Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Lacy Blues]

Thanks to everyone for sharing their personal feed regime. I really would like to be able to use Excel Spreadsheet to the level that you are, Kilsharion.

Someone asked what others have offered free choice for their birds.

I have offered oyster shell and charcoal. Charcoal is great for removing toxins from the body. If there is another use for it, I don't know what it is but would be glad to learn. At the time I was doing this, I was buying "Activated Charcoal" for fish tanks. It was pressed into small pellets the perfect size for chickens to eat. That got to be quite costly. I figured I could get a natural charcoal that is not treated with anything at all and offer that and be just as well off. I get the bag of hickory charcoal, it is brown and located with the other charcoals at your local grocer. It says on the bag that there are no additives. Once you open the bag, it looks like burnt wood and is mostly pretty easy to break up using a hammer. Anyway, when I used the activated charcoal, my hens at it like it was candy. Shortly after I switched to the other charcoal, we moved and I have forgotten about it, so thank you for reminding me about that. I'll have to get it going again and see if they eat it like they did the activated as I don't remember.

 

[armorfirelady]

Thanks to everyone for sharing their personal feed regime. I really would like to be able to use Excel Spreadsheet to the level that you are, Kilsharion.

Someone asked what others have offered free choice for their birds.

I have offered oyster shell and charcoal. Charcoal is great for removing toxins from the body. If there is another use for it, I don't know what it is but would be glad to learn. At the time I was doing this, I was buying "Activated Charcoal" for fish tanks. It was pressed into small pellets the perfect size for chickens to eat. That got to be quite costly. I figured I could get a natural charcoal that is not treated with anything at all and offer that and be just as well off. I get the bag of hickory charcoal, it is brown and located with the other charcoals at your local grocer. It says on the bag that there are no additives. Once you open the bag, it looks like burnt wood and is mostly pretty easy to break up using a hammer. Anyway, when I used the activated charcoal, my hens at it like it was candy. Shortly after I switched to the other charcoal, we moved and I have forgotten about it, so thank you for reminding me about that. I'll have to get it going again and see if they eat it like they did the activated as I don't remember.

I use ashes from my fireplace for them to dust bath in as a mite & lice preventive. They also eat some. I bet its the same theory as the charcoal you purchase?

 

[ash10383]

For those who mix your own feed and raise CX or Rangers: do any of you add calcium to your chick/grower feed? I am mixing my own feed for my 25 meaties and not providing any extra calcium, my minerals is from Kelp (althought I'm getting some Nutri-balancer soon). Anyhow several (maybe even half and varying severity) of the chicks started to go lame at 3-4 weeks, not being able to stand and toes were curled. After some research, I think it was from lack of Calcium so I started offering oyster shell free choice (and mixing in bought store crumbles with my ff feed) to get them back and they have all snapped out of it and are looking good again. Even the nurtriblanancer says to add 25#/ton of calcium for chicks.....

 

[Lacy Blues]

Yep, growing bones definitely NEED calcium.

 

[BlueMouse]

I offer insoluable granite and oyster shell in the henhouse. I have some old budgie/small parrot dishes that I offer chick grit in the brooder. For the very newest chicks I sprinkle some grit on their food a couple times a week, as there is no place to put a feeder in the plastic tub "newest chicks" brooder. I also give all my chicks sod plugs starting from day one, I find they dig through that and eat a lot of dirt. I also mix my own feed, and I put ground up eggshells in it. the hens get a big dollop of it, the chicks a small dollop. I also make sure that the chicks get plenty of calcium rich greens. Dandelion, kale, spinach. Dandelions are easiest and free, pull them up out of the yard, chop fine, and mix into ferment bucket. Takes about ten minutes and is a great nutrional boost. I also give kelp meal, about a teaspoon per bird per day for adults. I planted a lot (and I mean a LOT) of kale this year, specifically to give to the tractor raised meat birds and to have for the layers in winter. That stuff is amazingly frost resistant!

 

[colburg]

For those who mix your own feed and raise CX or Rangers: do any of you add calcium to your chick/grower feed? I am mixing my own feed for my 25 meaties and not providing any extra calcium, my minerals is from Kelp (althought I'm getting some Nutri-balancer soon). Anyhow several (maybe even half and varying severity) of the chicks started to go lame at 3-4 weeks, not being able to stand and toes were curled. After some research, I think it was from lack of Calcium so I started offering oyster shell free choice (and mixing in bought store crumbles with my ff feed) to get them back and they have all snapped out of it and are looking good again. Even the nurtriblanancer says to add 25#/ton of calcium for chicks.....

We fed 1 50# bag of starter to our 50 meaties that lasted about 1 week. After that, it was Fermented 20% layer pellets with some scratch mixed in. They got a few crushed egg shells in it on occasion, but not nearly as much as the layers. We only had one of 50 get leg problems.

 

[Triple Willow]

yes, the comment was in that string of information. Superbly well hidden.

((it really was well hidden in a rather lengthy sentence after "powdered mealworms")) I just don't have the time or space at the moment to mess with it. Considering the rate I go through mealworms, I'm going to have to make the time...and, a significant amount of space. Which, I probably will as soon as my Livery is completed in the town. That will probably be about mid June. My full on fodder setup will be done out in the Livery as well. And, you will never, ever, ever see me breeding cockroaches with intent **shudders**

I had the same thought on cockroaches! Never! LOL I don't know how fast they reproduce or the nutritional value but I am starting a compost bin with redworms shortly. I hope there are plenty for the birds. I have grown crickets before. I don't know the nutritional value of them either but they are easy to grow.

 

[Triple Willow]

We have thought about it.  In fact, Robert Blosl, over on the Heritage Thread, https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/400344/heritage-large-fowl-thread is helping sort some things out right now so that we can get some good birds.  These will be true to SOP type birds that actually have meat on them.  When we get that program up and running I'll put some more numbers up here to compare. 

Sounds good. I look forward to reading about your results. Good luck!

 

[Chucklecluck]

Meal worms are easy I bought a tub at the pet store and am using an old ten gallon aquarium. I keep them outside under one of my coops, I fill it about eight to a quarter full with oatmeal wheat germ corn meal and chicken feed, for moister I throw in vegetables and fruit and potato scraps on occasion other than that they do very well on there own.

yes, the comment was in that string of information. Superbly well hidden.

((it really was well hidden in a rather lengthy sentence after "powdered mealworms")) I just don't have the time or space at the moment to mess with it. Considering the rate I go through mealworms, I'm going to have to make the time...and, a significant amount of space. Which, I probably will as soon as my Livery is completed in the town. That will probably be about mid June. My full on fodder setup will be done out in the Livery as well. And, you will never, ever, ever see me breeding cockroaches with intent **shudders**

 

[oldrooster]

No, oyster shell is not a substitute for grit, either. Again, although it may help to a certain extent, it is not the proper material. Oyster shell is another calcium supplement. For true grit, you need an insoluble material like crushed granite or sand. You have to be careful with the type of sand, though, because it has to be the right size and clean sand. Some has extra chemicals in it that will poison your chickens.

True grit like John Wayne? I'm sorry I saw that and immediatly thought of that movie.....