Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Beekissed]

I don't have an excuse to blame it on, just REALLY clumsy! LOL

I'm really clumsy too and the fatter I get, the clumsier and more awkward I become. Hence the weeble reference. I went white water rafting down the New River a few years back and really, really loved it...but was almost thrown completely out of the boat a couple of times due to being overbalanced during the rapid chutes. Would love to do that again at about half my weight and see how it goes. Still loved it! Fat just makes one top heavy, is all.

Meat Update: Hobbled rooster is doing fine and getting around just fine if his pushing in at the feeder is anything to go by. These skinny young leghorns are the biggest eaters!!! They are so hungry they don't let the bigger roosters into the trough. The fat Cochin was first to the feeder and was the last to leave, along with the leghorns. He's doing fine now and doesn't seem to be bullied much. They got several apples and several hands full of BOSS in the bedding to keep them occupied during their confinement.

I moved my coop water up on a hay bale and will see how it goes up there or if someone manages to knock it down in some way. Found a rim of ice in one corner of the FF in the ice chest this morning but nothing serious.

 

[Chad Cool]

How do y'all package your birds? Vaccum seal if so what is the best sealer to get? What other ways?

 

[Triple Willow]

I'm really clumsy too and the fatter I get, the clumsier and more awkward I become.  Hence the weeble reference.  I went white water rafting down the New River a few years back and really, really loved it...but was almost thrown completely out of the boat a couple of times due to being overbalanced during the rapid chutes.  Would love to do that again at about half my weight and see how it goes.  Still loved it!  Fat just makes one top heavy, is all. 


Meat Update:  Hobbled rooster is doing fine and getting around just fine if his pushing in at the feeder is anything to go by.  These skinny young leghorns are the biggest eaters!!!  They are so hungry they don't let the bigger roosters into the trough.  The fat Cochin was first to the feeder and was the last to leave, along with the leghorns.  He's doing fine now and doesn't seem to be bullied much.  They got several apples and several hands full of BOSS in the bedding to keep them occupied during their confinement. 

I moved my coop water up on a hay bale and will see how it goes up there or if someone manages to knock it down in some way.  Found a rim of ice in one corner of the FF in the ice chest this morning but nothing serious. 

I hear ya! I believe my weight has destroyed my equilibium. The other day just a little trip sent me tumbling! LOL

 

[Triple Willow]

My sister calls me Grace (not my real name)

HA!

 

[Beekissed]

Mama always said my middle name was "SLOW'.....

 

[colburg]

How do y'all package your birds? Vaccum seal if so what is the best sealer to get? What other ways?

We've done vacuum sealing many times, and it's a pretty big pain because of the amount of juice it tries to suck out of the bag. Once the juice makes it into the sealing area, it's hard to get a good seal. If you don't mind not having a perfect(or near perfect) vacuum, you can stop the pump and seal the bag when you see the juices headed toward the bag opening. Also, the machine(Foodsaver) sealer will get hot and need a cool down period between seals.

I think that next time we're going to try some poultry bags. http://www.cornerstone-farm.com/shrink-bag There's many more sources, but you get the idea.

The Ol' ziploc bag also works well if you're not gonna store them too long.

colburg

 

[BCMaraniac]

My sister calls me Grace (not my real name)

For me, it was always, "Hey Grace! How's charm school?"

 

[Triple Willow]

For me, it was always, "Hey Grace!  How's charm school?":/

For me, "Your mama didn't name you Grace for a reason huh?" lol

...I got nearly a dozen eggs out of 21 layers today and several of them (I believe 6) aren't even laying yet. Go girls go! lol Deviled eggs in a bowl for Thanksgiving. Is deviled eggs in a bowl egg salad? My deviled eggs never turned out pretty so I figured hmmm... I can fix this and chopped it all up in fairly big chunks in a bowl. Now it saves time and looks fine to me.

 

[BCMaraniac]

For me, "Your mama didn't name you Grace for a reason huh?" lol

...I got nearly a dozen eggs out of 21 layers today and several of them (I believe 6) aren't even laying yet. Go girls go! lol Deviled eggs in a bowl for Thanksgiving. Is deviled eggs in a bowl egg salad? My deviled eggs never turned out pretty so I figured hmmm... I can fix this and chopped it all up in fairly big chunks in a bowl. Now it saves time and looks fine to me.

Get your yolks out and mash/mix them as usual, then get a quart zip loc bag, put all of the filling down into the bottom of the bag, get as much of the air out as possible, close it, cut cut a small piece off of the corner, and then use it like a pastry bag. When you are done.....just throw the bag away.

 

[BCMaraniac]

We've done vacuum sealing many times, and it's a pretty big pain because of the amount of juice it tries to suck out of the bag. Once the juice makes it into the sealing area, it's hard to get a good seal. If you don't mind not having a perfect(or near perfect) vacuum, you can stop the pump and seal the bag when you see the juices headed toward the bag opening. Also, the machine(Foodsaver) sealer will get hot and need a cool down period between seals.

I think that next time we're going to try some poultry bags. http://www.cornerstone-farm.com/shrink-bag There's many more sources, but you get the idea.

The Ol' ziploc bag also works well if you're not gonna store them too long.

colburg

I've done all three. I put my young roo's in a ziplock bag since they get pulled out first. My vacuum sealer has a little reservoir for the liquid that gets sucked out, so that helps. I have also used Cornerstone's shrink bag. I think the birds stay the freshest in the vacuum sealer bags IF you get a good seal AND a good vacuum which is hard to do. The shrink bags are supposed to be as thick as the freezer bags, but I don't know. Then you can make a poor man's vacuum sealer by using a straw to aspirate the air out of the zip lock freezer bag.....just don't suck up the juice.....lol!