info on Taste::Feed ?

[koonaone]

Hi folks

I did try to find this out on the search engine but without results.

I have raised Cx birds on regular store bought feed and they turn out just fine in size, tenderness, taste etc.

A friend of mine however adds the ingredients of alfalpha hay, goat and horse poop to the regular feeds and gets a really superior flavour.

My question is: short of importing a horse and a goat onto my little lakeside lot is there any way I can emulate my friends luck with tasty birds?

I have a certain amount of chickweed, dutch clover and black medic on the place. I was wondering if anyone has experimented with a little rye for instance, or

buckwheat or what have you?

I figure if there's a place to find this out it would be right here.

Looking forward to any input.

douglas

 

[Beekissed]

Never really heard a home grower intentionally adding manure to the feed ration, though I've heard of them feeding chicken litter back to the birds in a commercial setup.

Maybe the alfalfa was the deciding factor with the taste of the meat? I free ranged mine and the flavor was incredible and so different than store bought chicken.

Though...if one thinks about it, horse and goat poop is just processed grasses. Could you just work with a feed store and get them to customize a feed ration that includes plenty of alfalfa and other greens? You could even try mixing your lawn clippings in their feed ration and see if they will eat it along with the feed.

The replies to this post may get interesting.....

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I did some research online into this topic. What I did find was many references to the french feeding only barley for superior flavored birds. I bought barley, most my birds won't even think of touching it, in fact only one pen of 7 (out of 70) eat it. I did some further research on barley and found that it (like oats) has what is called a "sticky" protien and is not really digestable/absorbed by poultry unless cooked or broken down.

If you feed alfalfa be very careful as the long stems are a frequent cause of impacted crops.

I know chickens often pick through poop for feed/bugs, but honestly the thought of intentionally feeding it to ones birds kinda grosses me out!

I would suggest adding a little corn, red wheat, and alfalfa pelletts to your birds diet (or maybe half of your birds to compare)

 

[koonaone]

Sorry beekissed I wasn't very clear on that point was I. My friend actually lets the chickens do the work of choosing the finer portions of the manure. He has a barn with adjoining corral and just lets them out periodicaly to forage at will. First thing they head for is those big steaming clods.

That's interesting about the barley Katy I will have to look in to that further as I respect french taste in all things. What I have available for experimentation is a whopping stand of rye put in as a slope stablisation crop up the highway a ways and think I will isolate a couple of birds in the last 2 weeks and add that to their feed. You know, I never thought of simple alfalpha pellets as a supplement. Cheaper than hay I'd think.

I must say you have a low yuk threshold if horse apples gross you out. I've watched lovely, albeit half bald, birds in panama ecstatic over a good dead dog, and have often used my flock to remove the flesh and fat off of deer and other hides. Sorry, I digress from the topic at hand a little, i doubt those would improve meatbird flavour though I know egg production is enhanced.

Thanks for all the input, if I happen to learn anything in the future I will be sure to share the information.

douglas

 

[stanglover2001]

Quote:

I've been sitting here for the last 10 minutes trying to figure out why apples would gross someone out, then I realized you were referring to horse poo! To tell ya the truth just 2 weeks ago we shot an oppossum on our porch, burned it, boiled it then fed it to our DP Roo's only. And when I say fed I mean pulled it apart and got all the meat off the bones, we didn't throw it out whole for them to peck on like some people think.

 

[koonaone]

stanglover2001

I know this is totaly off topic and I risk being modded down but I gotta know, and you are from down there.

Whats that possum taste like anyhow?

douglas

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

LOL, not grossed out by the poo, just the thought of filling the feeder with it!

'possum tastes like 'coon!

 

[sonew123]

Quote:

 

[stanglover2001]

Quote:
To tell ya the truth I dunno, but I bet it tastes like..... are you ready? CHICKEN!!!

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

koonaone you're not off topic if it's your thread!!!!

really thought it tastes like coon. My grandpa's from Tn and I've eaten both, don't like them and they look like a rat in the pan (especiallly possum) lol!