100 Broilers and Fermented Feed Project

[larry529]

Hopefully there not to small of nipples, there is a perfect size to everything especially if they are male chicks lol

 

[Arielle]

not too late. you will need more than normal-- these bird drink more than other birds. I do think a wet mash is helpful w/ cornish because of the greater need for water.

I already had chicks brooding when I bought the nipples-- took a while before I was comfotable the had figured it out. I did not remove the original waterer and they used both.

 

[pipemum]

kuntry, I just put up a nipple waterer for my broiler chicks last night--they are 4 weeks old. I saw a couple tapping away at the nipples right after I hung it.

Covering the brooder will help keep the heat in. I still cover the meat pen at night, and can actually feel the warm air rush out when I flip the blankets back in the morning (still 30s out).

Sorry about the loss.

 

[aoxa]

Only one loss so far is a major feat with 100 birds. After 2 weeks I had zero losses.

You are passed the hump!

Have you let them outside yet?

 

[foreverlearning]

I think she meant offering them as a Community supported agriculture (CAS) product. I had the same thought at first and that is the conclusion I reached.

Yup, that's what we were thinking.

 

[foreverlearning]

With only one loss you are doing great and you are just about to pass the line for unexpected deaths, hold on. One of the things I left out of my posts was stirring by hand. It's quicker and more thorough but kinda strange. After a while you'll just bring the hose to the bucket to rinse off after.

 

[Angelicisi]

My chicks learned the cups really quick. Show a few and the rest follow suit.

Sorry about the loss, you're still kicking butt tho.

I use this now to stir lol

Good morning everyone. Today's update. Yesterday when I got home, I went to check on them. I checked both brooders and I found 1 broiler had been smashed to death. So, I have my 1st loss. It appears that they were cold. I still had the heat lamp on but the temps were 78 in the brooder. They were all piled up on each other. So that kinda tells me that the 70's are too cold for the right now. I watched the new last night and it said that the temps would be in the low 30s. I panicked because I knew that I would lose some because of the cold. They are still in the garage and they are in 2 separate brooders. I made sure that the heat lamps were placed low enough so that they could get plenty of warmth. I also covered the large shipping crate brooder with thick comforters and blanks so to keep any drafts out and the heat in. I didn't sleep at all last night worrying about if they would all die due to the low temps. Well, this morning checked on them and they all survived. It was a cold night last night. I guess covering the brooders up helped a bit. The water hose outside was frozen. I turned it on but nothing but ice.

I added more feed to the batch and had a hard time stirring with my big ole stick. So, I set the stick down and just stuck my hands in and stirred it around that way. It worked perfect. I was able to feel everything grain in there and unmash some of the the thicker areas that my stick would not be able to do. Hand stirring from here on out. It kinda felt like a grainy mask on my skin. Great feeling.

I did get a chance to weigh and here is a pic of the weight. 10.1 ounces Tomorrow they will be 2 weeks old.

All of the others are growing nicely.

Question..............If I started the broilers using water nipples at this time, would they know what to do? Is it too late to install water nipples.?

 

[Angelicisi]

Remember, if I am doing 1 bucket a day on my small batch...expecting 2 buckets a day on this same age batch of my 50...You very well could be up to 4 buckets per day by 5-6 weeks. I think you feed more than me. Maybe not. Were both doing FF so they may be similar when we process ill have feed numbers and costs. The batch of 50 we are doing would be a better cost analysis tho and by then you'll know lol
Not a bad thing, just estimating. But fermented feed bucket is not the same as a dry feed bucket. I get 3 buckets of fermented feed out of 1 bucket dry.

 

[BCMaraniac]

We did have to search for a few months as the 3 local supermarkets do not carry it. We have to go a few miles to Market Basket. Probably the best market around-- high voluem, great prices and all the ethnic foods you want.

Thanks......I think everybody missed the BRAGGing reference......just a little pun intended......

 

[aoxa]

My chicks learned the cups really quick. Show a few and the rest follow suit.

Sorry about the loss, you're still kicking butt tho.

I use this now to stir lol

Just one tip, make sure to remove the stirer from the drill or you will ruin the drill. Been there, done that. I was doing it this way too until my drill froze up.