Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[ChickChickChicky]

Originally Posted by mammaducky1

So, the question is - has anyone else noticed the difference in smell of their birds since the grass has died back, even though they are using FF? Also curious as to what others are giving their birds in the way of greens.

My birds get some type of greens almost every day. My very favorite thing is to give them collard greens. Collards have got to be THE easiest thing in the world to grow, they take the heat, take the cold, just keep on growing. I pick off an appropriate amount of lower leaves and throw in the pen. The collards I planted this spring stood up to the 100+ degree weather we had most all summer and are STILL producing just fine. I also have parsley which will usually stay green through most of the winter, they sometimes get a handful of that. I also keep quite a few dandelions (I used to dig them out as weeds, but when they're tucked in amongst other plants and not in the lawn... hey, why not?) growing in various beds around the yard, every so often I'll go yank off a few handfuls of those leaves to feed them. I also have some very high quality, leafy alfalfa hay that I put under the coops for them to play in and they like to eat the leafy parts of that (2 square bales lasts me a year). Pea vines are another of their favorites, but the cold (down in the 20's) has just about ended the peas. In the spring I was giving them Romaine lettuce I grew. I also planted a small bed of alfalfa and fed them fresh alfalfa over the summer. Since my birds have to be penned all the time and can't free-range, they depend on me to bring them all of their food, and I just feel that fresh greens are important for their health.

 

[ChickChickChicky]

To the men who have no qualms about helping around the house, I salute you. My husband was the same way, it didn't bother him a bit to vacuum, wash dishes, scrub the toilet or do laundry. He could even sew on buttons! He was willing to cook too, but after tasting his cooking let's just say that I respectfully declined. He was a US Marine in his younger days and a police officer for 25 years after that... definitely no sissy and as tough as they come. I did 98% of the housework but if I was working or sick he pitched in and got things done. When I hear my grandson complain about cleaning his room or helping around the house, I remind him about grandpa. He looked up to grandpa so it's a good motivator. I sure miss the guy

 

[Miss Lydia]

To the men who have no qualms about helping around the house, I salute you. My husband was the same way, it didn't bother him a bit to vacuum, wash dishes, scrub the toilet or do laundry. He could even sew on buttons! He was willing to cook too, but after tasting his cooking let's just say that I respectfully declined. He was a US Marine in his younger days and a police officer for 25 years after that... definitely no sissy and as tough as they come. I did 98% of the housework but if I was working or sick he pitched in and got things done. When I hear my grandson complain about cleaning his room or helping around the house, I remind him about grandpa. He looked up to grandpa so it's a good motivator. I sure miss the guy

 

[Guccibirds423]

I will be getting them in the spring. I raised some last year but I feed start to them the entire time. Can I feed them starter the first 2 weeks then switch to layer pellets? and get the same weights at 8 weeks? what about scratch feed? and where can I get the ACV from?

 

[Pozees]

To the men who have no qualms about helping around the house, I salute you. My husband was the same way, it didn't bother him a bit to vacuum, wash dishes, scrub the toilet or do laundry. He could even sew on buttons! He was willing to cook too, but after tasting his cooking let's just say that I respectfully declined. He was a US Marine in his younger days and a police officer for 25 years after that... definitely no sissy and as tough as they come. I did 98% of the housework but if I was working or sick he pitched in and got things done. When I hear my grandson complain about cleaning his room or helping around the house, I remind him about grandpa. He looked up to grandpa so it's a good motivator. I sure miss the guy

My DH is far better at sewing than I am - beginning with a willingness to do it LOL.

 

[Pozees]

I will be getting them in the spring. I raised some last year but I feed start to them the entire time. Can I feed them starter the first 2 weeks then switch to layer pellets? and get the same weights at 8 weeks? what about scratch feed? and where can I get the ACV from?

As someone who has yet to raise meaties, but who is reading and has some information, it is my understanding that the basic rule for meaties is the higher the protein, the faster the weight gain. This is only good to a certain extent - if you are not in a position to process the moment they approach too heavy for their legs, or show other signs of poor health, it might be better to push a little less protein, and a little more free ranging, greens, and whole grains. I also have read that slowing down growth a bit might result in a more flavorful bird. Starter and Game Bird will have higher protein than grower, which will have higher protein than layer. You can find a happy medium by using almost any of these mixes (starter I would not continue past the first 2 weeks or so) in combination with whole grains and free ranging if possible, or greens if not. My own FF mix right now is 2/3 whole grains, 1/3 layer, but my flock is 7 laying hens. If I were raising meaties I would make the mix 100% starter for one week and then slowly add in whole grains for the next week, then switch from starter to game bird or grower for the crumble portion and keep it between 50% and 75% crumble for the rest of their lives. For whole grains you can use a premixed scratch or make your own - I use whole wheat and oats, cracked corn, Black Oil Sunflower Seed (BOSS) and wild bird seed. My girls seem to be doing pretty well on this.

