Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[kacklinkelly]

Oh my heavens, are we ever having a huge problem with the flies here in North Peoria. My kitchen was spotless and I still had them inside. They are swarming my backyard en-mass, too. Everyone I've talked to is having major issues this year, even if they don't keep chickens. The fertilizer we used in the garden and the chicken poop is attracting them more so than normal versus some of the others people, but you can only clean up so much of that. My coop and yard don't smell at all, but you can see the buggers all over.

Once my work on the new coop is finished today, I'm making a couple of fly traps to hopefully help get rid of them. A simple funnel and a glass mason jar with the ring should work wonders for it.

Am really glad to hear we are not the only ones. Ugh, I thought it was due to our new additions (chicken tractor and composter) to our back yard this year since we brought chickens into our lives. My husband is a freak about flies. Can't stand them. Won't eat "alfresco" ever. Gets obsessed if one is in the house and just has to get rid of it or he can't concentrate on anything else. We are in NW Phx by Ben Avery. Even with great breezes the flies are ridiculous and our yard and tractor are quite clean. I had seen something on youtube where someone made a flycatcher and then fed the flies back to the chickens. Thought I might give that a try.

 

[Demosthine]

I made two fly catchers today. Harbor Freight has these cheapo funnels on sale for 79c. There are four in a pack and the second smallest fits nicely in a regular mouth Mason jar. Just cut the tab off. The ring is a bit tight to screw on, but it's cheap and easy.

I have just ACV in one jar and a mixed batch in the second. It is 1/2c boiling water to dissolve 2tsp sugar in. Add 1/4c ACV and a few drops of non-odor reducing dish soap. I set them both out and we'll see which works better for the day.

Ben Avery, huh? We're south of the Carefree on Lake Pleasant Parkway, basically. Not too far away at all! I think I've seen you on the Arizona Thread, right? If not, stop in and say hi!

 

[jeepgirl13]

Were having horrible flies here too. I'm out by Apache junction. I put some orange peels in the nest boxes and have hardly any flies in the coop now. The run is a different story. I've been seeing a lot of those giant roaches too. I'm scared to death of those things. Only other bug that terrifies me are bees and such. Talk about a panic attack!

 

[kacklinkelly]

I made two fly catchers today. Harbor Freight has these cheapo funnels on sale for 79c. There are four in a pack and the second smallest fits nicely in a regular mouth Mason jar. Just cut the tab off. The ring is a bit tight to screw on, but it's cheap and easy.

I have just ACV in one jar and a mixed batch in the second. It is 1/2c boiling water to dissolve 2tsp sugar in. Add 1/4c ACV and a few drops of non-odor reducing dish soap. I set them both out and we'll see which works better for the day.

Ben Avery, huh? We're south of the Carefree on Lake Pleasant Parkway, basically. Not too far away at all! I think I've seen you on the Arizona Thread, right? If not, stop in and say hi!

Thanks for the fly catcher idea - Yep, I've seen you on the AZ thread also. Every time I go to a feed store, I wonder if I am among "My BYC People". Funny how we wouldn't recognize each other but learn so much from and with each other. I am hoping to make it to one of the open house gatherings one of these days soon. Peace,

 

[Lacy Blues]

Were having horrible flies here too. I'm out by Apache junction. I put some orange peels in the nest boxes and have hardly any flies in the coop now. The run is a different story. I've been seeing a lot of those giant roaches too. I'm scared to death of those things. Only other bug that terrifies me are bees and such. Talk about a panic attack!

Orange peels hu? That's good to know... I'll try that this year since the baggie thing apparently won't work.

I've read that lavender apparently repels mice. Has anyone had any experience with this?

 

[jeepgirl13]

I learned about the orange peels, any citrus peel really, and a few other herbal that repel many.different types of.pests over on the natural chicken thread. Some one even put up a list of various plants and their.uses around chickens on there. You might be able to.search.the thread and find.it. its hard to do on my phone

 

[Lambingfamily]

This is very interesting and I am excited to try it. We have raised chickens for about 4 yrs, thanks to a homeschool project! We now have chicken fever We raised our first 50 broilers last year with great success, considering we were learning as we went. This year, we ordered 150, which arrived last week. We are looking for ways to cut our cost on feed. We have freedom rangers and plan on putting them in chicken tractors to forage once they are older. We did this last year, but just let them free range in our yard with our layers. We figured 150 would just be to chaotic to let run loose. Lol! I have been giving our chickens buttermilk on a fairly regular basis and it seems to cut down on the poopy booties and diarrhea. I would like more info on how you feed your broilers. What is the age you stop feeding them the chick feed and switch to the scratch? Last year we only fed chick starter and then finisher, along with their free ranging. We are looking to cut our cost this year. And with fear of sounding really dumb, what is up/acv? Thank you in advance for any advise you can offer. Blessings, Sheliea

