Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Angelicisi]

I keep mine in a brooder for a week or two then boot them out to pasture and they range 4 acres here dusk til dawn daily until processing. They do everything my layers do free ranging, just not as gracefully, they dust bathe, chase bugs, dig up moles, wander in the woods, and all come flapping home like crazy for the dinner bucket or if they see an aerial predator lol They even roost but only on 18 inch roosts
If given the opportunity they'll range just fine. If given 24 hours feed, they may just sit by the feeders. I only fed breakfast and dinner. Any laziness can be helped by moving feeders out a ways. Make them wander

A real meat bird cornish, is not going to free range well. For a couple weeks if you are lucky they might scratch around, but even that's not likely. You figure you keep them in a brooder for 3-4 weeks, by the time they come out of that they are probably at least 3-4 lbs,and laziness sets in soon after. If you want a meat bird that will free range a lot, you can buy the more expensive freedom ranger. I have always been curious on them, but hear how much people lose on them as far as feeding longer, and their feed ratio is between 4-6 lbs of feed to 1 lb of meat. Supposedly a good cornish meat bird the ratio is 2 to 1 lb of meat. I am curious on the freedom ranger for there foraging ability but when you see people posts pics of cornish and the ranger side by side I cringe lol.

 

[Latestarter]

This link works, it brings you to my inbox. Click on Jason's message and a box will appear. Click on it. It is an 8 page booklet that tells all about EM-1. How to use it. How much to use. Different recipes. Worth looking for. Let me know if you can't get in and I'll have pdirt sent it directly.

Sorry Linda, it doesn't take us to your inbox... when YOU click that link it takes YOU to YOUR inbox... When we click the link (or me anyway) it takes me to the main sign in screen where I can sign in to MY account, not yours... Makes sense in a security sort of way... why would you want just anybody clicking on that link and accessing YOUR google account? wouldn't be a good thing...

 

[LindaB220]

Sorry Linda, it doesn't take us to your inbox... when YOU click that link it takes YOU to YOUR inbox... When we click the link (or me anyway) it takes me to the main sign in screen where I can sign in to MY account, not yours... Makes sense in a security sort of way... why would you want just anybody clicking on that link and accessing YOUR google account? wouldn't be a good thing...

Well, Bummer, and you're entirely correct. I'll see if I can get a better way. Sorry, guys.

 

[Latestarter]

Couldn't you just give us a basic idea of what EM-1 one is? a description? layman's terms? Don't really need a blow by blow chemical breakdown or anything... unless we get our curiosity further peeked and then we can go get the info ourselves... Thanks Linda!

 

[Latestarter]

So my (33) chicks are now a little over 2 weeks old from birth. Every morning before I leave for work, and every afternoon when I get home, I go in and empty the pine shavings out of the empty 9 inch glass pie dish and re-fill it with FF. I talk to them as I'm removing the dish and they all hover around my hand or actually stand in the dish as I'm trying to remove it.

When I return with the re-filled pie dish, I call out "chick, chick, chick, chick" so they'll learn to equate that with food, and then I have to gently lower the pie dish in so as to not crush the most brazen chicks standing right where I want to set it down. They then turn into a bunch of raptors as they all try to eat as much as they can as quickly as possible. It's kinda funny to watch as I load enough in the dish to last them all day. they end up coated with it and eating it off each other and the sides of the box as well!

There is NO STINK from their poop at all! I have no more issues with pasty butt. They are growing faster than I imagined they would, and with their rapid feathering, will be flying out of the brooder box within the next week for sure. So glad I found this thread! Happy healthy chicks!

 

[Triple Willow]

The cx and turkeys did get separated today as competing for food was issue
At what age did you take outside?
Ak rain

They were right at 4 weeks.

 

[LindaB220]

I haven't heard back from pdirt but I do have a good site for you to check out on the EM probiotics. She talks about using it on her farm. Recipes.

http://www.home-n-stead.com/homestead/tipsandrecipes/ems.html

 

[Triple Willow]

@Latestarter... My birds are just rude. lol I have to set the feed pans up on top of the 4' pen to fill them then I have to fake them out as I toss the pan in their pen. It's not perdy. lol When they were smaller I've had them climbing up my back and flying up trying to reach the pan I'm trying to fill. Just not perdy at all. lol

 

[LindaB220]

After reading the other site:
For making feed with the EM I use:
3 gallons feed
1/3 c molasses
1/2 c AEM
1-1.5 gallons water
Stir and cover with plastic bag to keep air out and lightly put lid on 5 gallon bucket. Ready in 3 days but I use a scoop of the old mix and add to it and it's ready overnight. Like I said, you can make FF with just air, water and grain. I just happened to need it for other stuff and really have enjoyed the benefits.

 

[debbiegt]

Mmm...you are describing my birds! LOL My ducks line up by the fence and start quacking like crazy when they see me coming (even if I don't have their feed bucket!). If I say anything to them they all scream twice as loudly. When I walk into their yard they  crowd around me feet, I have to try very hard not to trip all over their cute lil webbed feet. The adult chickens aren't quiet as bad, but still go crazy. The Call ducks start running up and down their pen and calling, then crowd around my feet while I'm filling their feeder. My geese come running when they see me with the feed bucket and either honk/scream loudly at me, or just coo softly and start gobbling down feed as soon as it's in their bucket. When the Peafowl see me coming they start jumping/flying around their pen, and as soon as I walk in their run, they start pecking viciously at my fingers and will try and jump on my shoulders.  Silly birds!

~ Aspen

Do you add or do anything special or different in your ff for your geese and turkeys then what you do for chickens?