Kelp Meal and Feather Plucking

This past year is the first time I have ever had to deal with a hen that pulls out her own feathers and was not broody at all. She was actually still laying eggs but she was looking very ragged. She started plucking the feathers last January/February when we had the snow storm and deep snow, and she never stopped plucking herself.  We never needed to pull her out of the flock for broody behavior. Several of the other hens also started to self pluck after she started, but they stopped the plucking behavior after we switched feed. The one hen was the only one left doing it. 

Reading more about nutrition, feather plucking and bullying, on a couple of sites, it was recommended that we add kelp meal and some protein to their diet. Rather than just switch all at once, first we stopped using the Layer pellets and went over to the Flock Raiser with more protein but no calcium. We started supplementing with calcium on the side. We had some really crazy extra calcium deposits on the eggs for a while, but that settled down and it rarely happens now. This actually works better because we can have the pullets in the pen at the same time. They do go through a lot more oyster shell/calcium supplement than before, but it is cheap. So that seemed to work for the other few that had also started to eat feather. They stopped pulling out their chest feathers, except for the one hen. So we figured we were on the right track, but was just not enough of something for the one hen. 

So the next thing I tried was putting "No Pluck" on her chest. That also helped, but did not stop the behavior all the way.  Some of the feathers would grow back in, but the crop area was still bald and bright red. 

Eventually, I started adding organic Icelandic kelp meal in July.  I read that for poultry, this will add many micronutrients that act as a prebiotic. Another level of nutrients that can help with health and behavior. The recommended amount is 1% to 2% by feed weight. So that would be about 0.24 ounces of kelp meal for each pound of food. We add a small scoop that we measured to match the appropriate amount that we feed the birds a couple times per week. The kelp does not "stick" to the pellets, and basically just collects on the bottom of the feeder but they do eat some of it from the feeder tray.  

I don't know if the birds actually get enough of the kelp meal, as recommended, but there is a noticeable change in the feathers coming back in on the one hen who has been bald for so many months.  It took several months of the kelp meal supplement, but her feathers are filling in, even though it is moulting time for her. So I'll continue to add the kelp meal.  It does not seem to be harming them and their eggs are looking/tasting great. 

Plus, now that it is moulting time, I am giving the hens a little extra kitty kibble (fish) and Black Oil Sunflower seeds three times per week to supplement a little extra protein since the nights are getting cooler again.  I know that the extra protein is needed for the moulting hens and since we still have layers in the flock, I don't want to change out the feed again since there has been a gradual improvement.

Hopefully, the feathers will continue to fill in before winter sets in. Here is an article about livestock and organic kelp meal with some research links. 

11/14/21 Update - While the majority of the feathering has filled back in, there is a vertical strip on the crop that she continues to pick at. I don't know that she will ever stop this behavior. She may simply do it like a person who chews their nails. Such as life. 

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar from Apple Scraps

 I have read so many different recipes for this that my head is swimming.  Some does and don'ts that might help.  I'll update this as needed.  This is my second year making my own Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (RACV) using apple peels, cores, and pieces of apples that I freeze and save over the year.  Most of our apples are the honey crisp from our trees, but also granny smith and fuji that we get from the store. I just save the peelings and pieces/chunks from any apples we have started to use, but didn't need the whole thing. I store them in a ziploc type of bag in the freezer until I have enough.  This recipe if for a quart jar, but my most recent batch is being done in a 5 gallon ceramic crock.  This should give us about a gallon and a half, or so. When done, I will strain the RACV into half-gallon jars and keep them stored in a dark location.

Make sure to wash/rinse fresh apples before peeling. Don't use any apple pieces that are starting to rot, are black, or moldy. Worm holes, bruises, etc. are fine. I don't even remove the stems or the seeds, personally. Just don't let the peels, et al. set in the refrigerator for days. Put them right into the freezer bag in the freezer. 

