FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[Tikkijane]

i posted this in another sub forum but since we're talking fermented feed, here is pics of the feathers i'm finding and also pics of some of my birds (one isn't in the picture) wanted to know if they LOOK good and a good weight? Also if the consensus is they might be going through a moult, should i buy a bag of Broiler feed? it's slightly higher protein (minimum 19%) and of course lower calcium, hopefully they'll be smart enough to eat the oyster shell. I would ferment it, i think. Wonder how long they should be on it, this seems if it's a moult, that it's light--or maybe it'll get worse in the coming days?

Chick starter is usually around 20% protein; game bird feed around 24%. If they are laying, bear in mind that any feed less layer has lower levels of calcium.....

 

[LindaB220]

Chickens have two juvenile molts before the big adult molt. I wouldn't worry about it.

On another note- scratch is usually mostly corn. Great for a heat boost when very cold, but basically no nutritional value.

Hey Tikkijane, I do agree that scratch my itself is not enough but it does have 9% protein as does corn. I add 2 scoops of scratch, 2 scoop of layer and 1 scoop of gamebird or catfish feed (26% and 32%) This comes to 14% or so and I add 12 scoop BOSS which bumps it up to what I want. Around 15%. By fermenting it you can add another 12% of the total to run it up to around 16 12 % Not precise but real life doesn't always even out.

Also, I have heard of people using lighting for the first 6 wks of winter and letting them rest the other. Today I heard we're going to have a really, really bad winter so I want to be prepared. Of course, I live in the deep south La and my normal super low is 17. A few days a winter. But I didn't have my chickens last winter so I'll need to research on this.

 

[subhanalah]

Guys, the brand name of the food is "Scratch n Peck" organic foods.

 

[Tikkijane]

Hey Tikkijane,  I do agree that scratch my itself is not enough but it does have 9% protein as does corn.   I add 2 scoops of scratch, 2 scoop of layer and 1 scoop of gamebird or catfish feed  (26% and 32%)   This comes to 14% or so and I add 12 scoop BOSS  which bumps it up to what I want.  Around 15%.  By fermenting it you can add another 12% of the total to run it up to around 16 12 %   Not precise but real life doesn't always even out.   
Also, I have heard of people using lighting for the first 6 wks of winter and letting them rest the other.  Today I heard we're going to have a really, really bad winter so I want to be prepared.  Of course, I live in the deep south  La and my normal super low is 17.    A few days a winter.  But I didn't have my chickens last winter so I'll need to research on this.

Scratch is essentially junk food-mostly corn; in the "treat"category which means no more than 10% of the daily diet. Scratch grains produce more heat during digestion which makes it great for cold weather when they need the heat boost.

Folks are free to feed as they see fit, of course. Given that commercial feeds are nutritionally balanced {and I don't feel the need to become a poultry nutritionist and reinvent the wheel } , it seems counterproductive to me to constantly tweak and rearrange their nutrition unless something is obviously not working.

And, I'll *never* use supplemental light. I'm more concerned with biologically "normal" behaviors than I with getting eggs. There is benefit to getting a few new pullets each year, though, to offset molting.

Getting each and every single egg is not critically important to me with the number I have, and I'm pretty sure the dogs are finding the non-coop laid eggs......

Oh- it's the light, not the temps, that affect laying {unless heat/cold extremes cause stress which can then affect laying}. I'm also in the south, but the year we had a week of -14-11 daytime high temps, the chooks continued to lay at their normal winter rate-somewhat reduced to reflect the shorter daylight hours, but they never stopped.

 

[ReillyJ]

Chickens have two juvenile molts before the big adult molt. I wouldn't worry about it.

On another note- scratch is usually mostly corn. Great for a heat boost when very cold, but basically no nutritional value.

Scratch n Peck is an organic LAYER feed

 

[ReillyJ]

General rule of thumb is 1/2-1 cup 1-2x a day.

. My kids get a total of 1 cup a day; free ranging. What I feed is seriously gonw in less than 10 minutes. Even though there's room for pretty much everyone at the trough, I still hang back and watch to make sure everyone eats. I've got some serious pigs out there.

AGGGHHH i'm so jealous. My hens are not thrilled with it, so envious of those who have chickens that gobble it up!

Also yes, although i'm now grinding the Scratch n Peck LAYER feed to thoroughly mix the fines and grains/seeds, i am fermenting it all (i do realize grains/seeds when ground lose value quickly but i'm fermenting and if i don't grind then they will just pick it out so i have to do what i feel is best)

ALso if eggs aren't that high in protein, in addition to meal worms, what should i be feeding my hens that look like they are molting? I do give some BOSS but it looks like 1/4 cup is only 6 grams. I have tuna that i can give them, just unsure about amounts of extra's outside of their feed.

