"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[Garilyn Bardash]

Evening everyone! Long day today at the chicken swap in DeRidder. First thing this morning chickens and guineas got loose from someone near me. Silly guineas were smart enough to run through the field. Poor chicken didn't quite make it crossing the road.

Then I went to the auction in Anacoco for the afternoon. Saw lots of people I've chatted with both here and on facebook. It's always nice to be able to put a face to the name.

My daughter actually made fun of me all day. Primrose comes up to me and says, "I talk to you online--I'm Primrose." I say, "Oh! I'm chickenbelle!" My daughter is walking around like, "My mother is a total online chicken geek!"

She swears we all need therapy. I told her that nope, SHE just needed some kind of instruction manual with all of our Secret Chicken Code Screen Names to be able to identify us all.
I went to sell birds I decided not to keep or didn't have orders for. Came home with ANOTHER duck.

Sucker? *sigh* I suppose. Dear daughter knows how to work me. Now the poor earring swallower has a girlfriend. They swam together with their necks all entwined and preened one another happily. I thought for a brief moment that I could see little red hearts floating above their heads.

So glad that poor earring swallower finallu got a new family, he was just doing what a duck will do! I bet that he is in love already!

 

[PrimroseMom1]

I just ordered a dozen+ White rock eggs from XW Farms (J-whip) here are some of the parent stock hope to get a couple this fine out a the clutch setting.









Good Day

Jeff

They are beautiful!!!

 

[NOLA Chicks]

Hey y'all. I thought I'd just say "hey" . I'm from Louisiana and I've been lurking a bit. Just thought I'd say a quick hello and try to get to know some of my neighbors here.

I'm fairly new to raising poultry. I have inspected plenty of them, though, and worked the kill floor! I was a meat inspector for 10 years before going back to school. I am really info hungry right now!!

We currently just have ducks (as far as poultry goes - but have horses, donkey, dog, house cat, too). I have grown very attached to the ducks and ducklings! I am wanting to get some geese and chickens now, too. However, much to my husbands dismay! LOL. But I always win out! He can't help he's a "city boy".

Anyway, hello to everyone!

Welcome!

Got wooden posts cemented in the ground over the weekend and put most of the run fence up today. But now I'm wide awake..

I think I will end up doing FF feed. Especially if I ever do meaties. Didn't realize that there couldn't be animal protein in it.

I'm tired just reading about what you did over the weekend. LOL

This helped me get started fermenting...

http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/p/fermented-feed.html?m=1

Excellent link. Thanks for sharing!

It is clear to me that if we are discussing purchasing any kind or size of cement mixer to mix chicken feed in---we are definitely serious addicts. I'm obviously in the right place.

 

[NOLA Chicks]

Here's the information I've been offered on one of the other BYC forums when I first began researching ff. I found it very helpful.
The following is a compilation of comments I extracted from a few different posts:

Originally Posted by Mumsy
Start with a small bucket. Add some all-purpose crumble. Add a glug of Unpasteurized Apple cider vinegar with the mother (found in the health food isle of grocery store). Stir in enough water to make it soupy. Leave it to sit for a couple days. Scoop, drain, feed. Chickens thrive on it. Sometimes I stir in plain yogurt. Sometimes I crush a fresh clove or two of garlic and add it. I keep my bucket in a corner in the kitchen with a cotton tea towel over the top of it. I scoop out my flocks needs into a strainer and take it out to the barn once a day. My chickens are healthy, worm free, in good weight, laying, breeding, and fertile. What more could we want?

I usually feed my birds in the morning. They don't get more feed of any kind until that morning FF in their dish is gone. If you have feed left over in their dish, you are giving them too much. Once chickens get used to eating this, they eat less than what you would feed them dry. That's one of the beauties of feeding FF. It takes less feed and allows your birds more nutrition from what they do eat. Sometimes it seems like they aren't eating enough but they won't starve themselves. They are getting a nice full crop with the FF and you use less feed in the process.

The idea for me is this. I want my money to go as far towards feeding my layers, breeders, chicks, and show birds as it will go. Giving my birds the best chance at health, fertility, and good nutrition. A benefit to that is the gorgeous lush feathers they grow and the vitality they have in the breeding pens. I scooped dry crumble out of a bag and fed chickens with it for decades as is. And for decades I had just so so results. The way I'm feeding them now is giving me spectacular results.

My basic recipe is:


Two to Four cups of
For chicks: non-medicated chick starter crumble (depends on how many chicks your feeding)
Otherwise: All-purpose crumble
1/2 cup ground pumpkin seed (prevents worms)
Tablespoon to teaspoon of dried organic Cayenne (prevents cocci and worms)
Tablespoon to teaspoon of powdered organic Garlic (many health benefits and prevents worms)
Tablespoon of organic flake Oregano (many health benefits. Mostly a heart benefit.
A splash or glug (Tablespoon or more) of Un-pasteurized Apple Cider vinegar from the health food isle. I started with a bottle of Braggs. Now I make my own.

