Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[LindaB220]

Now...add fermentation to all of that and get megawatt nutrition....

Wow, we can't go wrong on this. Healthiest birds in the south...

 

[LindaB220]

For those feeding FLAX here are links to some good information. According to these sources adding flax to the ration is even better than I thought.

http://www.flaxcouncil.ca/english/index.jsp?p=food3&mp=food

http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/li...-acids-in-eggs-from-small-chicken-flocks.html

I really liked both these sites. The ration on the first looks good, but the second site, wow, so much info on it besides the omega thread. Good Job

 

[Beekissed]

Gotta tell ya Bee these temps are NOT fun. LOL Our current temp is 3 (Fahrenheit) and our high was at about 1 am, it was 9. Our low tonite is predicted to be -16 (Yes that is negative 16) with our high tomorrow at -7. Our windchills for tomorrow are predicted to be in the -35 to -60. Most of the churches cancelled services today and most of the schools are cancelling tomorrow. It is just crazy here.

I broke down and bought some straw for the birds. I filled all the nests and then just dropped the rest onto the floor of the coop. I figure they can snuggle down into that if the roost gets too cold. One of the turkey hens was helping me if you can imagine! After we got it all spread around she went and made a BIG pile then plopped right down in the middle of it. She just looked so happy and content and very, very smug.

Nothing is keeping the water from freezing up so I have just been going out a few times a day and giving them fresh warm water and picking up the eggs. It must be okay because the hens are laying more now than they have before when the temps were a little warmer.

Now THAT'S interesting about the rate of lay! Are you feeding anything different than you always do? There are folks on these forums that believe that chickens can't stay warm or lay well in the winter months unless they have some whole grains in their crops before hitting the roost at night, so it's interesting that the cold is not affecting your rate of lay.

The extra dry bedding is a great choice and I did the same in my coop to try and keep the cold from seeping up from underneath.

My deep litter was sopping wet from all the rains and then it froze. I put a large amount of dry leaves on top of that so they have dry leaves underfoot and they also have pipe insulation on the major roosting pole. I placed a few more hay bales around the coop at walls that were open to air, but the coop is by no means closed up tight...there are large gaps at all levels to allow air flow.

Water is fine with a heated dog dish for the chickens and a heated bucket for the dog but if the electric goes down due to the extreme cold tonight, that won't be any help.

It has been raining a lot here today then like where you are, have a drastic drop in temps tonight. Right now it is about 40'F here and I believe it has been all night. By morning the wind chill factor is supposed to be -25. I can't keep all the water out of my coops/runs. If it doesn't run in it just soaks in. I hope this water first then the cold doesn't cause big problems. I guess I'll see in a day or two. I wish I knew what the ideal coop/run arrangement was! I'm thinking built up three feet higher than the ground around it! Then a tornado wound get it. LOL

My litter is full of water too and now is frozen. I just put dry bedding on top and will hope it stays dry for a time until we see a change of weather. If not, I'll just keep adding dry bedding until there is a big space between the soggy bottom and the dry top.

 

[LindaB220]

Well, thus far laws regarding expression of religion go both ways... Frankly I think they shouldn't be there at all, but for example.... Right now a Christian photographer cannot refuse, no matter how politely or respectfully, to photograph events of a pagan nature. They cant refuse to photograph gay weddings or solstice celebrations or any of that. On the flip side, a liberal left wing bisexual photographer cannot refuse to photograph the Westboro church protesting at the funeral of a dead soldier. Nor can anyone refuse any gig or service of any sort or charge special prices for anything that is based on personal belief. It protects both sides by denying both sides the right to choose. Personally I would rather get to choose... But I know it can be pretty brutal if you are the only one who believes the way you do. Communities in the USA like the ones TW describes... One where they would kill, ostracise, drive out and socially isolate their own familly to the point of severe depression or even suicide are not so far behind us. So it is kind of a trade off. I would hate to see anyone driven to extreme measures because they believe differently than the majority of the people around them. I wish people could just accept theirs is not the only way and accept other people despite that.
If we behaved that way about everything.... Fermented feed certainly wouldn't be a thing. Storeys guide would be the only acceptable way to care for chickens. Computers wouldn't exist and neither would keeping chickens in your back yard! If you tried predator prevention instead of killing, culling for health instead of pumping in antibiotics, deep litter instead of cleaning and santizing every week.... Well suddenly you're the enemy!
It is a scary thing to be the only person doing things different. Someday I hope our people reach the point that they can treat people who are different with respect. But until then, that is why a lot of those laws are there.

This week we are getting a major freeze, and dropping below -2. I am moving ALL the critters into the garage. The chooks have handled 10 degree weather nicely, but I don't feel like my shelther is good enough for much lower. Plus I have a mom rabbit with a litter of older kits. I figure if I shift them all into the garage the combined heat will keep them pretty warm even though there's no heat in my garage. Plus they will be COMPLETELY out of the wind. I spent the night last night building cages so I can move them all in. I hope we don't get anything like frostbite. I also really need to process the CXs.
Not sure what happened but the smallest one keeled over the other day and was just dead in the pen. Not sure what to do with it. It was frozen when I found it. I am thinking dog food maybe? The other two are doing MUCH better than when they came in. Red combs, active, loud... I just wanna get them processed before the freeze hits. It doesn't seem like it is gonna freeze.... It is above 30 today.

