Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Costa Rica Art]

I have a few that have a tendency to put on weight now they are old, so I am constantly adjusting what I feed to force them to walk more and forage more...just trying to make them stay healthy for as long as possible, but I've still got a couple on the roster for a fall culling due to old age and body changes. I think they are at the end of their good laying life and it's all trouble and old age symptoms from here on out. It should be interesting to see the condition of their organs when I process as they are very old, heavy breed birds.

I'm sure you will but please post the resulting condition of the hens that are old. My flock is not old enough to have "old hens" but I do hope they get there some day. Posting good info such as that will help me and others to plan on what to expect form our flocks fed with FF from day one. The 20+ cockerels (not the CX type) that we did process were very healthy, the meat was nice and firm, not mushy, they were allowed the run of our backyard, not a large area but they get exercise. I have added the local meat chicks (bought from the feed store) to our broody hens when they don't have a fair hatching, they too are allowed to range the backyard, none have had leg problems nor any other problems and they are not full of fat when processed around 10 weeks. I do not know exactly what breed these meat chicks are but they do resemble the CX chickens. I'm guessing they have been raised here in the tropics and have adjusted to the climate from whatever stock they were to begin with.

 

[Beekissed]

Will do! These old gals are 6 yrs and have been through a lot in their day, put a lot of eggs in the nest and have raised the next generations. Can't wait to see how they have aged inside..if I find anything out of the ordinary or interesting at all, I'll take some pics.

 

[Triple Willow]

We farm for a living... if each different species can't "at least" pay for itself and put food up for us, then we don't keep them. Some barely break even financially, but at least provide us with their product, but some do make more than others. Frankly, I sell enough eggs from my production layers to justify my "genetic diversification" with the other breeds - at least that sounds good to hubby.

I can't go in hole with any one type of livestock or they can't stay.... so forage conversion is a high priority here... for cattle, sheep, chickens... even bees.

It sounds like y'all have a really nice operation going on there. I know with the high feed and fuel prices it gets harder all the time to make it work. Your husband is really blessed to have a partner like you. I hope he knows that! You said you don't feed your production layers during the summer? Are the HRIR your production layers? That is really neat that you have bees. I have wanted to try bee keeping ...but I'm kinda skeerd. lol

 

[bruceh]

bee you amaze me 6 years for a hatchery bird. and laying unheard of. i use to get 3 years tops on them. now that i have adapted organic we will see.

 

[Beekissed]

Bruce, I have 4 of the 6 yr olds and 4 of the 4 yr olds and the eggs I'm getting in this current slow down time are primarily from two of the 6 yr olds. I have a NH hen that has been putting eggs in the nests all year better than any one bird I have and she's 6. When I got that old sick flock back, she was laying. When everyone else had stopped for winter, she was still laying. She took a small break at the end of winter and started right back in the spring.

Little Red Hen, egg laying queen at 6 yrs of age. She is NOT on the cull list!

Neither is Raggedy Ann, also 6 yrs and still putting eggs in that nest...she's the one in the forefront:




This will be the last flock I have, most likely, so I'm not as stringent on culling for lay as I used to be when I was feeding 3 boys and selling eggs to pay for my flock...just trying to nurse these old gals along into old age but cull them before they have any age related symptoms that could cause suffering.

A few of the new generation coming up to take the place of the culls...2 WRs and 2 Dels... I'll not have any bigger flock than I currently have now and when they are gone, I will be done with chickens, I'm thinking.

 

[bruceh]

Bruce, I have 4 of the 6 yr olds and 4 of the 4 yr olds and the eggs I'm getting in this current slow down time are primarily from two of the 6 yr olds. I have a NH hen that has been putting eggs in the nests all year better than any one bird I have and she's 6. When I got that old sick flock back, she was laying. When everyone else had stopped for winter, she was still laying. She took a small break at the end of winter and started right back in the spring.

Little Red Hen, egg laying queen at 6 yrs of age. She is NOT on the cull list!

Neither is Raggedy Ann, also 6 yrs and still putting eggs in that nest...she's the one in the forefront:




This will be the last flock I have, most likely, so I'm not as stringent on culling for lay as I used to be when I was feeding 3 boys and selling eggs to pay for my flock...just trying to nurse these old gals along into old age but cull them before they have any age related symptoms that could cause suffering.

A few of the new generation coming up to take the place of the culls...2 WRs and 2 Dels... I'll not have any bigger flock than I currently have now and when they are gone, I will be done with chickens, I'm thinking.

bee, i know you all to well. as things settle down. you never give up the birds. you giving up the birds is like saying al is done with cornish. it is just in our blood. you , the old timers, and myself will die in a rocking chair talking about and looking at our chickens,

 

[Nutcase]

Bruce, I have 4 of the 6 yr olds and 4 of the 4 yr olds and the eggs I'm getting in this current slow down time are primarily from two of the 6 yr olds. I have a NH hen that has been putting eggs in the nests all year better than any one bird I have and she's 6. When I got that old sick flock back, she was laying. When everyone else had stopped for winter, she was still laying. She took a small break at the end of winter and started right back in the spring. Little Red Hen, egg laying queen at 6 yrs of age. She is NOT on the cull list! Neither is Raggedy Ann, also 6 yrs and still putting eggs in that nest...she's the one in the forefront: This will be the last flock I have, most likely, so I'm not as stringent on culling for lay as I used to be when I was feeding 3 boys and selling eggs to pay for my flock...just trying to nurse these old gals along into old age but cull them before they have any age related symptoms that could cause suffering. A few of the new generation coming up to take the place of the culls...2 WRs and 2 Dels... I'll not have any bigger flock than I currently have now and when they are gone, I will be done with chickens, I'm thinking.

Wow! Your chooks are looking great for 6 years.

 

[Beekissed]

It's the FF, don't ya know?

That and the good life can keep an old gal lookin' spruce. If you saw a few of them right now as they are molting, you'd laugh. The rooster is their age also and he's molting...looking like a real bum long about now. I notice he is crowing more, so I think it may be affecting his confidence!

 

[Nutcase]

It's the FF, don't ya know?

That and the good life can keep an old gal lookin' spruce. If you saw a few of them right now as they are molting, you'd laugh. The rooster is their age also and he's molting...looking like a real bum long about now. I notice he is crowing more, so I think it may be affecting his confidence!

LOL! I give my hens fermented feed even though they are layers and not for meat, and I definitely notice a difference. They are 3 1/2 yr old RSLs and still going strong... but you know the hybrids, I don't know if they will last as long as your Little Red Hen.

 

[RoseMarie1]

bee, i know you all to well. as things settle down. you never give up the birds. you giving up the birds is like saying al is done with cornish. it is just in our blood. you , the old timers, and myself will die in a rocking chair talking about and looking at our chickens,

well I sure HOPE she does Bruce, because that sadden me to hear her say that because I am learning so much from her. She'll be lost without her chickens.