Sometimes I stir in plain yogurt. Fresh crushed garlic cloves. Corn and wheat scratch. Alfalfa cubes. Black Oil Sunflower Seeds and fresh Oregano or Basil from the garden for the adult birds. These additives will put on weight and fat so I'm careful how much and when I add. Enough water to make it soupy. Cover with a tea towel and let it sit at room temperature for a couple days. It will swell up. Stir it once or twice a day. On the second day it will start to ferment and bubble. It will smell pickle-y or yeast-y. It is fine to dip out, strain, and feed at this point for most health benefits. If it isn't bubbling, it is still ok to feed. Some chicks and chickens will be slow to take to it. Especially if they have only been eating dry crumble. I start mine on it first feed of the morning while they are hungry. Once they get used to the wet mash texture they go crazy for it. My chicks and chickens scramble over the tops of each other to get to the feed dish each morning. I keep the dish full for the chicks. My adult flocks get as much as they will finish in an hour or so and then I feed again before the lights are out for the night. There is a lot of information on FF here on BYC. My favorite thread about it is https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds/4720#post_10583885

The more hours the mash sits undisturbed, the thicker that bloom gets. I added fresh feed to my chick bowl and the larger flock’s bucket last night before I went to bed. After twelve hours over night you can just barely see the bloom started on them both. If I let them sit another twelve hours it would be really pronounced. I stir with a big wooden spoon or spatula before scooping out what I need to strain. While it strains, I get dressed and have a cup of coffee. Then out to the barn I go.

Originally posted by howfunkyisurchicken



So, since I've never fermented anything in my life, I thought I'd check to see if this is looking right? Its very actively bubbling- which I read is a good thing. Its also got this white film over the top? You can sort of see it in the picture. I had to ditch the extra container because it wasn't keeping my mix wet enough, but that's ok bc I have another way to strain out the liquid. How often should I add new feed to the mix? Its still bubbling, I think today is the second day it'll have been sitting. Also, it smells really good! I was surprised bc I put a little gamebird feed in it, and everyone who used gamebird crumbs said theirs stunk


Originally posted by TurtlePowerTrav

Looking good. Whatever I scoop out is about what I mix new into it and add more water and stir.


Originally posted by Mumsy

Bubbling is great. That's fermentation in progress. I add if I'm taking out. Probably add every other day if you’re just using about a cup or so at a feed.

 

[TruBluCG]

I am definitely intrigued by the fermented feed thing!! I wonder if it would work on waterfowl? I may have to try it out.

Cotton Patch?! Did someone say Cotton Patch?!?! I would LOVE to have either a couple of goslings or eggs to hatch out!

 

[Abbie79]

Any backyard poultry raisers/processors near central Louisiana selling meat?

 

[TruBluCG]

Also - about the pot.... I second the salt! Boil pot with salt water in it, plus I pour salt over the bottom of the pot (after i drain the salt water) and use the salt as a scrub. It may take some elbow grease, but it has always worked very well for me; even on non stick stuff.

 

[JohnnyxRex]

thank you for taking the time to do that! Ive updated my phone before but haven't updated since the latest IOS came out. Guess I need to. Mine doesn't show the "upload from device OR"..... It just has the bottom part where you have to enter the URL. I'm on the mobile version and knew how to get that far, just couldn't figure out why it wouldn't let me use pictures from my phone. Guess I better update! Lol

No problem.

I just ordered a dozen+ White rock eggs from XW Farms (J-whip) here are some of the parent stock hope to get a couple this fine out a the clutch setting.









Good Day

Jeff

Those are AWESOME! And how much did you say you would sell us eggs for (hint, hint)

Thanks to everyone posting stuff about fermented feed. I first read about it a few months ago before I even had chickens. I thought it was for meat birds only. I never knew you could do chick crumble. What happens when you switch to layer feed? Pellets?

I love watching my birds. Whenever I go to feed them I always stick my head down to their eye level (its raised) and I hear what I call "the happy chirp" start. Only some of them though.

My dad no longer sticks his hand in there because they get too excited. I used to stick my hand in there with feed (from day 1) so now they assume that there's food there even if they don't see it. This might be a problem... So what now?

 

[kuntrygirl]

Good morning Peeps. Looks like rain.

I posted this on the Turkey thread and I thought this would be beneficial to those who will be administering Poxine to their birds. Here are instructions on how to administer the vaccine.

Look for the thin part of the upper wing where there is no muscle, bone or veins (you can see light through it and you can feel it between your thumb and forefinger). Pluck out any feathers in the area where you will vaccinate. Put the stabber all the way into the bottle of vaccine. Then using a quick firm motion push the stabber all the way through the wing web up to the plastic handle (prongs will come out the other side of the wing). Remove stabber, release bird, and repeat until all are done. It is quite easy to do.

 

[kuntrygirl]

[COLOR=0000CD]Here's the information I've been offered on one of the other BYC forums when I first began researching ff.  I found it very helpful.[/COLOR]

All I can say is WOW !!!!!!!!

This is a FABULOUS post!

A person after my heart. I LOVE the way you have included EVERY single detail about this process. I was so happy when I read your post, I almost cried tears of joy.

I'm speechless.

THIS info is what I was looking for. THIS info is what will help me with the fermented feed. THIS info is what will keep me sane during this process. THIS info is why I LOVE the people on this thread. We asked for it and we got it! Can ya tell I'm elated about your post? Well, I AM !!

Thank you for compiling all of this information in one location for everyone to see. It makes it so much easier. I can't thank you enough.

e :yiipchick :cd