Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[shadowmane]

I have run into a bit of a situation. I have been feeding the fermented feed since about a week after Beekissed and I started going on this thread. They seemed to be devouring it, and they were starting to eat three times a day. So I put some dry feed in a hanging feeder for them to have 24/7 access. I've noticed that they have started foraging more, eating less of the fermented feed, and eating a little more of the dry feed. I'm thinking about pulling the dry feed back out, but then it goes back to them having to be fed three times a day to get enough food. Do they eat more when a cold spell hits, then taper back off when it gets hot? We've had 80 degree days the last couple of days, and that's about how long they have been ignoring the fermented food. I'm just wondering here.

 

[Beekissed]

I wouldn't offer any choices and I'd get a feeder that is large enough that you dish out a certain amount in the morning and can gauge by the quantity left just how much of the feed they are consuming and add more to the feeder towards evening if it's completely cleaned up. I've noticed they will slow off eating in warmer weather but that's when more bugs are available too, so it could just be food availability.

If they only have FF, then they will only EAT FF. If it looks like they aren't eating it, it could mean they are getting their food elsewhere or the feed is tiding them over sufficiently. I've found that meaties will eat just about anything when they are hungry enough.

 

[Beekissed]

Thanks for sharing that. I really enjoyed watching your Cornish X'a run all over the place. You have a really nice piece of property.
when did you start letting yours forage? Mine are only about 2 weeks old and do not have their feathers yet. But we are in the 80's during the day now here in Texas. I have them right now in my brooder room so guess I need to actually get them something built for outside so they know they are to be in there at night and can be outside during the day when my standards are locked up. I let them all out one pen at a time sense they are my breeders for now. Winter everyone runs together.
Really love your coop you have for them. Can you tell me a little more on how you built it.
deana

If you look in the coop section you will see a step by step of the construction and the materials involved.

I let mine start foraging at 2 wks of age.

Shadow, those red chickens seem to be DP roos they sent as extras from Central Hatchery....there were 4 extras and two of them were these red ones. They are feisty little boogers but they have none of the personality of some of these CX. They will be processed later on when they've gotten some size on them.

 

[brandislee]

After I responded this morning and ran my son to preschool I checked on my meaties- several of them were eating the fermented food even though there's still a little dry food left. So tonight I'm going to take the plunge and take the dry food feeder out. I'll just watch them very closely to be sure they are eating and staying healthy. I have it in one of those plastic chick feeders with the guard thingie on top with the holes- kwim? From what I can tell they can get at the feed just fine.

 

[bj taylor]

i bought flock raiser & scratch yesterday. that's as close as i can get (i think) to a feed that can be fermented. i have to get the bucket thing set up. close.
this is not medicated. do i need to worry about cocci until i get these birds fully on the fermented for awhile? everyone seems so healthy as of now & i'm reluctant to upset the apple cart.

 

[Beekissed]

I wouldn't worry. Do you have any way of getting some mother vinegar, like Bragg's brand of ACV? If so, just place some in their water with each filling and it will hold them over until you get the FF going and feeding.

 

[bj taylor]

i do have braggs. thank you.

 

[myhubbycallsmechickeemama]

I cannot even begin to tell you how happy I am that my CX chicks have a formed poop!!! It's like they are a completely different bird now. I have 46 chicks and I have had them for almost a week and a half and they haven't even eaten half a bag of chick starter yet. I'm really excited to see my ratio at butcher time. I have to try and find some non GMO grains now.

 

[Beekissed]

It's cool, isn't it? Such a simple fix to a nasty problem and it helps in so many ways....no stink, more nutrition absorption, less feed consumption, less water consumption, less money consumption.....

I wish I had been doing this for my layers all these years! If the ACV helped them so much, can you imagine what FF will do to their production levels and health?

 

[myhubbycallsmechickeemama]

I wish I would have known about this last year when I raised 65 CX chicks. No matter how clean you kept everything....they still pooped down the back of them and then I swear to God would turn around and lay down in it!! Trying to talk hubby into finding someone to come beat sagebrush in our pasture so I can plant some good pasture grass and build a nice pen and coop out there just for CX and Turkeys.