FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[evemfoster]

Guys please weigh in but i think i'm going to start offering pellet feed in addition to FF as much as i hate too because the FF i'm giving is an organic one but i'm kind of concerned about the weight of my hens, never had chickens before 4 months ago so really don't know what to expect and i think they went through a mild molt and look a bit scrawny to me and they've been on FF about 3 wks and seem to like it ok but don't go NUTSO like y'all are seeing but i'm concerned so maybe i'll offer pellets on the side especially for one of my hens...

IDK what to choose, used Layena before but have been told it's basic crap so yea--idk what to do Kind of sick of worrying about it.

Also i free range my hens and one of them sometimes occasionally want to try to roost outside in the trees come roosting time (OLD habits) and tonight i went to shut the coop door and all were in but her and i looked in all the trees and found her in an outside nest on the ground which is really weird to me but i chased her out of there and she went immediately to the coop.

IDK, was really hoping they would flourish on the FF, i also give them BOSS (shelled) and meal worms every day. The one that was outside is the one i'm kind of concerned about eating the FF and i'm thinking of pellets

If you have to give the hen pellets on the side to keep her healthy i would do so while trying to figure out what else will work.

But I would also try adding pellets into the FF you have been making, just see if the combination of the two feeds is more acceptable to your hen. Fermenting does improve the feed, even Layena improves with fermenting. I am fermenting their Start & Grow and having good luck with it. The more expensive Nutrina's only big cry to fame is that it is enhanced with probiotics. And probiotics is the big thing you are adding when you ferment. I have always thought of fermenting as taking the cheep feed and turning it into the more expensive feed.

If you decide to try mixing the feeds let us know how well it worked.

 

[ReillyJ]

If your hens are free ranging, they are probably getting a LARGE part of their diet outside of the coop. When winter arrives, their FF consumption will be very noticable. Any treats should only equal about 10% of their total diet.

Thanks!

Sometimes i think it may be OVER estimated just how much they glean from free ranging. I am just worried about the lack of plumpness especially after transitioning them to FF. WHAT IF they (i'm especially possibly concerned about one hen) do not like it and do not end up consuming enough? Maybe it's because they went through a molt and are active due to free ranging--i started letting them out around July 25th after being penned up for about 5 weeks to get used to living here so maybe that's it?

I am not knowledgeable about these things but they seem kind of on the thinner side (like i said it could be due to a mild molt and being more active) BUT i don't want to force FF on them if especially they're not going to eat enough.

 

[ReillyJ]

If you have to give the hen pellets on the side to keep her healthy i would do so while trying to figure out what else will work.

But I would also try adding pellets into the FF you have been making, just see if the combination of the two feeds is more acceptable to your hen. Fermenting does improve the feed, even Layena improves with fermenting. I am fermenting their Start & Grow and having good luck with it. The more expensive Nutrina's only big cry to fame is that it is enhanced with probiotics. And probiotics is the big thing you are adding when you ferment. I have always thought of fermenting as taking the cheep feed and turning it into the more expensive feed.

If you decide to try mixing the feeds let us know how well it worked.

Thanks, i have some left over pellets from a local hay/grain (their generic--ugh) that i can offer. Don't really want to but hey, i guess i'll have to unless i'm imaging it all

Or i can offer the Scratch n Peck organic seeds/fines layer feed that i am fermenting just moistened on the side for her to see if she likes that rather than the fermented...

i think i'll ferment the pellets also, i just cannot help trying to improve health, it's in my blood--just am on a major learning curve when it comes to chickens, didn't have them until 4 months ago or so!

 

[enola]

What breed of hens do you have? Have you weighed them? Something to remember is chickens don't fatten like people do. We accumulate fat on the outside of our muscles. Most of a hen's fat will be in her body cavity. Hens with accumulated fat develop all sorts of health issues.

Do your hens keel bones feel sharp? If they are laying how many eggs do you get from them?

 

[ReillyJ]

What breed of hens do you have? Have you weighed them? Something to remember is chickens don't fatten like people do. We accumulate fat on the outside of our muscles. Most of a hen's fat will be in her body cavity. Hens with accumulated fat develop all sorts of health issues.

Do your hens keel bones feel sharp? If they are laying how many eggs do you get from them?

