The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Miss Lydia]

Leahs Mom, adorable lil chick,Congrats...

 

[pigeonguy]

You're such a sap

Hope you tell her this! Women love to hear how they are needed.

I have told her every since I met her and she said I love you the first time. I love you too on Tuesdays. I mean after all I am a man I have to have some A**hole in me. She knows the truth. It has worked for 31 years.

 

[aoxa]

Ya but it gets freaky cold where your at. It will get below 0 here but not like there. If mine froze solid every day I would practice different methods. Like a heat tape connected to the bottom of my feeder.

I've checked for heat tape, and it's very pricey to ship, and it isn't carried here in hardware stores. Bummer..

I have told her every since I met her and she said I love you the first time. I love you too on Tuesdays. I mean after all I am a man I have to have some A**hole in me. She knows the truth. It has worked for 31 years.

Congrats on such an epic marriage.

 

[BethanyS]

 

[Miss Lydia]

I just wanted to get your thoughts on this. No I don't think what I'm doing at all is adversely affecting my birds. On the contrary. They are thriving and have never been doing so well (most notably the chicks!)

You know a lot about nutrition, and I really appreciate your take on it. With free ranging as well, they are picking up on plenty of other goodies and don't rely solely on the FF as 100% of their diet. Saw them eating pine needles the other day, why on earth would they do that?

I am having to add feed everyday to my ff mix and am wondering if mine is even fermenting at all since the next day I am taking out of what i added the day before. i don't have room in my house for another bucket of feed and no place else to put it outside. So am I even feeding ff or just wet feed? This morning when iIbrought the dry grains and feed in when i added the warm water I put a capful of ACv in too the mix. Can the grains and feed ferment in 24 hrs or less is the question.

 

[pigeonguy]

Interesting point. Not long after I started w/fermented feed, I decided to track how much feed I was using. In October my 6 birds went through a 50 LB BAG IN ONE MONTH. That's an incredible lot of food for 6 birds! Then, in November and December, they haven't yet finished a 50 lb bag total. In November thy used about 1/3 bag; December maybe a little more than 1/3.

I think you're right - I think their body is craving and they finally get what they need then even out.


I buy all my feed - including seeds and whole grains - from a local feed mill. They mill my feed to order (I do "no soy", with fish meal, organic with Fertrel Nutribalancer at this point for the regular feed). I also purchase bags of barley, spelt and/or wheat, sunflower seeds from them.

Only catch is that I have to purchase the whole bag on the grains/seeds so I end up w/ a 50 lb bag or whatever I purchase. It is less expensive to purchase the bag if you have a feed mill nearby. As for storage, the whole grains store much better than feed that has been milled.

While I don't use DE in the deep litter or anywhere else for the chickens, I do put a bit of DE into each bag of whole grains that will be stored for any length of time -BUT NOT TO FEED THE CHICKENS!

As I understand it, the purpose of putting DE into the grain bags is to deter weevils and other buggies from hatching and living in the grains.

Interesting point. I also have noticed that they don't drink as much water after having started the fermented feed. And I also keep my feed well under the water line in the fermenting bucket to hopefully create a more anaerobic environment in the feed that's fermenting below the waterline. (This is a principle in fermenting veggies like sauerkraut or pickles - fermentation in that environment takes place under anaerobic conditions so I've tried to follow that out at least somewhat with the ff by keeping the feed under the water line.) I do stir the feed from time to time (probably at least 1X daily) so it doesn't really stay strictly anaerobic, but it does settle back down under the water line with only a small amount of stuff floating on the top.

Now I haven't gone so far as to remove their access to water as they do drink - and I don't think I leave as much of the liquid out in the bowls for them as you do. But I HAVE noticed the need for less water.

I think the idea of adding the ACV to the feed that you know they are eating is a good idea!

I am also one of those that DOES leave some dry feed out as well. They don't eat as much of it as the ff, but I want them to make that choice. I leave out very little as they don't use much but I do see them pecking through it from time to time.

I should say that I only add sometimes 1/2 of a shot glass and sometimes 1 whole shot glass to a 5 gallon bucket filled 3/4 full of FF 2, 3 maybe 4 times a week depends on how it smells. I don't want it to strong but I want to know it is there. Just barely a smell. For those doing ice cream containers I think a teaspoon would be enough.

 

[delisha]

Quote: You take it all out? any way you can leave a little behind?

 

[pigeonguy]

Leah's Mom

Remember last week how we were discussing how FF doesn't give them energy? Here's more on that...

Protein creates energy doesn't it? If that is true FF gives better protein absorption. When a person works out it is always said to take more protein not sugar ie: carbohydrates which make fat. An example would be when a person diets they say keep the carbs low but get plenty of protein to keep your energy up.
Gonna get it for this statement but come on there are a lot of women here you have had to of heard that. Never met a woman big or small that didn't at some time try dieting.
(said as I duck behind my key board)

 

[delisha]

I should say that I only add sometimes 1/2 of a shot glass and sometimes 1 whole shot glass to a 5 gallon bucket filled 3/4 full of FF 2, 3 maybe 4 times a week depends on how it smells. I don't want it to strong but I want to know it is there. Just barely a smell. For those doing ice cream containers I think a teaspoon would be enough.
All recommended dosage I have read is between one tablespoon to three tablespoon per gallon depending on health issues. Treating for an ill chicken is three tablespoons per gallon, healthy chickens is one tablespoon per gallon. And that is water. An ice cream container is usually 5 quarts and that is larger than a gallon.I am sure it works great for you but I would not recommend it for others.

 

[delisha]

Hello Bethany