Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Noncentzter]

Dog vomit - I had been thinking about the FF for my dogs before reading that...

Garlic and oregano - how much per 5 gal bucket?

 

[aoxa]

 

[PetRock]

Love it!!!

 

[my sunwolf]

 

[Sally Sunshine]

awwww I will take my cell out and get before and after shots of Juliet!! she is so dreadlocked I just adore her though, I actually think she can see better now!! LOL

 

[B J Hopkins]

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.

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

Sorry about that pigeonguy. I was being lazy and didn't want to go through all the post to find your name. But really, your instructions were/are great.

 

[B J Hopkins]

QUESTION FF is really messing my silkies face head feathers, suggestions please? they really love it, but the gals have bob marely do frozen in place right now!! And should I wash them? so afraid its still cold!! I dont think it will hurt them like that, but it has to be annoying dangling in shreads at their faces!

My DH thinks I'm nuts, but when my Silkies heads get too messy I do take them in the house & bath them. Towl off the excess water when done then use a hair blow dryer set on low and dry/fluff them up. Sooo pretty when they're done. Last one I did I had to leave in the house the rest of the day as it was below freezing outside & I didn't want to take any chances.

 

[WildHarmony8]

I do not. Some say to increase protein in the winter (where Beekissed did the opposite). I just keep it the same. Always grower. If there is a sale on turkey grower I will buy that (it's 24% protein) but I'll 'water it down' with more scratch than I would regular grower.

I don't really have a set scale of how much scratch per bucket of FF. It's all in how it looks to me.

My birds are thriving, and at least 25% of their FF consists of scratch grains (wheat, barley, oats and corn). Low on the corn though. I really like my 4 grain scratch as it is not mostly corn as some I have tried.

Thank you for this info! The pic was great- it looks like plain grains in the picture. Do you ferment one bucket with grower + grains, then one for just grains that you throw out for scratch?

Reading this thread has been incredibly interesting to me, and I'm hoping to use the FF for more than just the chicks. There have been SO many wonderful testimonies about how much it has improved the well being of so many flocks, and also improved the well being of the flock master's pocketbook! I'd be very interested to hear from anyone that has experience using the FF for other livestock (I have heritage Hereford hogs and Nigerian dwarf goats), and I'd also considered the dogs, although after reading Kassandra's recent post about dog gak I might have to reconsider

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: awwwwww cute!
DH would certainly roll eyes and snicker if he came home to the chicken warming her toes up a!t the coal stove!
HOWEVER when I discussed cutting those face feathers he was all "they wont grow back will they!" ohhhhh so to my advantage he has befriended a few of my chickens!!

 

[aoxa]

Thank you for this info! The pic was great- it looks like plain grains in the picture. Do you ferment one bucket with grower + grains, then one for just grains that you throw out for scratch?

Reading this thread has been incredibly interesting to me, and I'm hoping to use the FF for more than just the chicks. There have been SO many wonderful testimonies about how much it has improved the well being of so many flocks, and also improved the well being of the flock master's pocketbook! I'd be very interested to hear from anyone that has experience using the FF for other livestock (I have heritage Hereford hogs and Nigerian dwarf goats), and I'd also considered the dogs, although after reading Kassandra's recent post about dog gak I might have to reconsider

I think the hogs were the first livestock to be fed FF. You can google "pigs and fermented feed". They like slop right? I don't really know. Pigs are just a dream for me right now. Some day.

Yes I ferment grains (scratch) separately and another bucket of grower + scratch (well actually 3 buckets of grower + scratch). I throw out fermented scratch in the bedding. It drains really easily, and it's not wet enough to clump.

The scratch in the grower helps it to drain better. Just grower is harder to keep perfect consistency.

For the record, my dogs eat the chicken fermented feed and have never thrown up. Some dogs may be sensitive to a change in diet. My dogs would do fine. I just don't bother with it. Maybe one day.