FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[LindaB220]

I don't think this is going to fool National Geographic. Those fat fluffybutts are obviously spoiled rotten.

Yeah, totally fluffy.

 

[Sparkway]

Great pic. What are they really eating?

 

[fenwickchic]

I now think the problem was that the fermentation was eating into the plastic of the (probably) non-food grade kitty litter buckets I was using. Had no problem initially so buckets may have done alright going forward, but once I decided to spray paint the outside of the bottom bucket to make it "prettier" in my kitchen, I think it ruined the bucket system for me. I know, I know... not the smartest move. I am back fermenting in 2 clear food grade pretzel tubs and doing good again. But I am not stacking and drilling holes. Just 2 separate containers with no holes. I have also realized that I need to completely empty one, clean it out and dump some of the "juice" into a container, and then use it to start again. The sides grow mold if I don't. Meanwhile I have the other container ready.

 

[Beekissed]

Great pic. What are they really eating?

Plain ol' garbage...lentils, spaghetti, bananas, bread, salad, fruit peelings and some chicken scraps from canning chicken and making stock. They get whatever the dog left behind.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Speaking of people unfamiliar with chicken fluff ...

I've been researching questions and answers to make a little FAQ for our egg/meat customers, so been trolling the internet for common questions about eggs/chickens. I've depressed myself completely.

Some people don't think it is okay to feed chickens at all.

Some people think it is cruel and unethical to collect eggs from "rescued" chickens.

I could provide links to lectures from these people, but I don't want to depress you. It's more fun to look at fluff butts.

Here is a fluffy butt from our coop to cheer me up ... this was from last spring.



Little guy really wanted under there, but I think that wing of the brooder was already full.
(See what I did there with "wing"?

)

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Hey! They have fluffy butts in the wild! They DO. Somewhere.....

Knowin' them city slickers at NG, they would take my word for it and publish the pic as feral chickens in the northern woods.

Idea: If you threw one of those trademark NG Red scarves around one of those chicken's necks, this could be a cover photo!

 

[Sparkway]

Hi all. I started feeding my 5 LF and one Silkie FF about 2 weeks ago. I still give them kitchen scraps too. My concern is that they are such slow eaters and in the morning it freezes before they really get it all, about 1 1/2 cup. I feed them the same amt when I get home from work. They barely finish that. Not sure if they are getting enough nutrients. Any thoughts.

 

[Audio51]

Hi all. I started feeding my 5 LF and one Silkie FF about 2 weeks ago. I still give them kitchen scraps too. My concern is that they are such slow eaters and in the morning it freezes before they really get it all, about 1 1/2 cup. I feed them the same amt when I get home from work. They barely finish that. Not sure if they are getting enough nutrients. Any thoughts.

I suspect they will start gobbling it down faster. Mine took about a month to really take to it. Now they clean it up pretty fast. I have 10 and they get about 5 cups (after ferment). I feed them, them come back inside. I go out about an hour later to check for eggs. and it's pretty much gone by then. Granted...out daytime temps have been in the upper 60's and nights in the mid 40s so it doesn't freeze, but in the beginning there would still be some in there in the evening.

 

[Beekissed]

Speaking of people unfamiliar with chicken fluff ...

I've been researching questions and answers to make a little FAQ for our egg/meat customers, so been trolling the internet for common questions about eggs/chickens. I've depressed myself completely.

Some people don't think it is okay to feed chickens at all.

Some people think it is cruel and unethical to collect eggs from "rescued" chickens.

I could provide links to lectures from these people, but I don't want to depress you. It's more fun to look at fluff butts.

Here is a fluffy butt from our coop to cheer me up ... this was from last spring.



Little guy really wanted under there, but I think that wing of the brooder was already full.
(See what I did there with "wing"?

)

Most excellent! That is one of the most precious pics I've seen of late!

Simply adorable!!! He's tryin'...gotta give him that, he's really putting some effort into squeezing in there!

Hi all. I started feeding my 5 LF and one Silkie FF about 2 weeks ago. I still give them kitchen scraps too. My concern is that they are such slow eaters and in the morning it freezes before they really get it all, about 1 1/2 cup. I feed them the same amt when I get home from work. They barely finish that. Not sure if they are getting enough nutrients. Any thoughts.

I'd forego the kitchen scraps and just put those on the compost pile for now. Given a choice, the birds are always going to eat "candy" first, leaving little room for serious nutrition. You are feeding 3 c. of feed to 6 birds, plus scraps...I'm feeding 4 1/2 c. of feed to 10 LF each morning and then no more. Mine are waddling, so I know they are getting enough nutrition. I'm thinking yours are too...too much, which is why they are so slow to clean it up.

I'd stop the evening time feeding and the scraps and feed their total feed amounts in the morning...you'll see some birds gobbling feed so fast it won't have time to freeze! Or, if that makes you nervous, forego the kitchen scraps and get a heated dog dish for feeding the FF and continue the morning and evening feedings. Either way, I wouldn't feed them scraps unless they eat their real food, that's formulated for their health, first.

 

[Sparkway]

Thanks so much. I will try just morning and layoff scraps for a bit. I just wasn't sure about going to bed with nothing in stomach with it bring so cold. I have read on here that food in crop helps keep warm as its consumed. What do you say Bee? I trust your opinion and knowledge.
I looked into those dig bowls so expensive but may bite the bullet.