Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[kian]

I use an old baking pan and set the ff in the middle of the run, but then I only have 7 chickens so it's pretty easy for me.

 

[B J Hopkins]

Here are instructions I got in this forum WAY back. I use it and like it.

Take a 4 inch piece of PVC pipe glue end caps on it then cut it in half length ways. mount half to the stand trough side up at the height you want the chickens to eat (I prefer the tops of there backs as the height) Then put the other half piece trough side down above it with about a 6 to 8 inch gap between the top and bottom half. Make the top half so it can be removed to fill the feeder. This makes a trough that the chickens can get there head into to eat but can not get in the food to scratch. They also can not roost on top of the feeder because PVC pipe is slippery so with the dome side up they just slide off.
Mine is like this except suspended by chains from the ceiling with adjustable height no 2x4 stand. Mine is also 5 feet long because I go by the rule of 4 inches of feeder per chicken 5 ft = 60 inches per side times 2 sides = 120 inches + 4 = 30 chickens. The real bottom line is my 31 feed there comfortably.
For those that don't know. To draw a straight line on PVC pipe take a piece of angle iron lay it on the pipe so it looks like an upside down V. That will create a straight edge to draw the line.

 

[Costa Rica Art]

Question for those of you using FF. What type of feeders do you serve it in to avoid mess and waste? I use homemade PVC pipe feeders right now, but I don't think they would work well with FF because the moisture would make the feed heavy and clog up in the pipe and not flow down as the chickens eat whats on the bottom. What do you guys use to feed it to your birds?

I did a little extra work and made mine out of 4" PVC.







You can see the dry wall screws which were sealed with silicone.




I cut the 4" PVC in half lengthwise after adding the end caps. I cut out the supports with a jig saw, screwed with dry wall screws and siliconed the supports in place. They are 30" long. So far the chickens haven't turned them over. If I had flat caps I would make similar troughs and put them upside down about 8" above the feed trough to keep the chickens from standing in the feed and scratching it out. My troughs set on concrete so what gets scratched out gets eaten anyway. HTH

 

[B J Hopkins]

I'd forgotten I had posted my PVC pipe feeder once before. It works for me.

 

[Costa Rica Art]

I'd forgotten I had posted my PVC pipe feeder once before. It works for me.

This would be easier than what I did except you could put a cross piece on the bottom of the uprights to make it free standing. Easy to hose out too.

 

[countrygirl74]

I use Vinyl Guttering.

You can attach to a base so they can eat from both sides, but I needed to maximize space in the coop. It is very cheap @ 6$ for 10 feet.

LOVE that idea! I currently use glass casserole dishes because that's what I had on hand when I started ff. I would like to switch to something more like this - it is long and a lot of chickens can eat at once without always chasing off the others. Right now I feed in 2 separate feeders on either side of the pen so that the ones in the lower pecking order get a chance.

 

[aoxa]

LOVE that idea! I currently use glass casserole dishes because that's what I had on hand when I started ff. I would like to switch to something more like this - it is long and a lot of chickens can eat at once without always chasing off the others. Right now I feed in 2 separate feeders on either side of the pen so that the ones in the lower pecking order get a chance.

I would have got PVC if I wasn't so afraid of a skill saw. I had them cut my piece in two at the hardware store. So 10 feet feeds my 100 birds for a full day.

 

[delisha]

feeders

 

[pigeonguy]

Are your birds eating anything else besides FF oats?
Sounds like moonshine if it is just oats, no wonder the birds like it.

Did you not say you kick started the ferment with UP/ACV if so the little buggers that make vinegar eat the alcohol faster than the yeast can make it. Plus it does not matter what grain you use or if you use several grains If it does not contain the vinegar makers it makes alcohol because that is what all grains do.

Oooh never thought of that. It hasn't been fermenting very long. They also get 20% layer pellets from a local mill, which I assume includes some animal byproducts, corn, soy, and wheat. And of course, kitchen scraps, of which there haven't been very many lately

I'm learning how to waste less and the hens get screwed? Poor girls.

Question for those of you using FF. What type of feeders do you serve it in to avoid mess and waste? I use homemade PVC pipe feeders right now, but I don't think they would work well with FF because the moisture would make the feed heavy and clog up in the pipe and not flow down as the chickens eat whats on the bottom. What do you guys use to feed it to your birds?

Read the post below that's mine.

Here are instructions I got in this forum WAY back. I use it and like it.

Take a 4 inch piece of PVC pipe glue end caps on it then cut it in half length ways. mount half to the stand trough side up at the height you want the chickens to eat (I prefer the tops of there backs as the height) Then put the other half piece trough side down above it with about a 6 to 8 inch gap between the top and bottom half. Make the top half so it can be removed to fill the feeder. This makes a trough that the chickens can get there head into to eat but can not get in the food to scratch. They also can not roost on top of the feeder because PVC pipe is slippery so with the dome side up they just slide off.
Mine is like this except suspended by chains from the ceiling with adjustable height no 2x4 stand. Mine is also 5 feet long because I go by the rule of 4 inches of feeder per chicken 5 ft = 60 inches per side times 2 sides = 120 inches + 4 = 30 chickens. The real bottom line is my 31 feed there comfortably.
For those that don't know. To draw a straight line on PVC pipe take a piece of angle iron lay it on the pipe so it looks like an upside down V. That will create a straight edge to draw the line.

Yep that's mine I posted that. Thanks for posting it but would appreciate if you would mention it was my plans.
Thanks pigeonguy

 

[my sunwolf]

Did you not say you kick started the ferment with UP/ACV if so the little buggers that make vinegar eat the alcohol faster than the yeast can make it. Plus it does not matter what grain you use or if you use several grains If it does not contain the vinegar makers it makes alcohol because that is what all grains do.
...

Thank you, this is very good to know. Can you tell I've never made moonshine? At least now I know that my hens won't get drunk and cause a ruckus.