Hi! it's in my sig post (1 Wyandotte, 1 Red Sex Link or RIR, idk and 2 Easter Eggers...they just look a bit less plump than about a month ago but i know they went through a molt and that's also when i changed the feed and they've been out free ranging and exercising. I get now maybe 1-2 eggs a day even through the molt but daylight hrs are dwindling fast. And they don't really let me handle them, i can feel them when they're on the roost, i can kind of feel breast bone if that makes sense. Doing the best i can! I guess it wouldn't hurt to offer a pellet even though to me it's a giant step backward but it doesn't mean they'll solely eat that, when i started the organic Scratch n Peck Layer feed (no corn or soy) i mixed it w/water to bind the fines and seeds (WISH it came in pellet form..would make life a whole lot easier) and they preferred that over the pellets but i have to do what i feel is right. i can post a very recent pic but i doubt that would really tell about their weight?

It's when i see them head on they really look not as plump as they used to do. Maybe i over think things and worry but maybe i'm not?

 

[evemfoster]

Hi! it's in my sig post (1 Wyandotte, 1 Red Sex Link or RIR, idk and 2 Easter Eggers...they just look a bit less plump than about a month ago but i know they went through a molt and that's also when i changed the feed and they've been out free ranging and exercising. I get now maybe 1-2 eggs a day even through the molt but daylight hrs are dwindling fast. And they don't really let me handle them, i can feel them when they're on the roost, i can kind of feel breast bone if that makes sense. Doing the best i can! I guess it wouldn't hurt to offer a pellet even though to me it's a giant step backward but it doesn't mean they'll solely eat that, when i started the organic Scratch n Peck Layer feed (no corn or soy) i mixed it w/water to bind the fines and seeds (WISH it came in pellet form..would make life a whole lot easier) and they preferred that over the pellets but i have to do what i feel is right. i can post a very recent pic but i doubt that would really tell about their weight?

It's when i see them head on they really look not as plump as they used to do. Maybe i over think things and worry but maybe i'm not?

Reilly, Its hard to tell how well the chickens are doing without a good profile photo.

This is an old thread that no one has been posting to in a while. It was started by Beekissed who doesn't seem to be here anymore. She is a wonder, having a great amount of knowledge about chickens and home stile remedies that work. A firm believer in prevention and healthy conditions for her chickens. She rescued a old flock of hers from a bad situation and took the readers one day at a time through there recovery. With great explanations about everything she was seeing and doing.

If you read the whole thread ignore the part about adding vinegar to the FF we now know that its totally unnecessary and to be fair Beekissed was just learning about FF at the time.

This link should take you to or near to page 25 post 243. In the post Beekissed does a great job explaining the visual differences between a healthy weight chicken and a underweight one. With great photos so you can see the difference. The thread is packed with great information and is a truly huge, with 6387 posts in the thread. I have only gotten to page 131 and i have been reading the thread in my spar time for 2 months.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...rors-anyone-want-to-follow-their-progress/240

Hope it helps.

 

[ReillyJ]

Reilly, Its hard to tell how well the chickens are doing without a good profile photo.

This is an old thread that no one has been posting to in a while. It was started by Beekissed who doesn't seem to be here anymore. She is a wonder, having a great amount of knowledge about chickens and home stile remedies that work. A firm believer in prevention and healthy conditions for her chickens. She rescued a old flock of hers from a bad situation and took the readers one day at a time through there recovery. With great explanations about everything she was seeing and doing.

If you read the whole thread ignore the part about adding vinegar to the FF we now know that its totally unnecessary and to be fair Beekissed was just learning about FF at the time.

This link should take you to or near to page 25 post 243. In the post Beekissed does a great job explaining the visual differences between a healthy weight chicken and a underweight one. With great photos so you can see the difference. The thread is packed with great information and is a truly huge, with 6387 posts in the thread. I have only gotten to page 131 and i have been reading the thread in my spar time for 2 months.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...rors-anyone-want-to-follow-their-progress/240

Hope it helps.

Thanks! Yes i've read through lots of this original thread til my eyes cross and probably skimmed over this because i wasn't concerned then, haven't read the entire thread obviously but do know ACV isn't needed and that Bee isn't posting here anymore

I'll try to get some better pics tomorrow. Really...all i can do is continue to offer FF and the small treats (shelled BOSS and mealworms) and free range and the best food i can get which is all i know... Scratch n Peck organic Layer feed 20% protein, i don't know what else to do frankly except start offering standard commercial (yuck) Layer pellets and see if things change. I do know they DO eat the FF and get some food free range i imagine, other than that... have no clue what else i could do for them in the way of nutrition.

