FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[EggSighted4Life]

Maybe heat in a bag or other container inside hot water like people do baby bottles...

All good thoughts and discussion since many are feeding in cold areas and FF seems to freeze quite well.

Regarding microwave... there are many variables. For example some things retain their nutrients better from shorter cooking times and less loss due to things like say... some boil their veggies instead of steaming them.

There are so many things we educate and over educate ourselves about, it is very hard to make decisions sometimes. So really the best we can do is go with our understanding at the time while keeping our minds open to new possibilities and adjusting as needed.

And I still know none of my birds are living in the terrible commercial conditions that is the poultry industry... Though most of them came from hatcheries where their parents are probably suffering that very same fate.

But I can't change the world and gotta start somewhere. Other than going to restaurants I will probably never eat another industry Cornish cross. And even then, I'm not likely to order chicken when it's the cheapest thing on the menu for a reason. I try to buy mostly local pasture raised beef and pork... but we aren't 100% there. It's quite a financial commitment which includes us cutting back on the whopping portion sizes we are used to. Especially realizing each cow only has two tri tips and we buy them buy the cryo bags full, that's quite an impact. If you've ever driven past Harris Ranch, you might think twice about eating their "premium" beef. It would be enough to make some people puke when driving past and you can smell it for miles. Now that I raise my own animals I can see how hard pasture management can be and land is pricey. They stand around in piles of muck on "dry" lots. Which are only dried out of plant life.

Sorry, not meant to be rant at all. Just sharing my experience.

Living in the PNW, I better learn to like salmon and other fish!

We even started buying line caught tuna.

I guess God gave me a conscience but didn't make me vegetarian. Although I wish he would have made me less of a dessertavour!

 

[rf12345]

I dump fermented feed straight into the pan, grain gets gobbled before it freezes. they have pellets on very cold days at all times, so no one goes hungry, and they have water and they eat snow.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I dump fermented feed straight into the pan, grain gets gobbled before it freezes. they have pellets on very cold days at all times, so no one goes hungry, and they have water and they eat snow.

We don't get that cold. I have FF free choice all day plus range. The only time mine get dry is when they pick it out of the top when I pour to mix. In fact... I could use feed pellets as a scratch if I wanted. Then the chickens still think they are getting a treat but they are getting *basically* the same and right nutrient still.

I have one pullet that kept knocking my glass over getting ice out everyday this past year. I invested in a cup with a lid.

Yep, they definitely ate some of the hail on the ground the other day.

My previous flock ate ice when I would give it to them. Uhh, my dogs all eat ice as well... but only from my cup not from a bowl I give them. I ALWAYS have a drink. Not long ago I fell and dislocated my elbow backwards. While I was almost unconscious I made my family get my drink before taking me to the hospital despite being in excruciating pain I didn't want to be with out it. After being there for a while, sent hubby for a refill and they were all like NO you might need surgery. Luckily it wasn't much longer after that. Dry mouth is a side effect of some meds I have to take.

I guess we all have some kind of quirks.

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

We don't get that cold. I have FF free choice all day plus range. The only time mine get dry is when they pick it out of the top when I pour to mix. In fact... I could use feed pellets as a scratch if I wanted. Then the chickens still think they are getting a treat but they are getting *basically* the same and right nutrient still.

I have one pullet that kept knocking my glass over getting ice out everyday this past year. I invested in a cup with a lid.   Yep, they definitely ate some of the hail on the ground the other day.   My previous flock ate ice when I would give it to them. Uhh, my dogs all eat ice as well... but only from my cup not from a bowl I give them. I ALWAYS have a drink. Not long ago I fell and dislocated my elbow backwards. While I was almost unconscious I made my family get my drink before taking me to the hospital despite being in excruciating pain I didn't want to be with out it. After being there for a while, sent hubby for a refill and they were all like NO you might need surgery. Luckily it wasn't much longer after that. Dry mouth is a side effect of some meds I have to take.

I guess we all have some kind of quirks.

I'm in the desert, so we've the occasional night during winter where we hit 'freezing'-32- not enough where their water freezes. Problem here is when we warm up & hit 110+. Then I set out ice water, run a mister, keep pans with water, put out frozen 2 liters of water, & give them frozen vegs or anything else I can think of too cool them. I've even dipped them in a bucket of cool water.

