Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Windy Bay Farm]

I wouldn't put them in a barrel...spread them out where they aren't touching and let them get air and they will mold less that way.  They will drain a lot of fluid as they decompose, so just be aware they will make a mess wherever you place them.  Pallets make nice places for pumpkins because the fluids can run out and down, draining away from the gourd. 

Thanks again, Bee ! I have a couple old pallets kicking around that are left over from what I used for stacking firewood. I'll put them on that and give them to the girls once in awhile... Although I'm sure they will probably pick at them while out free ranging !

I am not bee but I went thru my neighborhood and picked up every whole pumpkin I found and friends and coworkers brought me theirs. I filled a pallet up 2 layers full of free pumpkins. I threw a tarp over it and gave them one when I remembered, my girls loved them. Some had some black areas where they started to rot but the girls ignored them.

Just remember those seeds will grow in the spring . I pulled hundreds of pumpkin plants that started but I did let some grow and got a few pumpkins from them

Thanks for the info, armorfirelady ! Looks like I'll be doing exactly what you have done according to the pic !

 

[Lacy Blues]

I have a question for you guys. My white leghorn and ancona roosters had big combs that flopped over to one side, especially the leghorn. Now their combs are standing straight as can be. What's up with that, nutritional maybe?

How old were the roosters when their combs started standing back up? I think its probably hormonal. One of my Andalusian males was the same way. He was able to go out in the sun from the time he was a couple days old so I know it wasn't a lack of sunshine... sometimes I suspect that it might be when roosters' combs flop. Now, his comb is coming back up and he is probably somewhere between 3 and 4 months old. I kept lousy records this year. I know who his parents are but not when he hatched.

 

[Triple Willow]

How old were the roosters when their combs started standing back up?  I think its probably hormonal.  One of my Andalusian males was the same way.  He was able to go out in the sun from the time he was a couple days old so I know it wasn't a lack of sunshine... sometimes I suspect that it might be when roosters' combs flop.  Now, his comb is coming back up and he is probably somewhere between 3 and 4 months old.  I kept lousy records this year.  I know who his parents are but not when he hatched.

Right at 12-13 weeks is when they started to stand straight. The leghorn's was really flopped to one side from early on, now perfectly straight. And it is a BIG comb. Come to think of it, right about the same time a bunch of them started to molt like crazy. Don't know if that has anything to do with it. I just thought it was strange and interesting.
I'm hoping by the end of October I have about 7 youngsters start laying. It sure is exciting when they start laying. My others have been laying a couple of months and I'm still excited to see how many eggs I get every day. LOL It's pretty cool to see them go from the egg in the incubator all the way to laying eggs!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Right at 12-13 weeks is when they started to stand straight. The leghorn's was really flopped to one side from early on, now perfectly straight. And it is a BIG comb. Come to think of it, right about the same time a bunch of them started to molt like crazy. Don't know if that has anything to do with it. I just thought it was strange and interesting.
I'm hoping by the end of October I have about 7 youngsters start laying. It sure is exciting when they start laying. My others have been laying a couple of months and I'm still excited to see how many eggs I get every day. LOL It's pretty cool to see them go from the egg in the incubator all the way to laying eggs!

Sounds about right. They're starting to mature sexually and I think the hormones have everything to do with it.

 

[Triple Willow]

Sounds about right.  They're starting to mature sexually and I think the hormones have everything to do with it.

Thanks, I wondered if that was a possibility too. I am anxious to try crossing the Leghorn and Ancona roos with my Aussie girls. I want to see if I can get a bird that is smaller, slightly flightier (for predators), really good egg producers and more economical to keep (eat less). I suppose they will be white egg layers? Any idea about colors that might come out of it? I'm thinking that the AnconaXAussie cross would be better for color.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I will TOTALLY be putting pumpkins out for my chooks this year if I can find them for free. :O I may even put up an ad on CL to see if anyone wants to drop some off. I would honestly hope that they'd grow from the seeds... I am trying to get something, ANYTHING, to grow plant-wise in my chicken's run. If I get pumpkins growing there all the better for all of us. :3 I'd love to get lots of pumpkin out of my chicken run every year, and the chickens may do their damage but they will keep the squirrels off of them too!

Also I JUST started adding alfalfa to my FF last night. XD I have a bunch of cubes leftover from my rabbits. The broke down in the liquid overnight.

My CX's feathers are so shiny they reflect and glow silver in the light. I'm really happy.

 

[RoseMarie1]

We are in the 40s here at night and 70-80 in the daytime..more towards 70s.

oh WOW it's HARD to believe it's that cold anywhere right now. HOTTT here AND humid. ughhh HOPING to get some rain in the next couple days to.

 

[Triple Willow]

We are in the 40s here at night and 70-80 in the daytime..more towards 70s. 

We are in the upper 70's to lower 80's during the day and usually 60's at night. We have had a night or two in the 40's, some 50's. It's nice out!

 

[wlhtx]

Y'all are a bunch of braggers!!! We're still sitting in the mid-90s. We have a "cold" front coming through at the end of this week though that will put us down into the mid-80s. I might have to pull out a jacket!

 

[galanie]

Y'all are a bunch of braggers!!! We're still sitting in the mid-90s. We have a "cold" front coming through at the end of this week though that will put us down into the mid-80s. I might have to pull out a jacket!

Same here! Looked at the long range forecast today and that "cold" will be lasting me, lets see.. almost 2 whole days! Then it's back to the 90's... ugh.