Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[doubleatraining]

I went to the feed store and bought 1 bag of grower mash and 1 bag of whole oats to mix with the 1/2 bag of cracked corn at the house. I had planned on dumping all of it into a big trash can and scooping out of there to put in the ferment bucket.

I was also picking up feed for a friend and the owner of the store stopped me and asked what I was feeding my horses. I told him and he said he didn't have any of those but had a bunch of broken bags in the back that he needed gone...would I please TAKE them. I said sure.

I got:
.75 bag of whole corn
1.5 bags of all stock feed
.75 bag of layer pellets

In the trash can I put all of these plus the cracked corn...its FULL. So I've got about $4 worth of feed in the trash can that will last me a LONG time.

The CX were jumping at the side of the pen for their food today they are digging the FF. There are only 2 pens that are slow to eat it but I'm sure they'll get the hang of it.

As this trash can gets low I'll add the grower mash and oats in.

 

[myhubbycallsmechickeemama]

Dang...can't beat a deal like that!!!

 

[EricaD]

I'm still reading through this thread (only on page 10!) but I'm interested in trying this for our new chicks, and for our future meaties. I already have a 50# bag of medicated starter feed - can I ferment medicated feed? I have Braggs already and am excited to try this! Thanks!

 

[Beekissed]

You can.

 

[EricaD]

Thanks! I regret that in the moment I opted for medicated feed but the bag's already open and I don't want to waste it. I'll start cooking up a batch tonight! I already put ACV in their water and all the chicks are doing great!

 

[Zootopia]

I started with medicated chick starter, mixed too much and have ended up using it as mother for all my buckets , it works fine. I don't think I'll bother with medicated after this tho. Can't believe how much less feed they go thru. This bag is lasting me for ever. Everyone growing like weeds.

 

[Beekissed]

Mine are growing well also...one would think, from whatever everyone says on this forum, that you can't get good growth of these CX without feeding high protein but these birds grow big because of their genetics, not their high pro diets. Mine are getting very heavy breasted and run like sumo wrestlers already and I had mildly, but without expectations in that area, hoped to slow down all that by feeding in this manner but it comes anyway because that is how these birds develop.

That is also what I found the last time I raised these CX...no matter what you feed them, they will grow larger, they will develop heavy breasts and thighs. The question is, why would you force this sooner and pay more money for high pro feeds, risk health problems and poor survival rates, etc, when you don't need to? Why not just feed normal feeds and let them grow the way they will anyway?

I love that I can feed them healthier, cheaper foods and let them have a chicken life and they will still yield a lot of meat for my family. The meat will taste better, be better and will be grown and harvested in a better manner than is normal for CX birds. What more could a person want?

 

[Zootopia]

X2

Mine are growing well also...one would think, from whatever everyone says on this forum, that you can't get good growth of these CX without feeding high protein but these birds grow big because of their genetics, not their high pro diets. Mine are getting very heavy breasted and run like sumo wrestlers already and I had mildly, but without expectations in that area, hoped to slow down all that by feeding in this manner but it comes anyway because that is how these birds develop.

That is also what I found the last time I raised these CX...no matter what you feed them, they will grow larger, they will develop heavy breasts and thighs. The question is, why would you force this sooner and pay more money for high pro feeds, risk health problems and poor survival rates, etc, when you don't need to? Why not just feed normal feeds and let them grow the way they will anyway?

I love that I can feed them healthier, cheaper foods and let them have a chicken life and they will still yield a lot of meat for my family. The meat will taste better, be better and will be grown and harvested in a better manner than is normal for CX birds. What more could a person want?

 

[jrsckn]

Bee,

How much extra time do you think using fermented feed adds to the processing age?

I finally got bubbles in my feed yesterday, the chicks love it!

 

[galanie]

I have 10 hens of laying age, 2 teen girls, and 5 chicks. Right now all are eating the same fermented whole grains. They are in an area something like a little larger than 1/4 acre. Right now I'm giving them 3/4 a coffee can in the morning and about 1/2 a coffee can in the afternoon. That's it. I'm astonished. All seem fine and healthy and the little ones are growing like weeds. One broody has 2 chicks and one has 3. They're being raised with the rest of the flock and I currently have no rooster.

I can't help but wonder why they aren't eating more. But they know better than I do what they want. Even at this, a little is left for the wild birds to eat. Personally I think the fermented stuff stinks but it's in the garage and they're fed in open air in a trough I made from 4" PVC pipe split in half. This is really working out. I'm no longer consumed with how much of what is in the food. Whatever I'm doing it seems to be working out fine so I'm not going to worry about what's in it till I see either a drop in production or the birds not looking good.

Soybean meal plugs up the drainage holes and they don't eat it anyway so I don't add that any more. Nor do I even put any out for them but once in a blue moon. According to my calculations, my mix is woefully low in protien. Only around 10-12%. They get some leftover boiled chicken and mealworms from my bin here for a boost and sometimes I break open a few eggs for them, raw. Like I said, they seem fine so it looks like the money I spent on grains last month is going to last a very very long time.

The babies are all 3-5 weeks old. They were started on chick starter but won't eat it since they found the fermented food. Which is fine with me since I only had a small amount left when that happened. Will keep you updated from time to time.