The other problem is the have the run of my yard, but not enough forage. I'm working on adding plants. They killed my deer grass. Think I'm going to have to make frames for them to walk over so they can't get the whole of a grass-plant. Grass doesn't grow in my yard easily. Being zone 9 it's tricky to grow a lot of things. Worse with the black thumbs that I have. Lol I keep trying.

My Dane also eats ice. Go get some, he's there. I wish he'd help himself, but I think in his mind my giving it makes it a treat. Lol

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Believe it or not... I'm in zone 9!!

But I used to live in Bakersfield, also zone 9 and hot as heck in the summer. All that frozen stuff is great for those hot days. The ag zones are only relative to the average low of the area. They don't account for rainfall or high temp. So many things they "claim" will grow in my area will never ripen. Our season is very short this far north. And our high temp stays 66 our warmest month of the year. And we average 70 ish inches of rain on normal years.

I think it's the moisture in the air here... but we get frost around 39 degrees.

Just accentuating what people say about ventilation being most important to avoid frost bite! Maybe the salt in the air here effects it too.

Dogs are fun and silly.

My female dog literally asks for ice. Or anything else she wants.

Never lets the feed get to the last bite with out "buuffing" to let us know they need more. Boy am I glad she can't talk! I have 3 fur babies, amazing how they pay attention to everything, even the sound of the ice dispenser. Don't dare try to sneak car keys into your hand as quietly as possible! They line up at the door. Guess it never hurts to hope. But when Daisy May realizes she isn't going, she goes to the back patio and pouts!

 

[dcba flock]

I'm in the desert, so we've the occasional night during winter where we hit 'freezing'-32- not enough where their water freezes. Problem here is when we warm up & hit 110+. Then I set out ice water, run a mister, keep pans with water, put out frozen 2 liters of water, & give them frozen vegs or anything else I can think of too cool them. I've even dipped them in a bucket of cool water.

The other problem is the have the run of my yard, but not enough forage. I'm working on adding plants. They killed my deer grass. Think I'm going to have to make frames for them to walk over so they can't get the whole of a grass-plant. Grass doesn't grow in my yard easily. Being zone 9 it's tricky to grow a lot of things. Worse with the black thumbs that I have. Lol I keep trying.

My Dane also eats ice. Go get some, he's there. I wish he'd help himself, but I think in his mind my giving it makes it a treat. Lol

Our yard has a lot of shade so there isn't a ton of grass area more moss but I'm going to try growing the fodder for them any input on experiences w/ that would be awesome! Ik there are tons of vids on it just haven't gotten started yet right now they are getting a few handfuls of alfalfa as a green treat FF dry crumbles scratch and boss... Spoiled much I wish I could free range but we are in a neighborhood w/ lots of predators mainly ppls jerk dogs and wild pantless toddlers that run free....

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I sprout barley indoors. Chickens love it. But trying to discern info as to which is actually best day 4 or 7.

Our yard has a lot of shade so there isn't a ton of grass area more moss but I'm going to try growing the fodder for them any input on experiences w/ that would be awesome! Ik there are tons of vids on it just haven't gotten started yet right now they are getting a few handfuls of alfalfa as a green treat FF dry crumbles scratch and boss... Spoiled much I wish I could free range but we are in a neighborhood w/ lots of predators mainly ppls jerk dogs and wild pantless toddlers that run free....

Spoiled isn't always a good thing.

It's best if you can figure your nutritional values to make sure you aren't diminishing your protein too much with the scratch.

 

[redsix]

I have read that wheat/barley sprouts are at their maximum nutrient value when the sprout is the same length as the grain. I use warm water when sprouting/rinsing. It takes 3 days at room temperature.

 

[dcba flock]

I sprout barley indoors. Chickens love it. But trying to discern info as to which is actually best day 4 or 7.
Spoiled isn't always a good thing.

It's best if you can figure your nutritional values to make sure you aren't diminishing your protein too much with the scratch.

Primary diet is FF and dry feed less than a cup of scratch for 15 birds per day. I'm very conscientious of the nutritional intake.

 

[two j farm]

I have read that I should feed 1/3 pound per chicken is it the same with FF feed? I just started feeding FF feed last week it's layer mixed grains and peanuts. Then I add herbs before I feed it. At first they didn't like it but they are coming around. The first day they still had feed in their pans so I cut down on feed now I can't get it right on how much to feed because this morning when I went out they tried to knock me down to get food. I have 16 in one pen and 6 roosters in their own pen. I have always used dry feed so I could fill feeders and didn't have to worry if they had to much but with this I don't want it just sitting in the pans all day and night. Any help would be great. Thanks