Chicken Feed Recipes, Articles and Systems

[Lauravonsmurf]

I wonder if you couldn't make them a blood sausage style treat?

Maybe

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

Gelatin based treats…

https://fountainavenuekitchen.com/birdseed-ornaments/

SUPPLIES

• ¾ to 1 cup birdseed
• 1 packet (.25 ounce or 7 grams) of gelatin (unflavored—I use Knox)
• ¼ cup boiling water
• Cookie cutters, lightly greased*
• Twine and/or ribbon
• Parchment or waxed paper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the gelatin and the water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Keep stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove the pan from heat and allow the mixture to cool for one minute. Stir in ¾ cup birdseed, adding extra as needed until all the liquid is absorbed. (You won’t want to add much more than 1 cup, otherwise there won’t be enough “glue” to bind the birdseed once dried.)
2. Place the cookie cutters on a parchment or waxed paper on a baking sheet. (You can make the ornaments right on the counter, but a baking sheet allows for them to be easily moved aside later.) Fill each ornament halfway with the birdseed mixture. Lay a piece of twine down the length of the cookie cutter. Fill the cookie cutter to the top with remaining birdseed mixture, making sure to pack it down firmly. Allow the ornaments to dry for several hours or overnight. Once completely dried, gently press the ornaments out of the cookie cutters. If desired, add a decorative ribbon and hang on a tree branch for the birds to enjoy!

HINTS
*The cookie cutters do not have to be greased, but lightly greasing them will make for extra easy removal once dry, especially when using ornaments with small angles like stars. Younger children may be better off using ornaments without tight corners, as these are slightly harder to pack with the birdseed. We use a very small spoon for this.
The key to ornaments that are sturdy and stick together is to press firmly on the birdseed mixture as you pack it into the molds.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

Besides blood sausage, Haggis oh yes one could make that into a bird friendly recipe too.

 

[raingarden]

Commercial pelleted and crumble food is held together with starches from the grains. Heat/cooking gelatinizes the starches and they solidify and congeal things as they cool.

Sometimes feed is "top dressed" with a fine oil spray. Top dressing can increase the fat content while reducing the amount of dust and fines.

 

[raingarden]

Instead of gelatin you can use agar (agar-agar) as a binder. Gelatin is made from animal processing waste while agar is made from seaweed.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Instead of gelatin you can use agar (agar-agar) as a binder. Gelatin is made from animal processing waste while agar is made from seaweed.

Agar-Agar is 20% water, 74% fiber, the rest is fat, protein, and misc stuff. I might stick with gelatin, which is available off the shelf.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

We should maybe experiment with these ideas. I will see what I can pick up at the grocery

 

[Sally PB]

/edit and they don't "die" because they aren't alive. They have to be denatured - high heat being one way to do so.

How high on the heat? Would 2 hours in a pressure cooker (~11 #, it's an Instant Pot) be enough?

View attachment 2992756
This one from the Home Poultry Book looks like something I might be able to make… with my Kindergarten skills

What I need to decide is I go all old school pre plastic or mix modern and old ideas…

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ee-dish-bins.75190/?page=5#ams-comment-521567
This is a great article by @gtaus on growing fodder.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

How high on the heat? Would 2 hours in a pressure cooker (~11 #, it's an Instant Pot) be enough?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ee-dish-bins.75190/?page=5#ams-comment-521567
This is a great article by @gtaus on growing fodder.

I am not a Dr.

Based on what I've read, no. There's some dispute in the literature about how hot is needed, and some studies suggesting its radically different for different prions, but an instapot/pressure cooker definitely is not hot enough to say yes, certainly. Look at this sample study with three mouse prions. and autoclaving for prions. That's about 275F (134C).

 

[Sally PB]

Interesting. Thanks for the link.