Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[delisha]

I'm not sure where to ask this, but I'll try here first. I had two chicks hatch on Friday morning. I had another egg in the incubator, so took them out of the incubator and into my brooder. They have an ecoglow warmer in there and have spent quite a bit of time sleeping under it and then coming out from under it. I think. I'm not really watching them as much as my children are. LOL They have had water and food, since Friday, but I hadn't expected them to eat or drink any of it right away. The food is fermented chick starter. I started it last Tuesday, to make sure it was fermented by the time the chicks were ready for it. It looks good, better than the FF I have for my older chicks/pullets.

I changed out the water and food for them this morning because the food was getting stale and I just decided to change the water. No good reason, really. The water has ACV in it and a little bit of black strap molasses for b vitamins. I don't want to give my chicks Poly-Vi-Sol.

I have dipped their beaks in the water and the food. Not interested. I have also put some feed on the ground in their brooder. Not interested. I know I am being a ninny, but I am concerned that they haven't yet eaten or drank. I'm a mother; I feed people. I know these are chicks and not people, but, well, I'm being a ninny.

They are peeping, moving around, etc.

You are right to be concerned. You will need to re-dip beaks repeatedly sometimes. They just don't get it sometimes and need at least one to *get* it.

 

[texasmomma]

You are right to be concerned. You will need to re-dip beaks repeatedly sometimes. They just don't get it sometimes and need at least one to *get* it.

One of my dd's got them to peck at the food. <sigh> Just a matter of time before we get them to drink, I hope.

Thank you!

 

[Lacy Blues]

I have tried to start chicks on the fermented feed and they did not like it. Meat birds are different. Their appetites are so huge that they would probably eat you if you laid still long enough.

Anyway... I start mine on dry crumbles. After about a week or so, I start introducing the ff and they're more accustomed to eating and I think they like it better than the dry... after they learn to eat.

If they hatched on Friday morning, they're only two days old this morning. They're fine but they should start pecking at food today. Definitely by tomorrow. Are they standing around, under the heater, crying? If not, I'd say they're fine... at this point. They need to be eating by tonight though.

I don't know that I would use molasses. There's more in it than B vitamins. Sulphur is one unless it is an unsulphured molasses and I don't know what that process does to the product. There are chick vitamins/electrolytes on the market. Any feed store will carry them.

 

[Wax Myrtle]

That is good, but I just found out last Christmas that goose fat is wonderful to cook with!! It takes really high heat and tastes delicious.

I've heard this before. I'm very goose-curious, but I really want to buy and eat one before I invest in a pair. Just to make sure my family likes the flavor. Don't think I'll quite be able to offset their feed cost by selling eggs for crafting...

 

[texasmomma]

If they hatched on Friday morning, they're only two days old this morning. They're fine but they should start pecking at food today. Definitely by tomorrow. Are they standing around, under the heater, crying? If not, I'd say they're fine... at this point. They need to be eating by tonight though.

They usually sleep under the warmer. They move out from under it to peep/cry. They get pretty loud. They have been pecking at some food. I forgot it was only day 3.

 

[delisha]

Water is more of a concern. Try sugar water with out the molasses if you don't have the packets. I also agree with Lacy Blue, electrolites/vit packet is best.

 

[Beekissed]

I'm not sure where to ask this, but I'll try here first. I had two chicks hatch on Friday morning. I had another egg in the incubator, so took them out of the incubator and into my brooder. They have an ecoglow warmer in there and have spent quite a bit of time sleeping under it and then coming out from under it. I think. I'm not really watching them as much as my children are. LOL They have had water and food, since Friday, but I hadn't expected them to eat or drink any of it right away. The food is fermented chick starter. I started it last Tuesday, to make sure it was fermented by the time the chicks were ready for it. It looks good, better than the FF I have for my older chicks/pullets.

I changed out the water and food for them this morning because the food was getting stale and I just decided to change the water. No good reason, really. The water has ACV in it and a little bit of black strap molasses for b vitamins. I don't want to give my chicks Poly-Vi-Sol.

I have dipped their beaks in the water and the food. Not interested. I have also put some feed on the ground in their brooder. Not interested. I know I am being a ninny, but I am concerned that they haven't yet eaten or drank. I'm a mother; I feed people. I know these are chicks and not people, but, well, I'm being a ninny.

They are peeping, moving around, etc.

If you have ACV in the water, they don't need anything else..it has plenty of vitamins and minerals for the chicks. The molasses may cause running poos and pasty butts...its a little rich. I wouldn't be too concerned as they have been living on their yolks still....many who get chicks in the mail are receiving chicks that have had no water or food for 2-3 days and have been in highly stressful conditions....and chicks are still fine and very active.

I had a few standard chicks in with the CX I got this spring and they took to the FF just like the meaties...did not have to be shown the food or any beaks dipped. I often wonder about this whole beak dipping thing....never dipped a chick's beak in my life, they instinctively know about the water and how to drink it, IME.

Give it time, they will deplete their yolk nutrition and come out of it hungry....they will eat the FF and do just fine. Might want to place the FF right under one edge of the light's radiation so that it stays warm for them but not directly under it so that it doesn't dry out and form a crust they cannot penetrate.

 

[texasmomma]

.never dipped a chick's beak in my life, they instinctively know about the water and how to drink it, IME.

Give it time, they will deplete their yolk nutrition and come out of it hungry....they will eat the FF and do just fine. Might want to place the FF right under one edge of the light's radiation so that it stays warm for them but not directly under it so that it doesn't dry out and form a crust they cannot penetrate.

I have had to dip beaks of chicks I bought from the feed store. Don't know why. They just hung out under the lamp and cried.

These chicks do not have a heat lamp. They have an ecoglow warmer, so it doesn't give off any heat anywhere other than just under it. We did put some food on a cloth diaper, put them on it, and they pecked at it. I think they will figure it out.

Didn't mean to start anything about the molasses.

I am thinking I was freaking out for no reason. Thought it was 3 days and it's only 2. Kind of embarrassing.

Thanks.

 

[Beekissed]

We've all been there....it's the mother in us!

 

[Island Roo]

I think this question may be for Pigeon - but if anyone else has input, please!!!

I am thinking I want to try to come up w/ a feed that is TOTALLY LEGUME FREE. Right now I use soy-free (for various reasons). There are peas in the mix to make up some of the protein. However, it seems obvious to me that the birds wouldn't choose to eat a legume if they were choosing their own feed. Additionally, I think that the bio-availability of the protein from legumes (and probably grains as well unless they are fermented or sprouted) is pretty low.

So...that being said, I'm wondering how you might suggest formulating a totally legume-free feed that keeps the protein level at 16 - 17%. I do currently use fish meal in the mix and perhaps upping that may help.

I get my feed from a feed mill that formulates for me. When I originally got it, I told him what I didn't want in it and he formulated to protein level around that. I'm going to call him again and see what he comes up with if I ask for totally legume-free, but wanted to get input here first.

My whole grain mix (scratch) contains a lot of peas - about 20%. The chickens love them. And they go straight to the clover when they forage.

Someone posted on another thread that their eggs started to taste fishy when they added to much fish meal.

I think the key is balance. Not too much of any one thing - although I'm with you on the soy-free diet.

I'd like to see your formula - current or legune- free once you get it.

ETA - I wonder if fermenting the peas makes the protein more digestible for chickens.