Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[7acres]

After back surgery and other surgeries and facing replacement of the knees this fall, I have learned to do things smarter. Gone are the grab and go days. First time on this thread that was recommended to me, so if I am being repetitive of other post I apologize. If you buy a dolly, think about the size and kind of tires on it. The hard rubber wheels last longer, but are harder to use with weight on them. The inflatable tires move much better. The bigger tires the better. They will not dig in sand and dirt as deep. Also, look at the quality of tire. I have things from Harbor Freight. One of the problems is with the quality of their inflatable tires. They tend to deteriorate with time. I have a Super Brute from Sam's Club. Given they are a bit more expensive, but I have moved furniture, feed, the constructed side of a 4 x 4 coop and many other things on it by myself. It also folds down to a platform dolly to move things easily on solid surfaces. I put a strap around things that tend to shift when I move it. The next best thing I use is a solid body plastic dump cart. They are online and places like Tractor Supply. At TS they are $100 up, but you can find them a lot cheaper. With the dump I rake out my elevated coop, move dirt. put buckets of water or buckets and sacks of feed and with the large tires it moves easily and can be pulled with a garden tractor. I like the steel frame ones, but they don't dump and then you have to unload the stuff. I know many cannot afford the price of some of these, but my thought was "How much will another Dr. visit or surgery cost.

 

[TexasLisa]

I understand about doing things smarter. I am reaching that conclusion but I go about it the long way. It is hard for me to change my thinking/ways!

I have a wagon that we picked up at a yard sale and I love it. You can let the sides and/or the back end down to load and unload. I hadn't thought of one that folds down. Now that would be neat.

Lisa

 

[Triple Willow]

7acres is right about purchasing the right dolly for the job. Mine is a cheapo but it is good enough for what I need it for. You could get one to haul several bags of feed, hay or whatever at a time. I just haul one or two bags at a time on mine and I don't have too far to go with it. When you get older and start breaking down you learn to go about doing things a little differently. lol I would be up the creek without my riding lawn mower and little cart to pull behind it!

 

[chubbiechicken]

Help...I put in BOSS and it all floats to the top?

 

[colburg]

I have been asking the "how much feed?" question lately too. We have a flock of about 40 DP laying hens (BO, BA, EE, BCM, BR, & a few Delawares & mixes). I have been feeding them about 6lbs of our homemade soy-free Layer Feed, which is soaked/fermented for about 24 hrs. This is divided into two feedings in the morning and just after noon. Then in the evening about 1 hr before sunset they get about 3lbs of a dry Scratch mixture of Corn, Wheat, Oats, & Sunflowers. I calculate the average combined protein to be just over 16%. So a total daily feed weight of 9lbs (dry) for 40 birds is already less than 1/4 lb per bird which is the generally recommended amount. The flock is confined to a LARGE fenced run in the morning (with greenery and shrubs) and then let out to free range in our 1 acre fenced backyard from noon till sundown. They DO clean up all feeders by late afternoon, but some in my family was asking if we could reduce the feed a bit and encourage them to get more of what they need while foraging. They always act very eager and hungry when I bring the Scratch in the evening, but then, they are ALWAYS eager for Scratch...

I don't know if I should try and cut back or not since I can't KNOW how much bugs and other forage they are able to find and eat.

JP, That seems like a lot to me too. We feed 60 layers, plus a couple cocks, 1.5 gallons/day of FF. I think we're feeding about 1 bag every 2 weeks, or ~3.5lbs/day. Now that you've brought this up, I'll try to keep a couple of records and actually record how much we're feeding. I'll post results in a few weeks.

 

[armorfirelady]

Help...I put in BOSS and it all floats to the top?

Just stirr it back in before you feed them. It floats no matter what. IF you stir it in before feeding you will get some in the feed then

 

[AVintageLife]

Just had a 15 minute conversation with a man in the parking lot of TSC re the benefits of FF. Started off with him looking at me like I'm a crazy woman, but he walked away with that quizzical look on his face that told me he was pondering it.

Also, quick note to all men who see a woman in the parking lot of a feed store: we very much appreciate the offers you sometimes extend to load our feed bags up for us - it really is very kind - but when a woman tells you that she's got it (even if she's wearing a dress and then proceeds to do her own loading), please refrain from looking at her like she's an alien that just landed on this planet and then offered you a million dollars. Surely such women cannot be that rare... I sit in an office most of the day. I need and enjoy the exercise! [end rant]

X2 - They always look so insulted when you turn them down.

 

[AVintageLife]

X2 - They always look so insulted when you turn them down.

And I don't mean to insult, I just like doing it myself. Never had one of those "honey do" lists and typically don't ask DH for help unless it involves the table saw, which he won't let me use by myself, lol.

 

[Triple Willow]

When you young folks get older and lose your grip, your hip, your knee and somedays your pee - you will be so glad to get that help! LOL

 

[Beekissed]

I never turn down help from the feed store guys...I've not had a man helping me out in this life, so all heavy things, all things to be built and all things period have been done by me~until I could get my boys big enough and trained up to assist. Now they are grown and gone, though. To get an offer of help from a man is a rare and most exceedingly wonderful thing, so I'll take it when I can get it! I can lift it..that's nothing I have to prove anymore.

It's the fact that they offer and I accept gracefully, with thankfulness that there was ever an offer that matters to me. I take it as no slur on my abilities...anyone can take one look at me and know I am no sissy and look a little further at what I drive and realize I'm not the average, delicate woman...just a farm woman. Plain and simple.

I usually have guys at the feed store asking me about how I rigged up my truck for the knocked down cattle panels that I scavenged and exclaiming over the innovative way I solved the problem of mounting them on the truck. They know me and they know where I live...and they have no doubts about my abilities to do man stuff. That's the beauty of living in a small, rural setting...

When they offer to carry MY feed...it's a sign of respect for the woman who doesn't really HAVE to ask for help. I take it as my due and carry on, thank the guys, smile and wave...they know full well that at the other end of my journey I'll be the one hefting that 100lb sack of feed into the feed barrels.