FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[bruceh]

im new to raising chickens but before i got them in feb. i read a lot on this forum.
i scanned the many hundreds of pages and beekissed was a large part of it.
thank you for all the valuble info beekissed!
that being said, i started my chicks on the second day with ferment starter crumble and they went nuts over it. wouldnt touch the other dish with the dry food.
now my recipe is as follows
30# whole corn
30# whole wheat
20# rolled barley
20# oats
12.5 # boss
5# salt
that is fermented
when drained i add
1/2 cup kelp
1/2 cup meat and bone meal
sprinkle with lime

please send feedback as to where it lacks or where its excessive.

they also free range

i sat down and came up with a feed formula.i will post it tomorrow. i tell you one thing. i going to figure something else out. got it from the mill today. the break down is like 20.00 per 50#

 

[Beekissed]

im new to raising chickens but before i got them in feb. i read a lot on this forum.
i scanned the many hundreds of pages and beekissed was a large part of it.
thank you for all the valuble info beekissed!
that being said, i started my chicks on the second day with ferment starter crumble and they went nuts over it. wouldnt touch the other dish with the dry food.
now my recipe is as follows
30# whole corn
30# whole wheat
20# rolled barley
20# oats
12.5 # boss
5# salt
that is fermented
when drained i add
1/2 cup kelp
1/2 cup meat and bone meal
sprinkle with lime

please send feedback as to where it lacks or where its excessive.

they also free range

Wow...I wish I could give you some feedback but I'm not one to mix my own feed mix, so I don't have much info on the correct feed percentages. I only play with the feed by cutting it with some whole grains to save me money during slack laying times.

Bruce can help you there and some of the other folks who actually study on these things. I don't normally complicate things by measuring and percentages....I just use layer ration from the local feed co-op mill that grinds it fresh and count on that to get the right nutrients in the mix. I just use it as a supplement to free range, so I'm not too particular. I'm sorry...that's an area in which I have no expertise whatsoever.

 

[morton]

Wow...I wish I could give you some feedback but I'm not one to mix my own feed mix, so I don't have much info on the correct feed percentages. I only play with the feed by cutting it with some whole grains to save me money during slack laying times. 

Bruce can help you there and some of the other folks who actually study on these things.  I don't normally complicate things by measuring and percentages....I just use layer ration from the local feed co-op mill that grinds it fresh and count on that to get the right nutrients in the mix.  I just use it as a supplement to free range, so I'm not too particular.  I'm sorry...that's an area in which I have no expertise whatsoever. 

thanks beekissed. Just curious what whole grains do you use? why only when they are laying slow?

 

[morton]

...

i sat down and came up with a feed formula.i will post it tomorrow. i tell you one thing. i going to figure something else out. got it from the mill today. the break down is like 20.00 per 50#
[/quot]

i am very curious to see your formula.
Mine breaks down to about $12 per 50#

 

[RoseMarie1]

I sure would like to know if anyone has hatched out any chicks from a roo and hen that's eating ff. Would love to hear all the details to see how healthy the chicks were etc.

 

[Beekissed]

thanks beekissed. Just curious what whole grains do you use? why only when they are laying slow?

That's when they don't necessarily need the protein levels they would need if they were producing, so I just cut the mix with a cheaper, lower protein grain. Lately I've been using barley as it's the cheapest right now at the feed store, besides corn..and this layer ration has way too much corn in it already for my liking,so I no longer buy cracked corn to cut the mix. Come late fall I'll add in some BOSS for fat content before winter, but not too much.

I'm a frugal feeder and know what my birds can thrive on in the way of nutrients, so I don't mind cutting rations at certain times of year. They get most of their nutrition off the land for most of the year, so winter time I try to mimic what wild birds have for nutrition...they lay on fat before winter as they eat seeds and nuts, but in the winter time it's slim pickin's on bugs and worms or green forage, so I feed less nutrients in their dormant times, much like the wild birds. They are less mobile and are laying less, so they only need enough nutrients to stay warm and keep good feathering..which they do.

Seems to work and seems to keep them healthy, so I just keep on doin' it! It's sort of like not graining a work horse all winter, but only feeding hay, then resuming higher nutrition when they need it most.

 

[bruceh]

Quote: here is this formula:
7 scratch grain - 50 lb bags - 1.5 bags cost = 12.63
distillers grain - 100 lb bags - 1.25 bags cost = 20.94
game bird conditioner - 50 lb bags - 4 bags cost = 62.80
black oil sunflower seed 50 lb bags 1 bags cost = 23.25
alfalfa meal 50 lb bags 1 bag cost = 16.15
pulverized lime 1 lb . 6 lbs used cost = 0.60
layer pre mix 50 lb bag used 0.07 cost = 2.08
white salt 1 lb. used 1.5 lb cost = 0.23
bio fix 1 b used .5 lb cost =1.43

total cost of feed is = 140.11 for 453..3 lbs or .31 per lb or 15.50 per 50 lb there was a 10.00 mixing fee at the mill that i did not include.. this formula comes out to 17.97 % protein.with 3.5% fat. i came up with this feed formula as an all purpose feed for meat and layer type birds. this feed does have a touch of Ca. but not much so oyster shell is given fee choice.

i got to go over the math again nope it is right.15.50 per 50.

 

[iheartnh]

Can someone tell me how long feed will keep after it's fermented? Meaning, it sits 2-3 days before it's ready to feed - do I have to feed the whole batch the day it's ready, or will it hold. And if it holds, for how long, and the best way to store it?

I'm going to try fermenting - I love the idea of it! I hope to start a batch this weekend, and I want to figure out how many containers, and what sizes, will work best for me.

 

[Beekissed]

Can someone tell me how long feed will keep after it's fermented? Meaning, it sits 2-3 days before it's ready to feed - do I have to feed the whole batch the day it's ready, or will it hold. And if it holds, for how long, and the best way to store it?

I'm going to try fermenting - I love the idea of it! I hope to start a batch this weekend, and I want to figure out how many containers, and what sizes, will work best for me.

It will keep indefinitely if you continue to feed the organisms that are growing there, which means they need fresh grains periodically to continue to grow. So most just keep the same batch going indefinitely by using a little of the first batch to inoculate the second and so on and so forth. Just a rolling mix that never really stops. I'm using the same scoby that I started last fall.

Most folks just store it in a plastic bucket or two.

 

[iheartnh]

So it's really no different from the sourdough starter I've had for years. Now THAT is something I am very comfortable with - thank you!