Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[jeepgirl13]

Had I been purchasing I would not have gone with any of those quick maturing quick to decline breeds. But since she was just alone behind a frys in the middle of the busiest part of town I dont mind. I just wanted to know because she is absolutely gorgeous and soon sweetly tempered. Shes cuddling on my couch with me now. Once again you are awesome bee!

 

[jeepgirl13]

She is unbelievably soft too

 

[wlhtx]

I thought she appreciated the offer, just not being stared at! Move along, nothin' to see here cowboy!

I absolutely appreciated the offer! I love a man with such manners - especially since it does seem pretty rare to find one these days. The part that got me was the stare he had on his face, like I was worthy of being a zoo exhibit because I was choosing to load my own feed bags...

I'm trying desperately to raise such a gentleman. One that will open doors for ladies AND offer to load their feed bags. I'm just going to try to teach him to not act so surprised that sometimes a lady can take care of herself.

 

[RedRidge]

Looks like a comet to me. I have comets and production reds. Comets are friendlier than the production reds. The production teds lay well for 2-3 yrs. they are NOT friendly typically and the Roos are nasty. I have HRIR also... They will lay for 10 yrs and are much friendly and very sweet - even the roos. Just my experience.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Looks like a skinny comet to me also. I have a pair of these and they are much lankier than my other birds, but not THAT lanky. Good layers for a short time, pretty friendly.

 

[JoyfulPromise]

Thank you for the warm words! It was and is very fun to pass along good things to people who really want them. Sometimes I grow discouraged when one offers good things and people have the audacity to look a gift horse in the mouth, but people like you, Rosemarie, and Joyfulpromise, who appreciate anything given makes it all worthwhile. Makes it feel like it's not all a total waste of time to type down the info, ya know? I love it!

The only way to know if you are feeding too much is to cut back and see how the birds do without as much as they normally have. I know I am always tweaking the amounts given on a daily basis as I see them waddling too much or if they seem too slender, but that is the same when one is feeding dry.

I'm of the opinion that many people overfeed their chickens the same as they overfeed their dogs...this makes for a shortened life span, just like it does in humans. We do it out of love and affection, I know, but it does them no favors in the end and so I try to curb my natural mothering instincts that if a little is good, more is better, and I try to watch the birds. Chickens are like pigs or dogs...you can never really give them so much food that they will just walk away and say, "No, thank you, no more for me please...I'm watching my figure." They will pretty much consume what they are given and still act like they have been starved for months...it's just their nature.

Because of that, folks can feel guilty and think they aren't getting enough food but it's simply not true..it's just what they do as opportunistic eaters~take advantage of the opportunity.

Excellent report on the savings! I knew I was saving money but just didn't ever sit down to calculate it all because it's just not in my nature to measure things in this life...I do a rough estimate at how much is going out and if it hurts, I make adjustments.

YW! And thank you for the kind words!

WOW! I was feeding 2.5 gal. of FF to 54 CX that were on free range all day, so I'm not sure how to compare....but I know you are dishing out more feed for less birds and less hungry breeds (except the Dels and BOs) than I was. And my feed was 16% layer cut 50/50 with some lesser whole grains, so the total protein would have been even less.


Since we are on the topic of saving on feeds and on feed amounts, here's a pondering:

Here's a question for everyone on feed amounts....in peak laying season, does the egg return and sell of the eggs justify their feed? If not, you are likely either keeping the wrong breeds or feeding wayyyyy too much. If this is okay for your budget and you don't mind paying out money to keep birds that would be okay I guess...but in today's economy, how can one afford to feed an animal that isn't paying for itself in production or meat?

Since the question of "Am I feeding too much?" seems to stem from a desire to save money on feeding, as well as the savings from fermenting the feeds, I'm thinking you all want to at least break even on these birds? If so, I'd be taking some hard looks at cost vs. worth in your chicken projects and seeing if there are other ways to make keeping chickens something you don't lose money on and even profit from in some peak laying months.

