FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[chickengirl1193]

It won't spoil, so that's no worry. Most feed in a trough and some feed twice a day. I don't...I feed once a day and only what they can clean up in a reasonable amount of time. It seems to be just right because there is none left to freeze in the trough and they are all fat as ticks. I don't mind them putting on a little weight for this cold weather but soon they will be cut down to size when spring hits. Here's a pic of a few of the troughs I've had....one of a metal rain gutter and one of wood. Am currently using the wooden one and it seems to keep things warmer than the metal did.

thank you for the ideas! Even in hot weather it wont grow mold? Or will it be fine if im out there twice a day to clean up? I really appreciate the help!

 

[kpgoldstar]

thank you for the ideas! Even in hot weather it wont grow mold? Or will it be fine if im out there twice a day to clean up? I really appreciate the help!

Here are some pics of my feeder. It is one of those desk organizer things from Ace Hardware that I bought for about 2 dollars. I fashioned a holder for it out of scrap acrylic sheeting from my engraving store that I own.


That's my little lemonhead posing in the background. She is our special girl, just a little slower than the other 3.

 

[chickengirl1193]

Here are some pics of my feeder. It is one of those desk organizer things from Ace Hardware that I bought for about 2 dollars. I fashioned a holder for it out of scrap acrylic sheeting from my engraving store that I own. That's my little lemonhead posing in the background. She is our special girl, just a little slower than the other 3.

thats pretty cool! I love re using things. I'll walk around my garage and see what I can use to keep everything clean

 

[kpgoldstar]

thank you for the ideas! Even in hot weather it wont grow mold? Or will it be fine if im out there twice a day to clean up? I really appreciate the help!

Mine doesn't grow mold but I live where it is extremely dry. I feed about 2 cups in the morning for 4 growing girls. I figure they finish that up anywhere between 2 and 6 hours. They eat every single speck of it. It just depends on how full their crops were when they went to bed.

I give about 1/4 of their morning ration in the evening when I let them out to free range. I live in the desert and our pickins are less than slim, especially in the winter. They have some dry grass, a few leaves and maybe some green weeds that are poking through the rocks. I feed the afternoon ration more out of habit than their being hungry. I don't like them going to bed with an empty crop. They spend about an hour free ranging now, sometimes a little more on the weekends and they will pick at the given food but forage for most of the time until it gets very close to dark then they gobble up what is left in the snack trays. The afternoon snack amount is dependent on whether I gave scraps that morning and how full I see the crops when I let them out.

If I make an apple pie or something they will get all the peels and the cores in the morning to keep them busy all day and when I get home from work, I can see they are not hungry at all. Afternoon ration is about 1/4 cup. Other days I have no kitchen scrap and they are itching to get let out of the run, race to the snack area then maybe they get a total of 3/4 c. I give scratch ONLY about once a week. I have noticed when I do (and believe me, they LOVE it, like crack cocaine!!!) they are VERY thirsty afterward. They just drink and drink and drink. That never happens on their regular routine. Given my dry climate and the super high temps in the summer, I plan to not give scratch at all come about May or once the temps are consistently in the 90's during the day.

 

[Tikkijane]

I added more crumbles to mine this morning and it's already doing its thing. This patch as been setting for 5 days. Starting out small just to get the feel of things and all figured out. Thanks everyone for all you help.
.

Keep in mind- however much you start with, it's going to double in size. And, take the lid off- someone here had their glass explode. ......

 

[Tikkijane]

Mine was a 10ft section of gutter that cost about $6; the end caps were cheap, too. Hunny cut it into 4 sections of different lengths; 3 of which I use regularly. The fourth "station" is the bowl because they mob it anyhow.....

 

[Tikkijane]

 

[Beekissed]

thank you for the ideas! Even in hot weather it wont grow mold? Or will it be fine if im out there twice a day to clean up? I really appreciate the help!

Your chickens are going to eat that feed so fast there won't be any mold that can establish...and your feed is already colonized with organisms that inhibit mold growth. You won't need to clean it up...the chickens will practically lick the trough. No worries...it won't mold.

 

[Tikkijane]

Okay thank you for the ideas!
What is scoby?
Also I was planning on adding ACV, is there anythingelse that I should add to the feed?

SCOBY= Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast (first letter of each = scoby).

Otherwise known as "the non-mold stuff that covers the top and looks, um, interesting. "

 

[Beekissed]

Yes...that!!!