Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[BCMaraniac]

TW, Your Buckeyes are really pretty. One of the guys my DH works with is getting ready to start raising Buckeyes, and I may be able to get hatching eggs. I figure if my hubby brings home fertilized eggs, then he is giving me the green light......LOL.

 

[Triple Willow]

TW,  Your Buckeyes are really pretty.  One of the guys my DH works with is getting ready to start raising Buckeyes, and I may be able to get hatching eggs.  I figure if my hubby brings home fertilized eggs, then he is giving me the green light......LOL.

That's great. I'd like to see how they cross with your Marans and I bet a capon of that cross would be huge. Be sure you let me know if you ever do that. I'd like to see the results.

 

[MEMama3]

That sounds like a great idea. I even have a Tupperware thingy to do the yolks with. It seems to be my whites that tear up so bad.

How old are the eggs? This is one of those times where fresher isn't better. Two weeks or older works best.

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

Found this post over on another thread and I'm still scratching my head as to how this could be, the birds were malnourished ??? I can't understand if this person is doing exactly what they say they are then how can the results be what they are plus malnourished ?? I'm confused.


I received the results on my 3 necropsied birds that I brought to the UMaine Animal Health Lab in Orono. The vet at the lab also called to discuss them. I have to say I'm disappointed...in myself. Bird 1 had mites. Bird 2 had extensive severe peritonitis. Bird 3 had worms and coccidosis. All showed signs of malnutrition. I could have cried when I read that!! I ferment my feed, mix BOSS, flax seed & alfalfa pellets in with it. Let them free range when I can. They were getting leftover veggies from the local healthfood store and leftovers from our kitchen. I put ACV w/mother in their water. My husband constantly says those birds eat better than he does. I had treated everyone for mites & worms several weeks ago. Did 2 extensive coop clean outs. They said all 3 birds had undeveloped ovary and oviduct and would have probably never laid eggs.

They recommended:
1. test a fecal sample for parasites in the remaining birds
2. Don't ferment it; feed as instructed on the label. this is really important. Check your feed for freshness.
3. Add a vitamin mix to one of the waterers, follow label instructions.
4. Be sure to have enough feeder and waterer space and EXTRA so that low-ranking birds can all get feed and water simultaneous with the high-ranking ones.
5. Be sure your birds have grit/fine gravel so their gizzards can work.
6. Keep coops/housing clean, well-bedded and adequately ventilated in winter, so you don't notice an ammonia smell.
7. Get a copy of the Chicken health Handbook by Gail Damerow; useful info!
8. Weigh your birds, records results and send to the lab.

I have 2 waterers for 15 birds 1 in the pen & 1 in the coop. They said to add another one. I think I have enough feeder space with a small 2 cup dish, a 12 x 12 dish, and the 5’ gutter feeder in the pen. I also have three 7 cup PVC pipe feeders in the coop for dry feed.

 

[BCMaraniac]

That's great. I'd like to see how they cross with your Marans and I bet a capon of that cross would be huge. Be sure you let me know if you ever do that. I'd like to see the results.

I think you are right. If I get Buckeyes, the cross would be a project for 2015. I ate Marans for the first time this past weekend.....a virtually intact male(caponization gone awry in my very first attempts), nearly 8 months old, and it was delicious. And the broth.....oh my goodness was it rich and flavorful. I knew they were supposed to be good meat birds, but I was blown away. I can't wait to try a capon. I know it sounds crazy to be planning to breed the birds without ever having eaten one.

My decision to breed them for meat was from reading, and observing the meatiness of my hens. I guess it was a good choice, judging by the flavor of the one I had over the weekend.

 

[BCMaraniac]

I could sneak you some eggs then when they hatch out you could say,"What in the world!!! What has happened to my Marans!!!" Then blame your husband for pulling a quick one on you. hahaha

That would work......hopefully he will bring some home from his coworker. who is just got a rooster and is getting ready to start raising them.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Sure is pretty...even when viewed sideways!!!

very pretty

 

[RoseMarie1]

A fermented face only a mother could love lol...

LOL TW looks like mine. lol

 

[RoseMarie1]

Wanted to tell you all I hope you have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!!!! Don't eat too much turkey.

 

[Beekissed]

Found this post over on another thread and I'm still scratching my head as to how this could be, the birds were malnourished ??? I can't understand if this person is doing exactly what they say they are then how can the results be what they are plus malnourished ?? I'm confused.


I received the results on my 3 necropsied birds that I brought to the UMaine Animal Health Lab in Orono. The vet at the lab also called to discuss them. I have to say I'm disappointed...in myself. Bird 1 had mites. Bird 2 had extensive severe peritonitis. Bird 3 had worms and coccidosis. All showed signs of malnutrition. I could have cried when I read that!! I ferment my feed, mix BOSS, flax seed & alfalfa pellets in with it. Let them free range when I can. They were getting leftover veggies from the local healthfood store and leftovers from our kitchen. I put ACV w/mother in their water. My husband constantly says those birds eat better than he does. I had treated everyone for mites & worms several weeks ago. Did 2 extensive coop clean outs. They said all 3 birds had undeveloped ovary and oviduct and would have probably never laid eggs.

They recommended:
1. test a fecal sample for parasites in the remaining birds
2. Don't ferment it; feed as instructed on the label. this is really important. Check your feed for freshness.
3. Add a vitamin mix to one of the waterers, follow label instructions.
4. Be sure to have enough feeder and waterer space and EXTRA so that low-ranking birds can all get feed and water simultaneous with the high-ranking ones.
5. Be sure your birds have grit/fine gravel so their gizzards can work.
6. Keep coops/housing clean, well-bedded and adequately ventilated in winter, so you don't notice an ammonia smell.
7. Get a copy of the Chicken health Handbook by Gail Damerow; useful info!
8. Weigh your birds, records results and send to the lab.

I have 2 waterers for 15 birds 1 in the pen & 1 in the coop. They said to add another one. I think I have enough feeder space with a small 2 cup dish, a 12 x 12 dish, and the 5’ gutter feeder in the pen. I also have three 7 cup PVC pipe feeders in the coop for dry feed.

We don't know the whole story. Sounds to me like these birds weren't getting the best of care, no matter what was said or they wouldn't be dying and having all these issues. I've found what folks say is happening at their place and what is actually happening can be vastly different things.

Sometimes I read about how much people care and feed their chickens, listen to story after story about how they mix this or that special feed mix and do this or that thing to provide for their comfort...and then they post pics of the coop and run and the flock and you could knock me down with a feather! That anyone would post a pic of birds living in those kind of conditions and show the horrible appearance of their flock and think that's a normal thing never ceases to amaze me. I've seen flocks where it would take all the feathers on all the birds combined to cover one whole chicken adequately and conditions not fit for any poor animal to live in...but, by golly, they are dumping the feed to those critters like there is no tomorrow! As if overfeeding equals good care.

My sister has just such a place and my other sister has another. The two places I have been to collect cheap meat roosters are another example...that anyone would actually let anyone SEE how these animals were kept and in what living conditions and think it was perfectly okay that chickens were raised in such a manner tells me what people think is adequate care...which is vastly different from what I think is adequate care. If a person can't take one look at the flock itself and determine something is wrong with that picture, they are surely not equipped to take care of any animal, be it chicken or otherwise.

That this person has birds dying and of three different causes and all three were malnourished, something is wrong with the big picture...and it's the big picture we are not seeing described by the owner of the birds.