England UK

[KittyKat3756]

@rebrascora, how do you ferment your feed and what are the benefits?

Mine have been on 75% layers + 25% corn for the whole winter. The hybrids are back in full lay of 1/day as of yesterday while the rest are still catching up, but also in lay.

@colinb, I don't know about you, but I'd personally prefer to die quickly rather than slowly bleed to death while being fully aware of what was going on… all my cockerels get the broomstick method.

 

[colinb]

Yes I think you may be right there are better ways to die but I want to do the best I can when I'm doing . it think I will stick to the broom.

 

[colinb]

Envious of all you getting egg production.I'm going hunting tommorow see if I can find hidden clutch!!

 

[rebrascora]

Regards fermenting feed, I'm no expert on this as I've only been doing it a couple of months but this is what I do....

I half fill a 2 litre ice cream tub with layers pellets or mixed corn, add a dash (0.5 teaspoon ish) of ACV with "The Mother", cover it to about an inch above the pellets with cold tap water, give it a stir and lie the lid loosely on the top, put it on a tray and leave it at room temperature for a couple of days, giving it a stir in between. Being a beekeeper, I sometimes put a bit of raw honey into the mix just to give the fermentation a bit of a kick. Occasionally I need to add a little more water to get the right consistency with the pellets or to keep the mixed corn covered. After a couple of days the surface of the water on the mixed corn will be scummy and bubbled. Strain it and feed as scratch, retaining the liquid to soak the next lot in.... it gets quite syrupy after the second or 3rd ferment so I tend to then use it to ferment the layer pellets and start the mixed corn off with fresh again. You don't need to strain the fermented pellets as they soak up the liquid. If it is too wet, just add a handful of dry pellets to it. Too dry, just add some water. It really is simple. I scatter the mixed corn on the ground for them and feed the fermented layer feed in an old frying pan. I give it a scrub with a handful of straw to clean it once they are finished and it's ready for next time

The benefits are that the chickens really seem to prefer it. The fermentation starts the carbohydrate breakdown process, so that it is easier for the hens to digest. I believe it increases the nutrients available to the hens and improves gut bacteria. People have reported less waste and overall less consumption of feed for the same production and less smelly, well formed poop. I've only been doing it for a couple of months, and I'm not organised enough to monitor amounts closely enough. I have a mixed flock that free range, so consumption varies quite a lot and I'm only feeding them about half fermented at the moment because I'm still trying to get my system/quantities set up. I also ferment poultry fattener for the cockerels so I have 6 lots on the go at any one time.... 2 tubs of mixed corn, 2 of layers pellets and 2 poultry fattener pellets. My feeling is that it is worth doing though.

Apart from the work involved, the only down side so far is that my cockerel, who used to be very chivalrous and give the ladies all the best food, has decided that with the fermented feed, it's every man for himself and he's not sharing!!

What I can say is that the fermented feed smells lovely.

 

[rebrascora]

Good luck with your egg hunt Colin.
I had to get a ladder and crawl board to recover my 43 egg mountain!.....Actually, there were only 40 piled up in the nest, which was an old jackdaws nest made out of twigs in the eves and 3 had rolled out and dropped a foot onto the rotten floor boards below.... none cracked though. Since I emptied it they have taken the hump and not tried again with that nest but I'm certain they have another one somewhere else! The problem is that they have the run of so many old farm buildings and all full of old junk, carriages, machinery, fencing etc they could be anywhere!

 

[colinb]

Thanks I'm the same got a large area to search but its a lovely day with just a slight frost,so I will enjoy the chalange and I need to burn a few calories so two birds with one stone.

 

[bongkaz]

Yeah I'm from the north east in durham

 

[rebrascora]

Hi Kaz and welcome.

Can't believe I have another near neighbour on this forum! Whoo Hoo!!

Just read your previous posts and I see you are a movie buff and have 4 girls who won't roost. Have they got the hang of that yet? I gather you are very new to chickens..... have you had your first egg yet? What breeds do you have? Look forward to hearing all about them and your set up.

Regards

Barbara

 

[bongkaz]

Don't really know what breed they are I got them from a farm in Witton Gilbert there just brown hens and two of them are laying just come out of moult they said but doing fine thanks were you from I'm in gilesgate

 

[rebrascora]

Hi again.

Sounds like they might be red sex links or perhaps Rhode Island Reds. Pleased they have settled in ok and you are starting to get eggs already. Are they laying brown eggs?

I'm in a village called Ebchester near Consett, so only about 15 miles away. My hens and horses are actually located on the site of the roman fort in the centre of the village and I live a short walk away.

Anyway, I hope all your girls are laying for you soon.

Having had a really good egg production day yesterday, my girls have slacked a bit today.... only 7 eggs!..... Either that or the secret nest, that I still haven't found has been topped up again. I kept them in yesterday, which is maybe why I got so many.
My broody hen, Tasha, is a wily little hen and her 6 daughters take after her. They are always flying up into the rafters in the stable or tractor shed and sneaking about in dark corners looking for possible places to lay eggs where I can't get to them! Sometimes I will be in the next stable and hear them start to sing the egg song but as soon as I open the door to see where they are, they stop and I can't find them.

Little monkeys!