Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Triple Willow]

Oh great! Sure hope so. SO glad someone worked on her computer!
Yeah I am fine, just zapped. Our daughter was involved in a wreck on Fri. the guy was coming around a curve and she was headed into town and he started sliding and slide into her lane and she was in the grass trying to keep him from hitting her and he still smacked her head on. We had to take her to the ER because by the time we got there her right eye was closed shut and her collar bone was hurting her. Got her to the ER and they did CT scan or a MRI I can't remember which of her face, nose, eye because her nose was swollen as well and had been bleeding. Under her eye has a fracture in the bone and it allowed  blood to get up into her retina. Anyway she is really bruised but feeling a little less stiff today and I hope the eye is getting better to. Her car was really messed up. Got to go to the eye Dr. they called in to the ER tomorrow so he can check on the eye. He said she would probably have to go to him a few times so he can keep an eye on it. But other than all this I guess we are fine. 

Oh dang Rose! I hope your daughter is feeling okay. I know that had to scare you to death, not to mention her! Thank God she was not hurt any worse than she was. I'm sure it has you stressed out too. I hope she gets healed up real quick. Saying a prayer for her and you and your husband too. Big hug to you!

...prayed

 

[Triple Willow]

@Latestarter... I'm glad your daughter wasn't injured any worse than she was either! Saying a prayer for her too...

 

[cortner1195]

I have missed a few days here, and there is lots going on! I hope the girls are all ok. Prayers for a speedy, and full recovery for everyone.

I wanted to update you all on my meaties. I started with 18. I lost three to a predator 10 days prior to butcher. I lost one to sudden unexplained death 8 days prior to butcher. So on Saturday we processed the remaining 14 birds. Total cost was $199.00 Average weight was 5.84 lbs cleaned and bagged for freezer. the largest was 6 lb, 11 oz, and the smallest was 4 lb 6 oz. Cost $2.43 per pound. If we hadn't lost the four birds we would have had a cost per pound of $1.89 Now that my SIL made a plucker we will do this again. I am happy with the fermented feed. We did not include the cost of building the plucker in the raising of the birds. All went smoothly with the butchering. We are all happy that we researched the methods. One bird was too large for the cone.

 

[wolfpup]

Well, I've finally made it! All the way from post #1 to the end.

Most of you will probably think I am very anal (and I may be) but I did not want to take the chance of missing ANY important bit of information. For me it is important to see things evolving, learn with the learning curve as it evolves with my level of understanding at that point. Never been one for 'quick fix' 'cause I cannot be bothered to read - besides I know it must really p*** some people off having to go over and over with the real basics when just a bit of reading would answer their questions - having said that though I must commend you guys on your endless willingness to answer questions and your patience.

Been at the fermenting for around 6 weeks now - and will never, never go back to dried feed. My DH still thinks I am daft going to the extra 'trouble' of fermenting, but has come to realize that I do the studying, the research, - and, most importantly, the feeding - whereas he tends to do most of the cleaning - and he has grudgingly admitted about the lack of smell in the coop, and more importantly the lack of flies in the fox-proof section of their run - which is not on soil, but the extra sections are natural ground.

I am also posting on two chicken forums in the UK about it - and have only got two people interested enough to learn more - have pointed them in your direction and threads for additional reading. However two people trying it, will hopefully then lead to more. Little acorns and all that.

I posted a while back about one hen that was the particular victim of a feather eater (no longer with us) who had also eaten a hole under her wing. I had thought this had healed up - but noticed a few days ago that it was showing up really red, sore looking and obviously still featherless. Now I got concerned about fly strike as it is much much warmer now and flies are starting to appear. I can see no evidence of mites or egg casings on the base of feathers.

Have you guys ANY idea how difficult it is to get Nu Stock here in the UK???? Finally found one supplier in the whole of the UK and paid £29 plus delivery in order to get it. Now all I have to do is catch her ........................ far easier said than done as she is particularly flighty and wary of me as I was the one grabbing her to put the gentian violet on her bare bits for a couple of weeks - and she has not forgiven me

.

I did mark down all the separate bits in order to make it myself - but did not want to risk getting it wrong for the first time - besides the separate bits came to double the price! (yea, I know I would have far more of it though). Hopefully this tube will last me years and years - as I am not looking for problems, or planning for them, I am planning for a healthy, happy small flock, but want to deal with things quickly IF they arrive.

Many many thanks guys for your knowledge, experience and love of our little feathered velociraptors.

 

[armorfirelady]

Welcome wolf pup. Gloat to see you were able to find some Nustock. For future reference I know some on here make it as well. Bee would have more info on it since I believe she was one of them to try making it

 

[Triple Willow]

I have missed a few days here, and there is lots going on!  I hope the girls are all ok.  Prayers for a speedy, and full recovery for everyone. 

