FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[niqueie]

My birds eat the ff with fish meal just as well as the stuff without it. They act as if I haven't fed them for days with the current fishy ff. I went back to feeding them the 12-15 cups instead of reduced 10 cups. I have 20 young not yet laying chickens. I had to up the portion because when I reduced it, they started picking on the little birds (4 bantams).

I went up to check on them and my favorite bantam frizzled Cochin has a plucked out section of feather 1"x1" size. Poor girl, she barely 7-8" long tail to beak. I'm getting the extended run hawk proof this next week and getting some scratch to keep them busy in it too. Hopefully giving them more space and something to do will cure their bored picking. They have been picking at eachother before but not as bad as after the feed reduction.

Long story short they eat the fishy ff as frantically as the non fishy ff. I think it smells awful and disgusting, but they don't care whatsoever.

Any suggestions on how to get them to not pluck eachothers feathers out is helpful. I do the deep litter method in the coop and right now they get access to the run only for a couple hours while we are out because it's not hawk proof yet. I live in a neighborhood so my birds can't be just left out free to roam where they please sadly.

Thanks for the clarification on DP. Bee, what are your favorite DP breeds.

 

[perchie.girl]

My birds eat the ff with fish meal just as well as the stuff without it. They act as if I haven't fed them for days with the current fishy ff. I went back to feeding them the 12-15 cups instead of reduced 10 cups. I have 20 young not yet laying chickens. I had to up the portion because when I reduced it, they started picking on the little birds (4 bantams).

I went up to check on them and my favorite bantam frizzled Cochin has a plucked out section of feather 1"x1" size. Poor girl, she barely 7-8" long tail to beak. I'm getting the extended run hawk proof this next week and getting some scratch to keep them busy in it too. Hopefully giving them more space and something to do will cure their bored picking. They have been picking at eachother before but not as bad as after the feed reduction.

Long story short they eat the fishy ff as frantically as the non fishy ff. I think it smells awful and disgusting, but they don't care whatsoever.

Any suggestions on how to get them to not pluck eachothers feathers out is helpful. I do the deep litter method in the coop and right now they get access to the run only for a couple hours while we are out because it's not hawk proof yet. I live in a neighborhood so my birds can't be just left out free to roam where they please sadly.

Thanks for the clarification on DP. Bee, what are your favorite DP breeds.

Feather picking is often a sign of not enough protien in the diet. Or not enough space in the coop.... I would say you are right upping the FF especially since they dont free range. Also put Blue coat on the picked patches. Any hint of blood is a trigger for picking no matter the diet or space considerations

 

[Beekissed]

If you are feeding a balanced ration, I can't see where protein would be the issue. Usually lack of space and boredom is the culprit...too many birds, too little coop and run. You might consider downsizing your stocking rate or investing in electric poultry fencing to form a paddock and make use of the available space in your yard.

My fave DP breeds are Plymouth White Rocks, Black Australorp, Rhode Island Reds and New Hampshires. Out of all those, the only breed I truly qualify as dual purpose in the true sense of the word is the White Rocks. The others have a fair carcass wt but are a much smaller and with less muscle development than the WR.

 

[niqueie]

Thanks. I need to get rid of some (2-4) young roosters that will start to crow one day. Not entirely sure on a few of them yet. The run will be done soon so that will drastically improve their room to roam trouble.

This was a family project for my 4 kids and my husband and I. One that teaches many wonderful lessons. Building the coop was HARD work, raising healthy birds takes persistence and dedication, getting the eggs gives motivation and reward. My 11 year old is building a website for our friends an customers to learn about eggs, chickens and our individual birds. So that has given her a technology lesson. My kids will be selling the eggs as their allowance money. Building a mini business, if you will.
It has been a wonderful adventure and I'm so glad to have the help of all of you.

 

[Beekissed]

Are you going to take the lesson all the way and teach them how to process the extra roosters for food?

 

[Audio51]

Thanks. I need to get rid of some (2-4) young roosters that will start to crow one day. Not entirely sure on a few of them yet. The run will be done soon so that will drastically improve their room to roam trouble.

This was a family project for my 4 kids and my husband and I. One that teaches many wonderful lessons. Building the coop was HARD work, raising healthy birds takes persistence and dedication, getting the eggs gives motivation and reward. My 11 year old is building a website for our friends an customers to learn about eggs, chickens and our individual birds. So that has given her a technology lesson. My kids will be selling the eggs as their allowance money. Building a mini business, if you will.
It has been a wonderful adventure and I'm so glad to have the help of all of you.

That is really great, niqueie! You and your kids sure got a lot out the adventure! See...that's why everyone should be allowed to keep chickens!

 

[niqueie]

Here's a picture of our coop. We used all recycled materials to make it.

 

[niqueie]

Since the kids are new to chickens we are going to introduce chicken processing at a later time. My husband and I tried to encourage the idea, but my 8 year old was so sad about it. We will eventually, but not this round. We don't really know what we are doing ourselves as far as killing the chicken and processing them. We need to feel a little more confident. Our friends up the road processed their rooster and maybe next time we will observe and help out.

 

[Beekissed]

Here's a picture of our coop. We used all recycled materials to make it.

That's a real cute coop...I like the rustic look of it!

 

[beverly evans]

Quote:
There's just about; no kind of coop that would keep a hungry bear out! What kind of coop do you have? And you say they only want the grain feed, not the chickens?? : (