Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[flocksalot]

no you dont! I hate it, dust seems to show up on them for some stupid reason!! the dark color???? uggggggg I am forever washing walls! I never used to wash any walls

Our old house had the same dark red when we bought it. Same problem with the dust and we have large parrots that made it worse. We hated it. Made the house seem so dreary all the time too. We painted everything WHITE when we decided to sell. Cash sale completed 12 days after reposting new photos. Got what we asked too! New house is all white with tons of windows. We will never have dark again.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: WHen I chose colors for my new house ( 20 years ago) the thought of what were the colors years ago during colonial times: white walls and white celing. The walls are a cream and the ceilings pure white. All the wood, like trim and doors are old heritage colors.

WHen we need to use candles, it works perfectly to reflect all the light!!

 

[CoopDeViIIe]

For those of you using the two bucket method with store bought feed: Are you using pellets? I was assuming crumble would just fall through the drilled holes on the bottom of the bucket.

 

[KatieBugg]

It has taken me 4 days to get through this whole thread as well as working on the thread about getting the flock back to health. I am going to give this a 1 year whole hearted effort, our forfathers sure didn't have a store handy a mile down the road filled to the brim with mass amounts of antibiotics and wormers. The longer I keep chickens the more I care about health and longevity and keeping the cost down where I can. I find I would rather have a flock longer and lay slower than birds that are done for after the first laying season. FF seems like such an easy cheap thing to do with maximum effect!

 

[armorfirelady]

For those of you using the two bucket method with store bought feed: Are you using pellets? I was assuming crumble would just fall through the drilled holes on the bottom of the bucket.

I use layer pullets but I know that others have use crumbles. Just depends on what your preference is.

 

[Mumsy]

For those of you using the two bucket method with store bought feed: Are you using pellets? I was assuming crumble would just fall through the drilled holes on the bottom of the bucket.

I use crumble. My winter FF is Crumble, whole oats, alfalfa cubes, ground pumpkin, dried Oregano, crushed whole fresh garlic, sometimes scratch with whole wheat and BOSS. I use small drilled holes in the bottom of the inner bucket and one or two rows of smaller holes around the side near the bottom. I have a small flock so I add fresh every two or three days. It's been going for five months with the same ferment. I use whatever escapes and goes through the holes into the slops at the bottom by swishing warm water around in it and redumping it over the top of new feed. Nothing goes to waste. I like using crumbles. Easier for me to mix by hand or with my big spatula.

 

[colburg]

Looking for some advice, I want to stick with a fermented natural feeding method. How can I add more protein? The mix of wheat, oats, and corn is only about 9% Looking for any suggestions. Thanks!

My local TSC has 20% protein alfalfa cubes for $10.99/50lbs. That's a whole lot cheaper than meal worms or BOSS. I just throw it in with my mix of scratch, layer, and corn. It's not their favorite, but when it's all that's left, they'll sure eat it.

For those of you using the two bucket method with store bought feed: Are you using pellets? I was assuming crumble would just fall through the drilled holes on the bottom of the bucket.

I've used both. They both turn into the same mush after a few hours of soaking. It doesn't matter which one you use.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Yes and at the moment I'm using that...apparently there are differences of healthy bacteria. UnACV vs Kefir etc..

I'm sorry if I sounded snippy. It wasn't my intent but after re-reading my post, I can see how you might have thought so. I didn't realize you were just curious about everyone's chosen methods.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I use crumble. My winter FF is Crumble, whole oats, alfalfa cubes, ground pumpkin, dried Oregano, crushed whole fresh garlic, sometimes scratch with whole wheat and BOSS. I use  small drilled holes in the bottom of the inner bucket and one or two rows of smaller holes around the side near the bottom. I have a small flock so I add fresh every two or three days. It's been going for five months with the same ferment. I use whatever escapes and goes through the holes into the slops at the bottom by swishing warm water around in it and redumping it over the top of new feed. Nothing goes to waste. I like using crumbles. Easier for me to mix by hand or with my big spatula.

I use crumble. My winter FF is Crumble, whole oats, alfalfa cubes, ground pumpkin, dried Oregano, crushed whole fresh garlic, sometimes scratch with whole wheat and BOSS. I use  small drilled holes in the bottom of the inner bucket and one or two rows of smaller holes around the side near the bottom. I have a small flock so I add fresh every two or three days. It's been going for five months with the same ferment. I use whatever escapes and goes through the holes into the slops at the bottom by swishing warm water around in it and redumping it over the top of new feed. Nothing goes to waste. I like using crumbles. Easier for me to mix by hand or with my big spatula.

That looks like a great mix. What do you differently in the other months?

 

[bobbieschicks]

I want to get started on FF again for the flock. I have a hanger feeder with dried crumble layer feed that they just pick at sometimes and hardly eat from it.

Looks like I first need to make my feeders since last year that was my biggest problem. I kept putting the FF in an old chick feeder base and they would knock it all over the place. I like the bins I saw posted awhile back. I should have printed it out for an example.