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

[7L Farm]

You need this thread! https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds

That thread pretty much answers all questions about FF and beyond...will give reports on how it works out for folks, how different people accomplish it, etc.

Ok, Thanks. One more question the missing ingrediant is UP. What in the world I know the brown trucks are called UPS.

 

[Beekissed]

Unpasteurized....not heated until all the bacteria are killed.

 

[Beekissed]

Pics of the Gnarly Bunch, 2 wks into their reconditioning:



This is a Barred Rock foraging in the white dutch clover planted over my garden bed rows...they hit this area several times a day but especially in the evening.



Today...I threw down some Boss to get them all in one area...not the greatest pic but shows them getting some sheen and fullness back to their feathering...just a little.










Toby..gettin' his strut on!

 

[galanie]

Go Toby! Go Toby! e

Love the name Gnarly Bunch, by the way.

 

[thedragonlady]

Pics of the Gnarly Bunch, 2 wks into their reconditioning:



This is a Barred Rock foraging in the white dutch clover planted over my garden bed rows...they hit this area several times a day but especially in the evening.



Today...I threw down some Boss to get them all in one area...not the greatest pic but shows them getting some sheen and fullness back to their feathering...just a little.










Toby..gettin' his strut on!

It's amazing to watch their transformation! GO TOBY !!!

 

[aaggjg]

Wow it is absolutely AMAZING the difference in these birds in just 2 weeks!!! I am so impressed and inspired!!! I can see a little bit of green sheen coming back to the blacks & Toby amazing....

 

[armorfirelady]

Wow Bee such improvement in 2 weeks.!!! I can def see the improvements in them all & it looked like some sheen in Tobys tail feathers. He is one handsome Roo

 

[Bulldogma]

Bee - what an amazing difference a caring owner and only 2 weeks can make!

 

[Beekissed]

He's getting there....his cock feathers are gone and he is about 3-5 lbs underweight. When he gets his bulk back and his full plumage he is a sight to behold. You can see even in this pic where his chest muscles are wasted and his neck is scrawny. Wait until you see him at full recovery....he is a beautiful, regal beast.

These pics don't do them justice and I can't get them to hold still long enough to take good, broadside and close up pics. They are wary as any free range flock should be and so getting pics of them in good light and in a good position is proving difficult for me. Raggedy Ann is getting so much feathering now and is so smooth and clean! Little Red is filling out and her feathering is healthier looking. They all are starting to show more sheen and smoothness to feathering and scale, more alertness in the eyes...combs are still pale and dry but I expect this will take time.

Even Turkey, that little mutt chicken with a keel as sharp as a knife, is showing some more weight on her chest...it's subtle but the feathers there are showing less of a ridge.

I'm impressed with their progress as well and can only credit the wood ashes for ridding them of lice and mites, the NuStock for ridding them of the scale mites, the FF for better health and absorption of nutrients, and an outside life for all the other improvements. It doesn't take much to get and keep a flock healthy, does it?

 

[aaggjg]

It really takes time to break down the deep litter, especially if you have a small flock. I wouldn't clean out deep litter...some people don't clean it all out for years and that is the smartest way to do it. They take out some of the litter to use for their gardens but they never really clean it all out.

If you get it wet in one area, just stir in some dry and/or clean bedding. I usually throw some BOSS down on the more moist areas and let the chickens do the work. They do it so much better than I and it's good to give them a job to do...makes my day better too.

It doesn't have to be done often if you have good ventilation but I let them do it more in the winter to keep the bedding from forming a "cap" under which mold can grow. The deep litter, if decomposing well...and this takes plenty of time and a good balance of manure to carbonaceous/dry matter, will put off a faint warmth when you put your hand into it.

The key to good decomposition in litter is time, ventilation and more time. Let it get a little moist but not so wet that it forms mold...you should be able to pick it up in your hand and squeeze it and it will hold together for a moment but be able to throw it into the air and it will separate immediately. It's hard to explain but if you've ever worked with good mulch you've probably seen this in action. It will also turn a nice, mocha brown and no longer smell like pine shavings but more like earth/soil. THAT'S good decomposition.

My climate is VERY DRY so moisture for decomposition is tough .... My coop has a little ammonia smell today I guess I just add more shavings and stir it up? I love the idea of adding garden soil to help jump start the decomposition ... I guess I'll give that a go and see if that helps at all. Plus I am so not a patient person!!!