The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Melabella]

Sometimes it boggles my mind how people just offer advice on how to treat hens right away with medicines rather than getting to the bottom of the issue, or knowing exactly what it is @_@

I need to stay off the emergency forum.

there is another forum?

 

[holderh]

I'm excited!!!

We have a young couple that go to our church that had told my husband some time ago he was going to invite us over the next time he processes chickens. He just called and said he's going to do some roosters tomorrow and we're supposed to go in the afternoon to take part and learn hands-on.

These folks are immigrants from the Ukraine. They connected with some of the farmers in the area who pretty much GIVE them their spent layers and these folks value them and butcher them whenever they're available. This time it's a group of roosters. Not sure how old they are but I don't care at this point...just want the experience!

Good luck! we have some roosters we need to process as well and it will be the first time for us too...

 

[Melabella]

Like I have NO idea what BOSS is

 

[camilleathome]

My husband would love this awnser XD

 

[Melabella]

My husband would love this awnser XD

lol... I saw him when I was 17 at Stone Pony,,, never forgot how unbelievably exciting it was....

I am proud of you tackling the FF. I am a sissy, and won't start until the freezing ends. Cleaning 200 lbs of frozen horse manure takes up all my patience on a daily basis. Keep us posted how it goes... at least I know when I do start, I have the best dang group of FF groupies to help me along...

MB

 

[Bulldogma]

Mumsy,
Take a diamond file to the rim of that pickle jar and cut a little notch in it, and it will work just like the commercial ones.

That's a great idea!

 

[Mumsy]

Mumsy,

Take a diamond file to the rim of that pickle jar and cut a little notch in it, and it will work just like the commercial ones.

Thank you! I have a dremel with a diamond disc attachment. Here's the thing. I had a stroke eleven years ago and power tools and me don't exactly have a safe track record. But....My husband would do that chore for me if I promised him an apple pie. Thanks again JeffOeuf! That is a very good idea.

 

[camilleathome]

Thank you! I have a dremel with a diamond disc attachment. Here's the thing. I had a stroke eleven years ago and power tools and me don't exactly have a safe track record. But....My husband would do that chore for me if I promised him an apple pie. Thanks again JeffOeuf! That is a very good idea.

An Apple Pie is a GREAT trade off .


I just put my FF away in a corner and covered it up and uploading a video of me making it so all you FF'ers(Can I say that without it sounding like im swearing at you all? XD) can tell me if I did it right or If I need to redo it

 

[Mumsy]

So for how much water its just enough to cover right? Just making sure I have things right. Ill start the mix tonight and add some stuff tomorrow when I go shopping. I have flax and garlic here and oregano so I can start with that with the chick starter. Suggestions on things to buy to add to it welcome.

There is no one recipe. You got to just jump in and start doing it. You will get to a point where it is working for you and your chickens like it. You don't have to get too crazy with what you add. I find my adult flock leave a large percentage of the fermented cubed alfalfa in the bottom of the dish. They pick out all the crumble and grain first. I dump the dish on the lawn and they eat the rest of the dregs. Chickens are a lot like little children that way. Nothing of my FF goes to waste. They don't get fresh until all the day before is gone. With the chicks I'm more careful. I want them hungry for their FF ALL of the time. I won't let their food get stale in the dish. What little is left in the morning when I go out to feed I toss to the adult flock. The chicks get a bowl of their fresh FF each and every morning.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Here's the photo of my little fermented feed bowl. I have 6 adult hens and now the 4 babies and this makes enough. I take out some in the morning then put another scoop of dry in the bowl, add water stir and go on my way. They may end up getting another feeding later in the day depending on what's left in their bowl.

In this photo you can see the height of water above the feed...it's about 1" above. In this photo the sediment hasn't totally settled as I just stirred it not too long before.



When you first get started, you'll put the water in and stir it up, and you'll think there's plenty in there. Then when you look at it in a couple hours it may have soaked up all the water and you'll have to add more and stir again. Just keep doing that until it has enough water. Then when you take some out to feed, put in a little more dry and some water and stir it all together. As you go, you'll get a better idea of how much water you need to use. After it starts to get going well it will start to smell a little like pickles.

As far as a culture starter...
-Some use ACV.
-Some don't use any starter at all and just do "wild fermentation".
-Some use a little whey.

So far, I've tried all of the following as starters to see which I liked best. I'm listing them in order from my favorite to my least favorite:
1. Juice from my fermented sauerkraut
2. Experimental pack of starter for fermenting veggies. (This would be similar to using the sauerkraut juice...has the same Lactic Acid producing Bacteria (LABs).
3. Whey from cheesemaking
4. ACV,


On this batch I used a couple tablespoons of the juice out of a jar of my fermenting sauerkraut.