Gave our 25 CX and 3 Red Sex-links their first batch of FF today. Absolutely went bonkers. Refuse to touch their dry food now. So cool. I'm serving it on a plate now, but they trample it all over. Any ideas for a feeder for this age? They're 5 days.
Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds
- Thread starter shadowmane
- Start date
Hey there JacobH!
and the thread! I started out 34 chicks from day one with FF. I used a 9" deep dish pie plate (glass for weight) twice a day filled to about 3/4 to start and by 2-3 weeks, it was being filled to the top.
At 5 weeks, I separated them into 2 groups and they each got a full pie dish twice a day. They are about 8 weeks now, are still in the 2 groups, about to be split into 4 groups and they are now fed twice a day in a 1/2 PVC pipe trough about 3 1/2 feet long. They have walked in the FF their entire lives, and there's no real way to stop them. I didn't mind as the food they tracked into the pine chips gave them something to scratch for throughout the day while I was at work. I'm using deep litter so the more they scratch around, the more I like it! Less work for me to do
For the trough, I took a 4" PVC pipe about 3.5 feet long, glued the caps on the end, then cut it lengthwise on a table saw. I then lag bolted it through a 2 x 4 lengthwise into 2 pieces of 4 x 4 to form an "H" pattern for stability. They STILL perch on the PVC pipe and walk in the trough... Oh well... such is "table manners" where chickens are concerned.
Congrats on choosing the FF route and best of luck with your birds!
At 5 weeks, I separated them into 2 groups and they each got a full pie dish twice a day. They are about 8 weeks now, are still in the 2 groups, about to be split into 4 groups and they are now fed twice a day in a 1/2 PVC pipe trough about 3 1/2 feet long. They have walked in the FF their entire lives, and there's no real way to stop them. I didn't mind as the food they tracked into the pine chips gave them something to scratch for throughout the day while I was at work. I'm using deep litter so the more they scratch around, the more I like it! Less work for me to do
For the trough, I took a 4" PVC pipe about 3.5 feet long, glued the caps on the end, then cut it lengthwise on a table saw. I then lag bolted it through a 2 x 4 lengthwise into 2 pieces of 4 x 4 to form an "H" pattern for stability. They STILL perch on the PVC pipe and walk in the trough... Oh well... such is "table manners" where chickens are concerned.
Congrats on choosing the FF route and best of luck with your birds!
Last edited:
- Jul 18, 2013
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Hi, I made a "v" trough like Beekissed taught us to make but they still scattered way to much out for my liking so I put strips of wood 1 1/2" X 1/2" on the tops of the sides and this made it impossible for them to knock it all out as they dig for their favorite bits in it. Sorry I don't know how to put fotos on here or I'd show you. : )Hey there JacobH!and the thread! I started out 34 chicks from day one with FF. I used a 9" deep dish pie plate (glass for weight) twice a day filled to about 3/4 to start and by 2-3 weeks, it was being filled to the top.
At 5 weeks, I separated them into 2 groups and they each got a full pie dish twice a day. They are about 8 weeks now, are still in the 2 groups, about to be split into 4 groups and they are now fed twice a day in a 1/2 PVC pipe trough about 3 1/2 feet long. They have walked in the FF their entire lives, and there's no real way to stop them. I didn't mind as the food they tracked into the pine chips gave them something to scratch for throughout the day while I was at work. I'm using deep litter so the more they scratch around, the more I like it! Less work for me to do
For the trough, I took a 4" PVC pipe about 3.5 feet long, glued the caps on the end, then cut it lengthwise on a table saw. I then lag bolted it through a 2 x 4 lengthwise into 2 pieces of 4 x 4 to form an "H" pattern for stability. They STILL perch on the PVC pipe and walk in the trough... Oh well... such is "table manners" where chickens are concerned.
Congrats on choosing the FF route and best of luck with your birds!
If mine scratch their food on the ground, they eat it off the ground. I don't get overly excited about food on the ground or them walking on it. If they find a pile of poop they will bury their heads in it and gleefully dig for treats and eat them straight out of the poop, so feet and dirt aren't real biggies in my thinking.
Yes! Get one of the plastic trough chick feeders, duct tape some feet on it to raise the height and put a fin on top to keep them from walking all over the top. (if you fill it very full at all they will get feed on their feet then walk in their poopy bedding and get that stuck to their moist feet, then trample that back in the feed... then eat it. ew.) The fin is very effective at reducing contamination of the FF. I made mine by slitting the top of the feeder with a utility knife, inserting a strip of old floppy cutting board and securing it with hot glue. Here's a picture.
When they get too big to get their heads in the holes, I graduate them to a piece of gutter, but I suspend the gutter like a swing so that I can conveniently adjust the height, and because it discourages perching on and mucking in the trough.
This is brilliant. I actually just bought one of these and have problems with my RSL roosting on top. Thanks for the tips!Yes! Get one of the plastic trough chick feeders, duct tape some feet on it to raise the height and put a fin on top to keep them from walking all over the top. (if you fill it very full at all they will get feed on their feet then walk in their poopy bedding and get that stuck to their moist feet, then trample that back in the feed... then eat it. ew.) The fin is very effective at reducing contamination of the FF. I made mine by slitting the top of the feeder with a utility knife, inserting a strip of old floppy cutting board and securing it with hot glue. Here's a picture.When they get too big to get their heads in the holes, I graduate them to a piece of gutter, but I suspend the gutter like a swing so that I can conveniently adjust the height, and because it discourages perching on and mucking in the trough.
I forgot to add that I use duct-tape for the feet so I can remove them for the next batch, otherwise I would screw them on. When the chicks are really little (first 3-4 days) they can crawl into the feeders through the holes, they are so tiny. So... right at first I run a strip of duct tape down the ridge on the inside to reduce the size of the holes, and ones on the outside so there are no exposed sticky parts. I hadn't made the fins yet when I took this, but here's the idea:
My 3 week old CXs manage to perch on my fins, but don't find it comfortable enough to linger, and they can't eat and perch at the same time, so it cuts down on the contamination even if they do perch.
Glad I could help!
- Jul 30, 2014
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What is UP/ACV?
Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
- Jul 30, 2014
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Where might I find unpasteurized apple cider vinegar ?
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