The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

@Leahs Mom

have you looked at the immunity booster that molly's herbals sells? With minnesota being at what seems to be the center of the avian birdflu outbreak, I'm wondering about using it. would love to hear your thoughts on it!

@lalaland
Can you send me a link to the specific product. I think I know which one, but want to be sure we're talking about the same thing.

 

[COChix]

I have some questions....

1) What are some of the advantages you have observed in your chickens since using FF?
Example: weight gain, feather condition , egg production....

2) Have there been any disadvantages from using FF with your chickens?
Example: Too much weight gain, unusual or bad poo....

3) Has using FF increased your budget for feed by adding BOSS and other additives to it than just regular feed?

4) Has the behavior changed in your flock since using FF?

If these questions have been asked already and answered I apologize but I haven't found them yet due to too many post to catch up on.

Hi, I will answer.

1. Advantages - nice sheen to coats, healthier looking, less frantic (a more calm demeanor)I have read that while fermented birds lay a little later, it is suppose to increase the fertility rate. Feeding fermented is suppose to help with lay rate and consistency of the egg shells. Also we have 23 birds in our flock and the smells are minimal from their coop with fermented feed and sweet PDZ.

2. I have not found any disadvantages for the birds

3. We can actually decrease our feeding costs because our flock eats less fermented feed than dry feed. this winter I didn't ferment due to no space in house for buckets. Anyway we were going through 200 lbs of feed a month. Now that I am fermenting, I am able to make 200lbs last two months. I also sprout daily for them usually BOSS and either wheatgrass or lentils currently.

4. Yes our flock is more relaxed or less frantic in general when we ferment. They don't act like they are starving all the time on fermented feed.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Thank you lalaland.

I always like first hand knowledge to help weigh my decisions before I jump into something new. I like to know as many pro's and con's about something new so I know what to look out for.

Sounds kinda OCD but that's just how my thought process works.....

... stepping up onto soap box for a second or two...

There is an awful lot of finger pointing going on in the world today. They call it OCD, and I'm leaning toward the belief that lazy people have coined it. If you do anything very well, you're OCD. If you think about doing anything very well, you're labeled OCD. If it bothers you that you haven't done your best, you're OCD.

I grew up in a generation that believed "If anything is worth doing, it's worth doing well."

So, throw off the shackles that keep you from living a life that is as fulfilling as you want it to be. If you want to worry and fret over something that is yours to worry and fret over, if you want to do something properly the first time so you don't have to go back and fix it later, if you want to be proud of a job well done, then do it. Don't let some finger pointing sluggard force you into mediocrity!

GO FOR IT!

 

[Lacy Blues]

With the fermented feed, if you have adult birds that haven't had it before, be prepared for an initial increase in consumption. Don't worry, it will go back down after a couple of weeks... and go way down.

I have only one exception... a trio of birds I picked up from across the country. I got them in November 2014 and as I expected, they ate as if they hadn't eaten in a week when they got here and I started them on it. These particular birds STILL eat like that. Morning and evening. I thought they might have worms so I used a spray on treatment. I don't use wormer in their water as it is poison. So is the spray on but it's a single application, not a dose with every sip of water for a couple of days.

They still eat that way and I haven't seen any dead worms in their droppings.

Another benefit of the ff is that the yolks of your eggs will be huge! When your birds get close to laying age, save a couple of whatever eggs you currently use and then when the size of their eggs is the same as the size of those in your fridge, crack one each of them open. You'll see.

 

[Momo chicks]

@COChix

Thank you so much for the information. I like to hear from several people to compare their results. I am thinking on starting this weekend with the FF and I am looking into what feed to use. Right now I have just Un medicated starter. My chicks are 6 weeks and 2 weeks. The 6 weeks are outside but the 2 weeks are on the back porch still . They will be 3 weeks on Sunday.

 

[Momo chicks]

@ Lacy Blues

Thank you for the compliment.
Regarding the FF , it is my intent to go for a feed as close to organic as I can without paying organic feed prices. I don't want a lot of soy or corn in it that has been genetically altered to the point it is not real anymore.

My DH and I have had health issues in the past and have started eating more meats and vegetables we get from places we know how it was grown/raised. We want our birds for eggs and meat that's why it is important to us what we give them. It has been over 15 years since raising our own chicks and we are not sure what brand feed to look for. More investigating/rresearch to do....

Any brands you would suggest?

 

[lalaland]

@lalaland
Can you send me a link to the specific product. I think I know which one, but want to be sure we're talking about the same thing.

http://www.fiascofarm.com/herbs/mollysherbals.php/products/immune-st

I like to post versus pm since we have so many folks reading....and others might want to look at it!

 

[lalaland]

@ Lacy Blues

Thank you for the compliment.

Regarding the FF , it is my intent to go for a feed as close to organic as I can without paying organic feed prices. I don't want a lot of soy or corn in it that has been genetically altered to the point it is not real anymore.

My DH and I have had health issues in the past and have started eating more meats and vegetables we get from places we know how it was grown/raised. We want our birds for eggs and meat that's why it is important to us what we give them. It has been over 15 years since raising our own chicks and we are not sure what brand feed to look for. More investigating/rresearch to do....

Any brands you would suggest?

Mom0,

I would not look for a brand at all! That usually means a national or regional highly processed bunch of junk, IMHO. And then you have to worry about whether the feed is rancid or not, and how it has been stored. We've had folks on this thread that got some bad feed (got wet before the person bought it, and they brought it home not knowing it was molded, and it made their birds seriously ill). Manning has at least one feed mill that mills their own feed -

Manning Feed Mill & Supply​

233 Dinkins St Manning, SC 29102
(803) 435-4354​

that would be a great place to check it out. I don't remember how many chickens you have, but if you are unhappy with their milled options, you can ask what they can mix for you. They probably have a mash (ground grains versus pelleted crumble stuff) - sometimes there is an "all flock" which has a higher protein level than most layer feed. You just have to be sure to provide calcium in oyster shell/eggshell.
good luck!

 

[Momo chicks]

@ lalaland

LOL..... just had a neighbor tell me that a little while ago after I posted that. Will be going over there later today to check it out.

 

[lalaland]

that is funny! if this is an old mill, take pics and post! I have a collection of feed mill pics. My favorite is from a little town north of here, the weathered sign said rutabegas, coal, potatoes and seed. its been torn down since I took the photo. I'll have to find it and post it.