How many times/day do you feed your chickens?

[SilkieSensation]

guess im going to look up fermented feed, everyone raves about it BUT if it is rotted food or involves chicken guts i know im gonna get sick.

I ferment 2 different ways. During warm weather I use unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. During cooler weather I use yeast. Neither method is difficult. Yeast method smells like bread dough. UPACV method smells like a sweet beer.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

fresh bread and cold beer. i can do that !

oh, but then i have to give it to the chickens huh? lol thank you

 

[SilkieSensation]

Lol
Yeast method:
Pour hot water into a bowl or bucket. Add yeast. Add whatever dry food mix you prefer. Stir. Should be thick. Cover loosely & allow to "rise" for 15-30 minutes. Should be wet but not soggy. Scoop out & serve warm. No need to save any to start the next batch.

UPACV method:
Add warm water to bucket or bowl. Pour in UPACV (this is the cloudy kind). Add whatever dry food mix you prefer. Stir. Cover top of feed with water. Cover loosely. Allow to sit for 12-24 hours. Stir. You should see bubbles if it's working. Strain & serve. Add food & water to replace what is used. Always leave some in the bucket to keep the ferment going. You can add brown sugar or molasses to kick start the process at the start. Process should continue as long as it stays above 60F.

 

[acman]

I leave about two inches of feed. i usually fill it back up every couple days. i just smashed my last pumpkin for them the other day. they devour the whole thing but have a hard time busting them on their own.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

Lol
Yeast method:
Pour hot water into a bowl or bucket. Add yeast. Add whatever dry food mix you prefer. Stir. Should be thick. Cover loosely & allow to "rise" for 15-30 minutes. Should be wet but not soggy. Scoop out & serve warm. No need to save any to start the next batch.

UPACV method:
Add warm water to bucket or bowl. Pour in UPACV (this is the cloudy kind). Add whatever dry food mix you prefer. Stir. Cover top of feed with water. Cover loosely. Allow to sit for 12-24 hours. Stir. You should see bubbles if it's working. Strain & serve. Add food & water to replace what is used. Always leave some in the bucket to keep the ferment going. You can add brown sugar or molasses to kick start the process at the start. Process should continue as long as it stays above 60F.

well thank you !! i will sure give it a go. doesnt sound as horrible as i thought it would be.

 

[SilkieSensation]

It really isn't bad. I would suggest starting with the yeast method this time of the year. Just be careful it doesn't freeze in the bowls before they can eat it.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

been many a year since i bought yeast. brings back memory's. you give this every day?

 

[Granny Hatchet]

does it still come in those little red envelopes?

 

[SilkieSensation]

I do fermented feed when weather permits. We are well below freezing here at the moment so it freezes too fast right now. Once weather warms up it will be daily. I bought the glass jar of yeast since I have a lot of birds but it still comes in the little packets too. It just ended up more convenient for me in the jar. I use a little 1/4 tsp measuring spoon to fish out just a dab at a time. I use about 1/8 tsp in a 5 gal bucket.

 

[BRStephens]

We feed our girls OFTEN they have layer crumbles mixed with a bit of scratch grains and a pinch of oyster shells in their feeder , They get warm oatmeal with maple syrup in the morning every other or so days. They get cut up bread every day . Cabbage either on a fish stringer so the can knock it around or we sit and hold it while they rip it to bits lol ,, Lets see,, They eat tomatoes off the vine at their leisure , demolish my broccoli leaves and brussel sprouts in the summer. They eat pork on the bone . Went NUTS for corned beef "good stuff" . They eat and drink anytime they want and get spoiled constantly hehehe. fresh pineapple . The list just doesn't end.