Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Kassaundra]

That's one consideration, for sure. How do your trash cans hold up to the weather and such when filled with FF? Mine would be in the coop, so it wouldn't get much exposure to the elements but it would still be exposed to temp fluctuations. The buckets seem to last for years upon years being left outside in the elements, so I'm thinking they have a different toughness of the plastic as well.

The trash cans hold up well, still on my first one. The 5 gallon buckets also stand up well to the elements and freeze/thaw situations, but the indoor plastic totes do not.

 

[LOVEIGEE]

Hey, Sis in C!!!!

Where you been, girl! With the new chicks they pecked at the red plastic on the nipples and would accidentally hit the nipple bar, getting water...they learned it so fast and all I had to do was peck at the nipples first myself. They are naturally curious and will do a monkey see, monkey do training on the rest of the chicks.

Now, my older birds? Never had any luck training my older flock to the straight nipples and never tried them on the nipple cup waterer more than a little while...they didn't seem to get it even when I baited the cup with BOSS several times. BUT...the pen of cheap meats learned it right away, led by BUD, and used it wonderfully. It was simply wonderful to have them use the nipple bucket verses a water pan.

If I wanted to get serious about the older birds on it, I could lock them down for a couple of weeks and see if they finally learned it but with them getting a lot of moisture from the FF they never seem thirsty enough to access it.

Folks do both...it doesn't really matter.

Ditto on the ladybugs...they have made their annual appearance here also.

I'm here BF everyday! Work has been heavy and the days shorter, but I try to read most of everything......the phone always rings when I try to post.......service, service, service.....I work for a heating and air company.......accounting, but when the phones are crazy, I do that too!

Miss my communications on here and with you too......KEEPING MY EYES ON "C" THOUGH.....

 

[JesNflock]

 

[armorfirelady]

I made an insulated box to see if the ff would not freeze during the winter. We have temp down into the teens and below regularly here.

The box didn't cost me a thing. I had all the materials here. Only cost was my time.

I put a thermometer inside to see what the temperature difference is between inside the box and outside.
I came up with the idea after seeing one built for a stock tank

 

[Triple Willow]

Hi there JesNflock. Welcome to the neighborhood.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

Quote: Hmmm lime away . . . . . or vinegar? Love all the jobs vinegar can do!!

Quote: Hi Lisa!!

I asked in another thread and I'll ask here too. Do you put your birds in a bag or whatever you use for freezing, first, or do you let them "rest" in the fridge nekkid before bagging and freezing? I'm in the process of processing lol. I'm having a bit of trouble with swarms of ladybugs, they get between my glasses and what I'm looking at and down my shirt lol they tickle. Almost mistook my finger for something I wanted to cut off....

Walt

MIne go immediately to destination. I don't have room in m huge refrig for more than one bird. Off to freezer or oven asap.

I made an insulated box to see if the ff would not freeze during the winter. We have temp down into the teens and below regularly here.

The box didn't cost me a thing. I had all the materials here. Only cost was my time.

I put a thermometer inside to see what the temperature difference is between inside the box and outside.
I came up with the idea after seeing one built for a stock tank

THis looks like a cute refrigerator. ANd I have wanted to make one for the stock tanks for years . . just never get around t o it.

 

[JesNflock]

Thank you Triple Willow! I've been reading through these posts..trying to catch up here (there are quite a few) but hopefully by the time I get near the end I will know most there is to know about fermenting feed and will have my own questions or just be able to join in on the topic

 

[Triple Willow]

Thank you Triple Willow! I've been reading through these posts..trying to catch up here (there are quite a few) but hopefully by the time I get near the end I will know most there is to know about fermenting feed and will have my own questions or just be able to join in on the topic

Sounds great!

 

[MargaretYakoda]

I made an insulated box to see if the ff would not freeze during the winter. We have temp down into the teens and below regularly here.

The box didn't cost me a thing. I had all the materials here. Only cost was my time.

I put a thermometer inside to see what the temperature difference is between inside the box and outside.
I came up with the idea after seeing one built for a stock tank

Looking at your setup made me think about if it would be possible to use an old Coleman cooler like this one http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-30000...qid=1383188028&sr=8-5&keywords=coleman+cooler I'm thinking just put the FF in and close the lid.
We don't usually get very cold winters here. Sometimes the temp gets down to the high 20's but that's rare. Maybe once every other year or so. Would that work OK maybe?

 

[beverly evans]

I wish I had moved to a bigger container back when I had the meaties because I was replenishing feed every night or every other night. But, then, that was my first experience with the process and I hadn't really had a handle on it yet. If I had to do it all over again, I'd have just moved to a big, 30+ gal. tote and mixed big batches like Kassaundra does...easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

My flock is small enough that my 5 gal. bucket suits it perfectly, but if ever I had that much stock again, I'd definitely move up on the total FF being fermented at one time.

I currently have 9 chickens, managed to give away one rooster for breeding. How many 5 gal buckets do I need to have enough ff going to keep my cks. in feed? I have yet to buy the grain. Need to get supplies first. One for barley, what are two others that are best for ff. Then there are flats to sprout BOSS and barley in. What else sprouts well?? Gotta do this right! Teach me. : )