Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[RoseMarie1]

Yes..that could definitely be a factor.

YES! That...exactly! Simply breathtaking! Even the dogs get excited over a good snow and will practically dance over the fluff. You can see the doggy joy in every movement of their bodies! When the morning sun hits that blanket of diamonds my eyes can scarce take in the wonder of it all.





Here is the view off the porch of my last house right after an ice storm...it was simply spectacular!



My son and Jake, standing at the top of the field behind the house....waaaaaay down there you can see my little red chicken coop!



And our apple orchard, clothed in snow...with my swing and adirondack chairs sitting there patiently waiting for spring.

VERY pretty Bee. Oh honey I USED to be like you but since all these thyroid issues I've been having for 2 years now and still going.....

getting NO help from Dr's. I freeze to death now. The thyroids are yo yoing from hypo to hyper and all sorts of mess going on other than that. Anyway it's hard to even function at times but I used to be just like you but now I get cold in the heat of the summer. I keep a jacket in my car 24-7 even in the heat of the summer. I'm like a those old lizard things I have to have something warm to be able to get warm or it takes me forever to ever get warm once I get chilled. In the winter time I always turn my electric mattress warmer on about 30 minutes before I go to bed so it will warm the sheets up or I can't get warm once I hit those cold sheets. It VERY bad and litterly hurts to get in the bed on cold sheets. I have noticed I am hot and cold sensitive now. The snow is pretty but so glad I live in the south especially now since I am like this.

NOT fun at all.

I came on here to ask you a question and got side tracked seeing all that burrrrr snnnnnnow.

I got me some PVC pipe today to put over the roof ot the run to put that tarp on so the rain water will roll off it instead of puddling up and causing my wire on top to sage from all the puddling rain water when it rains. I am TRYING to figure out HOW/WHAT to use to put those on with on each side and coming up with no idea so I thought I'd come on here and ask you for an idea. You had told me PVC pipe and I thought now that's a good idea! Was trying to think of something cheap I could use to attach the PVC pipes to the 2 bys on each side on the top. I'm wondering IF that metal strapping stuff would work that has holes all in it and maybe I could drill a hole in the pvc and screw a screw through the hole and the strapping? I think I have some of the strapping already. I just bought 5 PVC pipes because I didn't know how many I'd need so I could at least get started on it. Had to move their trough feeder because every time it rains I had to move it without that tarp over it. So I'd like to get that tarp put back in place and figure I might try working on it tomorrow if I am able to. Since my run is 10' wide I am probably going to have to add additions to the 10' pvc pipe but I think I have several short pieces already on hand that will work for that. I bought some connectors when I bought the pvc pipe because I knew I'd have to have them.
OR could I just drill a hole in the PVC pipe and screw a screw threw it and the board to hold them in place on each end? That should work huh? And here I was thinking I couldn't think of nothing to attach them. I KNEW there HAD to be a cheap way to attach them. Anyway any ideas or do you think these would hold it secure enough?

ALSO how much do you guys have to pay for 50# of oats? I checked today so I could add it to my ff and it was 14 bucks. Is that about right in price? I wanted barley but they don't have barley. Tried to get alfalfa cubes and none of those either.

Wanted something that would be nutritious for the chickens and don't know how much nutrition is in oats. Since I am new at this I was clueless on the grains.

 

[Beekissed]

That sounds about right, so you are good to go. Hose clamps are what you are talking about and it was the first thing that came to my mind as well...perfect for it. You'll also need a bridging pipe between all your arched pipes to keep them more stable and that can be attached with just big zip ties or even some more, smaller, hose clamps. When done it would like the ribs in a whale with a spine going down the middle on the underside of the ribs. Once that tarp is stretched tight over that, it should be a very stable setup for shedding rain and snow, while still resisting the wind.

 

[RoseMarie1]

That sounds about right, so you are good to go. Hose clamps are what you are talking about and it was the first thing that came to my mind as well...perfect for it. You'll also need a bridging pipe between all your arched pipes to keep them more stable and that can be attached with just big zip ties or even some more, smaller, hose clamps. When done it would like the ribs in a whale with a spine going down the middle on the underside of the ribs. Once that tarp is stretched tight over that, it should be a very stable setup for shedding rain and snow, while still resisting the wind.

by bridging you mean tie each one together with t's in the middle? Got me two packs of zip ties for another project but can use them on this one since I need it fixed.

I got the north wall all closed in the other day with bisqueen someone gave me.

LOVE freebies. Then this evening I did a little more with the bisqueen on the northwest side since that's the front of the pen. Part of that side is tin but about a foot from the top is just poultry wire all across the front and then above the door it was a 2' section I guess that was only poultry wire so I closed those areas up with the plastic to cut the wind off them on the roost. Suppose to get in the 40's tonight they said. The gate on the front is metal with holes all in it. Was thinking about putting a cloth over it since it's close to the roost to. The east and the south sides are all open every where so that should be enough open air space don't you think?
Thank you Bee. I didn't even think about tying them together like that on the PVC. I sure hope I have the fittings for that now. UGHHH I might have to run to town but MAYBE they will have those in this little town. lol those t things to tie them together with.

