Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Ashdoes]

Do you think I could get clover to grow in the chicken run? I've really been wanting to plant some, but wondered if it candle handle all the chicken poo.

 

[Beekissed]

It may if you can keep the foot traffic off of it and the birds from eating them as soon as they come up. Might want to throw down some lime before planting though...sweeten the soil a little.

 

[chickachee]

I mixed a little with mine and they like it just fine...they can't really tell where the manna ends and the rest of the feed begins, so they just eat it all. Right now they get fed once a day in the evenings....if I put nuts and bolts in the trough they'd eat 'em.

I think this has been discussed before, but between Sweet 16 and Calf Manna - is one better than the other? I saw some Sweet 16 at Fleet Farm today and is was MUCH cheaper than Calf Manna. Sweet 16 was about $15./50#, whereas Calf Manna I think was $25.+/50 #'s. I don't want to cheap out if CM is so much better, but thought I'd ask. Thanks.

 

[Beekissed]

I've never heard of the Sweet 16 but it would be easy to compare tags for the nutritional differences or similarities. I always like the cheaper option. Calf manna can be some harsh stuff if not used judiciously....can really burn out the guts and cause diarrhea. Knowing that, it's like paying more for concentrated dish detergent...might be worth it if you only have to use such a little bit each time you use it.

 

[chickachee]

I've never heard of the Sweet 16 but it would be easy to compare tags for the nutritional differences or similarities. I always like the cheaper option. Calf manna can be some harsh stuff if not used judiciously....can really burn out the guts and cause diarrhea. Knowing that, it's like paying more for concentrated dish detergent...might be worth it if you only have to use such a little bit each time you use it.

Yeah, comparing the labels would be the best option. I think the worst part of doing that is "rassling" with the bags to turn them over. At least I have some upper body strength - unlike my best friend. (I kid her that she has the upper body strength of a gnat!)

I think PigeonGuy was the one that mentioned Sweet 16. Maybe he'll weigh in here after a bit.

Ooh, don't like the sound of the guts and diarrhea thing! Makes my stomach (and other parts) hurt.

 

[unkadan]

5-10% is the recommended rate for adding Calf Mana to your bulk chicken feed,,,,,it's on the back of the bag (for those with gnat like body strength)

 

[Beekissed]

http://www.mannapro.com/products/calf-manna/ Doesn't really have the tag info but the bags are so small that you can just read the back of the bag and it tells you all the pertinent facts.

 

[pigeonguy]

OOPS!

I meant RE: the FF I put 3 parts oats =14%, 3 parts wheat =12.5%, 3 parts rye =12.5%,3 parts BARLEY =12.3%, and 2 cracked corn =9%. THANKS!

Parts times protein of each grain = 180.9 protein divided by number of parts added together = 12.9% protein.
12.9 is the % of protein in your mix before ferment. After ferment is unknown because we have no way to measure the yeast growth
If you were to add calf manna to the feed but not in the ferment bucket stir it into the fermented feed in i separate bucket. At 2 parts calf manna protein would be 14,4 and at 3 parts calf manna protein would be 15.05. Calf manna is 25% protein but it is the vitamins and minerals you would be after at that point which the calf manna would supply.
Also I don't know if you can ferment calf manna with the other grains or not I personally don't put things like that in my main ferment bucket though because I don't know what fermenting does to to vitamin content. I also don't know what it would do to my ferment bucket. So I always add it after ferment.

 

[Pozees]

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.

And how! I followed Bee's advice on this shortly after my first mix, and not only does it appear to make the girls enjoy their food more, it creates those nice air spaces water can run through to drain faster.

 

[Beekissed]

Parts times protein of each grain = 180.9 protein divided by number of parts added together = 12.9% protein.
12.9 is the % of protein in your mix before ferment. After ferment is unknown because we have no way to measure the yeast growth
If you were to add calf manna to the feed but not in the ferment bucket stir it into the fermented feed in i separate bucket. At 2 parts calf manna protein would be 14,4 and at 3 parts calf manna protein would be 15.05. Calf manna is 25% protein but it is the vitamins and minerals you would be after at that point which the calf manna would supply.
Also I don't know if you can ferment calf manna with the other grains or not I personally don't put things like that in my main ferment bucket though because I don't know what fermenting does to to vitamin content. I also don't know what it would do to my ferment bucket. So I always add it after ferment.

Put some in mine so that I could get some fat on this old flock in a hurry before winter comes....does just fine, like any other feed. Turns the mix a little pink though.