Topic of the Week - Feeding Chickens - What to feed and when?

[losttexan]

I have a corollary question that is somewhat on topic:

For those of you who butcher your extra young cockerels, what do you start feeding them a few weeks prior to fatten them up and make the meat better for consumption?

 

[lazy gardener]

Fermented feed. From day one till the fast the night before processing.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

x2 - just the same FF they eat their whole lives. Best chicken I've ever tasted!

 

[Aringr]

I do layer feed and oyster shells

 

[losttexan]

Yeah, but my birds free range and are a bit "lean" and tough. I'm looking for a "finishing diet" - kinda like switching cattle over to grain at the last.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

I don't know if it's the same for chickens but I was trying told to feed my duck beet pulp. Besides caging them and feeding them nothing but feed if they are running around the use energy whe. You need them to store the protien in order to put weight on them.

 

[lazy gardener]

You really can't expect a LF cockrel to size up and put on the weight like the birds you buy at the grocer. Genetically, they just don't have it in them.

 

[Ethel 1954]

I feed fermented feed during our wet and cold winters then switch back to layer food but it is 2 cups feed to 2 cups od fashion raw oats , 2 cups uncooked whole grain rice , with tomatoe tops and core, I add garlic and thyme, oregano , basil lemon balm and put b12 drops in the water every other time alternating with acv 7 out of 13 are good layers and over 1yr. 3 are ameracaunas getting ready to lay anytime I have a sultrane that was laying but stopped , she just 1 yr. I have one leghorn in a molt and an older ameracauna just finished a molt, she only lays about 3x a week . I live in a small rurual town 25 miles north west of ft. worth Tx , called Boyd

 

[MaSlanger]

This might seem silly...

What and how do you Ferment or is there an instructional article?

Thank you!

 

[Auntiejessi3]

This might seem silly...

What and how do you Ferment or is there an instructional article?

Thank you!

If you search fermented feed using the search bar at the top right you'll find tons of posts and different ways folks do it. I simply get a Tupperware container, fill a third full with all flock crumble, then fill with water. It will expand so you may need to add a bit more water. My ladies prefer an oatmeal consistency. I let it sit and begin serving the next evening.