Homemade flock block recipes

[Miss Lydia]

Freestylester Silkie's :

The flock balls just out of the oven.
They are rock hard.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/77171_flockballs.jpg
I made hard cookies for my rats and mice so i have had some experiance. The balls get real hard because i use some flower. This is what binds the seeds and it makes it hard.
In the photo you see that the balls are very light in color, this because i didn't use any sugar, malasses or honey. The bigger you make them the loger they have to bake. You can make them every way you like. I'll put some recipe's on my site in englisch with a how to with it. Click on recipe in the left kolom and i'll put them there. If there are any questions you can always send me an email.
Every body have fun cooking and baking for your chickens.
I know i do.

Freestylester, what is vlokreeftjes? and if I can't find it here in the US what can i use for a substitute? Thanks. also is polenta flour the same as just polenta?​

 

[Freestylester Silkie's]

A vlokreeftje is a small watercreature that they normaly use to feed turtles. The latin name is Amphipoda. I bought a jar dried amphipoda for the little chicks, because they are to small for the big mealworms i have at the moment. I just started breading them so i don't have little ones yet.
You can leave them out all together or you can use dried mealworms or another dried insect instead.
They get them as a treat and like it very much so i mixed them in with the flock balls.
Polenta meal is the corn meal they use to make polenta.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Freestylester Silkie's :

A vlokreeftje is a small watercreature that they normaly use to feed turtles. The latin name is Amphipoda. I bought a jar dried amphipoda for the little chicks, because they are to small for the big mealworms i have at the moment. I just started breading them so i don't have little ones yet.
You can leave them out all together or you can use dried mealworms or another dried insect instead.
They get them as a treat and like it very much so i mixed them in with the flock balls.
Polenta meal is the corn meal they use to make polenta.

I thought that was what polenta was, and I have dried meal worms which they love so will use them. thanks and will post after I make them. I like the idea of the muffin tins that way the small chicks have something to eat on. and I don't have to give them much..​

 

[4Hchickenproject]

Okay, folks, this just takes the cake!

This may actually solve a small dilemma for me... when an elderly lady at church found out I was getting chicks for a 4-H project she gave my son (it's really HIS project, lol) a feeder. I think the feeder may have been for rabbits or something else, because all my feeds just filter right through the wire sides and bottom. I was considering making a liner out of something, but NOW... I too have a flock block in the oven!

We're trying to be rather frugal in this project and I am keeping a plastic lidded container on the countertop to add scraps to daily. They are a mess to feed, but the chicks love them! I mixed what scraps I had in the container, a cup or so of bird feed, some chick starter, flour, and leftover gravy. I'm baking my block in my Pampered Chef jelly roll pan and will cut it into rectangular blocks (maybe 6 or 8) that will fit nicely into the little feeder. It sure does look pretty. If this works out I'll post pics somewhere (I can't post them here yet I don't think). Heck, if it works, I may package these little things and sell them for a few cents at the local dog groomer's to help pay for seed

.

My dh will really love you guys now - I'm already always baking, for the kids, for the neighbors, for shut-ins at church, for the dogs... now the chickens! I'm having way too much fun with these little critters for this to simply be a "project"!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
your hooked

and keep posting I think when you have 10 posts you can post a pic.

 

[4Hchickenproject]

I made the flock block. It did smell good while baking! Turned out very nicely, but a bit more crumbly than I was hoping. Lasted about 2 minutes in the coop! I won't be feeding in the little feeder given to me, however, because only about 4 chicks could eat at a time (I have 24!), causing lots of bumping and pushing and frustration. I think a combination of the tiny seeds in the bird seed mix and the overall dryness made it crumbly. Next time I'll add a few eggs to see if that holds it together better. If not, I may omit the bird seed, though I hate to. Also, for the purpose of "treats," I'll definitely add a greater variety of scraps - I just didn't have enough on hand this time.

Made 10 blocks, I fed one. Stored remainder in a ziploc bag.

 

[4Hchickenproject]

Quote:
Excellent idea! Especially for homeschoolers. My kids love to cook, so this might just be something they can do for me on days when they can't be outside.

 

[Freestylester Silkie's]

Welkom to the forum !!!!!
You are now defetenely hooked on chickens.......

Quote:
Maybe if you add some more flour and a little water in it so it gets a little more like a sticky dough.
When the flour just coats all ingredients you'll have enough put in. Then put in your gravy (or other wet ellements), mix and if it is not sticky/ wet enough put some water in it a little bit at a time.
Then when you form it you'll have to push it in you pan. If you don't push it together it will also crumble more easily.

 

[4Hchickenproject]

Freestylester Silkie's :

Maybe if you add some more flour and a little water in it so it gets a little more like a sticky dough.
When the flour just coats all ingredients you'll have enough put in. Then put in your gravy (or other wet ellements), mix and if it is not sticky/ wet enough put some water in it a little bit at a time.
Then when you form it you'll have to push it in you pan. If you don't push it together it will also crumble more easily.

Thanks for the tips, will give that a try next time! Yep, I'm hooked!

 

[ski-doozel]

how many eggs?