Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Lacy Blues]

I thought the "islanders" who originally ate the balut didn't take a partially developed chick and cook it but took that partially developed chick and buried the egg for however long and of course it dies but they leave it there for a while to "age" it until its perfectly tender! Ugh!

By the way, I don't eat lobster either. And certainly not veal!!!!

 

[Triple Willow]

I have no ideological issues w/ balut, just find the whole concept of eating it disgusting and unappetizing.  I also find it odd how arbitrary most of us (including myself) are about which animals are food and which are taboo, or what age an animal can be eaten or not, or in the case of balut how some animals (mostly seafood) is acceptable to boil alive while embrionic chicks and ducks are off limits.  Those comments were just musings and not pointed at anyone's previous comments at all.  I am not casting stones in any way from my glass house as I have just as many food hang ups as the next guy.

I agree with you, very interesting. I find balut VERY gross and also very cruel, but then I think of some of the other things we eat, like you said, and it is interesting what we find gross or just plain wrong/cruel. And it is interesting how different cultures view eating different animals. To some eating a certain animal is just normal, to others it is an outrage to even consider. Examples I can think of are balut, dog and horse and I'm sure there are more. There is how Hindus view cows and would never eat them and pigs that religious Jews or Muslims would not touch and there are those people who think eating any animal is just cruel. Who's right and who's wrong, who knows?!? lol While I do find balut gross and cruel, I would probably taste it, just a tiny tiny bite to see what it tastes like - then there is a good chance I might barf. lol As far as selling balut eggs, I don't think I could do it. I think it would bother me too much.

I thought this might be an interesting question.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Does anyone know if tomato leaves are bad for chickens? I have two tomato plants that got a late start and never really did anything. They're still plenty green and succulent but I figure its about time to pull them out and maybe plant some fodder beets in the bed for fall.

 

[Triple Willow]

totally gives me the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it! And it seems like such a waste of a potential source of meat...

I agree, seems like a waste to me. And there is suckling pig that some eat and some eat baby goats. That's kinda cruel to me! I don't believe I could kill either. But I could do the balut and suckling pig before I took any part in killing a baby goat. I'd eat a dang bucket of balut before I'd kill a baby goat! lol

 

[ChocolateMouse]

We had a suckling pig this summer for a cookout while camping. Nine weeks old and about 25lbs.

We bought it from a local farm where the sows are outside in these long runs with lots of dirt and mud, and go into pens with hay when they're ready to give birth. The piglets at weaning (which is the age a suckling pig usually is) were taken to these really nice elevated pens with plastic floors that let all the waste fall through and were quite large. Underneath was a concrete floor hosed off daily. VERY clean.

I butchered it myself and was a little sad because he was super cute. My sister helped me and decided his name was "hamlet" before we processed him. She helped me do the deed and it was her first animal butchering. I was impressed.

We cooked him for hours on a spit over a fire, stuffed with oranges and onion and butter, rubbed down with salt and pepper. It was delicious!

We all agreed that we want to try it again next year....

But I don't think I could do Balut. Bleh! Not for moral reasons at all really, just bleh! I'd sell it if I had a roo and a market... But bleh! To me it's about like eating grubs. I could do it, sure, and it's an undeveloped squishy fetal form of the final product just like grubs, and a wild animal would not complain... But BLEH!

 

[perchie.girl]

Does anyone know if tomato leaves are bad for chickens? I have two tomato plants that got a late start and never really did anything. They're still plenty green and succulent but I figure its about time to pull them out and maybe plant some fodder beets in the bed for fall.

Tomatoes are in the nightshade family. Fruit is good to eat greens not so much. For people that is. Same goes for Potatoes. The green parts that is. Probably wouldnt kill you but could give you gut issues.... Dont know about chickens.

deb

 

[hogster160]

Would you try balut?
Would you produce balut eggs to sell?

No way. 25 years ago, when my DH was in the military. He was stationed in the Philippenes, they have that often there. It was baked in the ground, just barely covered in the hot soil. It sat for days. There were parts of the town one didn't go to because of the smell from the balut baking in the sun. Um gag! He will try just about anything once. He would not try balut. And a good thing too, as I would probably have never kissed him again lol!

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
NOt to mention who ever thought to eat a raw oyster the first time..... LOL.

I too have no ideological issues with regard to Balut and I am somewhat of a foodie....
With regard to Baluts and where they come from. Places where every bit of food is not wasted. Eggs harvested then sold in a marketplace. Carried home in woven baskets in some cases the only protein available for the family. Not all will be the same age when cooked. Probably the first Balut was a bonus to a protien starved family and not simply thrown out. And from what I have heard they are supposed to taste a bit like chicken soup. I couldnt eat one and it couldnt be snuck past me.... LOL.

WRT Religious issues with regard to food. At one time Pork was known to be very unhealthy carrying all sorts of nasty parasites that can be passed on to humans if not cooked properly. Pigs were known to forage in the garbage and even eat dead animals.... therefore they were deemed unclean.... the first food safety law. The other laws are No fish without scales. This means Clams, Eels, King crab..... Each have issues with what they eat and where they live. to consider.

Hindus dont eat meat or arent supposed to Not just cows. It has to do with Karma and causing injury....

Metzer farms sells Baluts click here Up to a buck a piece for the eggs plus 27 for shipping and 5 for packaging. . Here is a Wikipedia article on Baluts. Its an interesting read but not for the squeamish.

Metzer also has salted eggs which I would try. They say the salted egg can last up to 40 days without refrigeration. In the Philippines this is how they would preserve eggs. They are packed in salt and clay or Charcoal and stored for 14 days till the salt makes its way throughout the egg. Then they are scraped and stored for later consumption. Served hard boiled.

We all follow our hearts with regard to food. But so many of us spend our lives eating from packages that are served up neat and tidy weighed and stamped and unidentifiable except for the price and description on the outside. That to me is far scarier than eating a Balut...

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Oh and by the way.... new here just reading up on Fermented Feeds..... Hi everyone

deb

 

[armorfirelady]

Does anyone know if tomato leaves are bad for chickens?  I have two tomato plants that got a late start and never really did anything.  They're still plenty green and succulent but I figure its about time to pull them out and maybe plant some fodder beets in the bed for fall.

I've heard that they are. I don't purposely throw them in the hens yard. However they tend to try them when they have acces to them. Same thing with potato leaves. My hens are all fine. But then they don't eat all the leaves and the plant. Just a bite or two