Colorado

[Camp Leader]

Thanks bumpershoot. I think I read somewhere to add a little ACV. I think I'll try a bucket just to check the response of the chickens. Meat and layers.

 

[Camp Leader]

Oh, and I forgot to mention. I ordered these meat birds from Welp Hatchery. I ordered them with delivery as soon as possible. It took about 10 days. I got an email with expected ship date and they nailed it. Shipped me 32 birds for the 30 order. All made it alive. 2 died subsequently. Not real sure why. One pasty butt, maybe. The other, no idea. I'm going to try to do some pics on the weekend. Show them on delivery and at 4 weeks old. They will really need to do some growing to ready at 6 weeks, I'm thinking more like 8.

 

[suncatcher]

I may start the FF again once the temps get wamer, it goes best in a warm place, either inside or outside if warm enough. I jump started my last batch with some ACV that I made from apple juice and regular vinegar, was mainly curious if it could be done, and it can!

Well, the wind made it here today, not bad, but gusts now and then.......

I am officially a chicken groomer , this week I trimmed my Bantams for better fertility..... was an experience, me with the flashlight under my chin, holding them in one hand, and trimming with the other! I am just glad the non chicken people in my family did not see me, would have been interesting to see if they believed me, that I was doing this for fertility! LOL

 

[kismetspawn]

Curious, what's the benefit to feeding fermented feed?

 

[Pozees]

Haven't been fermenting. Just dry feed so far. I got a deal on crumbles for chicks. Didn't think wet crumbles was very appealing. I bought flock feed in pellets. Maybe try to ferment a little to see what happens. Everything is new with these things. Is fermenting difficult?

One person I know sprinkles dry crumbles on top of the soaked chick crumbles to get the chicks to eat it the first few times, after that they dive right in.

More bad news for our little bird family. Son's DW was taking out the trash can to the curb. Saw a fox running away from the house with, what looked like, feathers in the mouth. She went out back and found one of the hens gone. She was an older girl but hate to lose a girl. Sad day.

Sorry CL, that is a bummer.

Curious, what's the benefit to feeding fermented feed?

Less waste, more bioavailability of nutrients in the food, especially protein.

Last year I fermented all the food they got, this year I am offering both dry and fermented, even to the chicks. Every afternoon around 3 or 4, before I get home from work during the week, Bob chops up 2-3 apples, one in really tiny chunks, and all the birds get apple pieces for a treat. Then when I get home, I refill the treat dishes ($1 plastic dog dishes I bought at the dollar store) with scoops of soaked/fermented crumble and grains with some alfalfa meal for all the birds that will eat it. The Silkies right now are not big fans, although last year they ate it okay. The chicks and juveniles DIVE into it. They all have grit available and use it. The last week or so I've been giving the adult large fowl a dish of wet every morning when I open the pop doors, and they have been cleaning it up almost every day.

I am busy and don't like complicated things, so I keep it about as simple as it can be. I started with a few scoops of the grains and alfalfa meal, and a few scoops of crumble, in a big plastic bowl, added water, a lot more than you think it can absorb, stir, let sit on the dryer overnight, next morning stir and add more water, started using that afternoon. Is it fully fermented all the time? No, probably not, but even just soaked it wastes less. I just use what I need for the day, add more dry ingredients and water, stir, and let sit overnight. I use a slotted spoon to stir and serve.

You have to use glass, plastic, or stainless steel, BTW.

 

[CoMtnGal]

Forr those of you interested in other cool birds there are two ads in the Fort Collins Craigslist. One for Hungarian Partridge and one for Impeyan Pheasants. Beautiful birds!

 

[Wendi C]

Hi All,
My 1-year-old RIR is quite an eater, but this morning when I let her out of the coop, her crop was enlarged and felt like it was filled with water. I've been reading about the difference between impacted and sour crops, but I'm wondering if this a normal thing for big eaters- she was first at the food try today. Most of the posts note that their chickens are lethargic with an impacted crop, but she's acting normal. Should I just keep and eye on her or remove her from the group without feed? Any thought would be appreciated.

 

[samsr]

What you are describing i believe is sour crop. You can find some good threads here on byc for that. I had a chicken with sour crop last year. What i did involved holding her so her head was facing to the ground and masaging the crop towards her mouth to expell the contents. Then feeding some active culture yogurt and a small amount of feed. It may take a few times doing this to get it under controll.

 

[foothillsco]

Free duck ad on Craigslist. Kinda sad but wanted to post it here.

http://denver.craigslist.org/pet/4451624437.html

 

[Percheron chick]

There was another one for 3 free blue ducklings earlier.