The best ACV is that which is unpasteurized and which has "mother" in it, the most common brand I've heard about is Bragg's, which I find in a local natural food store. Recently some WalMarts have begun carrying a different brand with "mother" in it.

 

[Guccibirds423]

As someone who has yet to raise meaties, but who is reading and has some information, it is my understanding that the basic rule for meaties is the higher the protein, the faster the weight gain. This is only good to a certain extent - if you are not in a position to process the moment they approach too heavy for their legs, or show other signs of poor health, it might be better to push a little less protein, and a little more free ranging, greens, and whole grains. I also have read that slowing down growth a bit might result in a more flavorful bird. Starter and Game Bird will have higher protein than grower, which will have higher protein than layer. You can find a happy medium by using almost any of these mixes (starter I would not continue past the first 2 weeks or so) in combination with whole grains and free ranging if possible, or greens if not. My own FF mix right now is 2/3 whole grains, 1/3 layer, but my flock is 7 laying hens. If I were raising meaties I would make the mix 100% starter for one week and then slowly add in whole grains for the next week, then switch from starter to game bird or grower for the crumble portion and keep it between 50% and 75% crumble for the rest of their lives. For whole grains you can use a premixed scratch or make your own - I use whole wheat and oats, cracked corn, Black Oil Sunflower Seed (BOSS) and wild bird seed. My girls seem to be doing pretty well on this.

The best ACV is that which is unpasteurized and which has "mother" in it, the most common brand I've heard about is Bragg's, which I find in a local natural food store. Recently some WalMarts have begun carrying a different brand with "mother" in it.

Thank you so much for this info. It truly helps a lot. I just wonder how much they would way in 8 weeks with 75% crumble and 25% scratch. Also I wonder around how much feed it would take them to get to this weight. I will need be free ranging as I live in the city. I can have as many chickens as I wish but all have to be enclosed so I hate it that I cant free range. So should I had in Alfalfa blocks or something with it?

 

[3 NH reds]

So I am probably not alone in looking in the produce reduced price rack for treats this time of the year, they go nuts for it. Spring timothy is still the good stuff but they fight over fresh corn. A grocery store was looking for someone to come on a regular basis and take all of their old stock in a neat and orderly basis. It was to far to drive and I will not have pigs till spring,

 

[Suzierd]

When I am done eating I take the dishes used to the sink and wash them and put them in the strainer. I then go clean the bathroom wiping down the toilet, sink, bathtub and floor. The kids when done wash there individual dishes and put id strainer then clean there room.My wife when done takes hers and washes and then does pots and pans and puts all away. So see not all men are scared of dish water (this is probably going to get me in trouble) Just the ones that were not taught to clean what they use. Probably the same ones that fart in the house or in the store on purpose. Either one of my did that they got a lite cuff to the back of the head and told to respect others. That's just rude. Yes there were accidents but that was followed by an apologetic excuse me. If not they were given a time out for 30 minutes. You can tell the difference between on purpose and accident by the expression on there face. Yes we do live in the booneys but you should still have proper respect for others.

The fart thing was not directed directly to this post just all the post I read earlier about it.
I just wanted to say that some men know that if you dirty a dish you wash it. If you don't want to wash it don't dirty it. As goes with all aspects of living clean up after yourself man or woman no one else was put on earth to do it for you it is just proper manners.

The more I read your post the more I like you.

 

[Pozees]

Thank you so much for this info. It truly helps a lot. I just wonder how much they would way in 8 weeks with 75% crumble and 25% scratch. Also I wonder around how much feed it would take them to get to this weight. I will need be free ranging as I live in the city. I can have as many chickens as I wish but all have to be enclosed so I hate it that I cant free range. So should I had in Alfalfa blocks or something with it?

I can't offer any ideas on what the weights would be at 8 weeks, but I'm sure others here can. If you processed at 8 weeks on 100% starter, it is possible it would take another week or two to reach the same weight on a lower protein ration, and then again possibly the weight gain would be very close to the same. For greens, alfalfa blocks or pellets have been used by several folks here, I use soaked alfalfa pellets as a greens supplement about once a week or so. They especially like it when I mix in something else, like chunks of sweet potato or whatever else is laying around waiting to be used (except avocado and onions). Another favorite treat is leftover cooked oatmeal, especially if I've mixed in some veggies. The number one, gotta' have, knock down anything in the way to get it, treat around here is meal worms.