FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[ChickenCanoe]

It varies week to week, but about 60 in 8+ flocks. Right now there are 2 groups of chicks; two weeks and eight weeks, 2 groups about 18 weeks and 4 breeding flocks.
At any time there will be from 40 to 100.
ETA
Right now I have 2 broody hens in broody apartments sitting on about 18 eggs between them. 10 in the incubator and more going in this week.
...

I wanted to add that I have a separate batch for chicks. It's 10 parts 16% grower and 1 part 60% fishmeal = 20% starter feed.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Unless of course you're messy and inconsiderate and would take a mile if she gave you an inch. And then ...

I'm not real messy. And when I clean house, I scrub wood work and clean under appliances etc.. When she cleans house, she mops, vacuums and dusts. Different priorities.

 

[LindaB220]

Maybe if she had a bigger kitchen?

Our kitchen is enormous, so I'm happy to have something useful going on in part of it. The FF Station, the Egg Washing Station, and the Coffee Station are the three "hot zones" of our kitchen. I feed way more chickens out of my kitchen than humans. I should probably work on that. I did steal some of the chicken feed yesterday for our lunch. I scrambled a bunch of eggs to mix into the FF for the chicks ... and then I stirred a big container of yogurt into the eggs because I was being slow about eating the yogurt and know the birds like it ... and then I thought the mixture looked and smelled great, so I served some of it on sourdough toast for lunch. Gust got some, too.

I think I need to adjust my priorities a smidge.

This is so true. I put up leftovers last night. A small serving of pasta and 3 fried chicken tenders. Gonna serve them this afternoon, Well, its' lunch time and they look so good, I'm going to eat them. They don't care as long as they get their FF

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

Quote:

My chicks eat very well.

 

[aatx]

No deaths since we had the 6 die in the first 36 hours. The remaining 22 seem to be doing great and almost appear to have doubled in size! As planned, they got moved to shavings last night. I had planned on putting a few paper towels on top, but I forgot. They pick at the shavings a bit, but don't really appear to be trying to eat them or anything - I do feel better about having the larger shavings though and not the small ones.

We have a goat that needs bottled at lunch, so I've been going home to check on them and fluff up their food. With the goats, it's always cracked me up that you can fill up all the troughs, but they all fight over the same area and run in groups to new areas to eat. The chicks are just like that.

Here's a short video I took today after fluffing up their food - same reaction as to fresh food in the morning. (Main light turned off just to film.)

 

[beverly evans]

Quote: That's good to know because I broke down and got a Buff Orpington and a Lavendar Ameraucana, and a friend gave me a whitish Ameraucana-Frizzle cross.

 

[beverly evans]

No deaths since we had the 6 die in the first 36 hours. The remaining 22 seem to be doing great and almost appear to have doubled in size! As planned, they got moved to shavings last night. I had planned on putting a few paper towels on top, but I forgot. They pick at the shavings a bit, but don't really appear to be trying to eat them or anything - I do feel better about having the larger shavings though and not the small ones.

We have a goat that needs bottled at lunch, so I've been going home to check on them and fluff up their food. With the goats, it's always cracked me up that you can fill up all the troughs, but they all fight over the same area and run in groups to new areas to eat. The chicks are just like that.

Here's a short video I took today after fluffing up their food - same reaction as to fresh food in the morning. (Main light turned off just to film.)

They are adorable! What's the one that is different from all the others? It is grayish with a bit of brown on top of its head and dark wings, eating all by itself in the plate on the left. : )

 

[aatx]

They are adorable!  What's the one that is different from all the others?  It is grayish with a bit of  brown on top of its head and dark wings, eating all by itself in the plate on the left.  : )

Thank you. That's one of the Easter egger bantams.

 

[jenjan8998]

Well, I think it is my turn to ask about fermenting. I have never done it before, and really want to start. I have been going crazy reading everything I can. It was a lot and got kind of confusing, but I think I got it all down. Just wanting to make sure I have it, and will be doing it right.

I plan on using a 5 gallon bucket with snap shut lid, leave it propped open, dont shut unless I am shaking. Put in enough feed to last a few days, and cover with water. Stir every couple hours, and make sure there is enough liquid to keep it covered. Wait at least 4 days, it will be bubbly and have a sour smell. Scoop enough for the chickens to eat in a short time frame, feed twice a day. Every time I remove some of the feed, add more to replace, and just maintain water level. I will be fermenting just regular layer feed and maybe add some scratch also. Or just throw the scratch out.

One thing that confused me was when I just start the bucket, I have read that normal tap water it fine, but also that you need to use non-chlorinated water. Which is it? I give them just regular tap water to drink, so why would it not work for this? Also, that you should put ACV in it to get it started. Do I keep adding the ACV every time I add water, or just to get it started? Is it a must that I add it? I have also read that you can just leave the lid open and it will naturally do what the ACV does for it, it just might take longer and you run into the chance of mold?

I am just trying to make sure I get this all right the first time around, before I start experimenting with fermenting new foods, or buying whole grains and doing it that way. Sorry for the long post!! But any help will be so greatly appreciated.

 

[niqueie]

Well, I think it is my turn to ask about fermenting. I have never done it before, and really want to start. I have been going crazy reading everything I can. It was a lot and got kind of confusing, but I think I got it all down. Just wanting to make sure I have it, and will be doing it right. 

I plan on using a 5 gallon bucket with snap shut lid, leave it propped open, dont shut unless I am shaking. Put in enough feed to last a few days, and cover with water. Stir every couple hours, and make sure there is enough liquid to keep it covered. Wait at least 4 days, it will be bubbly and have a sour smell. Scoop enough for the chickens to eat in a short time frame, feed twice a day. Every time I remove some of the feed, add more to replace, and just maintain water level. I will be fermenting just regular layer feed and maybe add some scratch also. Or just throw the scratch out. 

One thing that confused me was when I just start the bucket, I have read that normal tap water it fine, but also that you need to use non-chlorinated water. Which is it? I give them just regular tap water to drink, so why would it not work for this? Also, that you should put ACV in it to get it started. Do I keep adding the ACV every time I add water, or just to get it started? Is it a must that I add it? I have also read that you can just leave the lid open and it will naturally do what the ACV does for it, it just might take longer and you run into the chance of mold? 

I am just trying to make sure I get this all right the first time around, before I start experimenting with fermenting new foods, or buying whole grains and doing it that way. Sorry for the long post!! But any help will be so greatly appreciated. 

There is lots of misinformation out there. Most of us to start a ferment the first time with water over slightly and some of us use a small amount of starter like ACV. It's fine to use tap water. I have the worst tap water ever and it ferments well dispite that. If you decide to use a starter then just do it the first batch. Don't keep adding the ACV. In a 5 gal. bucket just a quick slosh of it will be plenty. Make sure it is the vinegar with the "mother". You don't need to add anything really, but water and feed.

After you get the first ferment going then add more feed to make it the consistency of cookie dough or peanut butter. It's so much easier to feed that way and the birds like it better too. Also, if you feed it too wet their stools show by being runny because their body is getting rid of the excess water.

You don't refresh the bucket with new feed until you have just a feeding or 2 left at the bottom of the bucket. Add the water first to get the good scobe to take hold quickly in the new feed. Mix all subsequent batches to cookie dough consistency. Stir every time you feed out of it. Feeding once or twice a day is fine. Don't over feed. It's good that they are hungry for it. 1/2 cup per bird is a rough estimate.

A wonderful source of fermented feed info was created by a wonderful lady on here. I'll try to link to it.