Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Mumsy]

That made my day! I can almost smell the ferment-y goodness from here.

 

[B J Hopkins]

I use it because I don't have any wood ash. (pretty much a permanent burn ban in my area) I don't feed it to my hens, though.

What do you use wood ash for? We supplement our heat w/a wood burner and have PLENTY of wood ash. I've 3 poultry houses, 2 chicken & 1 turkey.

 

[B J Hopkins]

I've a question that has nothing to do w/FF.

Years ago my family had some chickens. I remember my Dad having my older brothers White Wash the chicken house every summer. Why? And do people still do this?

 

[Pozees]

This is what I would suggest as well. With dual purpose type chicks.. They are slow to start eating. I can't even get them to eat dry from a feeder for 4 days. They like to eat off the ground. I start them on paper towel, because I've had issues with them eating shavings) and sprinkle that chick crumble all around. By 1 week, they are ready for the FF (if not sooner). My chicks have been on FF since they were 2 weeks old. They absolutely love it!!

What is the one at the top with multi colors? Nice bunch of babies

 

[Pozees]

I've a question that has nothing to do w/FF.

Years ago my family had some chickens. I remember my Dad having my older brothers White Wash the chicken house every summer. Why? And do people still do this?

Aside from cosmetics, perhaps to protect the wood?

 

[Mumsy]

I've a question that has nothing to do w/FF.

Years ago my family had some chickens. I remember my Dad having my older brothers White Wash the chicken house every summer. Why? And do people still do this?

When I was a kid,( early 50's) farmers white washed the lower trunk of orchard trees in the belief it would deter ants. White washing some farm out buildings came from that same belief. It kept insects away. I was born and raised in dairy country Washington state. I don't know if this was common practice else where.

 

[aoxa]

What is the one at the top with multi colors?  Nice bunch of babies

All but the silkies here are EEs. The one above is an older EE that gets along so well with the babies.

The barred are EE as well. Hoping to get some cool barred EEs.

Thank you!

 

[Ashdoes]

I use it because I don't have any wood ash. (pretty much a permanent burn ban in my area) I don't feed it to my hens, though.

What do you use wood ash for? We supplement our heat w/a wood burner and have PLENTY of wood ash. I've 3 poultry houses, 2 chicken & 1 turkey.

The wood ash is to keep bugs off the chickens. Use it in their dust bath area, or dust the chickens directly. Wood ash is better than DE because DE kills all the bugs, and the wood ash mostly takes care of mites and lice.

 

[Pozees]

All but the silkies here are EEs. The one above is an older EE that gets along so well with the babies.
The barred are EE as well. Hoping to get some cool barred EEs.

Thank you!

Oh, so the barred are BR roo over EE hen? Same mix on the older one?

 

[pigeonguy]

I think I need to clarify - I'm not wanting to do it without the plant matter (clover & alfalfa), it's the seed (the peas, etc.) that I want to avoid. Does that make more sense?

I get what you are after now I think. But no it does not make sense to me. Don't let that bother you though because I don't understand a lot about legumes. It just seems to me that a legume is a legume but I could be wrong.
Now on to what you want because I did look up what has legumes. That is this:
Well-known legumes include alfalfa, clover, peas, beans,lentils, lupins, mesquite, carob, soy, and peanuts.
Ok with that in mind and the fact you don't mind plant legumes the ingredients that I gave for my new feed does not contain any legumes that I know of. The ingredients I have listed so far for my new feed will be Flax seed, corn, kelp, dried distillers grains, sweet 16, pork meal and or fish meal.
I will know more about how much of what I will put in of each after I talk to the nutritionist at Dekalb Feeds though. I will probably add the sweet 16 after ferment as I do now. I was also going to throw some boss in it but after reading that large amounts of it raise the cholesterol of the eggs I will not be doing that. I will still use small amounts of it for treats to throw in the wood shavings on the coop floor to get them to turn it over for me.