Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[aoxa]

It's too bad that this thread is in the meat section, because small pet flock owners avoid this area like the plague.
I've even encouraged people in the silkie thread to give it a try. We frequent posters can really get the word out to pet flocks as well. Those are the ones that need the natural way most!

I mentioned the FF in the Silkie thread a few times to see if any one tried it with silkies and what results they got, with zero replies. I was excited to see you starting it! finally another Silkie friend using it. I think the narley bunch really helped to spread the word, a lot of people read in the emergency thread. I two continue to mention it and find that people are more likely to use it by referring them to the blog then the meat section. Great Blog well done! what a great idea.

That's how I've been referring them as well. It's easier to find the entire instructions there than sifting through all this conversation

Oh and I find with the silkies, consistency has to be very thick, otherwise they become really messy!!

The silkies aren't foraging far enough in the barn to find the new feeders. I spread some on the ground and they pounced. It's like I've been starving them.

 

[aoxa]

I went and tried making a bucket with holes all the way to the top. Works much better! No wonder it was overflowing. Not anymore!

Bee, just letting my food sit a bit before taking the video.

And one bucket fills the entire feeder and a little more. I think one bucket a day will work!!

 

[Beekissed]

Good news! I love it when a plan comes together....

 

[AlivianAcres]

We have been doing this for about a week now and our 8 week old pullets literally jump into the pan when I feed them lol...they eat like crazed chicks!!! Its adorable! My big chickens are just getting interested. I would be interested to see what everyone feeds the FF to their chickens in...I have been using old pie tins but there has to be a more sanitary way (ie the chicks literally standing in it)

anyone?

 

[PeepsCA]

So my new buckets are overflowing from the bottom bucket out where the two buckets sit together. I didn't have the chick bucket more than half full, but the big chickens need a full bucket, as I go through one bucket a day (at least). I didn't put holes all the way to the top. Do you think that is why it's overflowing?

I still have two buckets to drill. I'm going to do the holes all the way to the top to see if that helps.

Aoxa, to avoid overflow I always make sure that I do not let my FF mix bucket's water level go past where the top of the outer/bottom buckets is (you can shine a light thru your buckets to see what I mean). I do have holes drilled all the way up to the first rib (bottom rib) on both of my FF mix buckets (I have 2 2-bucket systems going) and even with all those holes if I over fill the FF mix buckets with water, I'll have a mess within a few minutes. Not overfilling is the key. HTH.

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote: The words sanitary and poultry are like oil and water... they just don't mix lol.

A plastic, or coated gutter section with end caps on it, mounted to the wall (feed trough style) can help keep the birds out of the feed (most of them anyway).

 

[AlivianAcres]

[COLOR=4B0082]The words sanitary and poultry are like oil and water... they just don't mix lol.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=4B0082]A plastic, or coated gutter section with end caps on it, mounted to the wall (feed trough style) can help keep the birds out of the feed (most of them anyway).[/COLOR]

lol...I'm a little ocd hehe I scrub my coop once a week and do spot cleaning throughout the week not that the ladies really care...that's a great idea....I will see what I can find like that in my barn. Thank u

 

[Ullie]

I know it's a little of topic but If anyone is interested in Fermented Feed for themselves here is a great little video on 'How to Make Fermented Veggies' For Humans!

 

[Pozees]

anyone?

I'll wager lots of folks here are using the vinyl gutters with end caps, and it might depend on the number and size birds you're feeding. I went to the dollar store and bought a couple of inexpensive shallow plastic rectangular containers that I use for now, they hold enough for one feeding and are easy to wash. I'm only feeding 7 hens right now, once I have more I'll probably graduate to the gutters or something similar. A plastic trough-style planter would work too, if you already have one, just plug the drainage holes. Almost anything plastic or stainless works. The advantage to the gutters is you can get hangers and attach them to a wall/fence to keep them upright and in place.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

I was just going to see what I could find at Salvation Army or goodwill. They always seem to have odd cookware for cheap that might work. I have 8 birds right now split between two coops, so gutters are a bit much.