FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[lazy gardener]

What she said. She speaks with the wisdom of many successful years of successful poultry raising under her belt.

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

Try just fermenting your flock raiser and feeding that for awhile, leaving out all the other things mixed in.  The veggies and pumpkins and whatnot can be fed free choice later on but they really need the more balanced feed if they are losing condition, especially in this cold weather. 

I've got about 4 days of feed to get thru of this mix then I can do just the flock raiser. It's to do with my screwing up. Even with labeling I'm apt to mix up buckets. Well, except the veg bucket. That's kinda hard to mix-up with feed. Also why I did it separate. Plus, you'll say about making it more complex, but it works for me even with my meds or blinding migraines, I use a separate bucket for each day. I do backslop those. It means if I goof that so far I'm not overflowing, etc plus I've the amount for a day's amount. Light enough I can manage it too. Yep, each lid is labeled & moves to the next bucket so I know how long it's been going. I feed on day 4 & do feed it the thick oatmeal-mortar consistency. They must like it cause I've heads in the bucket, etc.


I figured summer with our high heat (Phoenix desert aka hell) was why they weren't gaining. Their feathers for sheen, softness, regrowth from molt has improved. It's the weight that's being problematic.

The vegs aren't free fed except what's in the compost. The ferment mix, pumpkin, other vegs are fed as the snack. If they don't finish it the dogs & bun will. I'll redirect those as suggested & try to give the bun stuff when-where the chicks can't get it. Bun pellets that could be the challenge as buns graze.

Thanks so much

 

[ChickNanny13]

I've got about 4 days of feed to get thru of this mix then I can do just the flock raiser. It's to do with my screwing up. Even with labeling I'm apt to mix up buckets. Well, except the veg bucket. That's kinda hard to mix-up with feed. Also why I did it separate. Plus, you'll say about making it more complex, but it works for me even with my meds or blinding migraines, I use a separate bucket for each day. I do backslop those. It means if I goof that so far I'm not overflowing, etc plus I've the amount for a day's amount. Light enough I can manage it too. Yep, each lid is labeled & moves to the next bucket so I know how long it's been going. I feed on day 4 & do feed it the thick oatmeal-mortar consistency. They must like it cause I've heads in the bucket, etc.


I figured summer with our high heat (Phoenix desert aka hell) was why they weren't gaining. Their feathers for sheen, softness, regrowth from molt has improved. It's the weight that's being problematic.

The vegs aren't free fed except what's in the compost. The ferment mix, pumpkin, other vegs are fed as the snack. If they don't finish it the dogs & bun will. I'll redirect those as suggested & try to give the bun stuff when-where the chicks can't get it. Bun pellets that could be the challenge as buns graze.

Thanks so much

lazy gardener, Leighti & Beekissed are on the nose! I've been FF for over a year now, starting from the day I get the chicks. I used to feed layer when they started laying but changed over to Flock Raiser with Oyster Shells & Grit on the side, less to store One of the five started laying 12 days ago, an egg a day & looks like one more getting ready to start. Egg shell nice & strong.

They don't free range but kept in a 8 x 12 Run, I hang an apple or pear for them to peck at now & then. They don't like any kind of lettuce, they don't like papaya although the person I got them from said they did, they ate pumpkin seeds but didn't touch the pumpkin, they do LOVE grass clippings (couple handfuls), they'll eat tomatoes IF I chop them up (yup spoiled)....Haven't tried BOSS yet.

My only concern is I maybe over feeding them? They get 2 - 3 ladle scoops in the morning and another 2 - 3 scoops around 2pm. I make 3 - 4 cups dry feed a day, adding to whatever I have left over in the container. I'm thinking (help) they're eating about 3 (dry) cups a day, is that too much? Not much treats cause they are finicky, not like my other girls who ate everything, these girls don't even like MealWorms!

 

[Beekissed]

lazy gardener, Leighti & Beekissed are on the nose! I've been FF for over a year now, starting from the day I get the chicks. I used to feed layer when they started laying but changed over to Flock Raiser with Oyster Shells & Grit on the side, less to store One of the five started laying 12 days ago, an egg a day & looks like one more getting ready to start. Egg shell nice & strong.

They don't free range but kept in a 8 x 12 Run, I hang an apple or pear for them to peck at now & then. They don't like any kind of lettuce, they don't like papaya although the person I got them from said they did, they ate pumpkin seeds but didn't touch the pumpkin, they do LOVE grass clippings (couple handfuls), they'll eat tomatoes IF I chop them up (yup spoiled)....Haven't tried BOSS yet.

My only concern is I maybe over feeding them? They get 2 - 3 ladle scoops in the morning and another 2 - 3 scoops around 2pm. I make 3 - 4 cups dry feed a day, adding to whatever I have left over in the container. I'm thinking (help) they're eating about 3 (dry) cups a day, is that too much? Not much treats cause they are finicky, not like my other girls who ate everything, these girls don't even like MealWorms!

For 5 chickens? Yep, 3 c. of dry mix is likely a tad too much.....try feeding the same amount-3 c.- fermented and see how it goes.

