Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Justahannah]

I don't recall seeing it elsewhere in the thread, but if I'm repeating anyone, it's because I thought it was so handy and thought it should be shared again

. This link has been really useful to me for figuring out protein percentages when I add whole grains to my FF...it has clear explanations of how to do the math and a nice list at the end with the protein content of a lot of common grains. http://www.lionsgrip.com/protein.html

Also, I'd like to thank the city of Tacoma for giving me the perfect FF bucket for my needs

. They gave out "food waste" buckets to encourage people to add their food waste to their yard waste, but since I compost and share with the chickens I didn't need their special bucket. Found it again digging through the shed for something else and it's the perfect size for my little flock (about 2 gallons) with a ventilated lid that keeps the bugs out...sometimes it pays to hold onto things that seem kinda weird at the time . I keep my mix about the consistency of oatmeal and add to it every few days, it works wonderfully.

 

[aoxa]

I don't recall seeing it elsewhere in the thread, but if I'm repeating anyone, it's because I thought it was so handy and thought it should be shared again . This link has been really useful to me for figuring out protein percentages when I add whole grains to my FF...it has clear explanations of how to do the math and a nice list at the end with the protein content of a lot of common grains. http://www.lionsgrip.com/protein.html

Also, I'd like to thank the city of Tacoma for giving me the perfect FF bucket for my needs . They gave out "food waste" buckets to encourage people to add their food waste to their yard waste, but since I compost and share with the chickens I didn't need their special bucket. Found it again digging through the shed for something else and it's the perfect size for my little flock (about 2 gallons) with a ventilated lid that keeps the bugs out...sometimes it pays to hold onto things that seem kinda weird at the time . I keep my mix about the consistency of oatmeal and add to it every few days, it works wonderfully.

So technically you don't need 2 buckets?

 

[Beekissed]

You don't, but it comes in handy in two ways. First, it comes in handy when you want to drain off excess moisture from your mix..this works better if you are using a 50% whole grain mix. Secondly, it comes in handy when you want to preserve some enzyme rich fermentated water in the bottom bucket that is never used up accidently by using too much of your feed before replenishing the mix.

In other words, if I am using the FF from a bucket and have mixed it a little more dry due to having a higher concentration of mash to whole grains, I don't have to worry about it absorbing all my good fermented water, leaving nothing behind from which to backslop. In the bottom bucket I have a nice, concentrated well or reservoir of really fermented water that is constantly getting fed from the feed that escapes the holes in the bucket but is never really used up in the mix in the top bucket. This makes my backslopping much more effective and has a stronger, more concentrated ferment with which to inoculate the next freshening of the feed. When I add water to the 2 bucket system, the water enters that bottom chamber and mixes with the strong ferment, rises through my grain mix and inoculates the whole bucket in that one maneuver, so my new feed ferments much faster. In the bottom is still my good mother mix, weakened temporarily by the advent of fresh water but still stronger than if it got mixed into the feed and fed out. I like that little reservoir of pure cultures sitting and cooking down at the bottom.

 

[flyinchicks]

I started my FF last Sunday. I went ahead and did the 2 bucket system and I'm glad I did. It is so much easier than I thought it was going to be. I have meat birds arriving today (hopefully). This week I have been giving it to my laying hens and they seem to love it. I have been slowly putting out more FF and less layer. It is going very well.

I get feed from a local that mills at his farm. I am mixing 2 part layer, 1 part scratch, and 1 part soybean mill. It should have me around 20%. In addition I pasture the layers in clover and Rye. The meat birds will not get to pasture. Is this a good blend for them? I feel like I am missing something.

 

[Justahannah]

Yep, I treat my whole batch as backslop...I add to it when there's roughly 1/2 left so there's still quite a bit of culture, and I make my additions after a day's feeding comes out so the new stuff has a good 24 hours to ferment before I need to dip in again.

 

[colburg]

I started my FF last Sunday. I went ahead and did the 2 bucket system and I'm glad I did. It is so much easier than I thought it was going to be. I have meat birds arriving today (hopefully). This week I have been giving it to my laying hens and they seem to love it. I have been slowly putting out more FF and less layer. It is going very well.

I get feed from a local that mills at his farm. I am mixing 2 part layer, 1 part scratch, and 1 part soybean mill. It should have me around 20%. In addition I pasture the layers in clover and Rye. The meat birds will not get to pasture. Is this a good blend for them? I feel like I am missing something.

I'm not sure about your questions, but I have some for you. I haven't seen on here where anyone else grazes their chickens in clover, so my questions were awaiting my experiments, or maybe you can speed things up.

What kind of clover do you have them on? I've planted 3 acres of yellow and 3.5 acres of white ladino.
Have you tried fermenting fresh clover with your feed?
Do your feed costs go down when they're on the clover?
Have you noticed differences in the soil nutrient content of where the chickens graze versus not grazed? (I guess that's if you've done any soil sampling)


Thanks,
colburg

 

[FROMWHITEDOGHILL]

WOW.......if you can grow good clover...it might be time you try some Bresse. I've read several times that they are pastured on clover while growing....maybe that's part of the reason they are supposed to be the best tasting Chicken in the world!!! I have never tried clover but you now have me thinking about it. Which type do feel produces the best/worst??? Thanks Mike

 

[Beekissed]

I've always planted the white dutch clover as I notice that this is the one they will systematically graze on, much like a cow or sheep. Particularly in the mornings and evenings, which I did not understand until I read once that the sugar levels in grasses waxes and wanes, with the greater concentration of these being in the morning and evening, thus why herd animals will graze the most during these times and lie down to chew the cud during the middle of the day and at night.

 

[mickey328]

I have red clover in the front yard, so the girls can't get at it directly, but I do cut it and take it to their run and they love the stuff.

 

[Turkeytruff]

I don't recall seeing it elsewhere in the thread, but if I'm repeating anyone, it's because I thought it was so handy and thought it should be shared again

. This link has been really useful to me for figuring out protein percentages when I add whole grains to my FF...it has clear explanations of how to do the math and a nice list at the end with the protein content of a lot of common grains. http://www.lionsgrip.com/protein.html

Also, I'd like to thank the city of Tacoma for giving me the perfect FF bucket for my needs

. They gave out "food waste" buckets to encourage people to add their food waste to their yard waste, but since I compost and share with the chickens I didn't need their special bucket. Found it again digging through the shed for something else and it's the perfect size for my little flock (about 2 gallons) with a ventilated lid that keeps the bugs out...sometimes it pays to hold onto things that seem kinda weird at the time . I keep my mix about the consistency of oatmeal and add to it every few days, it works wonderfully.

thank you Justahannah for the protein chart. Looking at this and reviewing FF backpages I guess I ought to put the turkey grower pellets into the FF to increase the protein content for my mixed turkey/ chicken flock. Your bucket looks great by the way! Looks like a good winter soup