A very thought provoking post.

 

[perchie.girl]

Great swings in temps cause issues with horses. When it goes from hot to cold thats when we expect to have colic issues because they dont feel the need to drink water.

My personal coop redesign for the desert is going to be around being as efficient as I can. Once I get to the coop I dont want to have to back track for anything unless its a special situation. I want the coop to be centrally located for all my animals so I can feed and water and clean from one location.

Therefore I have new requirements:

1 work area for mixing and storing feeds
2 electricity roebust enough to run a refrigerator
3 Sink for washing stuff including hands
4 Feed storage
5 work bench
6 handicap accessible
7 a real roof not tarps
8 plumbed water
9 french drains for spillage
10 Two walls one south facing one east facing. (prevailing winds and heat especially on the south side)
11 All feed and water accessible from sheltered Aisle within coop.

Notice I havent included animals yet? In the summer it can get up to 105 degrees here mild for the desert but hot none the less. So much of this is for my own comfort

12 Three dedicated partitions for poultry each 6 x 12
13 One dedicated and reinforced partition for goats 6 x 12
14 Flex area for poultry which can be divided into three 6x 6 partitions more if I use Aviary panels
15 predator resistant (not proof) run area 24 x 50 to start eventually to extend the length of the horses pipe corral which is 100 feet
16 exterior walls not of wood will be Aviary panels. 100 percent predator proof.
17 Tunnel nests with egg retrieval drawer. Again Accessible from the aisle.
18 Poo Hammocks for under the roosts To eliminate the need for litter Though I will use it to protect feet when they hop off the roost.

I do not want to exit that coop till I am done doing what I need to do to keep my poultry happy.

Oh and Goats will have a feed door they cant get out of that I can drop their hay in easily. So there will be a small loading dock for their two bales of hay. It will be the height of their feed door so I wont have to lift anything. I feed a whole bale of alfalfa at a time they weigh 125 lbs on average. My whole drive for this particular modification is I am sick and tired of having to beat the goats off feed when crossing the back yard to feed the chickens.

I have something going on, a resolution of sorts, week after next. Once it is resolved I can move forward to buying the last of the materials I need. I have enough tin to cover 2/3 of the 24 x 24 house I have to buy the rest then I have to buy the wood to frame the roof.

deb

 

[Triple Willow]

I was wrong, it is 45'F here right now. Poor birds think spring is on the way. Roosters have been out in it. I HOPE they dry off before tonight or I may have frozen chicken nuggets out there! From 45'F to a wind chill of -25'F in way less than 24 hours is not good!

 

[LindaB220]

Quote:
My grandson who is 20 by the way, firmly believes that if you drink raw milk, you will die. No joke.

I don't know if he will eat my eggs or chickens after I get them because they may be unsanitary. I'm not going to push it, I'm just going to start making the most delicious chickens dishes ever. Then we'll see.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
I implemented a self feeding station for my sheep that I loved! I didn't have to lift a single bale of hay all winter, there was minimal waste and they could free feed...all I had to do was keep the cattle panel tight against the hay and this was accomplished with large bungees. I came up with this idea when I noticed they like to "steal" hay more than they liked to eat the hay they were allowed to eat and were fed each day. So I set up a place where they could steal all the hay they wanted and I noticed my hay waste went way down when they had to work for their hay instead of having it given to them. Sheep are contrary like that...

What little hay that was wasted directly in front of the station was just enough to provide dry footing there and to keep the ground from turning to mush and they could also sleep on it. I loved this setup and if I ever do sheep again, this will be my feeding method for winter once again.

 

[Beekissed]

My grandson who is 20 by the way, firmly believes that if you drink raw milk, you will die. No joke.

I don't know if he will eat my eggs or chickens after I get them because they may be unsanitary. I'm not going to push it, I'm just going to start making the most delicious chickens dishes ever. Then we'll see.

That's what schools are teaching nowadays, sadly enough. I call it what it is..propaganda.

 

[LindaB220]

Gotta tell ya Bee these temps are NOT fun. LOL Our current temp is 3 (Fahrenheit) and our high was at about 1 am, it was 9. Our low tonite is predicted to be -16 (Yes that is negative 16) with our high tomorrow at -7. Our windchills for tomorrow are predicted to be in the -35 to -60. Most of the churches cancelled services today and most of the schools are cancelling tomorrow. It is just crazy here.

I broke down and bought some straw for the birds. I filled all the nests and then just dropped the rest onto the floor of the coop. I figure they can snuggle down into that if the roost gets too cold. One of the turkey hens was helping me if you can imagine! After we got it all spread around she went and made a BIG pile then plopped right down in the middle of it. She just looked so happy and content and very, very smug.

Nothing is keeping the water from freezing up so I have just been going out a few times a day and giving them fresh warm water and picking up the eggs. It must be okay because the hens are laying more now than they have before when the temps were a little warmer.

My SIL was whining about having the pipes wrapped because it's going to be 9 tonight. I told him about -35 to -60 windchills. Shut him right up.