 

[Beekissed]

Yes and that can all be done with one continuous pipe down the middle of the arched pipes to stabilize the arches from shifting from side to side under pressure...it would be very easy to just screw down from the top of the arch to screw into both pipes if you want to not have to buy any new materials. That is, if you have screws that long. You'll want to work from the top of the arch down into the "spine" pipe so that you won't have any screw ends sticking up and putting holes in your tarp. Zip ties work well also and are much easier to apply, while being cheaper than screws.

You can see the stabilizer pipes in this pic, but since this entire structure is hoops, they have applied stabilizer pipes to the walls as well....



You can just see it in this pic too....

 

[RoseMarie1]

Yes and that can all be done with one continuous pipe down the middle of the arched pipes to stabilize the arches from shifting from side to side under pressure...it would be very easy to just screw down from the top of the arch to screw into both pipes if you want to not have to buy any new materials. That is, if you have screws that long. You'll want to work from the top of the arch down into the "spine" pipe so that you won't have any screw ends sticking up and putting holes in your tarp. Zip ties work well also and are much easier to apply, while being cheaper than screws.

You can see the stabilizer pipes in this pic, but since this entire structure is hoops, they have applied stabilizer pipes to the walls as well....



You can just see it in this pic too....

OH WOW I need one of those to for my garden area to keep the chickens outta the winter garden. lol
OK I see what you're saying now.
Thanx again Bee!!!

ALSO we're getting about 3 eggs a day now. The others haven't started laying but I am leaving the light on out there at night until 10pm and then turning it off to see IF any of the others will start laying before the days get any shorter. lol

 

[Triple Willow]

Dang it! I have been trying to download a picture of a tree I am wanting to identify and it won't let me download. Do any of you have any clue what a tree might be that has a big leaf similar to a sycamore, has a big lump about the size of a big marble where the leaf starts?

Bee & BCmaraniac... it might grow in your areas.

 

[TexasLisa]

VERY pretty Bee. Oh honey I USED to be like you but since all these thyroid issues I've been having for 2 years now and still going.....

getting NO help from Dr's. I freeze to death now. The thyroids are yo yoing from hypo to hyper and all sorts of mess going on other than that. Anyway it's hard to even function at times but I used to be just like you but now I get cold in the heat of the summer. I keep a jacket in my car 24-7 even in the heat of the summer. I'm like a those old lizard things I have to have something warm to be able to get warm or it takes me forever to ever get warm once I get chilled. In the winter time I always turn my electric mattress warmer on about 30 minutes before I go to bed so it will warm the sheets up or I can't get warm once I hit those cold sheets. It VERY bad and litterly hurts to get in the bed on cold sheets. I have noticed I am hot and cold sensitive now. The snow is pretty but so glad I live in the south especially now since I am like this.

NOT fun at all.

I came on here to ask you a question and got side tracked seeing all that burrrrr snnnnnnow.

I got me some PVC pipe today to put over the roof ot the run to put that tarp on so the rain water will roll off it instead of puddling up and causing my wire on top to sage from all the puddling rain water when it rains. I am TRYING to figure out HOW/WHAT to use to put those on with on each side and coming up with no idea so I thought I'd come on here and ask you for an idea. You had told me PVC pipe and I thought now that's a good idea! Was trying to think of something cheap I could use to attach the PVC pipes to the 2 bys on each side on the top. I'm wondering IF that metal strapping stuff would work that has holes all in it and maybe I could drill a hole in the pvc and screw a screw through the hole and the strapping? I think I have some of the strapping already. I just bought 5 PVC pipes because I didn't know how many I'd need so I could at least get started on it. Had to move their trough feeder because every time it rains I had to move it without that tarp over it. So I'd like to get that tarp put back in place and figure I might try working on it tomorrow if I am able to. Since my run is 10' wide I am probably going to have to add additions to the 10' pvc pipe but I think I have several short pieces already on hand that will work for that. I bought some connectors when I bought the pvc pipe because I knew I'd have to have them.
OR could I just drill a hole in the PVC pipe and screw a screw threw it and the board to hold them in place on each end? That should work huh? And here I was thinking I couldn't think of nothing to attach them. I KNEW there HAD to be a cheap way to attach them. Anyway any ideas or do you think these would hold it secure enough?

ALSO how much do you guys have to pay for 50# of oats? I checked today so I could add it to my ff and it was 14 bucks. Is that about right in price? I wanted barley but they don't have barley. Tried to get alfalfa cubes and none of those either.

