Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[JesNflock]

This morning I let everyone out to free range, like I normally do, and after being out for only a few hours we get a visitor...

A hawk I'm guessing
My Roo did not see it. Did NOT sound the alarm(like he does for EVERYTHING else!) I only saw it because it had been flying around, and I saw where he went. ( Then there was about 4 more that were circling overhead..none of those stayed around though) I got really worried that my BSL was in the middle of the yard, where there aren't really any places to hide, so I shooed them up near the house, but after that bird kept hanging around I decided it wasn't worth the risk, so I ended their free range time

Maybe later we will be able to go out again if he gives up and moves on..I don't want to lose my small flock to a dang hawk

P.S. That hawk sure is pretty though...if he wasn't the enemy I wouldn't mind him hanging around! (maybe he'll catch a squirrel and move on lol)

 

[TexasLisa]

It looks like a hawk to me. Beautiful aren't they? I remember looking out the window a while back and there was a young hawk on the ground. My girls were walking by it like it wasn't there.



Lisa

 

[JesNflock]

It looks like a hawk to me. Beautiful aren't they? I remember looking out the window a while back and there was a young hawk on the ground. My girls were walking by it like it wasn't there.



Lisa

Oblivious to the danger...*sigh* I'm so paranoid about predators...lol It doesn't help that I was just looking at pics in a post where something (hawk, raccoon,dog etc) killed some of their flock. I would be DEVASTATED!

 

[BCMaraniac]

Okay, back on track... I started 3 jars of fermented seven-grain scratch feed. Tomorrow is day three. They will be on a three day cycle, dumping the water from the day three jar into the new jar with fresh grain each day. Have yet to see results this early, but I will be looking for a change in chicken poop soon! (Seriously, I will.) I had to put a paper towel and rubber band over the top of one jar to keep out gnats. The other two jars aren't attracting gnats. They were all started with unpasteurized ACV on the same day. Now I'm wondering if the gnat-attractant-jar is better or worse than the others. I'm assuming that the ones that are not attracting gnats are producing vinegar bacteria and the other is producing alcohol yeasts (which attract vinegar-bacteria-carrying gnats). I'm also assuming that the non-gnat attracting jars are going to be better for my chickens. How far off am I, and does yeast-colonized grain have any benefit?

I would almost be inclined to think that perhaps the one attracting gnats is more fermented than the others. Could one have more ACV in it than the other that could have caused it to ferment faster??

 

[BCMaraniac]

I want a rich cleaning lady.

If you want a rich cleaning lady, think again. If she is rich......and a cleaning lady.......then she has OCD...obsessive compulsive disorder and is germaphobic......not a good thing if you wanna have chickens........

 

[JesNflock]

About FF, mine doesn't smell ANYwhere near as strong as it did a few days after I first started it...maybe I'm not letting it ferment enough now between adding and taking out? I'm thinking I need to start another one (an additional one). One to let ferment a few days and one I've had fermenting already. Is that what you guys do or what do you think I'm doing wrong (if anything)








-BTW it's still in the same spot it was in when I started which is inside so I don't think temp has anything to do with it right now (and...still in the dang pickle jar. I SO need to UPgrade!) lol

 

[JesNflock]

Okay, back on track... I started 3 jars of fermented seven-grain scratch feed. Tomorrow is day three. They will be on a three day cycle, dumping the water from the day three jar into the new jar with fresh grain each day. Have yet to see results this early, but I will be looking for a change in chicken poop soon! (Seriously, I will.) I had to put a paper towel and rubber band over the top of one jar to keep out gnats. The other two jars aren't attracting gnats. They were all started with unpasteurized ACV on the same day. Now I'm wondering if the gnat-attractant-jar is better or worse than the others. I'm assuming that the ones that are not attracting gnats are producing vinegar bacteria and the other is producing alcohol yeasts (which attract vinegar-bacteria-carrying gnats). I'm also assuming that the non-gnat attracting jars are going to be better for my chickens. How far off am I, and does yeast-colonized grain have any benefit?

Sorry, I know I have contributed to the "off-topicness"

 

[Kassaundra]

About FF, mine doesn't smell ANYwhere near as strong as it did a few days after I first started it...maybe I'm not letting it ferment enough now between adding and taking out? I'm thinking I need to start another one (an additional one). One to let ferment a few days and one I've had fermenting already. Is that what you guys do or what do you think I'm doing wrong (if anything)








-BTW it's still in the same spot it was in when I started which is inside so I don't think temp has anything to do with it right now (and...still in the dang pickle jar. I SO need to UPgrade!) lol

If your adding new everyday, yes, you probably are diluting your ferment, the grains need a minimum of a few days to get the insides fermented through those layers of protection on the seeds. But it does go through cycles.

 

[JesNflock]

If your adding new everyday, yes, you probably are diluting your ferment, the grains need a minimum of a few days to get the insides fermented through those layers of protection on the seeds. But it does go through cycles.

Ok. I had a feeling...Def need a BIGGER container! I started out giving about a cup but now probably 3 (I started giving to my younger ones as well)

 

[JesNflock]

Off topic again..but if any of you are able, can you check out my thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/newestpost/836464
I added a new pic of my BR and I hoping for some more opinions Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!