Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Robert M]

Okay- you have to tell me the secret of leaving chickens for a week at a time. This is one of the few downsides to chicken keeping as I see it. Have to be home to take care of the chickens. Thanks in advance!!

The secret? Get a chickee-boo sitter to check in each day.

 

[Beekissed]

Okay- you have to tell me the secret of leaving chickens for a week at a time. This is one of the few downsides to chicken keeping as I see it. Have to be home to take care of the chickens. Thanks in advance!!

I have set up a system where they take care of themselves and they have a dog to guard them while they do so, then I entrust them to God and leave without another worry.

I have a feed trough big enough to hold enough FF for a week, water pans large enough to hold all the water the dog and chickens will ever need for a week, and then they just do what they always do every day here....they free range all day, put themselves to bed at night as the pop door stays open 24/7/365 and the dog ensures they all are safe both day and night. I have faith in this system because it has worked for the past 8 yrs now and I have faith in God to the utmost and He never lets me down.

 

[Rioux]

I fed my ff for the first time tonight I think they could smell it before I put it in the feeder because they swarmed me and were fighting for a spot at the feeder. I used flock raiser boss and scratch I didn't have any up acv so I used yeast and added a few glugs of regular acv

 

[tjo804]

Speaking of filters, anyone know what's the deal with using uncholorinated water in FF? I've seen it specified in a lot of recipes. Have to admit I use tap water (which is city water, even though we are out in the boonies), so it's not uncholorinated. Am I doing something wrong?

The reason for unchlorinated water is that the chlorine has the ability to kill the beneficial bacteria in the FF

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

I have set up a system where they take care of themselves and they have a dog to guard them while they do so, then I entrust them to God and leave without another worry. 

I have a feed trough big enough to hold enough FF for a week, water pans large enough to hold all the water the dog and chickens will ever need for a week, and then they just do what they always do every day here....they free range all day, put themselves to bed at night as the pop door stays open 24/7/365 and the dog ensures they all are safe both day and night.  I have faith in this system because it has worked for the past 8 yrs now and I have faith in God to the utmost and He never lets me down.    

Long time no chat, Bee !!! Hope all is well with you these days, my friend ! How has the Spring in WV been treating you ? It has been a good Spring here and the weather is nice and warm. How are the birds and the pup doing these days ? And your mom ? God Bless, my friend

 

[kathleens1979]

I have set up a system where they take care of themselves and they have a dog to guard them while they do so, then I entrust them to God and leave without another worry. 

I have a feed trough big enough to hold enough FF for a week, water pans large enough to hold all the water the dog and chickens will ever need for a week, and then they just do what they always do every day here....they free range all day, put themselves to bed at night as the pop door stays open 24/7/365 and the dog ensures they all are safe both day and night.  I have faith in this system because it has worked for the past 8 yrs now and I have faith in God to the utmost and He never lets me down.    

That is awesome!!! Do you have a fenced area where they free range? If not, how do you keep your dog from wandering? Also, any certain breed of dog?

 

[Beekissed]

That is awesome!!! Do you have a fenced area where they free range? If not, how do you keep your dog from wandering? Also, any certain breed of dog?

When I lived at another place I had an acre fenced, though most of it was old cattle fencing that they could go through any time they wanted, but the fence bordering the road was nice and tight for chickens and I never lost a one to the road. Now I live way back from the road or any neighbors at all, so no fencing anywhere. We have a meadow of about 3 acres here, bordered on all sides by woods, so they have that much area in which to free range.

The dog is on a wireless fence that encompasses about 1/2-2/3 of an acre only and its center is the coop area, so that's where he patrols and watches the chooks. He's a Lab mix dog...all my farm dogs have been Labs or Lab mix dogs and excellent for the job, each and every one. His dog house is attached to the back of the coop, so he lives pretty much cheek by jowl with the chickens and those chickens are HIS.

He gets pretty upset when they are killed for any reason and will carry a little dead chick, that has died for some reason, around in his mouth for days, trying to place it back in the coop. He'll pace back and forth with that chick in his mouth for days if I don't remove it and burn the carcass so he can't get it. When I killed my old rooster, after having him for 6 yrs, Jake carried that carcass around, slept with it, kept trying to put him back in the coop, etc. We finally had to burn that carcass too, as no matter where I throw these birds out in the woods, he will cross his electric boundary in the night and bring them back. He's pretty loyal to his chickens, even to getting shocked when crossing his boundary to retrieve HIS chickens.

When I process chickens he lays down far away, whimpering and glaring at me. He's gotten quite sentimental about the chickens over the years.

Love that dog!

 

[Beekissed]

Long time no chat, Bee !!! Hope all is well with you these days, my friend ! How has the Spring in WV been treating you ? It has been a good Spring here and the weather is nice and warm. How are the birds and the pup doing these days ? And your mom ? God Bless, my friend

WBF!!!!!

So good to "see" you!!!! Spring has been fine here, though a little hot and muggy. The birds are great....I have 4 broodies this year, all with chicks, so have done the broody scramble this spring until they could get out on the land and range. I'm feeling pretty wealthy long about now, with all those chicks and mamas running around.

Mom is great, turned 80 last year but you wouldn't know it.

How's every little thing with you, my friend?

 

[h2oratt]

When I lived at another place I had an acre fenced, though most of it was old cattle fencing that they could go through any time they wanted, but the fence bordering the road was nice and tight for chickens and I never lost a one to the road.  Now I live way back from the road or any neighbors at all, so no fencing anywhere.  We have a meadow of about 3 acres here, bordered on all sides by woods, so they have that much area in which to free range. 

The dog is on  a wireless fence that encompasses about 1/2-2/3 of an acre only and its center is the coop area, so that's where he patrols and watches the chooks.  He's a Lab mix dog...all my farm dogs have been Labs or Lab mix dogs and excellent for the job, each and every one.  His dog house is attached to the back of the coop, so he lives pretty much cheek by jowl with the chickens and those chickens are HIS. 

He gets pretty upset when they are killed for any reason and will carry a little dead chick, that has died for some reason, around in his mouth for days, trying to place it back in the coop.  He'll pace back and forth with that chick in his mouth for days if I don't remove it and burn the carcass so he can't get it.   When I killed my old rooster, after having him for 6 yrs, Jake carried that carcass around, slept with it, kept trying to put him back in the coop, etc.  We finally had to burn that carcass too, as no matter where I throw these birds out in the woods, he will cross his electric boundary in the night and bring them back.  He's pretty loyal to his chickens, even to getting shocked when crossing his boundary to retrieve HIS chickens. 

When I process chickens he lays down far away, whimpering and glaring at me.  He's gotten quite sentimental about the chickens over the years.   Love that dog!

Wow that's a great dog!!!

 

[kathleens1979]

An amazing dog!! How did you train him/her? With some breeds, I think guarding is innate, but others, I've read, have to be trained.