Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Lacy Blues]

I am planning to use my grow out pen for the meaties. It is attached to the main run. Can the meaties and the layers free range together? I know that there will be some arguments and picking if they are too close, but the runs are in the large pasture with lots of places to wander.

I found the ACV yesterday. If I read correctly, I can add some of the unpasteurized to a cheap gallon of regular ACV to create more culture. How much of the Braggs do I add to a gallon of cheap?

How much ACV do you add to the drinking water?

If using FF with whole mixed grains and some chicken food for meaties, how many weeks to market weight? Again if I read correctly, feeding them the high protein (22%) meat bird food will finish the Cornish X in about 8 weeks, but with health risks, and quality of meat risks. If I lower the protein by adding in whole grains, and fermenting the food, if seems that I would lessen the risks. But how much longer do you raise them to get them to full size? I am setting up a processing group to help, and I need to give dates soon so that my SIL can be home from his job two states away.

Thanks again for your advice and experience!

Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup to the chemical ACV. Then you have to let it sit in your dark cupboard for a few weeks. It needs to breathe too so I put part of a coffee filter over the top and secure it with a rubber band.

Add about 1 tablespoon of the ACV to a gallon of water.

Whole grains will reduce the amount of protein and it doesn't take much. For instance if you take one pound of your pelleted feed (22%) and you add another pound of a whole grain, say oats at 12% (?) you add the two together (34%) and then divide that number in two because there are two ingredients (17%) total protein. That 17% will be more digestible though because of the fermenting process. I don't know the exact percentage they figure is more available.

Can't help you in regard to dates and times. Sorry. Maybe someone else will get on shortly.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

When I raised my CXs on restricted FF the roosters reached the 5.25lbs carcass weight (8lbsish live) around 11 weeks. The hens didn't reach that size for another month... But I think the roos bullied them away from the food. next time I am going to separate them into two groups once I can tell them apart so the hens can't be bullied. My CX roos were very aggressive.

I was feeding about 19%, then fermenting, btw. No slipped tendons, broken leg, nothing. They would run and fly and jump like crazy. I fed them as much as they could clean up in about 10-15 minutes (time it because I under fed for a while during a critical growth period) 2X's a day and tractored them otherwise.

 

[hicks18546]

I have rabbit I need little help on make a homemade water bottle if anyone knows how

 

[hicks18546]

I I also need help with knowing if your rabbit pregnant

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Hicks, I'd go over to one of the rabbit threads in "other livestock" for more info... But making a rabbit water bottle you would need to buy the "drinking" part to the bottle anyhow. I would check out people's designs for Automatic waterers and see if you can't create something similar but with a bottle instead. Buying a bottle is easier and not very expensive in any case.

Some people try to re-breed at 14 days to see if they're pregs but it's super inaccurate and can be dangerous because rabbits can get double pregs and abort both litters. (Yeah, that's a real thing.) You can try to palpate at 14 days, also... It helps to have a non pregnant rabbit to practice on first to know what a normal rabbit feels like, and then just sort of "feel" in the abdomen of the mother rabbit for firm balls about marble size that aren't normally there. If she's got 'em she's pregnant. It helps to have opened up a female rabbit before to see where the organs lay specifically in the body.
Aside from that, wait for 35 days. XD If she has kits, she was pregnant! If she builds a nest around day 28 she's probably pregnant too.

 

[Triple Willow]

Have any of you guys ever fed your birds raw fish?

 

[Lacy Blues]

Not yet, but I plan to get some mosquito fish this spring and give it a go.

 

[Triple Willow]

I've never heard of mosquito fish. I suppose if we fed too much the egg and meat might taste fishy.

 

[armorfirelady]

I've never heard of mosquito fish. I suppose if we fed too much the egg and meat might taste fishy.

I add fish meal to my grains and have never had a fishy tasty egg. They also get mackerel for meat protein and it's never caused a problem

 

[Triple Willow]

I add fish meal to my grains and have never had a fishy tasty egg. They also get mackerel for meat protein and it's never caused a problem

Thanks, good to know. I wonder if they could handle an actual whole fish- bones, guts and all.