The road less traveled...back to good health! They have lice, mites, scale mites, worms, anemia, gl

[lalaland]

I don't understand it, my hens are not happy with the FF - they will forage rather than eat it. I threw them some leftover cooked rice, and they went wild - making their little calls that they use when they find a really choice bug! but the ff? a few tentative nibbles and wander off, some don't even bother tasting. Still, at the end of the day, it is cleaned up.
Tried the trick of putting some right on the ground, but it didn't make a difference.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't understand it, my hens are not happy with the FF - they will forage rather than eat it. I threw them some leftover cooked rice, and they went wild - making their little calls that they use when they find a really choice bug! but the ff? a few tentative nibbles and wander off, some don't even bother tasting. Still, at the end of the day, it is cleaned up.
Tried the trick of putting some right on the ground, but it didn't make a difference.

I have to keep the ff in a bowl having ducks and geese would make for pretty messy ff if left where they could walk on it. Mine aren't eating it like they were when it was warmer I'll just have to take it a day at a time and see how they are with it when it gets really cold, since they don't spend anytime inside the cop right now i have to go inside bring the ff outside then put it back inside for night time keeping it plugged in during the night.

 

[Bulldogma]

I don't understand it, my hens are not happy with the FF - they will forage rather than eat it. I threw them some leftover cooked rice, and they went wild - making their little calls that they use when they find a really choice bug! but the ff? a few tentative nibbles and wander off, some don't even bother tasting. Still, at the end of the day, it is cleaned up.
Tried the trick of putting some right on the ground, but it didn't make a difference.

Any chance you have too much vinegar in there? Others have reported when they made a new batch with less vinegar, their chickens liked it much better. It doesn't take more than a few tablespoons full to get a ferment going in a 5 gallon bucket.

 

[lalaland]

i used the "glug" measurement, but maybe it was too much. I can try another batch to see if that helps.

Bulldogma, I am so glad you are doing the blog, looks great.

 

[normanack]

I would say for my 4 hens they get about 1 1/4 cups of FF every morning. I am using a small black plastic bowl about 4 inches in diameter about 3 inches deep & its filled to the top.

That actually helps a lot, thanks! I continue to be amazed at the rate at which my 2 dozen chickens go through 50 pounds of feed.

Normanack - I believe a standard-sized scoop holds approximately 50 "glugs". That's about as "standard" as anything gets in this thread... Just sayin'

Ha! Love it!

FWIW I bought a scoop. It has nearly invisible lines marking the number of quarts. Filling the scoop level is 2 quarts. That measured just over 8 cups (dry measure, like for flour) when I tried it. Three cups layer mash and two cups scratch (measured dry, before fermenting) get scarfed down quickly by my flock every morning. They also have a feeder of dry mash available, but it's a wasteful way to feed my messy birds.
edited to correct number: 2 quarts when scoop is standing upright and filled level; 3 quarts when tilted to "scooping" position and filled to rim.

Is a 3:2 ratio of layer mash to scratch okay, or should I make it heavier on the mash? I used to feed all mash (or pellets), but the feed mill guy said a lot of people mix it with scratch or corn. I also have a 50# bag of cracked corn, but it's under the bag of scratch. . . Hey, it was my first trip to the feed mill. I got a little over-excited.

 

[delisha]

Cute!
For FF

I use 3 parts layer, 3/4 whole grains, 1/4 cracked corn. My whole grains are: Wheat-2 parts-Rye-1/4 part-Oats1/2 part-1/2 barley part-1/2 split pea(I use a 10 oz measure for these parts)
I toss in BOSS and peanuts sometimes. I use a 32 oz plastic container as a part measure.
It is a gallon of dry. I am presently using a 3 gallon plastic tub I purchased at Farm and Fleet for $3.00.
I add 1 1/2 gallons of water and 1/4 cup of homemade ACV That almost fills that tub after the swell.
I cover it, and place it in front of a heat vent. I open the cover in an hour and stir. If I can get it to make it look like it is soupy on the sides and more solid in the center, I know it is about right.I usually have to add water. I leave the cover off one side after it is the right consistency.
I also feed spinach and kale..pumpkins, meat, chicken skin, baked egg shells and vegetable leftovers. I plant cabbage, kale, spinach, lettuce, and garlic for the chickens. I do not feed bread. It has too many gluten issues for chickens and ducks and sometimes it can cause crop/health issues. They love bread, and my kids loved candy, chocolate and cake, it does not make it OK to use it as a staple. My kids would beg to differ. I have now started putting1 tablespoon of calf manna on top before I serve.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

I found this out with Johnny too. I take out a bowl with his serving for the morning up until mid day. Maybe because his comb is so huge or the texture was not that interesting he likes it but would not finish it. Now I dump it in the grass outside the barn when he is out for the day. He eats every last crumb in that way. No waste. I'm thinking maybe it will be different when he has to share with four pullets come next month. There will be that scramble with everyone getting what they can before it's gone.

I feed 20 at a time, 10 adults and 10 10 week-olds, so I make many many little piles all over the ground for them, otherwise there would be carnage! It is a full-on free for all, and nobody cuts the peeps any slack, anymore. But with their Mum, they do have the numbers!

 

[delisha]

lala- you don't need to start over, just add more grains and water.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I use 3 parts layer, 3/4 whole grains, 1/4 cracked corn. My whole grains are: Wheat-2 parts-Rye-1/4 part-Oats1/2 part-1/2 barley part-1/2 split pea (I use a 10 oz measure for these parts)
I toss in BOSS and peanuts sometimes. I use a 32 oz plastic container as a part measure.

Your recipe isn't far from mine and I was adding split peas, too. BUT, those picky gal's of mine decided they don't like split peas and nothing I do will convince them otherwise.

After all the FF in gone, in one corner of the plate will be a small pile of very clean split peas. How do they do that?? Not even my children are as talented at removing and avoiding peas as these chickens!

 

[Beekissed]

I don't blame them.....hate peas!

You could always do what my mama always did...leave it there and don't feed them anything else until they eat them.