Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

Thanks both of you. (And Kass-
hugs.gif
)
This is the best thing I've done in a long time, this is an answer to everything that's concerned me about feeding the birds. I've got about 130 adults and 30 or so chicks so I have to do it somewhat in bulk.The chicks have their own batch in a bucket, but I got a 32 gal plastic trash can for the adults.

I've mixed up equal amounts of:

Pigeon feed (milo, wheat, popcorn, canadian peas, maple peas, austrian winter peas, buckwheat)
Game Cock feed (Corn, Popcorn, soybean meal, milo, wheat, Canadiadan trapper peas, sunflower meal, wheat midds, alfalfa meal, oats, rice hulls rice bran, yeast culture, along with tons of different fermentaion extracts-huh?)
Corn chops
Oats


My plan is to put a cup or 2 (depending on # of birds in that yard) of layer pellets on the bottom of their feed pans and slop this fermented mixture over top it.
Do you think that will be ok doing it that way instead of fermenting the layer pellets along with the other stuff? I don't care for the mush that wet pellets make, I think dealing with individual fermented grains will be easier. Plus much better for my rooster-only yards. I'm going to make my mixture a bit thick so I don't have to strain it, any excess liquid can soak the pellets underneath in the feed pan. However-if the benefits would be considerably better for them to ferment *all of it, I will.

If I make it thicker and just dump back in the amount I feed every day along with water, will it still stay fermented once it's fermented? Or does it have to have the sloshy liquid in order to stay fermented? I was feeding about 30-35 lbs of pellets a day before this so I'll probably have to add the needed amount back in every day or my barrel will run out in less than a week.

Also-I was reading on this thread that it makes pea shells hard to ferment them? My mixture has only soaked 24 hrs and the peas and popcorn are soft. So I didn't quite understand the posts about not being able to ferment peas.

One last question-are those 4 bags of grains too much variation? I'm wondering if it'd be easier to just use a different kind every week? All Game Cock feed one week, Corn the next, etc.

Sorry for all the questions. Back to reading.....
 
Just wondering, of you all that supply ur-selves with your own chicken for the year, how many do you raise to feed your family? It's the 4 of us here, and my husband would eat chicken every night if offered, the kids probably 2 or 3 times, and I use chicken broth for just about everything. Looking to figure out if just raising the breeding animals will result in enough culls, or if I should sprinkle a couple small hatches in here and there to just raise for eating. I have a lot of freezer space, but couldn't keep a years supply in there at a time, so will be caponizing culls obvious before 2lbs. Might even try caponizing later when culling, if I don't have enough freezer space... Hmm.

Fuzzie, I do NOT envy you that set up. I think I'd be waiting for a rope or other piece of equipment to break and Oi! So glad our winters are mild enough that I'm not too worried about freezing feed buckets. Would the oatmeal and shovel method work for you?

I remember "back in the olden days" they would just go out in the yard and catch a chicken and kill it for dinner. Now that's fresh meat. I doubt most people had a freezer other than the one on the refrig. When I think about that, I guess I am too lazy for all of that - but there may come a day when we are back to that method. I hope to raise several next year too. This year I only killed about half a dozen.
 
Don't that tick you off! hahahahaha Mine has got me about three times but I believe we have finally come to an understanding on that, I hope! I used a light weight plastic feed pan on mine the last time. Whacked him real good about three times. Got him in the head one time and rattled him real good. He's lucky I didn't kill him! So far he's been a good boy since then, gives me plenty of room. But who knows what tomorrow will bring. lol Bee has a good method of training a roo ...other than the BUD method. hehehe

Ohhhh Bee, how about explaining your rooster training method???
smile.png

O it made a memory alright! I went into the coop and closed the door behind me. It took me several tries to get him, but I got him and held him for 30 minutes. I haven't been fluffing 'my wings' lately or out-crowing him. I guess I need to do that again!!
lau.gif
I really do enjoy my flock--something new going on all the time!


Lisa :)
 
Thanks both of you. (And Kass-
hugs.gif
)
This is the best thing I've done in a long time, this is an answer to everything that's concerned me about feeding the birds. I've got about 130 adults and 30 or so chicks so I have to do it somewhat in bulk.The chicks have their own batch in a bucket, but I got a 32 gal plastic trash can for the adults.

