Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[RedRidge]

Quote: Heavens no! I'm a fan of working smarter and not harder remember.

Just move it, step it in, plug it in, walk away... none of the livestock challenge it.
The bottom row is not hot, so grounding out to tall grass is not a problem - and trust me, some of my pastures are waist high right now.
Having the correct charger is the key.
I use the poultry netting from Kencove... even for the cattle. QED (as my husband likes to say) Quite Easily Done

 

[RedRidge]

So, Bee if one were using the one bucket, then it would be better to have 2 buckets going at the same time and feed one out and refill and go to the second one to get greater advantage of the fermentation?

I keep three buckets going... but I scoop about half out of each bucket each day.
I am feeding between 15-20 lbs of FF/day right now (I have a lot of chicks still), so taking 5-6 lbs out of each bucket leaves about that much left.
I have a large slotted curd spoon I use... scoop out 6-7 scoops, add a "plastic bowl full" back, top off with water, walk away.
I don't even bother to cover mine any more... figure any animal protein added is a good thing.

Mine are outside in a feed room in the barn.
No maintenance required....

 

[RedRidge]

Ok got another one for you. Do you have any idea on an estimation of how much daily for each bird?

Calculate your dry to wet conversion ratio... for instance mine is 2.25
That means if you are feeding production layers say .25 of dry a day, you would feed .25X2.25 of FF
This is just an example.
My production layers eat an average of about half a lb/day of FF when in confinement (I don't feed most of the year as they free range).
My HRIR eat about .75 lb/day when in confinement.
I have a graduating chart I use for all the groups of chicks which gradually increases until they get to 20 weeks.
I only feed FF once a day after they are 6 weeks old... I feed those under 6 weeks old twice/day.

 

[RedRidge]

You guys make me think I am doing something wrong with my ff!! I have 7 hens and 7 12 wk old chicks. I am down to a heaping spoonful in the morning. Maybe 1/2 of that is eaten. In the evening what is left over looks dry, so I add a bit more. They NEVER eat it all. I have even put the dry pellets next to it to see which they prefer. They just pick at it. I do free-range from 7 AM till dusk. Is that normal? I have never had them chase me down or run up to me when I am feeding them that stuff. Now if I have scratch or apple cores, then they come running.

Lisa

Yes... quite normal... mine eat little to nothing when free ranging all day.

 

[RedRidge]

Quote: Wait til winter gets here... they will run you down and lap it up like puppies.

 

[Triple Willow]

Good article on feeding grains: http://www.mofga.org/Publications/M...r/Summer2003/Chickens/tabid/1481/Default.aspx

 

[TexasLisa]

Wait til winter gets here... they will run you down and lap it up like puppies.

Thanks for the encouragement! Unfortunately where I live my winters are not like yours.

Yes, I miss the 4 seasons.

Lisa

 

[RedRidge]

Good article on feeding grains: http://www.mofga.org/Publications/M...r/Summer2003/Chickens/tabid/1481/Default.aspx

Problem is... article claims soybean is needed... that is incorrect.
What is needed is some form of animal protein.

 

[Triple Willow]

My mother-in-law would fit in with you guys really well.  She uses rubber bands to hold her shoes on, safety pins to keep her shirts together, etc. etc.  I am getting there.  I have clothes over 10 years old in my closet that I wear.  Tears my kids up. 

Lisa

Clothes just get so comfortable when they are worn out! LOL My nephew called yesterday and said he was bringing a girlfriend over that I hadn't met. He said for me to "get some clothes on!" lol

Being a little accident prone, I'm scared to use safety pins in my clothes! hahaha I suppose it is about time for me to go through and throw away some things...long sigh. There's about 3 pairs of jeans and one or two (...or three) shirts that are really bad. I got about 12 years out of each of them. Just think of all the money I saved!

 

[Robert M]

In my workshop it stays between 75° and 95° in the Summer. In the house, it stays between 60° and 75° in the Winter. Since it doesn't take much room to do this, I can move the process to the house, by the wood stove and/or gas heater, whichever is the closest to the temp I need.

When you say, "cover the grain/feed with water", do you mean to totally immerse the feed and leave it, or soak the feed and drain off the water?

I'm getting back to hatching birds again, after a few years, with a small 4DZ incubator and plan to start with a dozen or so. I used to do about 500 a month when I was on a farm.

The only thing I ever got with "wet feed" was mold. Should I stir in some Montrachet yeast into the water before soaking the feed?

Do I then bottle the water and save it for the next batch?

I make wine, too, so the yeast is no problem. I could also mix a little wine in the gallon of water, if that'll help.

Are there any books, cheap, or at the library, to learn about this method? We are avid readers, although my wife is the one who retains best. If we both read the same thing, we can usually jog each others' memory as necessary.

Bob and Carol