Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[hogster160]

Those meaties will gobble that scratch and BOSS like it was pudding! Even my DP chicks eat BOSS by the second day of life, so those meaties have no problem at all. Try it and see..and give them some access to grit while you're at it and you won't see a scrap of that food left in the feeder unless it be wheat. My meaty chicks left the wheat for last and often wouldn't even eat it, so I stopped feeding it.

lol and here I figured it would be to large for them lol. Will do, probably with next batch. They already have grit as I've given them some good veggies to munch on as well. And being outside.

Ok, I give, and I'll ask what is DP? LOL i'm still catching on to a lot of this.

 

[OHhappychicks]

Just feed and water and time...that's the recipe! Stir it a little each day to help things along.

Especially chicks! They need it more than all the others to start out their lives with a properly cultured bowel and better sources of protein. You can ferment any of the types of feeds and get the same good results.

Thank you Beekissed! I will start some tonight!

 

[Kassaundra]

dp = dual purpose (egg and meat)

 

[OHhappychicks]

Yes, the non medicated chick starter, Nutrena. Then they will go to all flock, which is what I'm fermenting for the layers and turkeys. I do mix the dry layer with some scratch and boss before I ferment, so the chicks will need to be a bit larger yet before they get it.

Edited to add correct info lol

I'm sad to say that my chick feed is medicated. I've never used it until this spring as my feed mill says that is all they have unless it is special ordered! They always had nonmedicated before. Not sure what is up with that! Can I still use the medicated? So I will feed the chicks the chick starter and then the grower, then layer, is that correct? Or do you go right into the layer feed at a certain age?

 

[hogster160]

dp = dual purpose (egg and meat)

Thank you!

 

[OHhappychicks]

Those meaties will gobble that scratch and BOSS like it was pudding! Even my DP chicks eat BOSS by the second day of life, so those meaties have no problem at all. Try it and see..and give them some access to grit while you're at it and you won't see a scrap of that food left in the feeder unless it be wheat. My meaty chicks left the wheat for last and often wouldn't even eat it, so I stopped feeding it.

So it is alright to give my 3 wk old chicks boss? I threw together a pen for them outside today and did they ever love it!! I hate to bring them in this eve. I have them in a big aquarium now, in the utility room, but in about a week they are going to be to big for it. We need to get our hoophouse back up. That was always our grow out pen. We took it down early spring as the wind had ripped the plastic last winter. We used it for over 2 1/2 yrs. Oh well, we will get it together! Need to go see what I have to mix ff in. I have 3 different feeds for our multi~aged flock. Layer, grower, and chicks. Will get busy!

 

[hogster160]

I'm sad to say that my chick feed is medicated. I've never used it until this spring as my feed mill says that is all they have unless it is special ordered! They always had nonmedicated before. Not sure what is up with that! Can I still use the medicated? So I will feed the chicks the chick starter and then the grower, then layer, is that correct? Or do you go right into the layer feed at a certain age?

Mine will go to all flock. Many here say from starter to layer, if fermenting the food. Also have read not to use medicated. Just not sure of the reason. I'm new to chickens this year too, so I'm still learning lots!

And please correct me if I gave out wrong information!

Deb

 

[hogster160]

So it is alright to give my 3 wk old chicks boss? I threw together a pen for them outside today and did they ever love it!! I hate to bring them in this eve. I have them in a big aquarium now, in the utility room, but in about a week they are going to be to big for it. We need to get our hoophouse back up. That was always our grow out pen. We took it down early spring as the wind had ripped the plastic last winter. We used it for over 2 1/2 yrs. Oh well, we will get it together! Need to go see what I have to mix ff in. I have 3 different feeds for our multi~aged flock. Layer, grower, and chicks. Will get busy!

Don't forget about the grit. That is very important if feeding anything other than starter.

I had mama and the babies out today. It was supposed to rain, but I wanted them to get some play time in. The meaties stayed in today. Gathering 16 meaties in the rain didn't sound like fun to me. So they stayed in their brooder. But they will be outside tomorrow.

I have one bucket of starter fermenting and two buckets of all flock combo. I feed out of one bucket while the other get a good fermentation. Then I feed out of it. I don't use all the feed. Only take it down to about 1/4 bucket then remake.

 

[OHhappychicks]

Don't forget about the grit. That is very important if feeding anything other than starter.

I had mama and the babies out today. It was supposed to rain, but I wanted them to get some play time in. The meaties stayed in today. Gathering 16 meaties in the rain didn't sound like fun to me. So they stayed in their brooder. But they will be outside tomorrow.

I have one bucket of starter fermenting and two buckets of all flock combo. I feed out of one bucket while the other get a good fermentation. Then I feed out of it. I don't use all the feed. Only take it down to about 1/4 bucket then remake.

Ok! I have grit! Is it alright to use the medicated? I also only have layer mash and boss right now. Can I just use these until I can get some grains? I have a hard time finding grains around here. Unless I want to order a large quantity which I don't have room for. How much wheat, oats ect., do you all buy at once and what other grains do you use? I only have about 30 chickens.

 

[hogster160]

Ok! I have grit! Is it alright to use the medicated? I also only have layer mash and boss right now. Can I just use these until I can get some grains? I have a hard time finding grains around here. Unless I want to order a large quantity which I don't have room for. How much wheat, oats ect., do you all buy at once and what other grains do you use? I only have about 30 chickens.

This is what Bee had to say about using medicated starter. Post 124 page 13

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds/120#post_8853010