Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[waltandlori]

Quiet day on the forum...y'all must have talked yourselves out.

Well, tomorrow night is capture night, with an early processing Thursday morning. I will be doing my old favorite, Big Bertha, along with this cull, as well as Ginny. End of an era, really, so it signals changes in the flock towards new blood and a new day.

I will take carcass comparison pics for you guys and also do a short film of how and where to cut on the silkie and also on the standard bird, as folks seem to have the biggest problem with that single component of processing. Will try to do close ups so that you can see it well, but will be using an old digital camera so it won't be top notch filming.

Got a big bale of this year's hay, fragrantly sweet, and placed in the nest boxes today and also in Jake's house. It's time to start the annual tucking in of the coop for cool weather, one of my favorite times of the year. The leaves are falling fast and so will be raked and stored for winter bedding and also raked directly into the coop for a deep winter litter pack. I have a feeling this winter will be a doozy..very wet and chilly, lots of deep and slushy snow.

Went across the state yesterday and came back today, the colors on the eastern side are simply stunning, as per usual, so we drove with our mouths hanging open, pointing like little kids as each new bend in the road showed scarlet, gold and purple splendor painting the mountains. It never gets old to us. Soon our colors will be changing as well as the season goes out in a blaze of glory. My favorite time of year...the colors, the harvest of wild game and even the meats we have in our own pens, fruit harvests, a gathering together of things for winter survival...wood, food, supplies. Every year without fail, this age old mountain rhythm that seems as old as time. What blessings He showers around us!

I agree, Bee fall colors and smells are great. love the beauty, but after beauty comes the "beast".... Winter! I love winter looking at it from the warmth of a nice wood fire through the picture window, out in it....not so much. I didn't mind it much until the late 90's, but then the old body changed and wet and cold took it's toll. I was a truck mechanic most of my life and got sick of laying under them in the wet slush on road calls, or working in the garage with all that salty muddy crud dripping all over, could not get warm! Really cold days nothing would start and would have to spend the better part of the day out in the wind getting the fleet going. O for the joy of it lol. Now give me summer.

Walt

"Geezerized" there a new word for you!

 

[jajeanpierre]

TW; Most of the plants on my list will come back every year. The problem I have is I actually need more TOXIC plants in the mix. The reason being, there's a posse of four or five buck deer and their three does in the area and they strip everything to the ground. Not to mention the dozens of rabbits and the billions of chipmunks and birds... I need things that aren't very palatable to most animals, that won't encourage them to come a-raiding when there's daylilies and fresh grass and strawberries and trees just across the street.... I want the native animals to start nibbling on the wrong thing and think better of ever coming back to my lawn if I can help it! And then sneak in the sweet things between all the ones they don't want.

They just learn what to eat and what not to eat. My plants labeled "Deer Resistant" are stripped and eaten to the ground unless caged. "Deer Resistant" and toxic are just a function of how hungry the deer are. Grazing and browsing animals will choose their favorites first, eating the less palatable plants when the good stuff is gone. They'll eat toxic plants when they are starving. You won't be able to train them to leave your plants alone because there are toxic ones mixed in--they'll just avoid the toxic stuff. Everything I want to grow is caged.

 

[waltandlori]

They just learn what to eat and what not to eat. My plants labeled "Deer Resistant" are stripped and eaten to the ground unless caged. "Deer Resistant" and toxic are just a function of how hungry the deer are. Grazing and browsing animals will choose their favorites first, eating the less palatable plants when the good stuff is gone. They'll eat toxic plants when they are starving. You won't be able to train them to leave your plants alone because there are toxic ones mixed in--they'll just avoid the toxic stuff. Everything I want to grow is caged.

No such thing as "deer resisant" plants, I saw some 12-14 ft arborvitae with just tufts left at the top 3 feet, they couldn't reach any higher. My bird feeders are not excempt either they empty them every night even if I put out some grain on the ground for them.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

jajean; there's dozens of other lawns around with not-deer-resistant plants. This area is just a salad garden for them. The hostas go first every time, followed by the daylily flowers (JUST the flowers, mind) and some of the trees. I figure if I mix in some gross things, use deer resistant and toxic plants and sometimes send out my dogs they will go for the easy pickings that are just across the street rather than the plants at my place.

