Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Lacy Blues]

 

[TamTurkey]

I am doing what loud obnoxious Texan women do... Speaking my mind. I believe in letting everyone inform themselves and make an educated decision that is best for them. Thank you for your input on holistic methods to take care of your animals.

 

[Mumsy]

I am doing what loud obnoxious Texan women do... Speaking my mind. I believe in letting everyone inform themselves and make an educated decision that is best for them. Thank you for your input on holistic methods to take care of your animals.

Well spoke.

 

[Turkeytruff]

Hi everyone, I have been feeding FF to my flock for 3 months now; my DH states that he can now taste the FF in the egg and its not nice! I can't (he is super sensitive to perfumes, cigerette smoke, colognes and other things). Is anyone else noticing a funny taste? I have also been putting alfalfa cubes into the FF since I saw someone's comments on their chickens smelling funny LOL! thanks for any advice / help that you may have.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Hi everyone, I have been feeding FF to my flock for 3 months now; my DH states that he can now taste the FF in the egg and its not nice! I can't (he is super sensitive to perfumes, cigarette smoke, colognes and other things). Is anyone else noticing a funny taste? I have also been putting alfalfa cubes into the FF since I saw someone's comments on their chickens smelling funny LOL! thanks for any advice / help that you may have.

Hi! try leaving the alfalfa out. work your way backwards. The FF smell to me is wonderful, and makes my taste buds really happy for sunny-side up Sundays

Maybe ferment a shorter time, change feed brands... there a ton of things you can try. any recent changes in the last few weeks? it may seem minor, but be the answer!

 

[gavinandallison]

This may have already been answered but can i use spent oats etc from home brew to feed to my birds?

 

[LilyD]

Back towards the beginning of the thread it was asked by someone if you can use dried beans in your fermented feed to increase the protein for layers who need a little more protein and calcium when they are producing eggs or moulting and getting new feathers. The answer that was given was that the chickens could not digest them whole because they don't soften up in the FF like peas or lentils do. I tried an experiment and cut up a bunch of dried beans in my blender and added it to my FF and they softened up so nicely you can actually break them in half with your finger. Even some of the beans that stayed whole were still breakable using just two fingers and no effort at all. I fed some to my girls this morning and they really liked them. Just an FYI for those who want to add whole beans to their FF as well as whole grains.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Isn't part of the problem with beans something about an incomplete protein? I'm not entirely sure what that means. Some people call it an "anti-nutrient." Do they have thiaminase in them? Is there something you can put with them to knock out that affect?

 

[camilleathome]

This is a reply to Chickchickchiky . Kinda just backs on what Aoxa said but less scientific. I oversimplify things/

When taking vet tech we were taught that 99.9% of dogs are infested with round worm(Which humans can contract by the way). this is the reason they suggest worming chemical or natural from birth.
There are some internal parisites that can live harmlessly or even beneficially in your body. Others will lay dormant and could never bother you(Or the animals) for years untill a moment of high stress where they multiply at a rapid rate and can cause stress in the animal(Weight loss, dull coat, energy loss etc).
A fecal will NOT always show parisites either. thats why they suggest during a worming that there be three fecals done in week intervals. They only show up in the fecal float when their at their final stage or when their in high numbers. And also not all parisites stay in the intestine.
keep in mind this is extremely simplified XD.There are hundreds of thousands of parisites, host specific and ones that can cross species. Others that are completely harmless to one but deadly to others etc.
Im in the mindset of natural deworming is better than yearly deworming. Though I dont really have any issues using a de-wormer if a fecal comes out positive for a high count. I need to get my own microscope again.

 

[aoxa]

This is a reply to Chickchickchiky . Kinda just backs on what Aoxa said but less scientific. I oversimplify things/

When taking vet tech we were taught that 99.9% of dogs are infested with round worm(Which humans can contract by the way). this is the reason they suggest worming chemical or natural from birth.
There are some internal parisites that can live harmlessly or even beneficially in your body. Others will lay dormant and could never bother you(Or the animals) for years untill a moment of high stress where they multiply at a rapid rate and can cause stress in the animal(Weight loss, dull coat, energy loss etc).
A fecal will NOT always show parisites either. thats why they suggest during a worming that there be three fecals done in week intervals. They only show up in the fecal float when their at their final stage or when their in high numbers. And also not all parisites stay in the intestine.
keep in mind this is extremely simplified XD.There are hundreds of thousands of parisites, host specific and ones that can cross species. Others that are completely harmless to one but deadly to others etc.
Im in the mindset of natural deworming is better than yearly deworming. Though I dont really have any issues using a de-wormer if a fecal comes out positive for a high count. I need to get my own microscope again.

I'm so glad you came in and clarified. I knew that the worms/bacteria we had were beneficial, but am bad with wording things sometimes.