I guess my worry is mold... if the chickens don't stir enough. I should probably check out a DL thread now that I have a little more interest/info and stay on topic mostly. Thanks
My experience with Deep Litter has been positive IF I use pine shavings and IF the bedding has contact with the ground (it needs the microbes from the soil).
Straw and leaves mold for me in my cool wet PNW area....mold grows so quickly. I have to really watch spilled feed that gets moist as it will be moldy in a few days. (Some weather patterns are much worse than others, so mold conditions come and go somewhat).
So question for those who ferment...and especially those in cool, wet areas....do you have trouble with molding?
How do you "ferment" a bag of feed? Poor some water on it and let it sit in the can? I can almost assuredly get mold that way in no time. (I mistakenly left the feed can lid off, and rain hit the feed molding within a few days. I had to dump the remaining feed and start with a fresh dry bag).
I'm very interested in fermenting, just not sure how to safely go about it in my area.
As to the OP's question, I find my hens honestly do best on standardized layer feed for egg quality...much more so than all flock with oyster or calcite grit. The egg quality and production is much better. As I have limited range, (1/3 acre for them), they free range all day, but I believe they must get most of their nutrients through feed as they over graze the area (I average 15 birds plus broodies with grow outs, although I've cut back for this winter honestly to save costs and some work).
I have at times gone to produce stores and collected vegetable toss outs. Talk to the produce manager. One store is very happy to let people have their trimmings for free as it saves them garbage costs. It is a good way to get free plant greens, but the content does vary depending upon the season and who you deal with.
My yard stays pretty green all year, so grass and such is not too much of an issue, unless the birds have really overgrazed. I attempt a gate system to keep that in check. I say attempt as they are all Houdini's (even with wing clips) and love to get onto the "people" side and into the fresh grass.
Protein is more of an issue. I do find mine do better on 18% to 20% protein pretty much all year, though I can cut back to 16% in summer, so I target that in layer feed.
I have switched from the big name brands to a smaller, lesser known brand, after researching its content. It is about $4 cheaper for 50lbs (around $12.99), though only 16% protein. I have mixed all flock or even chick start with layer 16% to boost protein with good result.
The most important thing for me is to hang the feeders at beak height to avoid billing out a lot. I also do best if I feed only in the coop (it has a built in tray) and lock the birds tight in the coop. That cuts down on rodent loss during the night (but not the daytime). Putting cayenne pepper (when I remember to), does honestly help with rodent loss as the oils in the pepper affect the rodents but not the chickens.
I've gone around full circle on worming. My daughter studied to be a Vet Tech while still at home, and we used my flock as her "guinea pigs." Even on healthy birds, there is a worm presence. Vets obviously promoted seasonal worming, which we began; however, the FDA has made that more and more difficult as they have now pretty much pulled all products off the shelves. There is currently no FDA approved wormer for laying hens (matters if you sell eggs and want to remain within FDA approval for customer purposes).
I've tried herbals, with limited success. Herbals really rely on field rotation as they flush the bird's system but don't kill the worms outright (leaving them alive and well for pick up by the next bird, along with the intermediary stages).
With small holdings, field rotation can be hard. I do clean out my runs seasonally, usually twice a year. Actually I have my gardening friends do that for me. They gleefully come with shovels and buckets in tow as they scoop the black gold for free from my DL method in run.
So I am now focusing on sustainability in regards to worming and culling those who are problematic (birds not gardening friends). Lazy Gardener has stated a truth, an epiphany really, that 10% of the birds have 90% of the parasites, and thereby act as a vector for the others. With little ability to treat any more, I now cull (spelled KILL for me as I'm ridding the flock of the weaker less healthy).
The old timers swear by that method, and I think there is some real argument. With increased meds comes increased problems. Almost all meds eventually build a resistance in the microbe or parasite they are attempting to eradicate leaving the animal keeper back in the same boat only with weaker animals. I've had old time breeders tell me to cull any who can't simply exist on their own two feet. I am beginning to see the wisdom in that, obviously after good stewardship (clean feed, water, litter management).
My thoughts.
LofMc
any advise on How I can let them free range but keep them home?
