FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[Molpet]

I have enough birds a gallon jar wouldn't tide them over for more than a day... Since I'm using a five gallon bucket I left the lid off and put it where bugs wouldn't get to it for the first couple of days. Once it was good and started, I could tell by the smell, lol, I set the lid on top but don't keep it fastened at all. Now it's just maintenance. Add enough water as needed to keep a consistency something like peanut butter at room temperature.

I'm still trying to convert the chicks... they are not convinced and leave the food sitting until it dries out. Anybody got any advice? They range from one to two weeks old and I don't want to cut them off the dry food cold turkey until I can get them to at least try the FF. Right now they get within three inches, start shaking their heads and run for the opposite side of the brooder. Sheesh

take the wet feed (can be before it ferments or after) and sprinkle the dry on top.... I started my first hens that way and it sure worked for me

 

[Elyrian1]

Hmm, I'll have to try that Molpet, thank you. Try a couple of days with slightly moist food and move from there as well... I know .05 pounds less per day per chicken doesn't seem like much, but in my flock of nine that adds up to 160 pounds less per year. That is a significant enough savings to warrant the switch for me. I mean, that's about a hundred dollars I could feed into starting gardening... Or buying more chickens

 

[mobius]

Whee-hoo, we be doin' the math! Nice point @Elyrian1 ! That's what I am talkin' about!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hmm, I'll have to try that Molpet, thank you. Try a couple of days with slightly moist food and move from there as well... I know .05 pounds less per day per chicken doesn't seem like much, but in my flock of nine that adds up to 160 pounds less per year. That is a significant enough savings to warrant the switch for me. I mean, that's about a hundred dollars I could feed into starting gardening... Or buying more chickens

Now figure my flock is usually 50+, so the savings does add up. Plus I discovered a place to get my feed $3 cheaper per bag, which essentially gives me 1 free bag per month. I like shopping local but sometimes gotta go with my pocket.

And we aren't even adding the cost of having nice healthy birds.

I found if I filled the feeder they will go crazy every time I do that. By making my feeder big enough to be free choice all day long without me adding more, I no longer see the flurry of chickens acting like I just brought out treats.

And instead of dumbing down my nutrition with scratch... I toss out feed pellets and let them scratch for that on occasion. They might not appreciate it as much as they would the corn.. but they don't know that. yes they all love fodder or sprouts!

I am in the .18 range, with LUSH free range sun up to sun down. And it definitely varies according to the weather.

 

[mobius]

So (just keeping track) .18# per chicken per day means .02-.07# LESS in feed per chicen per day. That is 10%-28% less food when fermented! Hurray!

Keep it coming folks, we getting there!

 

[Kiki]

So (just keeping track) .18# per chicken per day means .02-.07# LESS in feed per chicen per day. That is 10%-28% less food when fermented! Hurray!

Keep it coming folks, we getting there!

You should/could start a list with user name/"numbers"??
Overtime someone adds their "numbers" you could add it to your list.
Then one day..once you have a long list post it as a picture?!?

 

[mobius]

You should/could start a list with user name/"numbers"??
Overtime someone adds their "numbers" you could add it to your list.
Then one day..once you have a long list post it as a picture?!?

Easily done!It may take folks a while to get a month's (or a few bags lol) worth of data....we will just keep it up!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

You are correct... I estimate my actual saving from FF at 10%. My breeds are all DP. With my feed cost, it's about $2.50/bird/month. And since they are DP, including molt time.. I figure I can average a dozen eggs/bird/month over the year (can't remember if that includes grow out time before POL). That put's my cost at $2.50/doz.

I do want to note one thing. My broody's do a great job teaching chicks to eat FF. Much easier than introducing myself. When I first tuck chicks under, mama doesn't come out for several days. I just put the feed close by. But I discovered some chicks were eating the sand in my coop before she started feeding them. So I put some dry crumbles on top of the FF. Of course mama thinks dry is a treat so she really enjoyed it. But before long I could see the FF on her beak and chicks grabbing at it. So with my prior broody's I never thought about the chicks eating sand while waiting for mama to teach them FF is food. They truly do not seem to comprehend that to start.

Note to whoever said their chickens don't "gag" on FF as much as dry, it's probably more like choking than gagging since chickens actually do not have a gag reflex and actually shake their heads to clear their throats.

KIKI, enjoyed the egg production article in your signature line. In particular the part that says breeders feed higher protein for hatching.

One month I even got over 400 eggs. But I'm such an anxious loser, that I hardly sell any. Still can't wait to see what my total for the year will be. Though with birds coming and going, it won't have too much relevance to my cost but more just a fun figure. I have at least started feeding some of the eggs back to the animals. And I'm considering getting a second fridge to keep my eggs fresher. And gosh, how hard can it be to get a couple of those egg flats for the fridge without having to buy them?! Standard cartons can't fit too many before the fridge is way over full. I'm actually going to call a local restaurant and see if she will save me few and I will bring my business there instead of paying for something online that they are tossing out daily.

 

[Kiki]

I love research/experiments/proof..be it from real "regular" people or "doctors".
I read as much as possible and I change my signature up all the time with different "good reads".

 

[Kiki]

That egg cart/restaurant idea is great..I'm borrowing it! THX!