Home Feeding Ideas and Solutions Discussion Thread

[Kassaundra]

I symphathize Kassaundra. I too have been frustrated by a lack of detailed info online about the KNF chicken practices in general. I've done a few searches mostly gotten the same vague info. Maybe it just hasn't translated well out of Korean? I think this stuff is kind of new to the States, so maybe the R and D hasn't been done yet. The most in-depth stuff I've been able to find to date is all Hawaii-specific--mostly, I assume, because the University of Hawaii has done some research on it.

Despite living in the tropics, I too would have to buy imported rice, mill run, and sugar to follow those recipes, so really I'm no better off. But since I see no logical reason why culturing microorganisms should be so reliant on specific ingredients (after all, they're doing just fine in the leaf litter without any of those things), I intend to experiment with using other things for them that might be more readily available to me. Mainly, all these microbes need to proliferate rapidly are oxygen, and sugars--so why couldn't any starch or any form of sugar could be used?

At least you can have the excitement of being on the cutting edge!

Cluckyjay gave me this info it is the best I've found so far here is a link.

http://www.prokashi.com/videos/
His info is great, but he does take a little while to get to the point! You'll understand when you watch the videos.

 

[galanie]

Kassaundra, that's the same guy I watched on YouTube. He nearly drove me up the wall but I'll take someone like him over someone that doesn't explain anything. He does have information pertinent to the continental USA and makes what appears to be a complicated process seem much simpler.

 

[Kassaundra]

Kassaundra, that's the same guy I watched on YouTube. He nearly drove me up the wall but I'll take someone like him over someone that doesn't explain anything. He does have information pertinent to the continental USA and makes what appears to be a complicated process seem much simpler.

LOL I had to walk off a few times and distract myself w/ a small chore, but left the computer volume turned up, (just in case he moved on to the next point) and I'd come back and he would still be talking about the same thing as when I left.

But your right the info you get makes it worth the frustration.

 

[Tallulah Chicklet]

OK, what does he make the bokashi out of that he gives to the chickens?

 

[galanie]

Bokashi is a type of compost. There are companies marketing what's called EM to make Bokashi with, but it seems suspiciously the same as IMO4. Basically Bokashi is made in an airtight container rather than with lots of oxygen like normal compost is. With the right microorganisms in there you won't get the stinky stuff you would think you'd get.

 

[Kassaundra]

Bokashi is a type of compost. There are companies marketing what's called EM to make Bokashi with, but it seems suspiciously the same as IMO4. Basically Bokashi is made in an airtight container rather than with lots of oxygen like normal compost is. With the right microorganisms in there you won't get the stinky stuff you would think you'd get.

That is what I thought too. I don't intend to buy any Bokashi, but I am going to play around w/ adding imo or lacto basilicus to the compost and seeing if I get quicker or better results.

 

[Tallulah Chicklet]

What I mean to ask is: Are we talking about making bokashi out of kitchen scraps and yard waste, and feeding it to the chickens? Or does he make bokashi out of specific feeds? And is it when it comes out of the bucket, or after it is buried?

 

[galanie]

What I mean to ask is: Are we talking about making bokashi out of kitchen scraps and yard waste, and feeding it to the chickens? Or does he make bokashi out of specific feeds? And is it when it comes out of the bucket, or after it is buried?

He never says. I'd suppose with an operation that size it must be more than kitchen scraps though he could be getting stuff from restaurants or farmers markets to make it with. To me, it sounds like more than I want to fool with. I'm already playing with making IMO and stuff but my compost already has tons of microorganisms in it, you should see how fast it breaks down now. I put old into the new and let the chickens scratch it around, but when first piled it heats up fast.

I'm thinking those are the organisms I want in my IMO and am experimenting with trying to culture them. I guess I just like to play though.

I'm also thinking about the carrot pulp from juicing. I've let that sit a few days and it'll get the exact type of white stuff on it that is made in IMO 1.

 

[Kassaundra]

What I mean to ask is: Are we talking about making bokashi out of kitchen scraps and yard waste, and feeding it to the chickens? Or does he make bokashi out of specific feeds? And is it when it comes out of the bucket, or after it is buried?

The bokashi isn't chicken feed it is compost for the garden from what I understood. In KNF according to the Hawaiian ladies video they feed 10% of the chickens food as IMO4, and use the IMO 3 (which still heats up) as bedding for new chicks.

 

[Tallulah Chicklet]

I'm starting some bokashi today...I have a ton of compostables and the compost pile isn't doing too much in the winter here. (I'm envious of your fast compost!) And just as you say...I like to play!