Fulltime fermented feed effects on lifespan

[Perris]

What a great suggestion, do you include the fish oil in the feed as well?

yes, or the tomato sauce (if that's the variety of tinned sardines I happen to be using on that occasion). I drain the brine ones though, before adding them to the bowls.
edited to add, it's sunflower or olive oil usually here, rather than fish oil.

 

[Perris]

I use the mackerel water to wet some bread, chickens love it, they get some minerals, protein and omega 3 from the fish water.

that's a good idea; thanks, I'll try that with the sardine brine next time.

 

[Altairsky]

that's a good idea; thanks, I'll try that with the sardine brine next time.

I taste the brine, if it's too salty then I discard. But so far it's always been very palatable to me so if I'm not planning to use it as umami for pasta sauce, then to the chickens it goes.

 

[Elle111]

you need to supply some animal protein too; meat, fish, dairy, insect. I also add one or other of a variety of seasonal top dressings, e.g. breadcrumbs, dried fruits, chopped veg, etc. The grains form the base, not the whole. The whole needs to be a varied diet just as ours should be. And salt needs to be included somewhere; tinned sardines work well there for me, ticking the animal protein and multiple vitamin and mineral boxes at the same time.

The feed does have amphipods, and I offer mealworms. Sardines, wow. That seems a bit hardcore for my silkies haha

 

[Altairsky]

I

The feed does have amphipods, and I offer mealworms. Sardines, wow. That seems a bit hardcore for my silkies haha

If your feed already has at least 18% protein then you don't really need to add more protein.
You need to add protein if you feed your chickens grain and grain only. If your feed is already a complete formula then nothing needs to be added.
However if your feed is a complete formula, fermenting it is sort of pointless and might make it unbalanced.
We usually ferment whole grain/scratch to mitigate their anti nutrients.

 

[Perris]

Sardines are a great source of calcium (twice as much as plain yogurt, typically), potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc, besides sodium, all the essential amino acids, and B vitamins.

 

[Altairsky]

Sardines are a great source of calcium (twice as much as plain yogurt, typically), potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc, besides sodium, all the essential amino acids, and B vitamins.

I'd like to add that sardines are rich in omega 3, so if you feed your chickens sardines, you'll get the omega-3 back when you eat the eggs.

 

[Elle111]

I'm still curious if the people clearly putting a lot of thought into the feed have had really long lived chickens as a result? I'm more focused on lifespan than egg quality etc. because I get attached and want to have them around as long as possible. So have any of you had 13,14,15 year old chickens?

 

[Perris]

I'm still curious if the people clearly putting a lot of thought into the feed have had really long lived chickens as a result? I'm more focused on lifespan than egg quality etc. because I get attached and want to have them around as long as possible. So have any of you had 13,14,15 year old chickens?

I started keeping chickens in 2017. I lost the first flock of 3 to the fox, and then the second 3, and my oldest hatched in 2017 and were acquired by me as pullets in 2018. So no, not yet at any rate.

 

[Perris]

Why do you want very old chickens? I think 12 is regarded as a long lifespan for a chicken.