Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Triple Willow]

@Bee and you other experienced folks, are there certain things you do in the fall as regular management practices for your flock, for example a natural deworming?

 

[Beekissed]

I don't normally do a scheduled type of antihelmintic but am always on the outlook for ways to feed or give a natural cleanser if it's on hand. In the late winter is when my pumpkins have usually fermented well and are ready for eating~that's nutrition and deworming all at once.

If I put castor oil on scales as a preventative or treatment for scale mite, I'll go ahead and dose them internally while I have the CO out and the birds in my hand...that has only happened a couple of times this year but wouldn't normally happen unless the birds had been exposed to other birds with scale mite from their other home last year. Before this year I had never given castor oil internally.

I don't do scheduled type maintenance because I go by flock conditioning and if they need something~which they never do. I count on their lifestyle/environment, feed and judicious culling of non-layers to keep the flock on safe parasite loads...and that has worked for a long, long time. I don't fix it if it isn't broken.

 

[wlhtx]

So, two days ago, I got the first egg that I've had in 36 days. (Remember, I have 28 hens at or past POL, and they are ALL in their first year - so all young still.) I got another egg today, so - hopefully - the girls are going to start slowly producing again. I'm still not asking for everyone to lay every day, but I DO need/want a few a week... But, I did break out my happy dance earlier today.

I also observed my oldest, main roo - a JG named Reuben - doing the rooster dance yesterday. I've seen others describe it on here, but I've never witnessed one of my own roos doing the dance until Reuben displayed it yesterday. I was laughing so hard! The poor soul though - he had chosen one of the younger girls and she wouldn't give him the time of day. He was totally denied. And guess what, Bee - she was a BO. So, I guess they do have SOME restraint when it comes to doing the deed..

 

[TexasLisa]

Not now, the bike had to go in '09, lost my job and things got tight soooo..... I'd love to get another, however there are a bunch of knuckleheads out there getting in accident (a lot of which are not their fault) and cars do not pay much attention to what they are doing, texting and on the phone etc. My wife thinks it's too dangerous, although she loved to ride as well.I swear, anything that is worthwhile and fun has reasons you can't do it. If money was no issue (yeah like that's gonna happen) I might be able to talk her into it. She had an accident last Feb. rolled my pickup on black ice so we need another vehicle first anyway.... sorry TMI.

Walt

I am sorry you lost your job. My DH and I ride. We stick to the back roads in the country. Give your wife a hug for me. I was in my first car accident 3 years ago (not my fault) and it has made me jittery. You are right, there are a bunch of crazies out there. While DH is driving, I am telling him who is texting while driving. (Is this a new version of 'riding shotgun'??)

Lisa

 

[AletaG]

Do any of you have legbars I think with fermented feed and being able to sex the automagically as day olds might make them really good choices for meat bird capons. What do you guys think?

might try here...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...my-day-learning-to-caponize/530#post_12157978 seems to be the most active capon thread. Not sure how many people capon CL's. Not really even sure how many eat them in general... http://blue-eggs.co.uk/#/standard-for-cream-legbar/4554224408 The weight of them and the standard description sounds like they'd be a nice DP, so have some meat on them. How's the breast meat development on your CL's?

 

[BCMaraniac]

Not now, the bike had to go in '09, lost my job and things got tight soooo..... I'd love to get another, however there are a bunch of knuckleheads out there getting in accident (a lot of which are not their fault) and cars do not pay much attention to what they are doing, texting and on the phone etc. My wife thinks it's too dangerous, although she loved to ride as well.I swear, anything that is worthwhile and fun has reasons you can't do it. If money was no issue (yeah like that's gonna happen) I might be able to talk her into it. She had an accident last Feb. rolled my pickup on black ice so we need another vehicle first anyway.... sorry TMI.

Walt

Too bad you aren't close to me(TN)......hubby has one he needs to get rid of.....not a Harley, though.......This economy stinks.

 

[Triple Willow]

All of my pullets layed today (except the broody). That's the first time that has ever happened, strange.

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

I'm not sure where you are located or what you want to accomplish with your rooster, but if you want him for breeding replacement stock you have a few options, depending on your goals for your flock.  If you have any good breeders of heritage stock in your area, picking up a good cull..meaning, one not proper for SOP but still having good traits for a simple, DP flock of layers that need to replace their numbers effectively and cheaply. 

If you cannot find a proper, reputable breeder in your area and you'd like to just stick with hatchery quality roosters, then just look for birds between 6 mo. to a year old and I'd look for breeds you can get in your area easily....BA, WR, NH, RIR are all breeds I'd consider for my own flock for good laying and also a meaty carcass. 

If you can get heritage stock...much better..but I'd go with RIR or NH for the rooster if you can get it from that source. 

I know a lady that has two or three RIR's Roos somewhere around a year old I do believe. What is the difference between a heritage and hatchery RIR ?

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

I don't normally do a scheduled type of antihelmintic but am always on the outlook for ways to feed or give a natural cleanser if it's on hand.  In the late winter is when my pumpkins have usually fermented well and are ready for eating~that's nutrition and deworming all at once. 

If I put castor oil on scales as a preventative or treatment for scale mite, I'll go ahead and dose them internally while I have the CO out and the birds in my hand...that has only happened a couple of times this year but wouldn't normally happen unless the birds had been exposed to other birds with scale mite from their other home last year. Before this year I had never given castor oil internally. 

I don't do scheduled type maintenance because I go by flock conditioning and if they need something~which they never do.  I count on their lifestyle/environment, feed and judicious culling of non-layers to keep the flock on safe parasite loads...and that has worked for a long, long time.   I don't fix it if it isn't broken.  

Speaking of pumpkin ... Do you let the ferment whole ? Or do you chop them up and let them ferment that way ? I was thinking of gathering a bunch of whole ones after Halloween and sitting them out under a tarp until they started to rot a bit then feed them to the chickens. What the best way to make them ferment ?

 

[Beekissed]

That's how I do it..ferment them whole. They would take up a lot of room in a ferment bucket and they are great when they can drain out their fluid, leaving the skin thin and the interior spongy and perfect for their eating. They tear into it like cotton candy and I've never see them eat raw pumpkin like that...just the fermented. Here's one chawed by sheep and chickens...that was about 10 min. after putting it out.