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Post by critter015 on Sept 12, 2017 14:37:21 GMT -6
The new baby chicks should be here tomorrow and I remembered several of you talking about fermented feed. I think I want to try that this time to cut down on waste, can anyone give me a rundown on it?
Also, there will be 25 chicks. I currently have two brooders set up, one with a small MHP and one with a heat lamp. I also have a broody hen who hatched a chick yesterday that is in a small pen by herself. I'm thinking I want to try to graft some of the chicks onto her, and if I do that I may be able to fit the remainder in the brooder with the MHP and not need to use the lamp. How many do you guys think could reasonably fit under there? It is the small heating pad, so I think the area under it is about a foot square.
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Post by ovenrack on Sept 12, 2017 21:16:16 GMT -6
I'm about to head to bed but I will come back and write tomorrow!
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Post by ovenrack on Sept 12, 2017 21:18:54 GMT -6
Short answer: cover chicken starter with 1+" water in a non-metal bowl or whatever. Non-chlorinated water. Let soak. Stir daily. It's fermented in 2-3 days, when it looks a little bubbly. I start using it right away - just soaked, even.
I keep the same batch going for awhile, topping off water and adding a scoop of feed when I take some out.
After awhile (a week+) I'll use it all up and start "fresh" again, without washing the bucket. It gets going quicker that way.
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Post by critter015 on Sept 13, 2017 10:22:30 GMT -6
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Post by ovenrack on Sept 13, 2017 10:32:22 GMT -6
Critter, how cold is it getting? I feel like you could probably fit like ten under there, but maybe 15 under mama hen is kind of a lot...
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Post by ovenrack on Sept 13, 2017 10:34:11 GMT -6
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Post by critter015 on Sept 13, 2017 11:20:12 GMT -6
Critter, how cold is it getting? I feel like you could probably fit like ten under there, but maybe 15 under mama hen is kind of a lot... Our lows are 60-70 so it is pretty warm. They are in our garage though, which seems to stay around 80. I'm thinking I will just go ahead and get a 2nd heating pad because I'm going to keep constantly wishing I had one anyway. I found on the MHP thread where they gave the model number that has no auto off at all and of course now I can't find it.
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