Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Costa Rica Art]

Pretty sad for an engineer, I know.


The reason I use multiple types of meat proteins is based on a study done back in the late 1800s/early 1900s where they found that viability of eggs, health of the chicken overall, and longevity of production seemed to correlate with a more diverse meat protein intake (as well as including some grain/vegetable protein). It was actually quite fascinating to read.

From another "sad" engineer, even though our chickens get to free range in our backyard, the yard isn't all that big.

Perhaps the chickens do get some bugs for protein but I was wondering if the raw milk yogurt that I add to the FF after I put the FF in the feed troughs would count toward "meat protein"?

I do add the whey and some yogurt to the mash to "kick" it up. The chickens do like it both ways.

No idea if the FF has anything to do with it but I have 4 broody hens right now (3 chicks as of this morning).

Two of the hens are silkies so no problem of egg production loss but the other two hens are layers. Well I guess the chicks becoming layers can offset the loss of egg production unless I end up with more broody hens. . . . .

Oh, we are getting some very large/extra large eggs, even the pullet eggs are nice size, maybe 3 pullet eggs equal two extra large, awesome FF!

 

[Lacy Blues]

So, do the beneficial bacteria from ferment and yogurt and whatnot in the ferment mix get into the grains if you're fermenting whole grains?

 

[Kilsharion]

From another "sad" engineer, even though our chickens get to free range in our backyard, the yard isn't all that big.

Perhaps the chickens do get some bugs for protein but I was wondering if the raw milk yogurt that I add to the FF after I put the FF in the feed troughs would count toward "meat protein"?

I do add the whey and some yogurt to the mash to "kick" it up. The chickens do like it both ways.

No idea if the FF has anything to do with it but I have 4 broody hens right now (3 chicks as of this morning).

Two of the hens are silkies so no problem of egg production loss but the other two hens are layers. Well I guess the chicks becoming layers can offset the loss of egg production unless I end up with more broody hens. . . . .

Oh, we are getting some very large/extra large eggs, even the pullet eggs are nice size, maybe 3 pullet eggs equal two extra large, awesome FF!

Yes, it counts as an additional "meat protein". Whey and yogurt are also milk derived proteins. I'm glad to hear you're having such great results, Art

So, do the beneficial bacteria from ferment and yogurt and whatnot in the ferment mix get into the grains if you're fermenting whole grains?

Yes. The bacteria infests the ferment (which includes the grains).

 

[ssbs]

Ok.. Some questions. I'm sure they have already been asked but I don't have time to read through 5600 posts

what do you all use as feeders for FF? How much do you feed to your birds? I have 6 pullets that are 9-11 weeks old and 4 bantams that are 6/7 weeks old. And how long can it safely sit out in their run it coop?

 

[armorfirelady]

I use a plastic dry wall trough that sits on a stand I made

 

[armorfirelady]

Post

 

[armorfirelady]

Triple post

 

[armorfirelady]

Post

 

[BlueMouse]

PVC trough style feeder. You can hang the second half of the pvc a few inches above to keep them from jumping in it. My bantam is the only one that jumps in, and she's so tiny she can't even reach it any other way, so I don't mind. this is 4" pipe. I found that the cover from a cottage cheese tub fit just right on the ends. I just used some glue to put them on, then sandwiched it VERY TIGHTLY into the frame. I couldn't even move it once I had the frame together, but I put one screw down into the crosspiece anyhow, and sealed w/silacone. There's two screws holding it to the wall of the coop. My only complaint is that because I don't have a table saw to cut it with it's not as straight along the sides as I would like. On one side I could just cut along the lettering, but on the other side I got a little crooked.




I am as of right now feeding about five or six cups (after fermenting) grains to 7 LF of various ages, and 6 12 week old bantams. Of course, they also get free range, so, YMMV. The rule of thumb seems to be to give them what they can clear up in ten or fifteen minutes, once or twice a day depending on availability of free range and time of year. 5 of the bantams are in a tractor and get a morning feeding of about another cup or so. They seem fat and happy. For chicks I think it's important for them to have food available during all the daylight hours. I fill their dishes as often as I need to (easy since they're brooded in the house) and scrape anything that's gotten "crunchy" out and feed it to the big guys.

as far as leaving it in the coop, practices vary, but I think it can safely be left several days without going bad. Most people dump whatever is left the next morning on the ground for the birds to clean up, then reduce the portion being put out at each feeding slightly until there isn't any left.

 

[Wilson Chickens]

My pullets are now 8 weeks old and I would like to make my own feed mix but I was told due to a protein % they had to stay on chick starter for 12 weeks. I would like them on a grain based feed after they hit 12 weeks but I'm not sure how to go about making my own feed. It looks complicated.