FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[Leahs Mom]

@Miss Lydia
Thank you. Is the "tupperware" container under it to catch spillage?

 

[ShanandGem]

That sounds cold!

We had an overnight low of 36 degrees F, and our roofs and grass were frozen solid. Even the water bowls. Best I can figure is maybe the salt in the air from being on the coast somehow makes it seem colder? And of courser the humidity is always high.

It's hard for me to grasp frost when it's that "warm".

We get one or two cold snaps to those temperatures every winter, and for a few days at a time I don't mind it, but we're into week 3 and I am losing my sense of humor.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Miss Lydia
Thank you. Is the "tupperware" container under it to catch spillage?

Nope just a plastic container that came with a lid

 

[azygous]

It's tempting to just feed dry crumbles when it's zero degrees. Today the FF was freezing in minutes, before the flock had a chance to finish it. I made three trips out to replenish the frozen solid FF with fresh from the buckets in the house, and I slapped myself upside the head. For heaven's sake, just get another cookie tin warmer out, plug the thing in and set a dog bowl of FF on top.

Now I'm inside where it's cozy and warm instead of treking out every half hour to switch out frozen FF.

 

[mobius]

Lol @azygous mine get a nice helping in the a.m., all warmed up. They usually finish it all pretty quickly. Then they have crumbles as backup! that's how I do it anyway! Heated dog bowl a good idea!

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

Hi. I'm on post #2040 & still reading. I've been doing fermented feed for almost a month now. I put out feed I the am or early afternoon depending on how slow I am. My birds except for 2 cockerels have free of the yard. My flock is mixed for ages & breeds. I've 4 about 1.5 yrs, 13 that are almost 9 months old, & 15 that are almost 6 months. I'm feeding 2 parts flock raiser, 1 part barley-flaked corn-protein pellet, & now 1 part bunny pellets. I added the bunny pellets because I have been catching them eating it so figured they need it. I've a mix of ameraucana, bantam cochins, sex links, polish, bantam sultans, oegb, bantam Brahma, & crevecoeur. I'm feeding half a round 14lb frosting bucket (haven't measured cups) that's gone generally before night. My crazy birds did eat less out of bowls to to do just putting it on the ground. So it's on the ground. My problem is that I can feel sharp breastbones & see that line down the middle of the chest on the tighter feather birds. I've given 2 pumpkins since Halloween & am fermenting tomatoes, jalapenos, & pumpkin now. Feathers look great, bright eyed, active, no sign of worms in poop, good poops, & hormones starting for the younger. How can I get weight on? We hit the 20s last night & I've several who won't coop, they prefer the patio. My coops are open front & dog crates with wood leaned against. I'm working on changing, slow due to being disabled & life crappy events. Thanks

 

[lazy gardener]

What kind of feed are you giving them? You've mentioned tomatoes, jalapenos and pumpkins. That should be a very tiny bit of their diet. What are you giving them for a balanced feed? I would not ferment the veggies, just give them straight, and again, just a tiny bit of their total diet.

 

[Leigti]

Hi. I'm on post #2040 & still reading. I've been doing fermented feed for almost a month now. I put out feed I the am or early afternoon depending on how slow I am. My birds except for 2 cockerels have free of the yard. My flock is mixed for ages & breeds. I've 4 about 1.5 yrs, 13 that are almost 9 months old, & 15 that are almost 6 months. I'm feeding 2 parts flock raiser, 1 part barley-flaked corn-protein pellet, & now 1 part bunny pellets. I added the bunny pellets because I have been catching them eating it so figured they need it. I've a mix of ameraucana, bantam cochins, sex links, polish, bantam sultans, oegb, bantam Brahma, & crevecoeur. I'm feeding half a round 14lb frosting bucket (haven't measured cups) that's gone generally before night. My crazy birds did eat less out of bowls to to do just putting it on the ground. So it's on the ground. My problem is that I can feel sharp breastbones & see that line down the middle of the chest on the tighter feather birds. I've given 2 pumpkins since Halloween & am fermenting tomatoes, jalapenos, & pumpkin now. Feathers look great, bright eyed, active, no sign of worms in poop, good poops, & hormones starting for the younger. How can I get weight on? We hit the 20s last night & I've several who won't coop, they prefer the patio. My coops are open front & dog crates with wood leaned against. I'm working on changing, slow due to being disabled & life crappy events. Thanks

With all your birds being different ages etc. I would feed a grower pellet or flock raiser type food. You can put oyster shell on the side for the ones that will need it. Try some Black oil sunflower seeds also as treats.

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

What kind of feed are you giving them?  You've mentioned tomatoes, jalapenos and pumpkins.  That should be a very tiny bit of their diet.  What are you giving them for a balanced feed?  I would not ferment the veggies, just give them straight, and again, just a tiny bit of their total diet.

With all your birds being different ages etc. I would feed a grower pellet or flock raiser type food. You can put oyster shell on the side for the ones that will need it. Try some Black oil sunflower seeds also as treats.

I'm feeding flock raiser (2 parts), barley-corn-protein pellet (1 part), & bunny pellets (1 part). Just added the bunny food since they've been eating it anyway figured better to ferment it with their stuff. (Be nice if they'd leave the pellets for the bun, but not counting on it). I just started the ferment the vegs to give as treats since they'd started to go bad anyway. I added a pumpkin just to up the mix. I do keep oyster shell out free choice. Feathers look shiny, almost greasy. With our weather the combs are dry looking. I'm just concerned about feeling the keel so sharply & the line down the chest. There's no real forage except what leaves they get from the mesquite, compost pile, couple of fruit trees & any mesquite pods they can break down that's still around. So I give vegs so often, but not a lot. From what the lady at the feedstore said it seems a lot of people this year are having similar issues. Just in case I figure the peppers & pumpkin should help if I'm missing seeing any worms. If not, bonus to them either way. I'm just wondering how to get some weight on them. Even debated about giving them some coconut oil for healthy fat.

 

[Beekissed]

Try just fermenting your flock raiser and feeding that for awhile, leaving out all the other things mixed in. The veggies and pumpkins and whatnot can be fed free choice later on but they really need the more balanced feed if they are losing condition, especially in this cold weather.