Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Kjordanov]

I'll have to see if I can find one.  Otherwise, as my current chicks get moved to the barns, I'll take pictures.  If I get a broody and have to outsmart her again, I'll take more pictures. 

In other words... I'll try.  Not tonight though.  I'll see what I can find.

Sounds good!

 

[Bleenie]

My laying flock has been eating FF for 1 month now and I am pretty happy with the results so far. The girls are heavier and everyone is much calmer. I mix about 3qts of crumble to ferment and it takes them about a day and a half to finish it. Definitely saving me money on feed!!

My babies aren't eating it yet but I just started converting an empty shed into a brooding coop so it should make things easier. The main brooder is 2.5ft x 8ft so there will be plenty of room to keep the FF away from the heat light and easier to keep shavings out of it. Still trying to figure out the rest of the set up in there but I see it making things much easier with the chicks.

 

[Costa Rica Art]

I love your barred rooster! The girl on the far left would make a nice mate too, if you'd like more of him! I'd love to get some eggs from that pair!

The rooster and that hen, actually there are 3 of those hens are good stock. As near as I can tell those ladies are laying nice size eggs now, as they get a little older we're hoping they will lay eggs the size of those by the black hen. That photo didn't show the size and build of the black hen, she is awesome. I have to make a capture nest so we can figure out who is laying what and save the ones we wish to hatch. I now have two hens like the one you mention that have gone broody, one being the hen that hatched the one chick on her first setting but is raising 6 meat chicks at the same time. Lucky for us that the hens we want to reproduce are the ones that go broody except for the black hen but that is OK we will just save her eggs for one of the other hens to hatch.
This black hen, Black Beauty as my wife calls her, is as big as the rooster and lays extra large eggs.
This shows her markings better.
This pullet and two more are filling out nicely, not quite a year old, just starting to lay some fair size eggs.
Selecting eggs from the good layers and looking for good weight gives me something to do in my retirement, something I never had time to do before, ain't it great!

 

[Bleenie]

Gosh, those girls are beautiful!! I especially love the lighter one. I have issues with my Wyandotte girls being strong broodies(always wanna move nests or give up) but my sister bought bantam Cochins this year so hopefully they'll help hatch for my color projects.

 

[BlueMouse]

I am thrilled to report that after adding a little sugar to my fermenting grains to "sweeten the pot" and waiting a few more days, I finally have a few little floating islands of foam. This morning when I stirred it up holy cow, it was like it was carbonated! Guess I finally have a good ferment going! thank you so much to everyone who helped me troubleshoot! Feeding it to the parrots, the two BO's, and the dog is getting a scoop on top of his food. Everyone (even the poor cat) is getting UP ACV in their water too. My DH asked me if I was going to try and "poison" him as well.... I didn't mention that my sister is sending me a Kombucha scoby.... I haven't seen results yet, but believe both in the anecdotal evidence seen here, and in the good research floating around out there about the feeding of fermented things to all sorts of creatures (including the human kind my poor DH

) After a bit more reading I'm toping off their feed with a quarter tsp of granulated garlic and a shake of cayenne for a week or so. these birds are new to me, and I figure it's some extra insurance. If I can get my hands on some pumpkin seeds I'll feed those for a few weeks too. Both birds appear to be in excellent health and condition, but I figure it doesn't hurt to start off with a good preventative, get us off on the right foot so to speak.

We got about a foot of snow overnight, and this morning when I opened the pop door they were NOT impressed

silly chickens. I'll have pity on them and take their fodder out to the coop for them a little later and see if our girl left us another egg.

 

[Kilsharion]

I am thrilled to report that after adding a little sugar to my fermenting grains to "sweeten the pot" and waiting a few more days, I finally have a few little floating islands of foam. This morning when I stirred it up holy cow, it was like it was carbonated! Guess I finally have a good ferment going! thank you so much to everyone who helped me troubleshoot! Feeding it to the parrots, the two BO's, and the dog is getting a scoop on top of his food. Everyone (even the poor cat) is getting UP ACV in their water too. My DH asked me if I was going to try and "poison" him as well.... I didn't mention that my sister is sending me a Kombucha scoby.... I haven't seen results yet, but believe both in the anecdotal evidence seen here, and in the good research floating around out there about the feeding of fermented things to all sorts of creatures (including the human kind my poor DH

) After a bit more reading I'm toping off their feed with a quarter tsp of granulated garlic and a shake of cayenne for a week or so. these birds are new to me, and I figure it's some extra insurance. If I can get my hands on some pumpkin seeds I'll feed those for a few weeks too. Both birds appear to be in excellent health and condition, but I figure it doesn't hurt to start off with a good preventative, get us off on the right foot so to speak.

We got about a foot of snow overnight, and this morning when I opened the pop door they were NOT impressed

silly chickens. I'll have pity on them and take their fodder out to the coop for them a little later and see if our girl left us another egg.

So glad to hear it's going good for you!

From what I've read in various places, garlic and dogs do not mix. I don't know about other animals; but...dogs = no no for garlic and onions.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I am thrilled to report that after adding a little sugar to my fermenting grains to "sweeten the pot" and waiting a few more days, I finally have a few little floating islands of foam. This morning when I stirred it up holy cow, it was like it was carbonated! Guess I finally have a good ferment going! thank you so much to everyone who helped me troubleshoot! Feeding it to the parrots, the two BO's, and the dog is getting a scoop on top of his food. Everyone (even the poor cat) is getting UP ACV in their water too. My DH asked me if I was going to try and "poison" him as well.... I didn't mention that my sister is sending me a Kombucha scoby.... I haven't seen results yet, but believe both in the anecdotal evidence seen here, and in the good research floating around out there about the feeding of fermented things to all sorts of creatures (including the human kind my poor DH

) After a bit more reading I'm toping off their feed with a quarter tsp of granulated garlic and a shake of cayenne for a week or so. these birds are new to me, and I figure it's some extra insurance. If I can get my hands on some pumpkin seeds I'll feed those for a few weeks too. Both birds appear to be in excellent health and condition, but I figure it doesn't hurt to start off with a good preventative, get us off on the right foot so to speak.

We got about a foot of snow overnight, and this morning when I opened the pop door they were NOT impressed

silly chickens. I'll have pity on them and take their fodder out to the coop for them a little later and see if our girl left us another egg.

Yay! You could also put a sprinkle of Oregano or Thyme in there as well. They are GREAT health builders/preventives.

So glad to hear it's going good for you!

From what I've read in various places, garlic and dogs do not mix. I don't know about other animals; but...dogs = no no for garlic and onions.

Garlic is fine for dogs and chickens. Onions? Not so much. I have always given garlic to my dogs.

 

[yinepu]

Quote: garlic is fine for dogs.. always mixed it with brewers yeast on their food as a flea preventative

 

[Kilsharion]

garlic is fine for dogs.. always mixed it with brewers yeast on their food as a flea preventative

Alrighty - just going off of what I've been reading the last few years.

I have no proof in either direction, so I'll have to take y'all's experience to bear. Thanks for letting me know.

 

[Kjordanov]

So glad to hear it's going good for you!

From what I've read in various places, garlic and dogs do not mix.  I don't know about other animals; but...dogs = no no for garlic and onions.

Actually garlic can be used as a treatment and preventative of fleas. I've used it on my dog and had no bad effects - and she has a sensitive stomach too!