Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Angelicisi]

Awww

TW...I'd spare your life if I had brought you home in a bunch of humans intended for food.    I'd spare you simply because you make me laugh....

 

[Triple Willow]

TW...I'd spare your life if I had brought you home in a bunch of humans intended for food.    I'd spare you simply because you make me laugh....

I don't know Bee, if you saw these hams you'd prolly sacrifice me! hahaha I'm glad I make you laugh.

 

[Triple Willow]

I just had something weird happen. I read somewhere that to see if eggs are good or not you can put them in water, the good ones sink to the bottom, kind of old one will stand on one end and bad ones will float. I just put some in water to boil and one was floating. I couldn't imagine it being old or bad so I cracked it, perfectly fine. Anybody have any idead about this or had it happen?

 

[Lacy Blues]

I just had something weird happen. I read somewhere that to see if eggs are good or not you can put them in water, the good ones sink to the bottom, kind of old one will stand on one end and bad ones will float. I just put some in water to boil and one was floating. I couldn't imagine it being old or bad so I cracked it, perfectly fine. Anybody have any idead about this or had it happen?

If it floats, it doesn't mean its bad, only that its old. The older an egg is, the drier it gets inside and the air cell at the top gets bigger and bigger. Still edible. Just not fresh.

 

[Triple Willow]

Do any of you guys have any good pickled eggs recipes? I'd like a sort of "sweet/sour" recipe and a hot one. Never made pickled eggs before.

 

[hellbender]

I'm getting away from FF 'til spring. I will consider re-starting after the spring thaw.

One more thing I'll mention about my feeding process. This would likely make little sense to those with few birds but around here, MANY beef farmers are butchering their own animals. I have them save blood for me (I know...not supposed to do it) but It is one of most nutritious parts of beef, in my opinion, so I manage to collect more than I'll mention here.

I get large tubs, half filled with boiling water, reduce heat to low/med, then pour in the blood. It quickly congeals to a consistency of liver. Oh, I spice the water with a bit of Kosher salt, garlic and Old Bay...

When this cools, I freeze it and add it to the bird food 'til I use up what I have. The birds love it I Never keep any over because I will eventually need the freezer space. I also pressure cook large road killed deer...too much good meat to allow it to go to waste.

This is just one of the several things i do for my birds AND my customers. I know some of you will revolt at the idea of blood, even boiled blood but there humans in this word who live on beef blood.

This helps keep me out of the 'red' and I can sell a very high quality product without gouging my customers.

Another thing, my flock has been out every day, beginning at 8AM...even when the temps. were hovering around zero F...These Turkin/ Naked Necks are far more cold hardy than many would believe.

Merry Christmas to all!!

 

[Kassaundra]

I'm getting away from FF 'til spring. I will consider re-starting after the spring thaw.

One more thing I'll mention about my feeding process. This would likely make little sense to those with few birds but around here, MANY beef farmers are butchering their own animals. I have them save blood for me (I know...not supposed to do it) but It is one of most nutritious parts of beef, in my opinion, so I manage to collect more than I'll mention here.

I get large tubs, half filled with boiling water, reduce heat to low/med, then pour in the blood. It quickly congeals to a consistency of liver. Oh, I spice the water with a bit of Kosher salt, garlic and Old Bay...

When this cools, I freeze it and add it to the bird food 'til I use up what I have. The birds love it I Never keep any over because I will eventually need the freezer space. I also pressure cook large road killed deer...too much good meat to allow it to go to waste.

This is just one of the several things i do for my birds AND my customers. I know some of you will revolt at the idea of blood, even boiled blood but there humans in this word who live on beef blood.

This helps keep me out of the 'red' and I can sell a very high quality product without gouging my customers.

Another thing, my flock has been out every day, beginning at 8AM...even when the temps. were hovering around zero F...These Turkin/ Naked Necks are far more cold hardy than many would believe.

Merry Christmas to all!!

I love my NN and am making them my only birds. They don't mind the cold at all, sail through our intense summers, good egg layers, easy birds to process, and are soooo cool looking. What's not to love.

 

[hellbender]

I love my NN and am making them my only birds. They don't mind the cold at all, sail through our intense summers, good egg layers, easy birds to process, and are soooo cool looking. What's not to love.

You are in the 'know' Kassaundra. Many people consider these birds as merely ornamentals. I know there are plenty of other good breeds but these are what I was raised with and I am quite happy with them.

As mentioned, I intend to buy 25 Austra-Whites in Jan. but that will just be a 'project'. I love the Australorps equally and just want to 'play'...an old man's toy! lol

 

[JesNflock]

Do any of you guys have any good pickled eggs recipes? I'd like a sort of "sweet/sour" recipe and a hot one. Never made pickled eggs before.

Oh, I wish I did..My friend used to make the BEST pickled eggs & beets..I wish I had gotten the recipe from him but sadly he took it with him when he moved on.

If you do get one I would love to try it as well!

 

[hellbender]

I was PM'd a question...."how do I pressure-cook so much meat"...spent chickens, deer...etc.

My dad bought two 20 gal pressure cookers several years back. I thought he was crazy until I saw what he did with them....and I still use them for the same purposes, as posted above. Money well spent. I can not imagine how much money they have saved over the years.

Some people are afraid my large sized canners and won't come around when they are in use but I would be more fearful of the smaller, stove top models that most kitchens have. If they are properly maintained (gaskets/gauges) I really don't see any real danger in using any pressurized steam product....small or large. JMHO