Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Beekissed]

My chickens take care of the grasshoppers and snakes here. Anything a screecher will eat, a chicken will eat if you just not feed them so much darn feed. I've seen my flocks fighting over baby snakes and any insect that will fit down their throats is fair game.

 

[pigeonguy]

We keep them because of the grasshoppers! Down here in Texas they get BIG. Before I got the guineas you would literally get bombarded by these horrid bugs every time you walked from the house to the barn. Nothing like walking outside and getting a 3-4 inch grasshopper tangled in your hair. Now with a flock of 12 we rarely see the grasshoppers and those that do survive are small. Even our neighbors about a quarter-mile away, say they have fewer grasshoppers as well, just from our flock. A half-mile from us the bugs are still just as thick as ever. I agree with you that they are ugly and LOUD. My husband hates them, but puts also puts up with them for the bug control. They prefer bugs to any grains, so they eat very little feed. They just forage further when the bugs get scarcer. They are also supposed to be good for snake control. Some people say they can actually gang up on snakes and kill them, I think the snakes just leave the area to get away from the noise !

The year before we got the birds we killed 5 copperheads, this year we have killed one. Mine are more wild than domesticated. I give them a secure place to sleep at night, in exchange they keep the bugs and snakes away. I LOVE my guineas!!!!

How cool is that. Next year I am getting a few to eat fleas and ticks.

 

[Jeanette56]

ALL Vinegar has watered added to it.
Pure 100% vinegar is Deadly stuff.
Look on your label. Somewhere on there it should state that it is either 5% or 9% vinegar.
The only vinegar you & I can buy over the counter that is stronger is 20% and it is used as a weedkiller.

Does anyone else use this brand (almost said breed there for a second - chicken brain I tell you).

I can find this or braggs in my grocery store. I chose this one, as the bottle was bigger for the same price. Thoughts?
Also note I got my MIL to pick it up. She is a notorious label reader. Braggs has water in it!

 

[aoxa]

ALL Vinegar has watered added to it.
Pure 100% vinegar is Deadly stuff.
Look on your label. Somewhere on there it should state that it is either 5% or 9% vinegar.
The only vinegar you & I can buy over the counter that is stronger is 20% and it is used as a weedkiller.

You didn't read the description of it I added:

Apple Cider Vinegar - Product Information
Made from organic apples.
Balances your acid-alkaline levels.
Certified-Organic, Kosher, Unfiltered, and Non-Pasteurized...

Omega's Certified-Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is made the "old fashioned" way, by allowing the natural fermentation process to occur to full-strength (5% acidity), without chemicals, additives, preservatives or water.

Natural sediment is the true sign of raw, unfiltered vinegar, and naturally contains pectin, trace minerals, beneficial bacteria and enzymes making it one of the best Apple Cider Vinegars around.

 

[Beekissed]

Acetic acid may be deadly in a high concentration but 100% vinegar is not 100% acetic acid. I have made my own vinegar, straight from the orchard, with no water added. Fed it to all the livestock and myself and not one weed died that I know of.

 

[Ashdoes]

You didn't read the description of it I added:
Apple Cider Vinegar - Product Information
Made from organic apples.
Balances your acid-alkaline levels.
Certified-Organic, Kosher, Unfiltered, and Non-Pasteurized...
Omega's Certified-Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is made the "old fashioned" way, by allowing the natural fermentation process to occur to full-strength (5% acidity), without chemicals, additives, preservatives or water.
Natural sediment is the true sign of raw, unfiltered vinegar, and naturally contains pectin, trace minerals, beneficial bacteria and enzymes making it one of the best Apple Cider Vinegars around.

Does that mean you'd use less of it? Like, half a glug?

 

[aoxa]

Acetic acid may be deadly in a high concentration but 100% vinegar is not 100% acetic acid.  I have made my own vinegar, straight from the orchard, with no water added.  Fed it to all the livestock and myself and not one weed died that I know of. 

 

So the stuff is good based on the description? My mother in law is a health fenatic and picked it out. I asked her to get braggs.

Also - it's been 2 weeks now since I added ACV with mother to ACV without mother. Good to go on that?

 

[aoxa]

Does that mean you'd use less of it? Like, half a glug?

I just guess. I don't think you can overdue it can you? They won't eat it if it is too strong. Though I did start by creating a wet mash with the ACV to test if they would like it - and they started eating the dry mash where I added the gulp of ACV in the centre before I added water.. WHo knows.. Maybe my chickens are weird..

 

[bruceh]

my birds have drank mothers before. i was filling the bowls up i put the acv in first and dang if them birds did not drink it up..



bee have you ever heard of to much acv. i would love for anyone to respond.

 

[aoxa]

my birds have drank mothers before. i was filling the bowls up i put the acv in first and dang if them birds did not drink it up.. 

That stuff must not taste very good.. Haven't tried it myself. The smell is enough to keep me from taste testing. You try it first