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

By weight I think it's about 6 pounds I'm feeding. Which given my flock has 3 ameraucana, 2 sex link, 2 bantam Cochin-d'uccle (mille Fleur project & the cock seems more lf), 2 bantam sultans, 2 crevecoeur, 4 bantam Brahma, 4 polish, 3 oegb, & 10 bantam Cochin. 15 are about 6 months, 13 are about 9 months, & 4 are about 1.5 years. I did give more food today & there was some left but before dusk. I feed later in the day so I worry if left before then. Plus, my bun eats it too & the dogs. Won't count the wild birds. Lol I think I'm good on amount.

 

[Beekissed]

By weight I think it's about 6 pounds I'm feeding. Which given my flock has 3 ameraucana, 2 sex link, 2 bantam Cochin-d'uccle (mille Fleur project & the cock seems more lf), 2 bantam sultans, 2 crevecoeur, 4 bantam Brahma, 4 polish, 3 oegb, & 10 bantam Cochin. 15 are about 6 months, 13 are about 9 months, & 4 are about 1.5 years. I did give more food today & there was some left but before dusk. I feed later in the day so I worry if left before then. Plus, my bun eats it too & the dogs. Won't count the wild birds. Lol I think I'm good on amount.

Hold on a minute....you put out the feed and the bunnies and dog have access to it along with the chickens? If so, now would be a good time to feed in your coop so those animals can't share in the ration. If my dogs had access to my chicken's feed trough they'd get very little of that ration. It's pretty important to know exactly how much your birds are eating each day so you can adjust the ration according to their current needs....feed left over at the end of the day, you can take it down a little. Cleaned up too early and too clean, increase your ration. Ideally you'll want a slight residue in the feeder but not exactly left over feed.

 

[Leigti]

They aren't going to gain any weight with the veggies. Just feed the flock raiser with oyster shell on the side and call it good. You're supplementing with so many other things they're losing the benefit of the chicken feed. Black oil sunflower seeds have some fat in them which should help them put on a little weight.

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

Hold on a  minute....you put out the feed and the bunnies and dog have access to it along with the chickens?  If so, now would be a good time to feed in your coop so those animals can't share in the ration.  If my dogs had access to my chicken's feed trough they'd get very little of that ration.  It's pretty important to know exactly how much your birds are eating each day so you can adjust the ration according to their current needs....feed left over at the end of the day, you can take it down a little.  Cleaned up too early and too clean, increase your ration.  Ideally you'll want a slight residue in the feeder but not exactly left over feed. 

Sorry, should've clarified. Dogs are kept inside most of the day. When out if they go near the food I get them out of it-which isn't often. Vegs don't mind so much, but their feed is a no-no.

My bun is a Holland lop so only a few pounds & primarily grazes at night. I give her veg at night so she gets it without the chickens taking interest.

My big dog doesn't care for the food at all. Give you an idea of how well trained they are, my Dane & chiweenie are my service animals. My chi is the lil monster & is scared of the birds. He's been attacked by them & didn't do anything to defend himself-none of them have when the chicks pecked at them. The most they do is try to walk away. They're taught that they're babies & not to touch, growl, or anything. I know before today's food increase the birds ate it. For whatever reason the crazy chickens didn't eat it off dishes as well as they do the ground. So I spread it around & watch thru out the day. (Permanent & total disability so I can watch & check) I increased the food amount today (& it's the first day of the bun pellets being fermented) worried they still needed more food. I've more food left behind. So either they didn't need that amount or despite eating the bun's pellets (some out of the bowls & others dumped from bowls-buns tend to dig food too) they don't like it in the feed. Feeding in bowls when they seemed to not be eating the same as compared to off the ground wasn't worth the stress or hassle. I've got some dog placemats I found in the garage I'm thinking of using tomorrow. See how that does.

I do give a bit of scratch at about dusk too. I forgot about that. I'm thinking I might be doing those too close together. I'll cut the scratch too & see how that does.

Thanks again

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

They aren't going to gain any weight with the veggies. Just feed the flock raiser with oyster shell on the side and call it good. You're supplementing with so many other things they're losing the benefit of the chicken feed. Black oil sunflower seeds have some fat in them which should help them put on a little weight.

The vegs are usually every 1- 2 weeks. I try for weekly, but not hardcore on it. Except summer they got a bit of frozen stuff on the hottest days-couple handfuls for all. They get a bit of scratch at night too-same couple handfuls for all. I started the fermented vegs so in a few days I could start giving some out, but I'll hold off on that. The forage is scarce & scarcer as leaves are getting out of reach.

 

[mobius]

I agree with all the good advice and I LOVE feeding my chickens special stuff, but if you could just do the FF for say two weeks and measure (I use a measured soup ladle) what they do eat I agree that you would be closer to knowing what they truly need. The BOSS might be the exception...it is a great all-around supplement and most chickens just yum it up. And I would measure that too, just to know...

Some folks do say that better a lean chicken than a fat one. More questions! How do you tell!

I am free-feeding home-made suet but that is because it is SO cold here, and truth to tell, they are not raving about it much.

I don't suppose you could weigh a chicken before and after? Haha!!! Next question: how do you weigh your chickens?

And true, if my little dogs had access to the chicken feed, there would be very little left for chickens! They are NOT picky eaters. Glad yours are well-trained.