Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[pigeonguy]

The dollar store might have the oregano at a reasonable price. I am wondering though....oregano is being used in place of antibiotics to try and prevent resistent strains of bacteria. What then would prevent bacteria from becoming resistent to the oregano?

And why would we use it unless needed? I mean if one isn't sick why would we be adding it to our ff? unless it does more like improving immune system. I'll have to do more reading. I can understand why they would use it in factory farms situations but back yard not so sure.

This is what my thoughts were also. Why use it if not needed. Might be good to keep in the medicine cabinet and give if they just look down and you want to perk them up. I am ordering seeds. Going to plan oregano and mint. Use to have a lot of mint growing wild but the numbers are decreasing considerably.

Sorry replying off of phone. Cinnamon is good for increasing appetite. Also good for circulation. I use it in my feed. As for the rabbit.. they burrow under make sure you are burying it a few inches in the ground. Also they are pretty high jumpers. Good luck. I have a rabbit to stir up my chickens.

I have a rabbit to stir up my chickens>>>>>>>>>>>>WHAT????????????

 

[chickachee]

Did anyone ever get any results feeding FF to their dogs? I told my wife I wanted to try fermenting the dogs food and she looked at me like I had a third eye in the middle of my head. I told her I'd ask around before trying it.

Thanks,

I just asked this on another thread too! this is what was posted so far....


Sally, for dogs it is the same process.
Sturgis, my dog went to FF because I couldn't keep him out of the chicken's FF. Good coat/skin. Prevents/helps digestive problems. Soak it for about 2 days, and when it bubbles (BUBBLES!!) it is ready.

When I tried to ferment my dogs' food (Costco brand kibble), all it did was make it swell up. It did not keep ANY liquid in the bucket. It ALL went into the food. It was just swollen kibble. It never bubbled. Am I missing something or?????

Please help!

Sheila

 

[camilleathome]

Here is a video of my little ones chowing down on FF

 

[texasmomma]

Had to give one of my Swedish Flower Hens a hair cut today. She gets so involved in the FF that she gets huge globs of FF on the edges of spiky crest hairs. Then, they hang down and she can't see.

So, she got a hair cut. I just cut off the globs. Once she figured out what I was doing, she was good with it. And now, she can see. Hope she quits being such a FF hog!

 

[aoxa]

Had to give one of my Swedish Flower Hens a hair cut today. She gets so involved in the FF that she gets huge globs of FF on the edges of spiky crest hairs. Then, they hang down and she can't see.

So, she got a hair cut. I just cut off the globs. Once she figured out what I was doing, she was good with it. And now, she can see. Hope she quits being such a FF hog!

That's exactly what I had to do for my polish hen. There were little balls of FF at the tips. She can see so much better now. She's half blind, so it's important that she can see out of her good eye at least. She was so happy afterwards.. Scratched around like crazy.

 

[texasmomma]

There were little balls of FF at the tips. She can see so much better now.

It's good to hear that I'm not the only one that has had to do this. And yes, balls of FF is a good description. Her partner doesn't have the same amount of balling, but I can see that a hair cut may be in his future as well. His comb is bigger, so maybe it's due to her small comb. Either way, I prefer her to see versus blobs of stuff. I thought they would just pull off, but no way. I didn't have the patience to sit with a washcloth to soften the blobs, so cutting was it.

 

[aoxa]

It's good to hear that I'm not the only one that has had to do this. And yes, balls of FF is a good description. Her partner doesn't have the same amount of balling, but I can see that a hair cut may be in his future as well. His comb is bigger, so maybe it's due to her small comb. Either way, I prefer her to see versus blobs of stuff. I thought they would just pull off, but no way. I didn't have the patience to sit with a washcloth to soften the blobs, so cutting was it.

I have had chicks get really bad blobs on their toe nails from scratching in the FF. I watch them closely and get it off before it gets to be too hard. My Ameraucanas were the worst with the toe blobs.

 

[Mumsy]

This is what my thoughts were also. Why use it if not needed. Might be good to keep in the medicine cabinet and give if they just look down and you want to perk them up. I am ordering seeds. Going to plan oregano and mint. Use to have a lot of mint growing wild but the numbers are decreasing considerably.

I don't add UN-ACV, garlic powder, garlic oil, chili powder, pumpkin seed, or oregano to my FF as medicine. It is fed as extra insurance for healthy immune systems for already healthy chickens. Most of you here already know the only thing in my barn medicine cabinet is Nu Stock and a hatchet.

 

[Pozees]

I have had chicks get really bad blobs on their toe nails from scratching in the FF. I watch them closely and get it off before it gets to be too hard. My Ameraucanas were the worst with the toe blobs.

Is this a problem (blobs on chick feet) that can be resolved by covering the feeders with netting/wire? I want to start all chicks this year on FF but 4 days a week I'm gone almost 12 hours a day and don't have a lot of extra time evenings those 4 days to clean chick feet I want them to have the benefit of FF, but will also offer free choice dry crumble, since most will be sold and I want to avoid change of feed issues for new owners. Does that make sense or am I thinking wrongly about it?

 

[texasmomma]

Is this a problem (blobs on chick feet) that can be resolved by covering the feeders with netting/wire? I want to start all chicks this year on FF but 4 days a week I'm gone almost 12 hours a day and don't have a lot of extra time evenings those 4 days to clean chick feet I want them to have the benefit of FF, but will also offer free choice dry crumble, since most will be sold and I want to avoid change of feed issues for new owners. Does that make sense or am I thinking wrongly about it?

When mine had the blobs on their feet, it would take longer than a day for it to get very bad. Are you gone four days in a row where you can't look at the chickens? I'm not sure if it would be a problem or not. My guess is that it would not. I only had this problem for a little while with some younger chickens. Not all of mine have had this issue.