FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[LeslieDJoyce]

For feeding the chicks the FF, I have three systems.

For the a Freedom Mutts, who love the FF, I put a little on a board so their hen can scratch at it, then I put some in a plastic chick feeder ... If we don't put some down for the hen to scratch in, she tears the place apart scratching and scratching. Those chicks dive into the FF as if they are starving and will eat it out of the feeder or off the board/ground. I'm counting that as two systems.

For the 10 Delaware chicks, I've set up a feeding station they can go under and I just put the food under there in some low feeders ... actually, the red bottoms of some chick waterers. I've not seen them eat the FF, but it disappears when I'm not looking.

 

[jerrey]

You might find your chicks start to develop little feed balls on their feet from tramping in the feed and not having any rough bedding on which to rub off the feed afterwards. I've never had it happen but several have reported it and they are usually using open feeders and no shavings in their brooders.


No way! My Dels were just huge hogs...much like meaty chicks...and would swarm the feeder like ants at a picnic. They are hungry hippos! They would even get that butt bulge like a meat chick.

how old are the baby chicks

 

[Beekissed]

how old are the baby chicks

Those were about 3-4 wks old and had been ranging since 2 wks and eating with the big flock.

 

[beverly evans]

Quote: Bee, What kind of chicks are those goldish headed ones with the white-gray speckled wings? Are they your Delawares? They're gonna be pretty. I'm going to google them right now to see what the grown ones look like. : )

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

Quote:

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, What kind of chicks are those goldish headed ones with the white-gray speckled wings? Are they your Delawares? They're gonna be pretty. I'm going to google them right now to see what the grown ones look like. : )

Yes, those were Delawares, from a heritage breeding lines. I still have two of them and one is currently one of my broodies. Here's a few pics of them as adults:

 

[jerrey]

Disappeared. Maybe it was only on typewriters and never on a pc keyboard. I give up; what's ymmv?

hi Beverly do you remember when you told me how to ferment the chicken food and I said when I was digging in the ground and my chicken would go for the worms and you said your chickens didn't eat the worms well since I started fermented there food if there a worm and it is like what is that miss talking to you
miss talking to you

 

[jerrey]

Those were about 3-4 wks old and had been ranging since 2 wks and eating with the big flock.

o my god they are doing great

 

[beverly evans]

Quote: They are really pretty. So they can also be pure white? I have steered away from white chickens because of my hawk problem here, thinking they would be too easily seen from above.

 

[beverly evans]

Quote: Hey girlfriend, How are you doing? I've been following your every comment in here and seeing your learning curve as you figure it all out bit by bit. I just didn't have anything to add. You were doing so well all by yourself. Sounds like you've got it all down pat. This is the right place to ask your questions, that's for sure.
I've been dealing with sick chickens lately. I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get a test done to see what the heck they had (have). They are mostly better or over it but one or two are lingering on their recovery. It turns out some diseases that they seem to get over can be with them forever and pass from one generation to the next, so I have to make sure I don't have one of those. If I do I'll have to have a "closed flock", meaning my chickens can never leave my yard and I will have to practice rigid biosecurity to protect others chickens. Let's hope I don't have one of those nasty diseases!