of water being gone in 2 days has changed to 5 gallons of water almost being gone in 24 hours. I will see where their water level is today when I return home from work.

When I filled up their feeders (20 lbs of feed) yesterday evening, it was gone within 30 minutes. :/

 

[aoxa]

Alpaca? I want an Alpaca so bad!!!

Isn't she beautiful Her name is Vivian. Because I find she looks like Vivian from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.