Wanted something that would be nutritious for the chickens and don't know how much nutrition is in oats. Since I am new at this I was clueless on the grains.

Good morning Rose! I had no idea you were in such pain.

You will be in my prayers! You wouldn't know it the way you talk in your posts. You are good for me!!

You said you were looking for alfalfa cubes. I found mine at TSC in the rabbit section.

Dang it! I have been trying to download a picture of a tree I am wanting to identify and it won't let me download. Do any of you have any clue what a tree might be that has a big leaf similar to a sycamore, has a big lump about the size of a big marble where the leaf starts?

Bee & BCmaraniac... it might grow in your areas.

I love Sycamore trees! I found this:

This tree also has more visual attractions than an art gallery, and two of my favorites are easily observed but seldom seen. One is the way the sycamore leaf stalk is attached to the twig. The base of the sycamore leaf stalk, where it attaches to the twig, is enlarged, like the cup of a candlesnuffer. And where the stalk (technically a petiole) attaches to the twig, it completely surrounds the large, pointed bud beneath (imagine a candlesnuffer surrounding a flame). As soon as the leaf stalk has begun to loosen from the twig, you can pull the leaf off and see both the perfect circle inscribed by the leaf scar around the bud and the concave indentation at the end of the petiole where it so perfectly enclosed the bud. This engineering is impressive and an identifying feature of sycamores.

Lisa

 

[colburg]

Check for egg loss from rats

One way to know who is laying and who is not is to do a digital exam at night, taking the birds off the roost.  You should be able to palpate the next day's egg in the oviduct, through the intestinal wall.  This will let you know if they are actually laying but you are not receiving the benefit of it. 

You could try an experiment....go back to feeding dry feeds for a few weeks and see if that makes a difference.  Then, even if it does make a difference, switch to FF again for a few weeks and see if you note a decline.  It would be interesting to know if the FF is slowing your egg production down, though no one else is reporting that...usually just the opposite.

I've noticed one thing through the posts on this thread....birds that normally come into lay at 4-6 mo. seem to be taking a little longer to come to sexual maturity and I'm wondering if that has something to do with the FF altering the soy proteins in the feed.  Soy protein has the advantage~or disadvantage, depending on how one sees it~of stimulating more of the chicken's natural female reproductive hormones than would normally be produced if one was using a different source of protein.  This has shown up in medical studies done on young girls who consume commercially sourced animal products and the relative ages they start menses compared to when girls used to start.  It also has shown up in the young boys as causing more feminine characteristics due to the stimulation of the wrong kind of hormones, causing the boys to gain more weight in their breasts and hips where girls would normally gain and causing a general lower testosterone level. 

It's a thought.  Not a fully formulated one but it's still a thought. 

Those are all very good ideas.
Rats: Not likely. I accidentaly left them locked up for a day and only got 6 eggs. They have rollaway nest boxes and lids are kept shut with spring latches.
Eggzam: Will try to do this week.
Switching FF: They've been on FF for 13 months. The younguns don't even know what dry food is. (But may be worth a shot, and I like experiments)
Soy - delayed laying: Interesting. We do get a few eggs from the new Pullets, we know because of egg color. But they're sporadic at best. Have been for about 1.5 months now.

Thanks so much for the ideas,

 

[Shellz]

Love your winter pics Bee! Mind if I share some of mine? Guess I did anyway.

 

[3 NH reds]

I would not be all

but I would be all

closely followed by

and

and if I could find "mother nature"

into next spring!

Yep you said it all. I just don't care for it.Two years ago we lost power for a week because of snow that took out trees left and right. Now that winter is coming I need to think of when to shut down my 55 gallon drum and three nipple waterers feeding off it. Last year I added a tank heater and a pond pump to circulate the water and that helped but when it was in the teens it froze up anyhow.

Keep it !! Lol

X2

I know, living here in the mountains, I'm supposed to hate snow but I've always loved it..even when I have to get out and work in it, hands frozen and wet, feet without feeling any longer, face the same, I still love the way the air taste after a snow and I love seeing the stark trees against the white of the snow. I love seeing the houses lit up from within at twilight, with the lights from the windows falling out onto the snow and smoke drifting from chimneys.

I don't even mind driving in the snow, as I've always been pretty good at it and see it as a challenge of my driving skills. I'd probably feel differently about that if I lived in the burbs or the city, because the bane of winter driving is always the idiotic actions of those who can't drive in the snow and keep slamming on their brakes every two seconds. Can't stand that..those who cannot drive in the snow, should not attempt it.

If they live in an area that gets snow and they cannot drive in the snow, they need to work on that skill until they CAN drive in the snow...or move to where they don't have snow. Just my personal thoughts on it....

See it every year, the idiots who forget how to drive on snow. Granted thing happen but going 45 mph in snow on a Small road, well you are asking for it. Loved the Loony Toons by the way I wish they would show some of the old ones but some were not pc.