FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[Molpet]

in feb, most weeks I was using one 50# of grower fermented for 25 chickens of various ages, and 5 turkeys
13 adult chickens
6 chicks from labor day
6 chicks from halloween

 

[mobius]

lol Molpet, don't know how much turkeys eat on average dry but if I knew I could try to factor it in. If we just say 30 birds, we are looking at .238# per bird per day.

 

[mobius]

Ok I figured out roughly for Molpet's flock. With 5 gobblers and 25 sweet chickens, it would run at dry average .327# per bird per day. So if you at .238# with FF that is a reduction of 27% with FF.

Assuming .25 dry with chickens, all chickens about same size, and .71 dry with those turkeys.

Assuming .20 dry with chickens and .57 dry with turkeys, that would be 7.85 per day dry, or .261# per bird, with your saving at FF of 10%

We are right in range there...

 

[Elyrian1]

Do turkeys really eat that much more!? Has me rethinking future flock sizes, ouch. Right now I'm not able to offer any data on ducks, but in a few months I may be able to figure out some numbers, at the very least daily consumption of FF. Want to wait to calculate their feed usage until they start laying. If they start laying, lol. My mother in law asked what was I going to do if they both end up being male... I told her "then that one is thanksgiving and that one is Christmas" She thought i was joking.

 

[mobius]

Apparently it is 4-5 pounds per week per turkey (adult). Who knew?

 

[Molpet]

from old thread:https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-much-do-turkeys-eat.425454/

We have turkeys for the first time - 4 Narragansett - 3 hens and 1 tom, also 1 mixed tom. All are about 3 and a half months old. They are eating an average of 22 pounds per week right now.Dec 1, 2010

 

[igorsMistress]

I am switching from one feed to another and haven't been fermenting long. When I start the next bag of food I'll start tracking for this experiment.

Thanks @mobius for tracking the numbers for us.

 

[mobius]

You are most welcome @wyldflwr

 

[barred2rock]

Does anyone ferment their grass or other greens? I know some farmers will ferment grass for their cows. I have a lot of wild sage & other herbs growing on my property. I wonder if it would be good to ferment it for the chickies? Maybe chop it up & add it to their jar of fermenting feed?

 

[FlyWheel]

Gag, choke, whatever you want to call it. It looked/sounded like gagging. But I'll take your word on Gallus physiology What's important is they can swallow their feed without it clumping up in their throats now. And they're getting more out of it to boot.

Re; fermenting greens, I do put all my non-meat kitchen scraps/leftovers into the mix. Those smaller than a marble, anyway. Does that count? Larger raw pieces I give to them separately as treats.