 

[hefalumpmom]

Thanks for the hint about mixing larger buckets. Also, I do have a small heated bucket that I don't use. I'll have to try that as it gets colder!

 

[AletaG]

Well finally got the FF brewing, brought wifey to work and stold the caruck yesterday. went to wally world and got bucket for FF went to feed store and got another 150 lbs of feed for the meatys. So far they have eaten 220 lbs of (dry) feed in 37 days, that's a lot of food. I put UP/ACF in water in bucket with some feed, came back and it was dry did this about 4-5 times and now it is like oatmeal. When I go by it gets a stir, it doesn't seem to be working much and smells like, well wet pellets, go figure. I put a glunk or 2 of ACV, maybe I should have done a glug, I figure there is enough in there to get it going.

Walt
PS yes I do realize this post kinda wanders, just like my mind lol

I got impatient with mine. In a 3 gallon bucket, I used 1/4c UPACV I made it a little water heavy, stuffed a fish tank air line down to the bottom and let it bubble. the ACV yeast likes Oxygen. Only took 1 day to have a huge frothy head of happy foamy stuff going on. After that, takes less than a day to ferment fresh feed, and I use whole or rolled grains. Probably be faster with regular feed. If you have any kind of regulated air compressor, give it a go. Biggest problem you could have is overflow - which is why I don't use it anymore. I kept using the air bubbler, and decided I was being silly. Too messy. Great to jump start tho.

 

[mlowen]

I got impatient with mine. In a 3 gallon bucket, I used 1/4c UPACV I made it a little water heavy, stuffed a fish tank air line down to the bottom and let it bubble. the ACV yeast likes Oxygen. Only took 1 day to have a huge frothy head of happy foamy stuff going on. After that, takes less than a day to ferment fresh feed, and I use whole or rolled grains. Probably be faster with regular feed. If you have any kind of regulated air compressor, give it a go. Biggest problem you could have is overflow - which is why I don't use it anymore. I kept using the air bubbler, and decided I was being silly. Too messy. Great to jump start tho.

I've really liked using buttermilk for my "jumpstart." It ferments very well, whether it's very wet (oops, too much water!) or on the dry side. I stir twice a day--somewhere around 6 and 6. I live alone & it's inside, so I don't have to worry about extreme temps (or anyone complaining.)

 

[RoseMarie1]

Well finally got the FF brewing, brought wifey to work and stold the caruck yesterday. went to wally world and got bucket for FF went to feed store and got another 150 lbs of feed for the meatys. So far they have eaten 220 lbs of (dry) feed in 37 days, that's a lot of food. I put UP/ACF in water in bucket with some feed, came back and it was dry did this about 4-5 times and now it is like oatmeal. When I go by it gets a stir, it doesn't seem to be working much and smells like, well wet pellets, go figure. I put a glunk or 2 of ACV, maybe I should have done a glug, I figure there is enough in there to get it going. BTW for the record, I'd rather take a whupping then go to wally world on the 1st I got there fairly early but my the time I got done it was mobbed and 3or4 deep at the checkouts. BRRRR..... Is it possible that the hens egg color could change after molting? It's weird but I swear charlotte's (Turken) egg is darker, I know her's but not all of them, still only getting 3-5 eggs from 8 chickens. I told them the consequences of not laying, but I guess they are going to test me..

Walt

PS yes I do realize this post kinda wanders, just like my mind lol

lol @ your mind mine does the same. Wondering WHY it would do that since we're sooooo very young?

It will take longer to ferment if it's chilly out. It likes warm temps.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Thanks for the hint about mixing larger buckets. Also, I do have a small heated bucket that I don't use. I'll have to try that as it gets colder!

where did you find this heated bucket?

 

[RoseMarie1]

BEEEEE

I got another egg! It's NOT the Aussies laying it was a RIR I saw her coming out of the nest!!