Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Triple Willow]

Sorry to be the one to tell you but Willow now belongs to me...We've made a pact that could exclude you if you're not nice to me!   

HA! There's enough of me to go around, trust me! LOL

 

[Triple Willow]

Be nice to my Willow

No such thing as a stupid question. Always ask what you want to know! How else will we all learn.
Fermenting the eggs hard boiled would become just that. It would give you a hard boiled egg marinated in fermented chicken food (chicken food Scooby if you're just using the 'juice' @ Scooby juice) . Cons? Possible contaminant introduced via handling the eggs that the Scooby isn't accustomed to could kill it or turn it vile. In general when fermenting feed its better to not ferment meat products, I consider eggs a meat. Meats are often already a great digestible protein, give meat straight up raw or cooked. Eggs I scrambled up, extras or rejects, shells and all, I add fresh garlic and lots of cayenne pepper and serve it up. Easy peasy and they love it.

Hey there my friend! How have you been doing? How are the rabbits? Last night I was driving down to the chicken pens to check on a broody and I tell you, there were at least eight rabbits just where is was driving! I nearly ran over a couple! I'm glad those things don't attack! LOL

 

[Angelicisi]

oh?

Sorry to be the one to tell you but Willow now belongs to me...We've made a pact that could exclude you if you're not nice to me!   

 

[MistyMountain]

Day 3? 4? I have forgotten how long I have been feeding FF. Anyhow, they LOVE it. The thing I need to figure out is just how much to give them. I had crumble out free choice. My flock consists of 15 layers and 1 Roo. They free range on 11+ acres of open grass/yard, woods, apple/peach orchard as well as the adjacent field from sun up to sun down. I can fill two loaf pans to the brim and they finish it in about 5 minutes. I fed them first thing this morning and it seemed like they were quite lazy today because of it. They stayed within 25 feet of the coop, chased me down begging for food each time I stepped outside all the while with full bulging crops (hard to miss as they run at me like a herd of wildebeest). I feel like it would be best to feed them once in the evening to fill them up before they go to roost. That will hopefully force them to feed themselves all day. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions on this?

Also, fizzing, bubbling, moving-- does this sound like a good ferment? It is kinda crazy watching it move and bubble after I stir it! It smells OK, better than it did immediately after I first added water.

 

[beverly evans]

Quote: I'm lazy. It is different every time. When I have vinegar saved from pickles or olives I use that or plain old vinegar with a little cloves and a little sugar. I taste it and add salt and more or less vinegar depending on how strong I want them. I like it strong so I make it pretty sour. The stronger you make it the quicker they are ready. The longer you leave them in the vinegar, the rubberier (is that a word?) they get. I like to use my bantam eggs for it because they are one biters! I only add the beet juice to make them pretty, but then again if you have a jar with vinegar from pickled beets, so much the better! (and easier.)
Some people put some great sounding recipes on here awhile back. See if you can find them. Good luck. : )

 

[beverly evans]

Quote: Lucky Willow!

 

[beverly evans]

Day 3? 4? I have forgotten how long I have been feeding FF. Anyhow, they LOVE it. The thing I need to figure out is just how much to give them. I had crumble out free choice. My flock consists of 15 layers and 1 Roo. They free range on 11+ acres of open grass/yard, woods, apple/peach orchard as well as the adjacent field from sun up to sun down. I can fill two loaf pans to the brim and they finish it in about 5 minutes. I fed them first thing this morning and it seemed like they were quite lazy today because of it. They stayed within 25 feet of the coop, chased me down begging for food each time I stepped outside all the while with full bulging crops (hard to miss as they run at me like a herd of wildebeest). I feel like it would be best to feed them once in the evening to fill them up before they go to roost. That will hopefully force them to feed themselves all day. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions on this?

Also, fizzing, bubbling, moving-- does this sound like a good ferment? It is kinda crazy watching it move and bubble after I stir it! It smells OK, better than it did immediately after I first added water.

"It's kinda crazy watching it move....." In my mind I yelled, "It's ALIVE!!!!" Felt like a sci-fi moment or an old time horror movie. lol : )

 

[Triple Willow]

I'm lazy.  It is different every time.  When I have vinegar saved from pickles or olives I use that or plain old vinegar with a little cloves and a little sugar. I taste it and add salt and more or less vinegar depending on how strong I want them.  I like it strong so I make it pretty sour.  The stronger you make it the quicker they are ready.  The longer you leave them in the vinegar, the rubberier  (is that a word?)  they get.  I like to use my bantam eggs for it because they are one biters!  I only add the beet juice to make them pretty, but then again if you have a jar with vinegar from pickled beets, so much the better! (and easier.)
Some people put some great sounding recipes on here awhile back.  See if you can find them.  Good luck.  : )

Hey there Bev. Yeah I wrote some of those recipes down I believe in my recipe book. I believe it was BCMaraniac that gave the recipes. I bet they would be good pickled in olive juice. I never have any extra eggs!

 

[Triple Willow]

Day 3? 4? I have forgotten how long I have been feeding FF. Anyhow, they LOVE it. The thing I need to figure out is just how much to give them. I had crumble out free choice. My flock consists of 15 layers and 1 Roo. They free range on 11+ acres of open grass/yard, woods, apple/peach orchard as well as the adjacent field from sun up to sun down. I can fill two loaf pans to the brim and they finish it in about 5 minutes. I fed them first thing this morning and it seemed like they were quite lazy today because of it. They stayed within 25 feet of the coop, chased me down begging for food each time I stepped outside all the while with full bulging crops (hard to miss as they run at me like a herd of wildebeest). I feel like it would be best to feed them once in the evening to fill them up before they go to roost. That will hopefully force them to feed themselves all day. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions on this?

Also, fizzing, bubbling, moving-- does this sound like a good ferment? It is kinda crazy watching it move and bubble after I stir it! It smells OK, better than it did immediately after I first added water.

Yep I think that has to be the biggest drawback to feeding ff - dang birds totally lose their manners. LOL They can make it about impossible to even walk! Sounds like you have a great ferment going. For a long time mine smelled just like sweet apples. Then occassionally it can smell like upchuck. Yuck! But it doesn't matter, never seen my birds turn away from it. Bee has her birds free ranging all day too and she only feeds hers at night - meaties included.

 

[beverly evans]

Quote: Don't you have lots of chickens? I have lots of chickens. Wait, I have to count. It changes so often! 16 outside and 12 inside and 3 just hatched at a friend's and coming home soon! So that's 31, but I forgot the 3 Phoenixes and the 3 roosters that are being sold or eaten. So really only 34. (We won't count the boys.) But I don't get all that many eggs right now. Of my original 5, only the 2 Ameraucanas are laying. These 5 all quit laying for winter and the other 3 have not started laying again. Don't know why. Fortunately the newbies are kicking in; two are laying little eggs. They are both Marans and the eggs are not a rich chocolate brown! I already sold one Maran because her eggs were small and not dark brown. I have 2 bantams that lay every day, so that helps. Not that I need many eggs. It's just that everyone knows I have chickens and expect to be gifted now and again or to be able to buy some and I am only able to supply the college boys next door.
How does one find something like those recipes on here? : )