Also isn't it normal this time of year for egg production to slow (it hasn't stopped)? Also since i think about a month ago or so they started a molt, started seeing the downy feathers everywhere and then a bit later a bit of the larger feathers, still a bit of feathers poking here/there out of them.

 

[BY Chicken Lady]

Guys please weigh in but i think i'm going to start offering pellet feed in addition to FF as much as i hate too because the FF i'm giving is an organic one but i'm kind of concerned about the weight of my hens, never had chickens before 4 months ago so really don't know what to expect and i think they went through a mild molt and look a bit scrawny to me and they've been on FF about 3 wks and seem to like it ok but don't go NUTSO like y'all are seeing but i'm concerned so maybe i'll offer pellets on the side especially for one of my hens...

IDK what to choose, used Layena before but have been told it's basic crap so yea--idk what to do Kind of sick of worrying about it.

Also i free range my hens and one of them sometimes occasionally want to try to roost outside in the trees come roosting time (OLD habits) and tonight i went to shut the coop door and all were in but her and i looked in all the trees and found her in an outside nest on the ground which is really weird to me but i chased her out of there and she went immediately to the coop.

IDK, was really hoping they would flourish on the FF, i also give them BOSS (shelled) and meal worms every day. The one that was outside is the one i'm kind of concerned about eating the FF and i'm thinking of pellets

I feed my girls FF as their primary, first of the morning meal. But I always have the same feed available in dry form in their treadle feeder so they can eat more if they want more. If I notice they seem to be really going thru the dry feed then I increase the FF. Seems to keep them fit and satisfied. Nothing wrong with offering them dry as a supplement. They also get bugs, grasses, veggie scraps, etc.

 

[Tikkijane]

Geez i wish mine acted like they love it but i think they eat it ok, i think it would be better if it was pellets fermented instead of organic seeds and fines as the seeds stay intact but it seems they are eating it ok

Been feeding FF for almost 3 weeks and honestly don't see a jump in health or esp body weight or glossy feathers, i think they've been going through a mild molt though.

Also, anyone weigh in but i think i may need a bigger bucket for FF. I have 4 hens and i do it now in a plastic rectangle bin and i have to add new feed about every 3 days which i think is too soon? Probably be better if it was larger and once a week so it ferments well??

Also i have never seen white or brown stuff or bubbles or ANYTHING like that..i stir well at least twice daily and keep it covered w/newspaper, all i can tell if it's fermented is it has a sour smell to it. Probably going to get an actual bucket today and try things like that. 

Also it seems like they like it on the drier side, like dry oatmeal cookie dough, hope that's ok

Wish i could see a "beautifying" in my hens like everyone else seems to and especially wish they would go nuts over it like everyone else seems to experience But they do eat it..... (they also free range and get worms and BOSS)

Picture? Anything with a hull/husk is going to be harder to ferment. Me, personally, I like it simple. I stick with regular commercial feed.

 

[BY Chicken Lady]

Geez i wish mine acted like they love it but i think they eat it ok, i think it would be better if it was pellets fermented instead of organic seeds and fines as the seeds stay intact but it seems they are eating it ok

Been feeding FF for almost 3 weeks and honestly don't see a jump in health or esp body weight or glossy feathers, i think they've been going through a mild molt though.

Also, anyone weigh in but i think i may need a bigger bucket for FF. I have 4 hens and i do it now in a plastic rectangle bin and i have to add new feed about every 3 days which i think is too soon? Probably be better if it was larger and once a week so it ferments well??

Also i have never seen white or brown stuff or bubbles or ANYTHING like that..i stir well at least twice daily and keep it covered w/newspaper, all i can tell if it's fermented is it has a sour smell to it. Probably going to get an actual bucket today and try things like that. 

Also it seems like they like it on the drier side, like dry oatmeal cookie dough, hope that's ok

Wish i could see a "beautifying" in my hens like everyone else seems to and especially wish they would go nuts over it like everyone else seems to experience But they do eat it..... (they also free range and get worms and BOSS)

From what I've learned through lots of research, the bacteria that causes the fermenting needs to be fed, so adding more water and feed to the batch as you remove some in feeding is important. Let too long without being fed can allow the bad bacteria to take over.

Also it needs to be wet. I keep at least an inch of water above the feed. I sift thru a strainer to separate the bulk of water from the wet feed as I serve it up each morning.