Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Beekissed]

My boys like them because they are hick country boys acting like boys will act and for no other reason than that!

C'mon...how many ol' redneck boys can sit around in a building making duck calls, arguing good-naturedly about things, playing pranks, playing with big boy toys and make all that money just having fun? That's what my boys see and every guy like them in the backwoods are watching those DD guys and sayin', "I can do that! Why don't they make a show about ME?".

 

[foreverlearning]

I tried draining one that was pretty big... It was half air and half yellowish clear liquid. The poor girl looked relieved when I did it, I was afraid I was going to hurt her. I picked the farthest along with it, unfortunately it grew back rather quickly. I guess I expected it later but not so soon. Thank you all for your help.

 

[Beekissed]

That's great! Will you know if that is the same chick tomorrow if you find one with some fluid on it? I mean, did you mark it in any way? It would be educational to know if the fluid comes back.

 

[foreverlearning]

Yes, I put a zip tie on its leg. I will let you know in the morning if it helps more than what I could see. The way I figure it, the first one presented and passed in the same day, if this one makes it until morning it is worth it to try and keep up as needed. I don't want them to suffer and feel that if there is anything that I can do to help them than I have a responsibility to try.

 

[Beekissed]

Yep...should be a neat thing if it survives!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Vent gleet is highly contagious. If you don't want to treat him and raise him to butchering age, I'd axe him right now.

That's funny. I just read an article about this because I'd never heard of it that says the exact opposite.

http://www.tillysnest.com/2012/12/vent-gleet-prevention-and-treatment.html

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

Here's a question to ya'll... Any idea how much feather loss is considered normal ? I have 13 - 11 week old chickens and they appear to be losing some feathers by the looks of the coop floor. There are no visual signs of feather loss on the bird, but the coop floor and run seem to accumulate with feathers. Is it normal for chickens to lose random feathers for no apparent reason ?

 

[Beekissed]

That's called molting..and right now my coop floor looks like some preteen girls had a pillow fight. It happens every year at this time of year for most birds and even a little bit for first year birds. The birds will look like bag ladies for a good bit and will slowly grow back their feathers and will even add some nice, downy ones underneath for winter wear.

If you are feeding regular rations it is adequate for this time, so no increasing of proteins and such are really needed...your laying may go down a bit as well, as nutrition is placed in feather recovery and not so much in laying.

 

[Lacy Blues]

That's funny. I just read an article about this because I'd never heard of it that says the exact opposite.

http://www.tillysnest.com/2012/12/vent-gleet-prevention-and-treatment.html

Well isn't that interesting. I haven't done any online searches on this problem but in the the book I have at home I have read that it is highly contagious. I don't know what to say. Just sharing what I have read. I had one bird many years ago that had it. You could smell him 100 feet away! I didn't know at the time that there was a cure or I would have done what I could to help him. Since they said it was so contagious, I did the only thing I could for the sake of the rest of the flock.

 

[Beekissed]

That's funny. I just read an article about this because I'd never heard of it that says the exact opposite.

http://www.tillysnest.com/2012/12/vent-gleet-prevention-and-treatment.html

Take it from a nurse..and a woman..candida albicans is indeed contagious.

Depends on just how much contact with the yeast organisms the potential host has whether it is transmitted from one creature to another and also the individual immune system health of the individual.