Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Beekissed]

Should the "FF" be kept at or above a temp if so what is that? I have had mine outside and the temp goes from 29-80 degrees.

It seems to do best at temps of 50* or above but seems to go dormant at temps consistently below that.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Well...that's all an iffy prospect. I don't have an incubator, nor could I be sure her old eggs could hatch a viable chick. And not a one of those roosters have anything I would really want bred into any flock if I could help it. I wouldn't have minded Toby as he has Rock genetics and it's not too far off of the WR genes, but that pen of mutts is about the worst representation of rooster flesh anyone could find. Really, really bad. Icky bad. One of the RIR is only fairly passable as a normal looking chicken but even he lacks any good feather quality.

No, I think ol' Mama' genes will most likely die with her unless she is still fertile and producing in the spring and I get a rooster worth breeding.

Ok, I understand completely. Hopefully she'll still be laying in the spring and you can find a worthy mate for her.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

So all ten of my chooks are cramming into one coop right now. :/ They are ignoring shelter #2 entirely.

 

[armorfirelady]

So all ten of my chooks are cramming into one coop right now. :/ They are ignoring shelter #2 entirely.

Is it cold? It's warmer in numbers on nights when the temps are low.
My EE who is small was basically under my BCM roosting........she knows the BCM is bigger and has more feathers and fluff to help keep her warm. Her favorite spot is btw the BCM and the BR .......they are my biggest pullets and usually my EE and BCM/EE mix have a contest to see who can roost btw the 2 big girls first the EE lost tonight hence the reason she is trying to roost under the BCM lol. I can't blame her its only 8 degrees out.

 

[Triple Willow]

So all ten of my chooks are cramming into one coop right now. :/ They are ignoring shelter #2 entirely.

All of my birds always bunch up together like a huddle in a football game. There are 9 that will be a year old in Feb and all year (hot & cold) they have bunched up on an 8 foot roost and usually only took up about 6 feet of it. Now that's togetherness! LOL

 

[BCMaraniac]

update: on the birds . the birds are back in my care at a friends home. them birds are eating and drinking and cooing . no discharge , no wheezing, no sneezing. no smell the eye looks irritated and chemical type burn.. i am going to change the coop now. so i let everyone know on progress. treatment: t will wash eyes with warm compress. neosporen around the eye. possible antibiotic will be used in case of infection.

This sounds like some kind of chemical/environmental exposure to an irritant/allergen......not that I know if chickens even have allergies.

The prior good health, the sudden onset, the scratching(itching vs irritation induced), which in turn can cause swelling of the face.....just doesn't sound like infection to me.

Could you watch the birds you brought back for a day or two before drawing blood on everybody since they are asymptomatic?

 

[Beekissed]

Is it cold? It's warmer in numbers on nights when the temps are low.
My EE who is small was basically under my BCM roosting........she knows the BCM is bigger and has more feathers and fluff to help keep her warm. Her favorite spot is btw the BCM and the BR .......they are my biggest pullets and usually my EE and BCM/EE mix have a contest to see who can roost btw the 2 big girls first

the EE lost tonight hence the reason she is trying to roost under the BCM lol. I can't blame her its only 8 degrees out.

Hey! You're back! How was the sun, sand and sea...and food?

 

[Triple Willow]

This sounds like some kind of chemical/environmental exposure to an irritant/allergen......not that I know if chickens even have allergies.

The prior good health, the sudden onset, the scratching(itching vs irritation induced), which in turn can cause swelling of the face.....just doesn't sound like infection to me.

Could you watch the birds you brought back for a day or two before drawing blood on everybody since they are asymptomatic?

I was wondering about cigarette smoke. That poor birds eyes are close to how cigarette smoke makes me feel.

 

[BCMaraniac]

A little non FF photo to make folks smile:

 

[armorfirelady]

It was wonderful.....I tried to post a pic but BYC is not agreeing with my IPad.