Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[colburg]

I guess I am going on the understanding that adult layers should eat about 1/4 lb of feed each per day, and chicks and juveniles should be allowed as much as they will eat, since they are growing. Now, the layers ARE going through less than 1/4lb each of dry food per day, but I have pretty much calculated the amount of FF to give them by how much they will clean up before the next feeding.

Well, I think I will definitely try and reduce the feed a little at least, and see how they do. I need to get that 1/4lb per bird thing out of my head I guess. It is hard to know though because as someone said, they will ACT hungry all the time when you offer food. Just thinking out loud here...

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. It is nice to have a group like this that I can bounce questions and ideas off of you all!

Are all of your birds free ranging? Who is and who isn't?

 

[Beekissed]

I don't allow chicks and juveniles to eat as much as they can eat, no more than I would allow pups, kittens or children to eat as much as they can eat. I feed all birds in meals and judge their needs by general condition of the body whether those meal amounts need tweaked up or down. But then, I free range my chicks from an early age and they can eat as much as they can find, though they are also burning off nutrition in that search for food. I guess it all equals out to just regular nutrition and only enough to keep them in good physical condition.

 

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

Triple Willow~ It is!   When first I started to train them, they were quite skeptical as to why they should lift the feed and hay while I was standing there and had been doing it all along.  It was a battle at first, though now that I have spine problems they are starting to come around and want to help me more with lifting chores. 

And what's worse is my boys are looking for women that will act like us, my mother and I, and will gut deer, kill and process animals, run the chainsaw, carry firewood, build fence, do construction, and all the other homesteading things.  They are having some level of difficulty with that and are giving up hope of finding it.  I feel bad for them as they were presented with a picture of women that is just not realistic in this present world. 

 

You forgot to add have great mechanical skills...i 'm a fairly good mechanic and thats an important thing to know if you want to save money and homestead. Anyway, I can do all that and I am in my late 20 s... I know there ar few young women who have such skill, so they exist. I have a couple friends and family members like us. I bet they'll be even rarer when my sons grow up. I was hoping my boys would be able to pick out their girls young and have them work at our place and put them through the tests to train em right. That way they'll also learn how to cook and grow their own food, process animals and work on cars. I will hopefully have a daughter one day and will train her to know /do all these things. But like many h ave said, and I can vouch, she 'll be very intimidating. And put off most men. I can always send the girls to Alaska to find real guys...talk about guys who want a woman to match them skill for skill and then cook and have kids too. Its important to know where to look, 4h, FFA, rodeos, Montana, Arkansas, church missions trips that involve bad living conditions and building & getting filthy...these girls your sons want don't really go to the beach often, have cocktails in mini dresses or go to the mall. They've got more fulfilling and important stuff to do. Ok, now back to chickens and ff! I'm almost done with my first chicken coop, it just needs one more door, the roof, a little more hardware cloth on top, the ramp and my favorite gravity feed waterer. Why are chickens so exciting???

 

[AletaG]

Don't know why this isn't clear. We appreciate the OFFER. There are a few femi-nazi's that think the offer is wrong, they are way on the far end of this. What was pointed out as annoying is the *reaction* if *politely* turned down!!! I'm almost 40 with a 5 and 3 yo. You BET my husband does a lot of the heavy lifting, and I ACCEPT when I need help. When I don't, be polite in return. A gentlemanly offer turns to rudeness when you are treated rudely for politely refusing. There's a balance in everything.

this subject is sensitive to women of all ages. why i don't know. a gentleman should and always will ask a woman if she needs help. it is not about can i get in your pants type of behavior. it is a respectful gesture.
a true gentleman of a younger stature will also ask an older gentleman if they can help.
i do this all the time. i do it at the mill , tsc, and the grocery store.

...and we all appreciate it. I offer my assistance also to anyone who may need it. It's polite. I DON'T stare at them like they've fallen off the funny farm truck if they do not wish me to assist! It sounds like you don't either. Thank you!

