Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[AletaG]

I think most folks are using it as a quick solution for lack of green forage. If a flock had no access to forage of any kind all year due to desert conditions, it would be a great way of adding some greens to the mix, but I'd want my desert flock to try to have native grasses and shrubs so they could adapt to their natural environment. But..that's just me.

Isn't Kassaundra from NM or AR or someplace? Wonder how that's working for her (K, what do you think?) Not that I will ever by choice be found in a desert. I swear the year and a half we spent in CO Springs aged my body and skin by 5. Yech. Gimme a swamp... I would love to go to NM in chili roasting season though. ooops. There goes the drool...

I use pellets in my FF as a green source for winter. But not a lot. I'm feeding only grains now and add it before I feed the hens so its softer but won't mold. We don't see the green grass from oct/nov till at least April. If were lucky

I was just wondering, 'cause was seeing chatter about it elsewhere, and don't know much about alfalfa except it's commonly fed to rodentia/lagomorph pets and horses. I do know it's supposed to be between 17 and 20% protein, which might make it a booster for my 12% or so barley, and a change from the fish food we had left over from our failed trout keeping experiment, 'cause when that's gone, it's gone. We just use whatever we can find/scrounge... "[wo]Man of mean, by no means, King[Queen] of the road..." Hee. Anyway, just nice to know there is another option out there.

 

[TexasLisa]

Isn't Kassaundra from NM or AR or someplace? Wonder how that's working for her (K, what do you think?) Not that I will ever by choice be found in a desert. I swear the year and a half we spent in CO Springs aged my body and skin by 5. Yech. Gimme a swamp... I would love to go to NM in chili roasting season though. ooops. There goes the drool...

Hi AletaG! I believe Kassaundra is an Okie. She is from Henryetta, Oklahoma. (I should probably duck in case I am wrong)

Lisa

 

[AletaG]

Hi AletaG! I believe Kassaundra is an Okie. She is from Henryetta, Oklahoma. (I should probably duck in case I am wrong)
Lisa

LOL! I just know every time someone mentions s-n-o-w or lots of rain, or cool temps, she gets a gentle, happy sort of superiority complex... <ducking> so, figured she's someplace warm and dry... thought OK was more like Wyoming (where my mom grew up), dry, except when snowing 10ft or so in the winter.
Original question stands, though. Regarding local fauna in a dry not super plant productive environment and chickens.
-Aleta

 

[RachaelS]

Here is a link on fermenting lemons, does not seem like to much salt

http://www.ehow.com/how_8650054_ferment-lemons.html

 

[RoseMarie1]

I think most folks are using it as a quick solution for lack of green forage. I used some alfalfa pellets one winter some years ago but found the birds didn't really eat many of them and the alfalfa pellets tended to form mold rather quickly in storage, so I never did that again. By adding them to the FF, I'm thinking folks don't have to worry about the birds picking past them in the feed, but I'd go low and slow on them if doing this in the FF...greens only comprise a part of their total diet and when free ranging, they consume different types of greens in different seasons, depending upon availability. If a flock had no access to forage of any kind all year due to desert conditions, it would be a great way of adding some greens to the mix, but I'd want my desert flock to try to have native grasses and shrubs so they could adapt to their natural environment. But..that's just me.

LOVE how you think about things like this! That would have NEVER dawned on me!

 

[RachaelS]

Quote:
X100

 

[RoseMarie1]

I LOVE lemon curd!!!

ME TO!!!!!!

 

[Kassaundra]

Yes, I am an Okie, from eastern OK, green country, hills, lakes, rivers, green, oh and occasionally a tornado or two! lol Western OK has all the dry desert like weather and landscape, not like sandy desert, but scrubby type.

I never add alfalfa or anything like that to my ferment. I do however sprout the grains during the winter. We aren't covered in snow, but most all the native vegetation is brown dry and hay like, during winter. I don't grow it to fodder stage, that was more cumbersome then I like, but I do a burlap bag sprouting for the greens they are lacking in winter. I have posted a video on here, not sure if this thread or another thread.

 

[armorfirelady]

AletaG- the alfalfa pellets help raise up the protein level in my grains only feed I am starting in a couple days (I am. Trying to finish up last of FF layer first) The protein lever lof the grains is 16%. I give them on the side animal protein like calf liver, red meat, fish, etc. whatever I have leftover from meals. Plus oyster shell & grit feared choice.

Plus I have a chest freezer full of fruits & veggies I got out of my garden all summer & for pm the farmers market. Some of the farmers gave my mom a lot of greens free when she said they were for my hens .

Now I am on the look out for free pumpkins & gourds. And my hunting friends are Savin me livers and hearts also. I can't beat free animal protein and veggies to use all winter

Heck I ask people to save me the turkey carcasses from thanksgiving. They freeze well & the girls think they won the jackpot with a turkey carcass to pick clean

 

[AletaG]

Yes, I am an Okie, from eastern OK, green country, hills, lakes, rivers, green, oh and occasionally a tornado or two! lol Western OK has all the dry desert like weather and landscape, not like sandy desert, but scrubby type.

I never add alfalfa or anything like that to my ferment. I do however sprout the grains during the winter. We aren't covered in snow, but most all the native vegetation is brown dry and hay like, during winter. I don't grow it to fodder stage, that was more cumbersome then I like, but I do a burlap bag sprouting for the greens they are lacking in winter. I have posted a video on here, not sure if this thread or another thread.

Knew you'd pop up and set us straight...

I don't think I've seen your video... and I read all of the FF, and sprouting threads, and natural chicken keeping. Hmm. Maybe post again, anyway? It's that time of year... and I have a hugely unlimited supply of burlap bags from my vice (coffee) roasters.
Do you feed forage every day, or just on and off?