The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[LindaB220]

Is there something similar to the sweeter heater, that won't set a coop on fire, but costs less than 50 bucks?

I know, I don't ask for much.

Why yes, there is. Beekissed made one and I think Aart gave her credit on his thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/862691/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate

Youtube has a video on using one outside in a coop. Cute as a button. Bee made hers by wrapping bent fencing in an arch and tying the heat pad under it. Placed inside a pillowcase. The Sunbeam Ultra something or other has a washable one for $29. Easy peasy. It will be easy for me to set up a brooder box in the extra coop.

 

[LindaB220]

I know. That's the problem.

Can somebody just tell me if they ferment without a starter? I guess that's my main question. Water and feed sitting in a bucket for a few days is easy enough for me!

I do know a lot about fermented feed. I live in the south and can do it year around. If you have a lot of cold and snow, you can ferment it in a spare room or something in the house. Or put it in the garage with a seed heating pad under it or around it. Take out what you need for the day.. It saves a lot of money if you can ferment all the daily supply, but if you can only do a small portion, take out some and add to the daily amount and stir. Good enough. By far, the best decision I ever made was to start this. My birds are extremely healthy and they eat cheap.

 

[vpatt]

Maybe someone here can tell you if it is ok to put the grain near the wine. Some fermentations should not be close to each other. I know this is true but I cannot tell you if it is true of grain and wine.

 

[CoopChick719]

I know. That's the problem.

Can somebody just tell me if they ferment without a starter? I guess that's my main question. Water and feed sitting in a bucket for a few days is easy enough for me!

Yes, I have used just water & feed. It takes longer. I have done FF with ACV. I've also done it with water, feed & a small container (1/2 cup or cup) of plain yogurt with live cultures or a splash of buttermilk. I think using a "starter" (ACV, yogurt, buttermilk) just moves the fermenting process along more quickly. Once I get the ferment going, I don't find it necessary to use more starter as long as I keep adding water & feed when the FF gets low. I do like the yogurt or buttermilk better than the ACV. I think it starts to ferment more quickly--just a personal preference. Just tonight, I added 1 gallon of water & 18 cups of Purina FlockRaiser feed to my 5 gallon bucket that had about 2 cups of already fermented feed left in it. This will be ready to feed my 17 hens in the morning. If it's too wet, I'll just add some dry feed or scratch to make it crumbly like oatmeal cookie dough.

I live in Maine. I keep mine in my attached insulated garage. I've never had it freeze on me.

 

[Lacy Blues]

When I first started fermenting my birds' feed, I added the ACV just to jump start it. I also add warm water when I add feed. Sometimes I'll add yogurt. I found in the beginning when the cultures were getting established that I would occasionally need to add a splash of the ACV because it would smell a little different, or look different and I wanted to be sure the correct cultures were growing. I keep the sides of my 5 gallon bucket scraped clean as feed left on the side can get quite smelly and crusty! Ewww! So I stir it down in every time. Also, I feed a lot of birds so I add feed every day. I don't know if it's getting really fermented or not but if I get the bucket too full, it puffs up and overflows the bucket.

 

[islandgirl82]

Maybe someone here can tell you if it is ok to put the grain near the wine. Some fermentations should not be close to each other. I know this is true but I cannot tell you if it is true of grain and wine.

@sunflower4you , there's at least one wine makers thread on here and I'm sure someone there will be able to tell you whether you can keep the fermenting feed next to the wine.

 

[sunflower4you]

Well I decided to just go for it last night to at least get something started. I put some feed in a pail and just covered with water and a couple splashes of ACV and mixed it all together. I put a lid on top (just set on top, not tight) and put it in the attached garage (the wine is in a different room). This morning I added some more water since the feed absorbed so much of it and stirred again. Now I will stir it twice a day and see what happens. Thanks everyone!

 

[lazy gardener]

If you want to get a good culture going, take the lid off so the natural yeast and microbes in the air can inoculate it.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Well I decided to just go for it last night to at least get something started. I put some feed in a pail and just covered with water and a couple splashes of ACV and mixed it all together. I put a lid on top (just set on top, not tight) and put it in the attached garage (the wine is in a different room). This morning I added some more water since the feed absorbed so much of it and stirred again. Now I will stir it twice a day and see what happens. Thanks everyone!

@sunflower4you
I sent a pm

 

[hoosiercheetah]

Why yes, there is. Beekissed made one and I think Aart gave her credit on his thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/862691/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate

Youtube has a video on using one outside in a coop. Cute as a button. Bee made hers by wrapping bent fencing in an arch and tying the heat pad under it. Placed inside a pillowcase. The Sunbeam Ultra something or other has a washable one for $29. Easy peasy. It will be easy for me to set up a brooder box in the extra coop.

Thanks! That's awesome!