 

[transformerchick]

I have friends who have had success with the lavendar repelling mice but when we tried it, it did nothing - the little buggers just ignored it. We have been trying every method lately (lavendar, steel wool, mouse traps, etc) and we can still hear them in the attic - very frustrating

 

[Kilsharion]

I have friends who have had success with the lavendar repelling mice but when we tried it, it did nothing - the little buggers just ignored it. We have been trying every method lately (lavendar, steel wool, mouse traps, etc) and we can still hear them in the attic - very frustrating

Mint and napthalene. If you can get by a dollar store or find a feed store that carries the old fashioned moth balls....put them everywhere in your attic you can reach. My mother actually has them across her doors because she likes to keep them open in the warm weather. She's never had a mouse since she started doing it. She also lays napthalene around the exterior of her sheds - again, no mice.

I have used mint successfully when I have been unable to find napthalene. Just have to be cautious with mint because it is such an aggressive plant, it will overtake anything around it quickly and easily. It's why my mother uses mothballs/napthalene instead.

This is very interesting and I am excited to try it. We have raised chickens for about 4 yrs, thanks to a homeschool project! We now have chicken fever We raised our first 50 broilers last year with great success, considering we were learning as we went. This year, we ordered 150, which arrived last week. We are looking for ways to cut our cost on feed. We have freedom rangers and plan on putting them in chicken tractors to forage once they are older. We did this last year, but just let them free range in our yard with our layers. We figured 150 would just be to chaotic to let run loose. Lol! I have been giving our chickens buttermilk on a fairly regular basis and it seems to cut down on the poopy booties and diarrhea. I would like more info on how you feed your broilers. What is the age you stop feeding them the chick feed and switch to the scratch? Last year we only fed chick starter and then finisher, along with their free ranging. We are looking to cut our cost this year. And with fear of sounding really dumb, what is up/acv? Thank you in advance for any advise you can offer. Blessings, Sheliea

UP = unpasteurized
ACV = apple cider vinegar

I can't really advise on cutting costs. I tend to spend more on a single bag of feed than most would care to contemplate. It's one reason I'm so happy with the fermenting. I'm working on fixing that cost pain by making up my own mix and buying it a couple tons at a time; but, finding a mill around here that will work with me has proven to be a challenge.

Were having horrible flies here too. I'm out by Apache junction. I put some orange peels in the nest boxes and have hardly any flies in the coop now. The run is a different story. I've been seeing a lot of those giant roaches too. I'm scared to death of those things. Only other bug that terrifies me are bees and such. Talk about a panic attack!

This tickled me. We have bees deliberately (hives on the property); and, I do a happy dance every time I see them. They are what makes my gardens and trees bloom and bear sustenance for me and mine, so I'm thrilled when I see them. Wasps and hornets on the other hand.....I picked up a hanging planter of mine, one year, without looking under the trailing plant. I grabbed a handful of hive. 34 stings and a trip to the ER later, I learned a valuable lesson (well, re-learned). Never pick up anything you can't see underneath...at least not with bare hands.

We used to have what Texans call "water-bugs" and I swear to all that's holy is just a colloquial way of saying "big-a-- roaches". **shudders** I haven't seen a single one since we started letting a few of our girls free range. I won't let them all out because we do have predators to worry about; but, a few (about 12 to 18). I've said goodbye to a few ant hills, most of the scorpions, the water-bugs, and quite a few of the spiders. The guinea seem to be taking care of our ticks, also...our muscovy should be big enough to go outside in a bit - so we'll have them out and about as well. Between them and the bats that roost around here, we're pretty golden. Which is a good thing, considering I live along a river.

Now, if I can just keep the snakes from making an appearance....gah

 

[Costa Rica Art]

Now, if I can just keep the snakes from making an appearance....gah

Wow, your guineas don't take care of your snake problem? Guineas hate snakes, they gang up on snakes, even rattlers. At our home in Caliente California we had rattlers, some over 6' long, they were a problem until we got guineas. You've seen the old western serials on TV where the Indians circle the wagon train, well our guineas did the same thing with the rattlers.

They would circle the snake and pester it. Then one would get its attention by getting in front and close, when the snake would shift its concentration to that guinea another would come in from behind and peck the back of the rattles head.

This was repeated until the snake was dead then the young guineas would keep attacking the dead snake, I suppose to get the feel of the snake, taste or whatever.

There was never a rattler or other snake on our property or in the guineas range. Next time you see a snake either toss it to the guineas or heard the guineas to it, they'll take over from there and I'm guessing they will then keep your place free of snakes.