Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[mstricer]

I just remove the covered lid and use the the bottom of the feeder. When they mash it down I stir it amd give it back. Then they eat it.

 

[Lacy Blues]

My little chicks CLEAN their covered feeders out completely. Of course, when they get bigger, I have to change my strategy. That's why I asked how old they are. But it doesn't really matter, as long as they eat it, right?

 

[Costa Rica Art]

Covered feeders and FF don't work too well, I agree. It dries up and is nearly impossible for them to get to once they eat what the hole gives them direct access to. I tried that at first because I didn't want to have them tromping through their food. I gave that up as a lost cause, and just served on a large tupperware lid. You may consider adding mealworms or such as an incentive to get them to mess in the flattened feed.

I still use covered feeders for chicks. If I don't then they either scatter it all over or the broody hen does or she fills the feeder with wood shavings. Once they can't reach any more FF then the feeder is taken up and shook out letting them scratch for the leftovers. I have the feeders mounted on a wide raised board to minimize the hen filling the feeder with wood shavings when she scratches. The feeders are held on the board with rubber bands attached on one end to eye screws, the other end with hooks for easy removal/mounting. This is working very well for the FF which contains chick starter and some cracked corn.

 

[Kilsharion]

I still use covered feeders for chicks. If I don't then they either scatter it all over or the broody hen does or she fills the feeder with wood shavings. Once they can't reach any more FF then the feeder is taken up and shook out letting them scratch for the leftovers. I have the feeders mounted on a wide raised board to minimize the hen filling the feeder with wood shavings when she scratches. The feeders are held on the board with rubber bands attached on one end to eye screws, the other end with hooks for easy removal/mounting. This is working very well for the FF which contains chick starter and some cracked corn.

Interesting. Mine can't reach the food in the centre, or wind up on their heads in soggy food - which I'm not keen about. Isn't it interesting how each set of birds has their own quirks? My food is up on a platform that they jump up onto - zero shavings in their food. I have to put "stairs" in there the first two or three days - after that, they just jump right up.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I raise mine up too to keep shavings etc., out. Those chicks can jump up pretty high! When they're pretty little they can lose their balance and kind of land on their heads just a little but I try to keep my ff pretty dry so it doesn't cause a mess. Also, when they're really little they don't eat that much and I don't put much in their feeders. As the ff dries into clumps I just take the back of a spoon to them and spread them around some more and they eat them right up.

 

[Bleenie]

Quote: That looks like a nice brooder area, can you share a couple more pics? I have a large 2-sided hutch that I raise my chicks in.. tends to get crowded once they reach about a month of age.

 

[BlueMouse]

My FF has been "cooking" more than a week, and still no bubbles.... I moved it next to the woodstove, so it has to be at least 70 (because I plopped it right in front of the blower) and still nothing. I added more ACV, still nothing. What am I doing wrong??

This is my bucket setup, made from stuff I had lying around.... Normally I keep it covered with the towel to keep debris/children out of it. As you can see, no bubbles, no scum on the top. I stir and feed twice a day, add new feed after the second feeding and stir again.... should I just continue waiting, or will the whole grains not foam and bubble?? I know it's not going bad, because it doesn't smell rotten... but neither does it seem to be fermenting like the other people's on this thread.... HELP!!!

 

[armorfirelady]

Did you use un pasteurized apple cider with vinegar?

 

[Kilsharion]

My FF has been "cooking" more than a week, and still no bubbles.... I moved it next to the woodstove, so it has to be at least 70 (because I plopped it right in front of the blower) and still nothing. I added more ACV, still nothing. What am I doing wrong??

This is my bucket setup, made from stuff I had lying around.... Normally I keep it covered with the towel to keep debris/children out of it. As you can see, no bubbles, no scum on the top. I stir and feed twice a day, add new feed after the second feeding and stir again.... should I just continue waiting, or will the whole grains not foam and bubble?? I know it's not going bad, because it doesn't smell rotten... but neither does it seem to be fermenting like the other people's on this thread.... HELP!!!

Put a tablespoon of active dry yeast in it and give it a couple hours - you should see it explode in activity.

 

[B J Hopkins]

I've noticed a lot of the new people like the one bucket better then the two bucket system. It is a lot easier to get the consistency we want, without draining. It takes me less then five minutes to feed the chickens, and most of that five minutes is walking from the house to the barn and back. I've noticed my chickens like the FF a little thicker, then they just gobble big chunks at a time. When it's too runny they spend more time picking out the scratch, which means they're picking through the FF and flinging it all over each other.

I think maybe everyone should agree to disagree and get back to talking about FF, before the Mods shut down this thread for all the bickering. Which is very possible, as many of us have seen from previous threads that are no longer active.

I use the one bucket system (20 gal trash can). It works great for me. I did have over 75 chickens/chicks last yr but down sized to under 30 standard chickens, 4 Silkies & 4 Turkey, to please my DH. I keep the consistancy like thick oatmeal. I spend about 30 min each morning, but that includes turning over the straw on the floors w/a pitchfork, filling water cans etc. to have them set for the day. My chickens can only FreeRange if I'm there to watch over them as we've a fox who thinks I'm providing a free buffet. Now that I've not so many chickens to feed I could switch over to 2-5gal buckets and switch back & forth each day. I ferment the Egg Pellets w/Scratch using mostly ACV w/mother and sometimes Kumbacha Tea. Chickens like it which ever I use to ferment with.