INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

What the difference between "don't feed moldy feed" to "fermented feed is okay"? Help a city person understand this...

im confused. What are you asking?

 

[pbirdhaven]

What the difference between "don't feed moldy feed" to "fermented feed is okay"? Help a city person understand this...

Think sauerkraut versus the green stuff on leftovers that have been forgotten in the fridge.

 

[racinchickins]

What the difference between "don't feed moldy feed" to "fermented feed is okay"? Help a city person understand this...

Mold is a fungus that can be dangerous to chickens and humans. Fermenting feed involves creating an environment to encourage bacteria that start to break down the food to make it more easily digestible, thus making more of the nutrients in the food available to the chicken.

 

[BackyardBitten]

I'd agree. We had much cooler weather for so long and now back into the mid to high 80s. It is also the time of year that they tend to start slowing down and beginning molting, which will halt egg production.

If it was just one hen, I'd consider egg bound as an option, but the likelihood of all three becoming egg bound at the exact same time would be very very unlikely.

ok thanks!!! the more i think about, the more it makes since that maybe they around the corner from molting. i keep checking all times of the day since i just happen to be off work this week. thanks for the info!

 

[Old Salt 1945]

What the difference between "don't feed moldy feed" to "fermented feed is okay"? Help a city person understand this...

Moldy feed is just that, wet or damp feed that has gone moldy.

Fermented feed is feed that has been fermented through the action of vinegar bacteria. Kind of like beer is fermented grain through the action of yeast.

There is a whole discussion thread about the subject on BYC. Just do a search.

Here's another one I found. http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.ca/p/fermented-feed.html

The only problem I have with it is that you can't just dump a bag of feed into a feed hopper and check it daily. You gotta scoop it out and feed it, while making the next batch each day or so. Lots of busy work. I'm lazy.

John

 

[Thunder Chicken]

The only problem I have with it is that you can't just dump a bag of feed into a feed hopper and check it daily. You gotta scoop it out and feed it, while making the next batch each day or so. Lots of busy work. I'm lazy.

John

Relentlessly searching for a way to accomplish a task with the least physical effort is not lazy. Its productive.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Windows with predator proofing:



1/2 inch 19 gauge hardware cloth is over all the windows, secured with 1 inch screws and washers.

Looks fantastic! I will be doing the same for my shed coop. (currently stuffed full of hay)

Thank you to all for your kind thoughts and message about Violet. I really have appreciate all of your support since all of you can relate to the loss of chickens. Although I hated to leave Adeline and my new chocolate bantam orp (yet to be named), it was good to have a change of pace and move our daughter Lauren back to IU. Our other daughter Meredith came down from Indy to help with the move while our son took care of the chickens in Eville.
Photo of Violet and Adeline taken earlier this week:



Today, we finished the little coop for Adeline and the bantam so they're spending their first night outside. They had a "mixer" with the other hens before bedtime. Ironically, my EE who is always picked on by the four other hens was the one who picked on the two orps. I gave her a lecture about bullying, but she didn't seem to be listening. The new chocolate bantam orp is so sweet and friendly. Adeline sadly still calls for Violet and she pecks at bantam if she gets too close. However, they are snuggled together tonight since it's chilly. I am wondering if Adeline will end up being a part of the LF flock and bantam will be left out. If I had known about Old Salt's blue cochin pullet, I might have swindled him out of her to be Adeline's buddy instead of giving her a pint-sized bantam mascot.


We do love the tiny ball of choclate fluff, though. I need to take photos of her tomorrow! She's a rich dark brown with big brown eyes. I wonder if she needs a bantam friend. I know people have said that bantams and LFs mix as far as mating, but when it comes to living in the same coop or being in the same flock of hens, how does that work?

She looks just precious! Orps usually are very laid back and seem to be lower in pecking order (except the roos

) If she is left out, you might consider a silkie, or a cochin.They seem to be very sweet as hens. OEGs are people friendly and sweet but very dominant, same for the sebright.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: They are all just beautiful, we all love Rangi, but Marama has grown to be just lovely too.

Hi everyone, I am back from South Dakota. Crazy long exhausting work. Glad to be home. Had an absolutely horrible experience with my chickens while gone. Lost 2 of my rare Blue Ameracaunas and 1 BCM. My coop is a disaster. My 'fake' eggs are missing along with my egg gathering basket. And my chickens are not laying anymore.
My neighbor came and mowed my pasture without asking and now not sure what to do about our calf.
2 of our turtles are MIA; 2 that we have had for like 8 years too.
NO clue on any of that, but very puzzling disturbing.
Hopefully though now that I am home....things can get back to normal.

Guess you just really cannot leave your animals in care if someone else. :-/

I am so sorry. I only trust my eldest daughter, she knows every step but loves the critters as much as I do. I think they are as much hers as mine.

And not pictured is the vent along the bottom edge of the roof, also secured with hardware cloth.

The shingles are on now, too, and I've moved the fence so the pop door can be used. Just a touch-up with paint and adding a skirt, and then it's complete!

Looks fantastic, and definitely critter proof!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Also, if anyone is good at sexing Silkies, I'd be glad to hear what you think of Marka / Margaret, the Silkie I got from Brad. I thought for sure it was a cockerel, but now I have people telling me it looks like a pullet.

I made a thread with a few more pictures, too. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/815820/16-18-week-old-silkie-is-he-a-she Of course, those that have responded are 50/50 pullet and cockerel.

Wow I really think pullet too! At that age, my roos have a lot more comb showing, my girls have little or none.

 

[pginsber]

Thank

Mold is a fungus that can be dangerous to chickens and humans.  Fermenting feed involves creating an environment to encourage bacteria that start to break down the food to make it more easily digestible, thus making more of the nutrients in the food available to the chicken. 

Thanks. It still sounds complicated. I'll prob stick with chicken chow until I master that.