Friendly_Lurker
Free Ranging
I feed whole corn kernels and layer pellets, never had a problem.
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I'm happy to feed a complete crumble or pelleted feed right out of the bag, and not spend time and effort fermenting anything. The whole grain feeds can definitely be a problem for some birds who pick out the good stuff and leave the rest.
A hen laying 'only' 150 eggs per year is still working very hard! 'Natural' chickens might produce 30!
I think that crop impactions happen because they happen; the individual bird has a problem with her crop, and it overfills with whatever she's eating. Years ago I had a family of birds who developed this, several by one year of age. I eliminated this family from my breeding group, and the issue hasn't appeared in any other birds here.
Of course a bird might eat something stupid and get impacted, but otherwise it's just something she's doing. Marek's? I imagine it might cause this too.
Mary
I ferment the feed in containers in my pantry. I stir once per day. I've never had a batch go bad.Thank you! In warmer months, how do you prevent the feed from going bad or rancid?
Actually fermented mash is quite old. My great grandparents used it in the winter. In summer they were on their own. Pellets and crumbles are a relatively new item, came out in the 20th century.I feed a balanced Grower finisher and have never jumped on the bandwagon of fermented feed. I toss out scratch once a week add in a few fruits or veggies during the week too. It's all about balancing the diet so you don't run into health issues.
Yes and why crumble is more desirable.Actually fermented mash is quite old. My great grandparents used it in the winter. In summer they were on their own. Pellets and crumbles are a relatively new item, came out in the 20th century.
To me, it's like the processed food sold in the stores, good for convenienceYes and why crumble is more desirable.
because in foraging they (ideally) find and eat whatever else they need (assuming there is good forage, esp. variety to be had), as whole grains will not provide 100% of what they need, even when fermented. E.g. dandelions have lots of vitamins and minerals, inc calcium.why do you suppose whole grains work best with active foragers?