The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

Funny...I just realized that I have some soaking on the counter right now but this time I'm using sour milk (raw) w/a little acv a)dded to speed up the clabber (cheating a bit

) That particular jar of milk is right at the beginning of souring so I'm sending it to the chickens - another one of those things they love!

I have just added yoghurt to my FF bucket. Probably more than I should have. I bought it specifically for the chickens as a treat.. and people started eating it.. so I said to heck with that and put a good deal of it in the FF. I don't know if I should have or not.. I never ever did before.

I've been watching it since adding it.. doesn't seem to be going bad or anything.

If Kefir can sit on the counter for days, this will be okay right?

The birds like it.

 

[aoxa]

I give whey, soured milk, and sometimes curds (which is their favorite) to the chickens all the time... I simply never thought about using the whey regularly to soak the grains. Gives a whole new perspective. Right now I just pour the whey into a stainless dog food bowl every few days when I don't have the time or inclination to make any whey cheese.
Sounds like I need to make better use of my whey... and it refrigerates just fine for several days, so... I can stretch out it's use until the next batch.

Or... I could get brave and ferment. I have about 60 hens right now though... that's a lot to ferment and keep up with.
Not to mention all the chicks I have right now.... hmm... you really got me thinking

I did fermenting with 150 birds through the winter. You can do it! Take the leap!!

 

[FlySammyJ]

Okay....hubby hijacked my bucket. (This can be good or bad

)

Then he came back w/it to and told me what he did.

On the outside edge of the bucket near the top, there was a protruding ridge piece. It is not where the lid would snap onto but just below that. He cut a tiny notch from that and heated it with the soldering gun (which he had sanded off down to the copper so it didn't have any solder left on it).

Then stuck the melted plastic on the bottom of the bucket.

(Now I'm concerned because solder has lead...he did say he sanded down the heat part to remove anything that was on it.)

There's a hole in the bucket Dear Ida, Dear Ida....

I'm sorry, I could not help myself.

 

[Leahs Mom]

The "how much" is a tricky question! When I first started fermenting for the chickens they decreased consumption for the first 4 weeks - then they doubled for a month! Then they decreased again and have kept pretty steady. So when I first started I just made an estimate and if they didn't eat it all, I left it out until they did and adjusted the next day.

Realistically I still do that as it does vary, but in my ferment container I always leave some and then add new every time I take it out. I may end up feeding twice a day if they really snarf it down a day or 2, then have leftover the 3rd day. So for me it has just been supply and demand. I know I give them enough but if it disappears down to the bowl quicker than usual, I give them a little more.

Now - how's THAT for a scientific answer

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:

I sang that to my husband too!!!

 

[RedRidge]

Quote:
Eek... feel like I need more guidance and knowledge.
And am terrified to try it on my heritage chickens until I feel like I've gotten the hang of it... I can't afford to kill any.

That's why I thought I might start small and do one group of production layers.
I currently have 11 in that group.
I'm just not to confident I would know the difference between fermented and spoiled.
How often does the "liquid" need to be replenished?
How many days of "feed" do you ferment ahead?
Is it necessary to feed twice daily? I only feed in the mornings usually.

See... too many questions....

Am I overanalyzing this?

 

[RedRidge]

Also... what about the non-grain ingredients... I add nutribalancer, limestone, kelp, and sometimes fish meal and/or alfalfa meal.
I normally grind and mix a 50 lb batch in a old wheelbarrow about once a week.
Obviously I'd have to add the other ingredients a day at a time... could be a problem breaking it down to amounts that small.
What do others do who ferment?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Believe me - you'll know if it's rotten. Smells totally different.

Now - I'm like you. I'd try it on the small group first so you can get a handle on it in a small-scale production before having to do the whole 9 yards! That way you can evaluate your process and figure out how to up-scale it for the larger group if you decide to continue.

The smell you're looking for is slightly sour - like fermented pickles or sauerkraut - and is actually quite pleasant with the grain/lactic acid smell. Assuming you're lacto-fermenting: A good rule of thumb is if you smell mold/yeast or alcohol, don't feed it. (It CAN often be fixed if you do get those smells, however, so don't toss it too quickly!)

If you send me a pm with questions I'll be glad to help with any questions as you're getting started! I'm leaving for a few hours, but I can try to catch up with you later this evening or early tomorrow morning if that's okay!

 

[Leahs Mom]

My feed is similar to yours. Fertrel Nutri-balancer, fish meal, alfalfa pellets are all in there.

 

[Mumsy]

The discussion on wooden buckets and troughs got my thinker thinking. I have a large collection of wooden primitive things. I've been a historical reenactor for renaissance, civil war, mountain man, and other situations. I've been using wooden, forged iron, bone, and pottery to cook, store, and general use for many years. The honourable skill of cooperage is highly regarded still. If you have the skill, time, and materials...you are golden. If you must purchase hand made wooden utensils and buckets, prepare to fork over a lot of $ for historically accurate and water proof. Cheap wooden bowls and plates can still be found at second hand stores and flea markets.

I do not wash my wooden items with soap but wipe them out good and dry them thoroughly. If you put water in a wooden bucket 24/7 it will rot in a few years. If it's elevated on bricks and the bottom does not come in contact with the ground, it may last a year or two longer. As mentioned earlier, wooden buckets and barrels will fall apart if they dry out too much.
I seal my wooden tankards and small buckets with melted bees wax. Bowls and bread dough troughs are wiped down with peanut oil. It doesn't go rancid like other oils.



A feast I prepared and served at a reenactment event using some of my wooden wares. My buckets are in storage and would take 36 hours to swell enough with water in them to be tight.

I would rather use glass, ceramics, and rubber utensils to feed and water my flock before using wood. My hand made wooden treasures are too valuable and hard to replace to use for livestock. Next time your in an antique store, try to find a wooden bread dough trough and then check the price tag. I bought mine new for twenty two bucks. They sell for three times that if they are vintage.

oh..and that is a working wooden butter churn in the background. Insides also sealed with bees wax.