Very well said. It is a battle of values. When my mother worked in the fields, cared for livestock and split wood, she would have been glad to have an offer of help. It is not a sign of disrespect when someone offers to help. Male or female. When a woman offers to help me, I say yes and appreciate it. I do not feel that they think I cannot do something, but they are caring people. When you reject assistance you taking away the feeling of satisfaction that comes from helping another human. If you refuse my assistance, I will not be offended. But if you don't mind you may help me when you are finished. I would enjoy the conversation.

This makes not needing help sound like a crushing blow intended to destroy... Um. No. And it is not incumbent upon you to accept help if you truly do not need it. "Thank you ma'am (or sir), but I've got it this time" followed by a big smile. Balance.
Ok, last time for me on this topic! LOL. If it keeps up, gonna need a manners thread or something.

So, I'm going to be phasing out the COB, because just Oats is cheaper and higher protein. That'll make the chooks mad, but if they eat a little less, OK by me. Feedstore guy conned me into picking up a 10lb bag of Calf Manna for a protein top-dress. Not sure why to use it now... they really don't like it, and it can only be 10% of the feed they eat because of the nutrient load. Will use it 'til it's gone, but never again. Any reason (other than they like it) to serve Corn/Barley?
After that, back to beans! Lentils! Black beans! Peas! Huzzah! Also finally have mealie beetles in the tank, so hopefully in a month or so, can supp. with bugs, too.
Am trying screen materiel on large trays to sprout oats and Green Manure seed mix ... 3 days and have sprouts. Plan on serving to Cks on the screens when they get about 3" tall... Experimenting, experimenting...

 

[Triple Willow]

Triple Willow~ It is!   When first I started to train them, they were quite skeptical as to why they should lift the feed and hay while I was standing there and had been doing it all along.  It was a battle at first, though now that I have spine problems they are starting to come around and want to help me more with lifting chores. 

And what's worse is my boys are looking for women that will act like us, my mother and I, and will gut deer, kill and process animals, run the chainsaw, carry firewood, build fence, do construction, and all the other homesteading things.  They are having some level of difficulty with that and are giving up hope of finding it.  I feel bad for them as they were presented with a picture of women that is just not realistic in this present world.  

EXACTLY! My whole family (except my boyfriend) wants to stand back and let me do the heavy stuff! And you are so right, trying to teach a boy to step up when you (a woman) have done it all is a battle. I'm STILL having the battle. I just can't do all I use to do. I would have to beg my family for help, which would be pointless because it ain't happening! I'm supposed to do everything for me and them too! lol

My nephew is not looking for a wife yet, thank goodness. I'm afraid he will have a hard time too, afraid his expectations will be way off. The majority of the people in this country have NO IDEA how important a dad is in a boy's life. A couple weeks ago my nephew helped me process some roosters. I told him that I bet his friends thought I was crazy. He laughed and said "yeaaah". LOL I guess I'm going to have to come out of retirement from hunting. I be dang if this nephew is not going to learn how to hunt! If the world goes crazy I want to be sure he knows how to go out and find something to eat.

 

[Beekissed]

Hallelujah for women like you, Triple Willow! I agree that folks don't know how important it is for a boy to have a father figure around. I wish more men understood that...what a difference all the uncles, brothers and granddads could make in the lives of fatherless boys and girls. My dad taught my boys to bowhunt and Mama taught them how to dress and process their kill, so they at least have that. Dad also taught them chainsaws, tractors and how to work all day for the family's good and I continued that on when we moved away. I taught them general car maintenance, tools, gardening, and animal husbandry.

It truly takes many to take the place of good dad and I still don't think it can be done properly without one.

