Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[hellbender]

Quote:
Black bears around prefer (usually) to eat carrion but they will take new-born sheep/calves. You need a good dog! lol Edited to say...without dogs, I couldn't keep anything here, not even a garden because the deer are so thick, gardens frequently don't even get a good start.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

My biggest problem is coons. My outdoor hutches have doors that swing down to shut and a lock that is closes via padlock through two rungs... This gives the door just enough space for sneaky paws to grab unsuspecting kits sitting close to the door and pull them through... Only relevant in the lower two cages and for 2 week old kits but still. We're now switching our boys into those two cages so it shouldn't matter any more. The rest are going onto a PVC shelf in the garage. It's honestly way easier than walking all the way out to the end of the yard every day, warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer too.

My FF has also been frozen all month... And when it's not frozen the ferment is so slow it tries to mold if I don't keep the water over it. Lots of sads.

Still really unsure about the FF for rabbits, but if you folks want, since mine have 18 crazy kicking kits right now, at least four of which are destined for freezer camp I could TRY with just one.... And post my results.

 

[BCMaraniac]

Black bears around prefer (usually) to eat carrion but they will take new-born sheep/calves.

You need a good dog! lol

A big dog is definitely a good thing. We had a bears cross our property a couple of weeks to get water and to get to a corn field that was being cut. It stayed far away from the house, because the dogs( a great Pyr and an Australian shepherd) barked all night long the night it was there. We found their scat the next day.....full of corn and apples.

We have yet to see a coyote here, even though the neighbors have, and haven't lost a single chicken thus far to a predator

 

[hellbender]

My biggest problem is coons. My outdoor hutches have doors that swing down to shut and a lock that is closes via padlock through two rungs... This gives the door just enough space for sneaky paws to grab unsuspecting kits sitting close to the door and pull them through... Only relevant in the lower two cages and for 2 week old kits but still. We're now switching our boys into those two cages so it shouldn't matter any more. The rest are going onto a PVC shelf in the garage. It's honestly way easier than walking all the way out to the end of the yard every day, warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer too.

My FF has also been frozen all month... And when it's not frozen the ferment is so slow it tries to mold if I don't keep the water over it. Lots of sads.

Still really unsure about the FF for rabbits, but if you folks want, since mine have 18 crazy kicking kits right now, at least four of which are destined for freezer camp I could TRY with just one.... And post my results.

I would be interested in knowing how the FF feed worked with 'A' rabbit!

If you aren't comfortable 'dispatching' coons, could you not live-trap them and haul them far away? No one hunts them around here anymore (no price incentive) and they are thick. I have no idea how many my dogs take out but in the last month I've seen buzzards feeding on three carcasses...those are the ones I saw. I'm sure they have gotten more...along with several 'possums.

 

[Angelicisi]

Baby bunnies are here! Yay! I have no details. She made a nest yesterday and I just got a text saying they have arrived! Yay! I feel so naked without pics to post lol I don't want to bother her immediately

 

[hellbender]

Baby bunnies are here! Yay! I have no details. She made a nest yesterday and I just got a text saying they have arrived! Yay! I feel so naked without pics to post lol I don't want to bother her immediately

I bet the bunnies feel naked too

And, congratulations!

What breed are they??

Oh...don't worry yourself with an answer...I remember seeing a rabbit of some sort, just a few pages back.

 

[Angelicisi]

Hellbender, they're New Zealands...we were having trouble getting the buck to do the deed (go figure) but with A bit of assistance it seems he was successful. At least 3 heads hubby saw. She has the all tucked in tight now that I'm home I can't see them lol but its late and she had a long day I let her be for now.
Hubby took video of her gobbling up the placentas...uh eww lol but Yay she didn't eat her young!
Shes been an awesome 1st time mom so far. I'm so proud of her lol weird I know

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Hellbinder; I would love to "dispatch" just about everything 'round here sometimes... But unfortunately that's not permitted within city limits. And of course you're not allowed to trap non domestic animals that aren't actively living on your property (no coons on MY turf I assure you!!!)... And trapping of domestics is only for things like taking them to shelters and TNR... Yeah. Gotta love city life where all your rights are perfectly in tact. :|

An no, I can't move.

 

[hellbender]

Quote:
Not silly at all! After all these years, I still get excited about peeps. This 'quote' deal is really messed up! You;re doing the right thing...don't do anything to disturb her, especially since she is a mew mama. Good luck! Won't be long 'til you can love on 'em!

 

[hellbender]

Quote:
LOL Totally understood. Sometimes moving them inside is the ONLY way,