It's been suggested to get some Starter and feed that while they're molting, it'll take 4 days to ferment that or maybe i shouldn't bother fermenting that? Sorry..SO many things i need to figure out and on top of that,
my Wyandotte Lucy looks like she's limping--she WILL NOT let me touch or pick her up. NO money for a vet, i give them organic and go to the food bank myself One reason i really wanted them to love FF-to try to keep them as healthy as possible.

 

[Tikkijane]

Scratch n Peck is an organic LAYER feed

I'm not talking about the brand- I'm talking about scratch grains in general.

 

[LindaB220]

AGGGHHH i'm so jealous. My hens are not thrilled with it, so envious of those who have chickens that gobble it up!

Also yes, although i'm now grinding the Scratch n Peck LAYER feed to thoroughly mix the fines and grains/seeds, i am fermenting it all (i do realize grains/seeds when ground lose value quickly but i'm fermenting and if i don't grind then they will just pick it out so i have to do what i feel is best)

ALso if eggs aren't that high in protein, in addition to meal worms, what should i be feeding my hens that look like they are molting? I do give some BOSS but it looks like 1/4 cup is only 6 grams. I have tuna that i can give them, just unsure about amounts of extra's outside of their feed.

It's been suggested to get some Starter and feed that while they're molting, it'll take 4 days to ferment that or maybe i shouldn't bother fermenting that? Sorry..SO many things i need to figure out and on top of that,
my Wyandotte Lucy looks like she's limping--she WILL NOT let me touch or pick her up. NO money for a vet, i give them organic and go to the food bank myself One reason i really wanted them to love FF-to try to keep them as healthy as possible.

Do not give up on this, Reilly J. You're over thinking it and worrying about it. Take out their dry food and let them get accustomed to it. They will not starve I promise you. I've been faced with the same thing. Tiny 4 week old pullets wanted only dry and I moved them to the big girls coop (8 wk old) I only feed Fermented in the coop so they had no choice. In one day that's all they want. And they run just as fast to get to the bowl.

It's true that older birds are harder to change but persevere and they will be so healthy. All of mine are wonderfully healthy and happy.

 

[ReillyJ]

Do not give up on this, Reilly J. You're over thinking it and worrying about it. Take out their dry food and let them get accustomed to it. They will not starve I promise you. I've been faced with the same thing. Tiny 4 week old pullets wanted only dry and I moved them to the big girls coop (8 wk old) I only feed Fermented in the coop so they had no choice. In one day that's all they want. And they run just as fast to get to the bowl.

It's true that older birds are harder to change but persevere and they will be so healthy. All of mine are wonderfully healthy and happy.

TY SO MUCH, i've been asked by others not to give up and i won't!! They DO eat it but not with gusto so they'll have to get used to it! (also it's the same food they've been eating for awhile, just not moistened but fermented

I'm not talking about the brand- I'm talking about scratch grains in general.

oooh that's your blog? Your blog is the one that compelled me to start fermenting because of the ease of it!!

Yep i know that you were addressing someone else, the Scratch n Peck label is a bit misleading though--just wanted to clear it up for those who don't know it. They make all kinds of organic feed based here in the NW.

 

[Tikkijane]

AGGGHHH i'm so jealous. My hens are not thrilled with it, so envious of those who have chickens that gobble it up!

Also yes, although i'm now grinding the Scratch n Peck LAYER feed to thoroughly mix the fines and grains/seeds, i am fermenting it all (i do realize grains/seeds when ground lose value quickly but i'm fermenting and if i don't grind then they will just pick it out so i have to do what i feel is best)

ALso if eggs aren't that high in protein, in addition to meal worms, what should i be feeding my hens that look like they are molting? I do give some BOSS but it looks like 1/4 cup is only 6 grams. I have tuna that i can give them, just unsure about amounts of extra's outside of their feed. 

It's been suggested to get some Starter and feed that while they're molting, it'll take 4 days to ferment that or maybe i shouldn't bother fermenting that? Sorry..SO many things i need to figure out and on top of that,
my Wyandotte Lucy looks like she's limping--she WILL NOT let me touch or pick her up. NO money for a vet, i give them organic and go to the food bank myself  One reason i really wanted them to love FF-to try to keep them as healthy as possible.

Do not give up on this,  Reilly J.   You're over thinking it and worrying about it.   Take out their dry food and let them get accustomed to it.  They will not starve I promise you.  I've been faced with the same thing.    Tiny 4 week old pullets wanted only dry and I moved them to the big girls coop (8 wk old) I only feed Fermented in the coop so they had no choice.  In one day that's all they want.  And they run just as fast to get to the bowl.      It's true that older birds are harder to change but persevere and they will be so healthy.  All of mine are wonderfully  healthy and happy.

Agreed. It's not a big thing. They aren't going to starve.

Molting is a normal thing that is supposed to happen. Mine have breezed through on regular layer with a bit of a protein boost. If they are molting, they are likely not laying, but because mine are different ages and stages, I don't worry about it too awfully much.


I ONLY feed fermented. That's it.