 

[Triple Willow]

You forgot to add have great mechanical skills...i 'm a fairly good mechanic and thats an important thing to know if you want to save money and homestead. Anyway, I can do all that and I am in my late 20 s... I know there ar few young women who have such skill, so they exist. I have a couple friends and family members like us. I bet they'll be even rarer when my sons grow up. I was hoping my boys would be able to pick out their girls young and have them work at our place and put them through the tests to train em right. That way they'll also learn how to cook and grow their own food, process animals and work on cars. I will hopefully have a daughter one day and will train her to know /do all these things. But like many h ave said, and I can vouch, she 'll be very intimidating. And put off most men. I can always send the girls to Alaska to find real guys...talk about guys who want a woman to match them skill for skill and then cook and have kids too. Its important to know where to look, 4h, FFA, rodeos, Montana, Arkansas, church missions trips that involve bad living conditions and building & getting filthy...these girls your sons want don't really go to the beach often, have cocktails in mini dresses or go to the mall. They've got more fulfilling and important stuff to do. Ok, now back to chickens and ff! I'm almost done with my first chicken coop, it just needs one more door, the roof, a little more hardware cloth on top, the ramp and my favorite gravity feed waterer. Why are chickens so exciting???

Maybe we ought to consider getting our kids Mennonite spouses. We have lots of them around here.

Be sure to show us pics of your new coop! I've got to rig up one of those gravity waterer too. That would be nice!

Good for you on the mechanical skills!

 

[TexasLisa]

Hallelujah for women like you, Triple Willow! I agree that folks don't know how important it is for a boy to have a father figure around. I wish more men understood that...what a difference all the uncles, brothers and granddads could make in the lives of fatherless boys and girls. My dad taught my boys to bowhunt and Mama taught them how to dress and process their kill, so they at least have that. Dad also taught them chainsaws, tractors and how to work all day for the family's good and I continued that on when we moved away. I taught them general car maintenance, tools, gardening, and animal husbandry.

It truly takes many to take the place of good dad and I still don't think it can be done properly without one.

There is nothing better than a well-rounded man! You did good Bee!!

On FF, I give my flock (14 now) a couple of spoonfuls in the morning. They free range all day. They will come back into the pen around dusk and pick at it again. I know I am saving money, just never wrote anything down.

Lisa

 

[Triple Willow]

Hallelujah for women like you, Triple Willow!  I agree that folks don't know how important it is for a boy to have a father figure around.  I wish more men understood that...what a difference all the uncles, brothers and granddads could make in the lives of fatherless boys and girls.  My dad taught my boys to bowhunt and Mama taught them how to dress and process their kill, so they at least have that.  Dad also taught them chainsaws, tractors and how to work all day for the family's good and I continued that on when we moved away.  I taught them general car maintenance, tools, gardening, and animal husbandry. 

It truly takes many to take the place of  good dad and I still don't think it can be done properly without one.  

Ah Bee, it sounds like you have done a better job than I have. The problem with my nephew is when the going gets tough he can go home! LOL My dad died when I was a little over a year old and my mom never remarried. SOMEHOW I seemed to move into the "man of the family" roll - very weird I know! (Can we all say "dysfunctional"? LOL) My mom raised us by herself and she was/is a tough one! I learned a lot from her and was encouraged to learn and do more, including the man stuff. But you are so right, a boy needs a dad or AT LEAST a stable "man figure" in their life. And girls too, they need one in different ways. But I think that is where our society is failing.

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

I don't allow chicks and juveniles to eat as much as they can eat, no more than I would allow pups, kittens or children to eat as much as they can eat.  I feed all birds in meals and judge their needs by general condition of the body whether those meal amounts need tweaked up or down.  But then, I free range my chicks from an early age and they can eat as much as they can find, though they are also burning off nutrition in that search for food.  I guess it all equals out to just regular nutrition and only enough to keep them in good physical condition. 

 

I am currently feeding my 11 week old chicks twice a day with the FF - all they can eat in about 20 - 30 minutes. On days that they free range they only get the FF once - again, all they can eat in about 20-30 minutes. My question is, once they mature into adult birds (roosters and layers) should I still stick with feeding them twice per day (unless they free range) all they can eat in 20-30 minutes or should it be more, less ??