Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[fishermans wife]

Silly question, here...but, when you added the ACV, you did make sure that you had shaken it really good so that the Mother was not all settled on the bottom, right? If you didn't, you can shake it up and add it, now. Or, to avoid adding more ACV that some chickens find offensive in large doses (not mine, the little pigs) you can toss a tablespoon of active baking yeast into the mix.

Ok Yeast worked beautifully! Thank so much! I put it out for them this morning for the first time - so I put about 1/4 cup of their regular feed on top to disguise it - they ate like pigs....and ate AROUND the regular feed! Some of these ladies are 4 years old!! I never dreamed they would take to it like that! So excited! Ready to start my 4 week silkie chicks on it!

 

[Kilsharion]

Quote:
Yay!! Glad to hear that they took to it

 

[mstricer]

It is easy......don't over think or over do it. Here is my bucket. It has BOSS, scratch, crumbles and pellets in it.....and, of course, Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar and water. I keep mine in my laundry room in the winter and in my garage when the weather is above 50 F. I carry the bucket out to the barn where my coop is and where I keep my colander and second bucket. Here is my "drainage" bucket......... Here is the colander I use in the drainage bucket... I pour the fermented feed into the colander.... I let it sit while I open doors and check water...I shake the colander to remove excess liquid and use a long handled slotted spoon to serve it to the flock Here is the "backslop"/drainage/juice/whatever you want to call it, that is added back to the black bucket. I quickly rinse the black bucket but don't throw the water out. I pour the backslop into it and then add the BOSS, scratch, crumbles and pellets. I put the feed into several plastic bowls so everyone gets a chance to enjoy.... Where did I get my "equipment"? Colander was purchased at WalMart about five years ago (I have two). Slotted long handled spoon is from a set by Patriot Plastics (Made in the USA) purchased last year. Flat sided bucket can be found anywhere they sell horse/livestock supplies. Black bucket (made in USA) was purchased at the Dollar Store. I have 24 large fowl chickens. They get free choice oyster shell and crumble/pellets and during this winter, I have started feeding them fodder for fresh greens. They get "treats" of meal worms but these are usually reserved for chicks, with or without broody mamas. I will be feeding my meat birds with fermented feed this year. I will try to keep track and see if I think it makes and difference in feed cost, health and smell.

I use rubber feed pans also. the birds walk in them sometimes(especially right after i fill it) but my layers get to free range too so they eat throughout the day. I imagine meat birds would be much messier! After feeding this morning there was a lot of slop left in the bucket so i let our old cow taste it then put the bucket upside down to drain while i fed the cows. when i went back by later the spot on the ground was licked almost down to dirt! apparently she loves it too, lol.

I tried that and it didnt work for the chick feed took to long and density wasn't what i wanted. I think i will get a larger small hole strainer. Do you use mostly grains? I add grains to the big girls and it didn't work very good for that either. Back to the drawing board. Intresting..... has anyone tried this on other larger livestock? I have yet to get to the end of this thread... thanks!

I will let you know, we are going to use it on our pigs we will be getting in a few weeks.

 

[BentoMinion]

I ferment milk (kefir) and use it as the methoinine supplier in a sprout-soy diet for chicks. I'm finding the chicks grow faster and feather earlier than on a commercial diet, but boy is it fiddly.

I know I should read the back posts (I am working on that) but how do you use Kefir with the chicks?

 

[ash10383]

This was mentioned in another meatie FF thread but this has a bit more traffic I think so wanted to get the opinion of a few more: if you have done FF with your meaties, have you noticed a slightly off or "sour" flavor to the meat after cooking, perhaps when reheated after the inital cooking? I was all set to do FF but may have to reevaluate if the general concesus is the flavor is different especially when reheated because we always have leftovers

 

[Belinda's Funny Farm]

I feed only FF to my Quail and do not notice any difference in taste. But, I never have any leftover to reheat. I also feed FF to my Chickens and notice no difference in the eggs. I am now doing my first batch of Meaties with the FF. There is a huge difference in the smell and also the amount of water they drink. So far I am thrilled. Also, they do not waste any food. At butcher time if i notice a difference in taste I will post it.

 

[SunnysMama]

I have had lots of people order meat birds from me because of the flavor of last years birds that were fed FF. No off flavor at all!! Probably the best tasting chicken I have had in my life. I also use lots of leftover chicken and no off flavor.

 

[swga]

I'm trying to ferment wheat, and before the water was kinda milky colored, but today I went out to stir it and it looked like this! Is it ok?
It smells kinda sour-y yeasty...there are big bubbles that are just sitting on the top, with white filaments going across to other bubbles, and it has bubbles coming up from the water below...

 

[Trefoil]

That means its fermenting, its a good thing. How long has it been?

 

[colburg]

I'm trying to ferment wheat, and before the water was kinda milky colored, but today I went out to stir it and it looked like this! Is it ok?
It smells kinda sour-y yeasty...there are big bubbles that are just sitting on the top, with white filaments going across to other bubbles, and it has bubbles coming up from the water below...

YES, it is OK. Looks purty good. Smells purty good. IT'S PURTY GOOD.