While fermenting or whatever they call it, a warm dark place seems to work best for me.  Not too warm, about room temp (68F - 72F).  I don't usually use jars.  But when I have, I keep them inside a brown paper bag to help with maintaining the darkness.  I don't use any metal on the jars.  I just use two layers of cheese cloth to allow for the release the fumes/gasses and rubber bands to hold the cloth in place. Try to check them daily or several times per week.  Some people stir or swirl the jars slightly to ensure that there are no apple pieces that dry out or get moldy.  In the crock, I use one layer of cheese cloth and a wet kitchen towel over the top.  I also use a dinner plate upside down to help weight down the apple pieces until they all sink and don't float any more. Again, stir every day or two, to help with making a more even break down of the apples. A batch using a quart jar will produce about two cups of RACV.

I am NO expert on this.  So here is an article that helps explain the process a bit better and why not to use this type of Apple Cider Vinegar for canning purposes. Another page about Apple Cider Vinegar with links to uses. 

I use my RACV for refrigerator pickling, but that process is not canning. I also use the RACV for making fresh mayo, in cooking/recipes, and for my chickens as a probiotic. 

The Raw Apple Cider Vinegar using Apple Scraps Recipe

8 oz of Apple scraps (yes, I weigh them)
2 Cups of Water (unchlorinated, distilled, or let the water set for a day or two before adding to the jar)
2 Tablespoons of Honey (sugar works... brown, white, raw, etc.) 
4 Tablespoons of RACV (Braggs will work) I shake up the bottle to ensure that the mother is all broken up and distributed in the jar before I measure it out.  A lot of recipes do not include this. I do. 

Sterilize the glass jar and allow it to cool off. Add apple scraps. The scraps should fill the jar by about 2/3 or 3/4 full without being forced down. The water should be enough to cover the apples but NOT fill the jar.  That extra space is necessary in the process.

I mix the honey and RACV in the water before adding it to the apple scraps in the jar.  

Cover the jar with two layers of cheese cloth using a rubber band, and place the jar in a warm dark location (or in a brown paper bag on the counter, fold over and clip the top).  If using a crock, you can cover the top with a wet towel, and keep the towel damp during the next few weeks. 

Check daily or at least every other day to swirl/stir.  If any dark film starts to form at the top, remove it and watch for any mold. This fermentation process usually takes about two or three weeks and it is the cider process.  I wait until I see that the apples no longer float. 

When the scraps no longer float, you may notice a white film starting to form on the top of the water. That will be the mother. BUT, it may not form until later.  If it is already starting to form, scrape off the mother with some of the juice and set it aside. Strain out all the apple scraps, stems, and seeds.  You may need to squeeze them a little to keep all the RACV liquid for the next phase. Pour the strained liquid into fresh sterile jars, add the mother back in if you had any, and put fresh cheese cloth over the jars. IMPORTANT - Do not fill the jars to the top. Leave about two inches from the very top, or about an inch below the neck of the jar. Now we are starting the vinegar phase. 

Store the cheese cloth covered jars in warm dark location for another four to six weeks.  The mother should be fully formed  the top.  I check mine a couple times per week to ensure that there is no mold starting to form.  If you get mold at this point, you should not use that jar of vinegar (in my opinion). The jar may not have been sterile enough, or there may have been something that got in the jar that caused the mold to form. 

Now, for my big batch of apple cider vinegar this year, I used, as follows: 

6.5 lbs Apple Scraps
26 Cups of Water (6 Quarts + 1 Pint)
1+2/3 Cups Honey
2 Cups RACV with mother

I mixed them all up and poured them into my 5 gallon Crock. I could have gotten by with a 3 Gallon one, but I don't have that size. I used sterilized dinner plate turned upside down to press the apple scraps down under the water and picked out the apple seeds that floated to the top. Then covered the crock with a layer of cheese cloth, and the wet dish towel. Now to check daily and wait. 

The Guardian of the Eggs - September 2021

 Well, we still have nine of the summer pullets.  They are being pulled in a pen around the apple trees for gleaning and cleaning of the ground while fertilizing. 

The hens, as they are, we have nine of those too.  The Salmon Faverolles crack me up.  One has decided she is going to protect the eggs at least until I pull them out of the nest. She's not broody, yet, but who knows.  I may need to intervene if she starts acting more broody-like. 

The other Faverolle is more of a Chatty Cathy. She gets on the other hens' last nerve sometimes. On occasion, they will come up to her and peck at her beak, trying to get her to stop talking. LOL