Well, first attempt at fermenting went well.  Birds gobbled it up....... saved a lot of food.  Second attempt, not so good, stuff went rancid on me.  Back to researching!


Sprouting, we just started to feed to everyone.  Goats snubbed their noses at it........ as well as the turkeys.  The chickens and some of the rabbits, tore into it pretty good.  I'll probably finish up what I have going right now and then think about whether or not there is any benefit to continuing. (spring is here so maybe in the dead of winter everyone else would appreciate the green a little more).


Other feckin news....... we have lots of broodiness going on!!  Keeping fingers crossed for hatching's!

We're trying some feed experiments!

Feed Experiment 1:  The first experiment involves fermentation!  Not to get the chickies snockered....... but, to make their food easier to digest and achieve a better absorption rate which equals less poops and healthier birds!  The bonus for me, is less waste.  Right now the birds flick out the food they don't want and go for the corn.  That's like asking kids, if they want the greenbeans or the donuts! 
So........ how do you ferment chicken food?

I take Layer pellets, cracked corn, and barley seed (washed) mix in a bucket (next time one with drain holes) add live Apple Cider Vinegar with "mother" (Braggs) and water to cover the food.   Cover with a dish cloth and store in a darker location.  In a few hours, I was getting some activity.  Let it set for a few days stirring a few times a day.......... drain and feed.

 Feed Experiment 2:  Sprouting!!  Spring is nearly here, what a better project than to sprout something!!  

We're trying Barley sprouts.   To help add some greens to the diet of the goats, rabbits and birds.. plus, hay is really expensive this year!

I fill one tray a day with washed and soaked overnight seeds.  Holes on one end of the try allow me to water from the top and automatically drip into the one below it.  Great concept we'll see if it works!

 

Washing seeds and skimming off the floaties (seeds that won't germinate, will float)

Filling a tray 1/2" deep with seeds.

I'll post our progress!  Stay tuned!!

Hive!

 We have the bee hive almost completed,  waiting for the bees to arrive in May!

Well, here we are!  I had a previous blog for Feckin Farms but I couldn't access it for some reason, so I'm starting over!
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