I've mixed up equal amounts of:

Pigeon feed (milo, wheat, popcorn, canadian peas, maple peas, austrian winter peas, buckwheat)
Game Cock feed (Corn, Popcorn, soybean meal, milo, wheat, Canadiadan trapper peas, sunflower meal, wheat midds, alfalfa meal, oats, rice hulls rice bran, yeast culture, along with tons of different fermentaion extracts-huh?)
Corn chops
Oats


My plan is to put a cup or 2 (depending on # of birds in that yard) of layer pellets on the bottom of their feed pans and slop this fermented mixture over top it.
Do you think that will be ok doing it that way instead of fermenting the layer pellets along with the other stuff? I don't care for the mush that wet pellets make, I think dealing with individual fermented grains will be easier. Plus much better for my rooster-only yards. I'm going to make my mixture a bit thick so I don't have to strain it, any excess liquid can soak the pellets underneath in the feed pan. However-if the benefits would be considerably better for them to ferment *all of it, I will.

If I make it thicker and just dump back in the amount I feed every day along with water, will it still stay fermented once it's fermented? Or does it have to have the sloshy liquid in order to stay fermented? I was feeding about 30-35 lbs of pellets a day before this so I'll probably have to add the needed amount back in every day or my barrel will run out in less than a week.

Also-I was reading on this thread that it makes pea shells hard to ferment them? My mixture has only soaked 24 hrs and the peas and popcorn are soft. So I didn't quite understand the posts about not being able to ferment peas.

One last question-are those 4 bags of grains too much variation? I'm wondering if it'd be easier to just use a different kind every week? All Game Cock feed one week, Corn the next, etc.

Sorry for all the questions. Back to reading.....

I would ferment all your feed, as the part you don't ferment won't be yielding its full amount of nutrition, so you'll be missing the boat by not fermenting it. I'd make it simple by mixing your pelleted feed with your whole grains which will keep it from being so gloopy.

I wouldn't refresh it every day unless you live in a warm climate as the new feed will only be lightly fermented if you live in colder climes. I'd just mix enough to feed out for several days before having to refresh...it just takes a step out of your daily routine and you can refresh on the weekends when you may have more time than during the week. I'd think it would be harder to regulate the texture when you add fresh feed every day.

Unless you can get those various grain mixes very cheap, I wouldn't invest in them at all...just some cheaper grains would suffice(oats, corn or barley) or none at all if you are feeding a balanced ration. This fermentation powers up on the existing proteins in the feed, so if you feed high pro mixes you are doubling down on proteins needlessly...which defeats the purpose of taking something cheap and simple and making it of higher quality..but keeping the simplicity.
 
@Ksane... that's a bunch of chickens! What all are you doing with them, fill us in? I love to hear what other people are doing. :)
 
I prefer to ferment grains only, not the pellets or crumbles, I feed them either dry or soaked in ferment "juice". We attempted putting the pellets w/ the grains in the 33 gal bucket, but it was much more cumbersome.

If I were in your place feeding out that much I think I would keep 2 30gal buckets going at a time. That way you could feed out one per week, and when you start feeding out the second (next) one it will have been fermenting for a week already. Just be sure you have "juice" left to start your new batch.




I feed mostly all grains anyway, pellets or crumbles are more of a treat. Mine have the run of 1/3 acre to forage on, get dubias several times per week, and during winter get sprouts.
 
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O it made a memory alright!  I went into the coop and closed the door behind me.  It took me several tries to get him, but I got him and held him for 30 minutes.  I haven't been fluffing 'my wings' lately or out-crowing him.  I guess I need to do that again!!  :lau   I really do enjoy my flock--something new going on all the time!

Lisa :)

You've got me thinking, I need to pick up one of my pullets and try my big roo again. He gets plumb bent out of shape when his girls get upset. Every time he has got me it was over his girls or chicks. Every time one gives a little squawk he is right there so quick. And if they break out in a little squabble, there he is and breaks it up before it gets started good. I bet they get tired of his bossy butt! LOL
 

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