One way to save money is to eliminate breeds that eat too much for the amount of eggs they lay. That is a big savings right there and something I've paid close attention to over the years. Feed thrift is important and one needs to ask themselves, "If a BA can outlay and eat less than a BO or Delaware, why am I keeping a BO or Delaware when I can replace her with a BA?". Pennies add up to dollars in the long term livestock business, so cutting even that amount of feed costs out of the budget can really make your flock pay for you instead of the other way around, if one really wants to get down to brass tacks.

I just had to make this decision recently for my own budgeting and let go some really fine birds that were eating me out of house and home...I could have never afforded to feed them long term. Who can? Non producers. heavy eaters, old retainers, etc. can all be cut from the flock when times are hard...and in today's economy, times are not looking like they will be getting any easier.

Just a thought for the day....

Thanks for the thought provoking comments Bee! Actually, our flock HAS been paying for its feed with egg sales this year (I keep meticulous records!

) in fact, they have not only paid for their own feed, but they have paid for the purchase of 15 new replacement pullet chicks from McMurray this spring, paid for those pullets feed as they grew into the 4 month old pigs that they are now, and also paid for the feed for 10 Pekin ducks that we hatched this spring and are raising for meat!!! Our flock has been laying at a Year-to-date average of close to 65% so far this year, with highs of over 70% laying in the months of April, May, and June! I think that is pretty good for dual purpose breeds, isn't it? The problem is, that we want the higher egg production, but we also want large size hens so they will be a good meal at the end of their laying life. I know, there has to be a balance there. We are still working on what we want our flock to be in the future, hopefully a self-sustaining one that hatches all the chicks we need so we don't have to order any more. I don't think that will be a problem, as we have had 10 broodies in our flock this year who have (so far) hatched and raised 25 chicks! But we need the good stock to start with. At the beginning of the year, we thought we wanted more Orpington's, since our BO's have been some of our best layers so far, and also the fastest molters in the fall, which is a plus too. They also have been good size for the most part. So we ordered more Buff pullets, and a Buff cockerel to replace our Delaware roo who we were retiring, and a few White Orpington pullets as well. But now after reading the recent comments on here I am wondering if Rocks might be a better dual purpose breed, and I LOVED looking at the page about the HRIRs! Perhaps someday...

Actually, I DO have the start of a nice Rock flock - Blue/Barred Rocks to be exact! These are the ones I won as hatching eggs during this spring's Natural Egg Photo contest from Brookhavens, and I am keeping the three pullets and one of the cockerels that hatched to start our Blue coop - we will be putting our 4 Blue Copper Marans in that coop too and one Blue Olive Egger. It will be the smaller flock for now, only about 10-12 hens, compared to 30 hens in the Orpington/mixed flock, but who knows, maybe that will switch in the years to come! It is all exciting and there is SO much to learn!

But back to the feed question - Like I said, our hens ARE paying for their feed fine, but I was just wondering if they NEED that much to stay healthy, since they are heavier DP breeds, or if they COULD find more of their food while foraging if necessary, or just to save on more costs. We are also thinking long term, sustainability and all that, if we were not able to get as much grain in the future, could our flock survive, and provide eggs with less feed? So many things to consider! Thanks Everyone, for helping me learn along with you all!

 

[AletaG]

Looks like a comet to me. I have comets and production reds. Comets are friendlier than the production reds. The production teds lay well for 2-3 yrs. they are NOT friendly typically and the Roos are nasty. I have HRIR also... They will lay for 10 yrs and are much friendly and very sweet - even the roos. Just my experience.

Looks like a skinny comet to me also. I have a pair of these and they are much lankier than my other birds, but not THAT lanky. Good layers for a short time, pretty friendly.

What on earth is a Comet? some sort of sex-link cross like Black Star? She def doesn't look prod. RIR to me, I have 4 pullets and 2 full grown. They are stockier and don't have that sweep of a tail. Lucky find for her and for you ...waiting on the weather to get my HRIR shipped... I mention it on every post almost. OCD. Yep. That's me. Want my H. Reds!!!