I wanted to update you all on my meaties.  I started with 18.  I lost three to a predator 10 days prior to butcher.  I lost one to sudden unexplained death 8 days prior to butcher.  So on Saturday we processed the remaining 14 birds.  Total cost was $199.00  Average weight was 5.84 lbs cleaned and bagged for freezer.  the largest was 6 lb, 11 oz, and the smallest was 4 lb 6 oz.  Cost $2.43 per pound.  If we hadn't lost the four birds we would have had a cost per pound of $1.89  Now that my SIL made a plucker we will do this again.  I am happy with the fermented feed.  We did not include the cost of building the plucker in the raising of the birds.  All went smoothly with the butchering.  We are all happy that we researched the methods.  One bird was too large for the cone. 

Great job! I am doing my first batch of CX, hope the slaughter process goes as good as yours. Let us know when you cook one up. I bet it will be delicious. Did you free range yours?

 

[Triple Willow]

@Wolfpup... Congrats on reading the whole thread! As you can now see there are some wise and good folks around here. I sure am glad that I found them- thankful! I have learned A LOT in the past year. It is great that you are passing on what you have learned.

If Bee were here right now there is a good chance she would tell you to try some Castor Oil on that bird. She swears by it and even uses it on herself. Great that you found the NuStock! She will be back, just having some computer problems. You might try a fishing net on that bird or a poultry hook. Here's a link that tells about a poultry hook. You ought to be able to make one pretty easy.
http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=24458

Take care!

 

[wolfpup]

@Wolfpup... Congrats on reading the whole thread! As you can now see there are some wise and good folks around here. I sure am glad that I found them- thankful!

I have learned A LOT in the past year. It is great that you are passing on what you have learned.

If Bee were here right now there is a good chance she would tell you to try some Castor Oil on that bird. She swears by it and even uses it on herself. Great that you found the NuStock! She will be back, just having some computer problems. You might try a fishing net on that bird or a poultry hook. Here's a link that tells about a poultry hook. You ought to be able to make one pretty easy.
http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=24458

Take care!

Hi

I caught her really good this afternoon (only took me half an hour of patience, some sprouted wheat and barley grass about an inch long and about two tablespoons of assorted sprouts)! - and this time I took her in the house for a really good look. I still can not see any signs of mites or eggs, and none in their coop either - even took the perches down and checked them over - nary a one.

HOWEVER - as I was smothering her under her wing I noticed that she has very few feathers under there in a sort of line - like you would see in a meat chick growing too fast is the nearest I can describe it. Also I noticed a bare patch right underneath about the size of a child's palm - smothered them both with NuStock. I was a bit surprised as whilst she was petrified about being in my kitchen and being held, once I put her on a towel on the floor she just stood there whilst I lifted her wing up smothered under her wing and massaged the sore round red patch. She did not try to get away from me, it was as if as soon as the new NuStock touched her she understood I was trying to help her and not hurt her. Checked both openings - neither are red or have any mite eggs - and both are well feathered. She is about 10 months old and underweight - her keel was quite sharp - although I have seen worse in elderly hens.

She is bright, active, curious - and is usually the first one with her beak in the food trough. She has shown no signs of illness at all over the last 4 weeks. I have two black rocks (she is a black rock) who stick very close together and have a 'dolls coop' which the manufacturers say is large enough for 8 medium birds but in reality is only large enough for 6 and I have never had more than 4 in there - the other girls have their own coop but share a common run. That way I have an isolation coop if I need it.

Liked the mini shepherds crook - can just see the evil glint in her eye if I came near her with that

- was wondering if my pond net would be big enough to get her but decided it would not be and went for the patience approach.
BTW TW I have learned a lot from you too

thank you.

 

[beverly evans]

Quote:

I ordered the castor oil immediately after posting my previous post -I had already noted Bee's comments about it on the other ff thread I think - (working my way through that one now) and they will all have a dose each as soon as it arrives although I have seen no worms either! I remembered she noted it worked even better than NS on the leg scales - and appeared to give them a tonic. I dislike medication so I will try all the things I learn from here.

They are fed around 7am - and there is always some left by lunch-time of their ff - then they get sprouted alfalfa, mung beans, raddish, lentils verdes and brown lentils, & tomatoes. I also give them a tray of sprouted inch long organic wheat and barley grass - and they have free access to dig for bugs etc in their secondary run (not fox proof so only during the day 9-5) and once in their smaller run for the evening they are given another batch of ff so they go to bed with full crops.

Liked the mini shepherds crook - can just see the evil glint in her eye if I came near her with that

- was wondering if my pond net would be big enough to get her but decided it would not be and went for the patience approach.

Kudos to you for reading all that. (I haven't done it.) Nothing wrong with being anal. You're in good company! : )

 

[Triple Willow]

@Wolfpup... Your very welcome. No doubt your birds are VERY well taken care of. Ohhh trying to catch those birds... my patience starts to run very thin. LOL Some of my layers will get close enough and not be paying attention long enough for me to grab them BUT it is purely by accident. hahaha My CX meat birds on the other hand, that I want to be wild and crazy, they will not leave me alone wanting to sit on my shoulder or nestle in my lap and coo at me. They are going to make killing them so hard! I see a day or two of some serious crying in my future. I'll never feel good about killing chickens, but it is necessary for someone to do it.

My layers are still having some feather problems that I need to work on too. They are not near as meaty as I'd like either. Great on the NuStock and Castor Oil! Hopefully you won't need either too often.

Have a good one and keep us posted on your birds!