Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[cafrhe]

Thanks, all. Right now they're a week old. I'm just keeping food in there all the time and letting them eat as they'd like. I'd like to move them into a chicken tractor as soon as I feel they no longer need the heat plate. My concern is that it's really hot, even here in NH, during the day.

I may go to the 12 on 12 off feeding schedule, but putting them to bed on an empty stomach seems unnatural for chickens.

My plan WAS to make an 8 x 10 tractor and cover the last 4' top and sides and move it every day or so. I have 25 birds. If they do well in the tractor and get crowded, I may let them pasture. I really don't know. I've only raised layers.

I guess I just have reservations about restricting their feed. Everyone has different advice.

I do not restrict my meaties feed much at all. When little, they get food 24/7, then I fill the troughs and keep them basically full during the day. They do have times with no food just because I didnt get back out to them right away. I do not fill it for the night, but will make sure they get a full trough close to evening so they dont go to bed empty. There is usually a little left when I put them to bed. I have a tractor and let them free range during the day (they are in a fully fenced yard). They do pretty well even at 8 weeks old when some of them are 8+ lbs. I have a lot of shade, so while they are uncomfortable in the hottest weather, in the shade and able to separate during the day outside the tractor, they handle it pretty well.

You will find what works for you. I did make the mistake of feeding a lower protein to my 1st set of meaties this year and they were small-when I realized they werent growing, I kept their feeder filled. The next 2 sets grew as expected on the higher protein food.

 

[Robert M]

Yep.

I assume you're asking because of the calcium requirement? We use the old feeder to serve up the oyster shell. It's one of those one gallon metal hanging feeders. Keeps the oyster shell up away from where the chicks can get to it, and only has to be refilled about once a year. PERFECT!

That's the way I feed shells. Don't forget, if you eat clams, you can crush those shells, too. I don't know the calcium content of them, but they make nice grit for the birds. Chickens know when they have "enough" calcium ingested.
If you're incubating, you may want to keep she shell away from those layers. It makes the eggshells extremely hard and the chicks may have some trouble emerging. Laying mash has enough calcium for them.

 

[curious chickee]

Our meaties are almost 4 weeks old. Tomorrow we will weigh them (they will be 8 weeks at fair and the girls can't be over 8lbs). They were just moved out to the large 10x10 pen. They are growing nicely. Feeding 20% chick starter FF now. Depending on their weight will depend on when we switch to broiler.

 

[lcertuche]

I started soaking my feed yesterday. I'm hoping to have FF soon, especially in this hot weather.

 

[Latestarter]

It's going to take 3-4 days for it to really get a good ferment going. After that though, as long as you leave some at the end of the bucket then refresh feed and water (back slopping), the follow-on batches will ferment basically over night (in warm weather or in your home).

 

[curious chickee]

So I weighed our meaties today. The average is about 2.5 lbs at 4 weeks. That seems small to me. What can I do to try and get the pullerts to 8 lbs by 8 weeks. The have FF most of the day. Red light from sunset until 3 am. Our last batch were only 6lbs at 8 weeks. The smallest at the fair.
Protein 20%, should I switch to higher protein. I have 24% for my turkey poult. My daughter really wants to do well at fair

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I mean... 8lbs at 8 weeks is a commercial operation goal... Most of us have little or no experience with that... Fermented feed isn't designed for optimal growth to age ratio... It's designed for optimal health and minimal waste. I find my bigger chickens hit 8lbs at 10 weeks ish.

You might try switching to dry, confining them to small spaces to restrict motion, or try giving them antibiotics in their water as well. These things DO all increase growth. There's a reason commercial facilities do this. But I think you might find it to get pretty disgusting pretty quickly... There's also a reason they have high mortality rates and the workers wear full body suits with face and eye masks and it's not just for "biosecurity".

But it's up to you how you wanna manage your fair chickens.

 

[curious chickee]

I mean... 8lbs at 8 weeks is a commercial operation goal... Most of us have little or no experience with that... Fermented feed isn't designed for optimal growth to age ratio... It's designed for optimal health and minimal waste. I find my bigger chickens hit 8lbs at 10 weeks ish.

You might try switching to dry, confining them to small spaces to restrict motion, or try giving them antibiotics in their water as well. These things DO all increase growth. There's a reason commercial facilities do this. But I think you might find it to get pretty disgusting pretty quickly... There's also a reason they have high mortality rates and the workers wear full body suits with face and eye masks and it's not just for "biosecurity".

But it's up to you how you wanna manage your fair chickens.

Thank you, that is why I normally order my chicks so they are 10 weeks at fair. But the feed store person changed it so all birds came at the same time for 8 weeks for fair. I didn't know this until the last minute. I definitely won't confine them, but will probably order my chicks online next time so I can get them when I want them.

 

[lcertuche]

Well its been 7 days since I started soaking and the feed is definitely alive. I know some people talk about their picky chickens don't want to eat this or that, including fermented food(FF), but mine will literally eat anything that doesn't eat them including the FF!

 

[deedles]

Our meaties are starting week 5 and are looking good and loving the FF. I threw some cracked corn by them today and they didn't pay any attention. They also LOVE the fermented BOSS as well as overgrown cukes and zukes!