Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[TamTurkey]

Lol it takes 5 minutes to feed and water the Turkey's
Then there's the rabbit, the ferret the dog and the turtle and Wed we get chickens. I work several jobs and am a single parent of a baseball addicted preteen. 5 minutes of my mornings would take away a cup of coffee.. which in turn would make everything else take longer and in Houston getting on the road 5 minutes late could put you in 30 minutes of traffic ... Then my road rage would kick in and with my lack of coffee I may just go ballistic on some idiot and then I'd go to jail and then who'd feed my birds their store bought pellets?

 

[aoxa]

Ok, I picked up my base for the FF. I was looking for barley, wheat grain and cracked corn and all come mixed in a local 'hen scratch' mix at half the price of buying the individual ingredients. It only had one extra ingredient; milo I think the guy called it. Just wanted to check that that wouldn't skew anything. Otherwise I think I got a great deal!

Was it Millet?

If so, I really like the millet.. Especially for chicks. They are drawn to it when they first hatch and it gets them eating the FF better.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

WOW!! I tip my hat to you and your scrounging abilities!! FREE OFFICE TRAILERS!!!! (insert smiley tipping Texas 10 gallon western hat) And you get one to "cook" your fermenting feed, mealworms, fodder ............. I salute you!!

Hehehehe! They don't want to have to pay disposal, or have the liability problems trying to resell them. We signed a waver, and get the trailers. Hubby drives a semi for a living so its pretty easy to get it all done.

Ok I have to confess something... I think you are all awesome for doing this post and making healthy food. I just don't have the time or patience for this! I barely have time to keep mine on a feeding schedule.How do yall make the time?

Ugh... I am retired, or there's no way, i used to work at least 60 hours a week. I take care of my mom full time. It really doesn't take long at all tho, i feed 2 pigs twice a day, the rest , 2 alpaca, 6 geese, 4 ducks, 8 chickens and 4 guinea hen, just once a day. start to finish maybe a half hour total?

 

[Beekissed]

Lol it takes 5 minutes to feed and water the Turkey's
Then there's the rabbit, the ferret the dog and the turtle and Wed we get chickens. I work several jobs and am a single parent of a baseball addicted preteen. 5 minutes of my mornings would take away a cup of coffee.. which in turn would make everything else take longer and in Houston getting on the road 5 minutes late could put you in 30 minutes of traffic ... Then my road rage would kick in and with my lack of coffee I may just go ballistic on some idiot and then I'd go to jail and then who'd feed my birds their store bought pellets?

Alrighty then....

If you are a single mom then you can multitask...drink your java in one hand as you carry some slop out with the other to the coop, feed the chickens first...this is bending over, dumping the small ice cream bucket in the trough and then moving on to the other animals. And here's another time saver and a much better solution...let the preteen do some morning chores for you. Worked for me as a single mom!

 

[aoxa]

Lol it takes 5 minutes to feed and water the Turkey's

Then there's the rabbit, the ferret the dog and the turtle and Wed we get chickens. I work several jobs and am a single parent of a baseball addicted preteen. 5 minutes of my mornings would take away a cup of coffee.. which in turn would make everything else take longer and in Houston getting on the road 5 minutes late could put you in 30 minutes of traffic ... Then my road rage would kick in and with my lack of coffee I may just go ballistic on some idiot and then I'd go to jail and then who'd feed my birds their store bought pellets?

Alrighty then....

If you are a single mom then you can multitask...drink your java in one hand as you carry some slop out with the other to the coop, feed the chickens first...this is bending over, dumping the small ice cream bucket in the trough and then moving on to the other animals.  And here's another time saver and a much better solution...let the preteen do some morning chores for you.  Worked for me as a single  mom! 

Or the five minutes spent writing this could have been spent feeding the FF.... Just sayin'

 

[Beekissed]

But she wouldn't be feeding this late at night!

 

[aoxa]

But she wouldn't be feeding this late at night! 

 

Well get up early then. If you don't have time for the animals, don't have them..?

Also kids are great help. When they are old enough to not need assistance. We all love farm boys. Put that pre-teen to work!

 

[notinoz2007]

takes me the same amount of time to feed ff, and i ferment my store bought pellets so its not like i am growing it harvesting it then fermenting it, lol. i set the strainer to drain, feed the dogs, dump the slop then off to work. my daughter waters them all and feeds the chicks in the brooder before she leaves for school, such a good helper

i do understand about not enough time tho... i wasted a lot of time worrying that mine was rotting, LOL!!!!

re: fermenting feed for humans, my friend is constantly telling her sister to eat fermented cauliflower and stuff for all her gut trouble. and some friends in missouri eat a little every day, they just put in on their salads, dont even need dressing cuz the fermented veggies give enough flavor. i havent gotten into it myself but i've heard good things.

re: skim on my ff, earlier said it looked like a skim of fat. i read the ingredients on my star brand scratch and the last ingredient is vegetable fat. in scratch? i'm assuming maybe they spray the scratch to give it a gloss?

 

[Mountain Momma]

Ok I have to confess something... I think you are all awesome for doing this post and making healthy food. I just don't have the time or patience for this! I barely have time to keep mine on a feeding schedule.How do yall make the time?

I'mm a time and logistics person too but I can honestly say the FF takes no extra time. Make it in a 5 gal bucket next to your feed can. Stir it when you refill it scoop it out into your feed bowls.....dry feed has to be scooped out too and I use the water I refill their waterer with, I leave a half bucket to top off the FF with. It is not a time demand at all. Keeping it warm is the only challenge.
Try it! After the buckets are made and the ACV put in its the same a dry feed. And they dont kick it all over the place for the jays either!

 

[Mountain Momma]

Alrighty then....

If you are a single mom then you can multitask...drink your java in one hand as you carry some slop out with the other to the coop, feed the chickens first...this is bending over, dumping the small ice cream bucket in the trough and then moving on to the other animals. And here's another time saver and a much better solution...let the preteen do some morning chores for you. Worked for me as a single mom!

With the 5 gal wterer and ACv in it technically you can go 3 days without changing the water. Use the left over water in the outside bucket refill the in coop waterer with new water pour some of that over your mash- scoop the mash to the chickens and you are done. The other 2 days you just scoop mash to chickens and ad a little feed to replace it. Set the coffee down and it will go so fast you can enjoy your cup of coffee watching your chickens for a relaxing 5 minutes prior to road rage. There is nothing to it. It seems more intimidating than it is.
At my house the 6 year old feeds the dogs and the 8 year old waters the dogs and feeds the cat. I do the chickens because I enjoy them the most and I like watching and learning them.
Of course everything is harder if you are on your own and I get that but you should try to enjoy those chickens, they are relaxing and should not be a stressor to you. (they have to be dressed, fed, teeth brushed, hair brushed and pets handled before video games so they boogie in the mornings)(the kids not the chickens lol)
I think the ferret is nocturnal isnt it? So he can eat at night and maybe the turtle too???? You shouldnt be the one doing it all. Your kids should be helping, I'm massuming these are mainlyt he kids animalsandyour chickens?Anyway, good luck and hang in there. TRy not to flip anyone off, in Co thats a felony on the road.
L