 

[Beekissed]

But back to the feed question - Like I said, our hens ARE paying for their feed fine,

Joyful Promise, I would love it if you could start documenting~on a thread for that purpose~ that you are not only breaking even on your feed costs and keeping chickens but are also making a profit! I have so many times on this forum over the years told folks that I make a profit off my laying flock, only to have people sneer in disbelief~OTs too, in fact~that one could ever even break even, let alone make a profit off of their chickens. Since I do not keep detailed records of any kind but have a general sense of money coming in for a specific purpose and money flowing out for the same purpose, I have noted a profit each year and enough of a profit to offset feed costs, equipment, and to purchase new stock when needed...and still have some to waste on other needs.

The reason I would like you to post a thread of these kinds of things is because there are so man naysayers on this forum who will brag about how their first egg costs them hundreds and even thousands of dollars and then deny that anyone could ever make money on raising chickens and never could they ever recoup start up costs. When those kinds of ideas are allowed to flourish unchallenged, pretty soon it is accepted as fact, which leads many newbies to believe that chickens can only be a very expensive hobby so they can just expect to lose money on it. With that mindset, they never realize that they can actively take measures to prevent keeping chickens from draining their resources. Before long they get out of chickens because they spent money like a drunkard getting into it and find they could not keep pouring money into a hobby, in all reality, and so they just give it all up.

What on earth is a Comet? some sort of sex-link cross like Black Star? She def doesn't look prod. RIR to me, I have 4 pullets and 2 full grown. They are stockier and don't have that sweep of a tail. Lucky find for her and for you ...waiting on the weather to get my HRIR shipped... I mention it on every post almost. OCD. Yep. That's me. Want my H. Reds!!!

A Comet is a proprietary breed name from specific genetics developed and copyrighted by a breeder/company. Similar genetics but not specific ones from that breed have their own product name like Cinnamon Queens, Red Stars, Highlines, etc. Sort of like different genetic strains of Cornish Cross are called different names by the parent company(s) but are generally just referred to as Cornish Rocks when sold to the general public. Everyone who patents their specific breed genetics usually come up with a name or a group of letters/numbers to signify their ownership of that breeding combination.

 

[AletaG]

X2, on the records... So far since we've started in the Spring we have 425 in structures/feeders/waterers (a steal), about 50$ in chickens (Again, we were gifted with several), and about 150$ in feed, a lot of it yet to be eaten, of course, and about 40$ in straw and other test bedding (I'm liking those pine pellets for brooding), and 130 in an incubator that holds 48 eggs, forced air, turner... but need to figure out how to make the temp bump about 5 degrees. Holds 95 exactly in perfect form, won't budge above that, so more tinkering money thataway. We get about 15 large eggs a week, and 10 or more banty eggs a week. Not enough yet to sell, but have been able to start the local "palm greasing". 6 pullets aren't yet at POL. Couple of roosters will end up in the freezer.
Plan to add appx 300 for 2 HRIR trios in the Fall. Goal is to end up with enough good layers to supply all our needs and sell to the neighbors by next Spring. Also to have figured out NPIP requirements and have hatching all sorted in time for selling eggs/chicks. We'll see. Also have one Icelandic trio, may or may not end up be used for breeding. Very nice birds.

Bee, thanks! Your answers are always as complete as you can make them, and bless you for that!

 

[RoseMarie1]

In my younger days I lugged around bags of feed and bales of hay like it wasn't anything. Three hand surgeries later I usually ask for somebody to load mine. My grip is nothing like it use to be! A few years ago I ran across a small dolly for $10 and why in the world I didn't think to get one of those things YEARS before I don't know! It sure does come in handy for unloading feed and moving all kinds of things. Shoot, if something happened to this dolly I would probably pay a pretty penny for another one!

well shoot maybe I NEED one of those things! I have a bad back and I'm sure it's not helping it lugging on all this heavy stuff I do.