Fermented chick crumble?

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csaylorchickens

csaylorchickens

Songster
9 Years
Mar 8, 2015
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California
My Coop
My Coop
So I have 4 large hens, adults, one pullet, one young rooster. I want to add the pullet to the flock soon and rehome the rooster, I hatched 3 roosters out of 4 eggs lol

So I am.reading about fermented feed I have a huge bag of nonmedicated chick starter. I am fermenting some right now, it looks.like mush? I added 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, water, feed, and a teaspoon of probiotics. It's in a container fermenting with the lid cracked to let air out. Is this right? And how many days do.you let it ferment? The Chickd starter looks like mush?
400
 
I've done FF a few years ago while raising chickens, gave up due to family situation but recently got started again. I know FF = less stinky poop & firmer, less feed waste & chickens love it. Guess consistency is preference? I use crumble too, the first time I used it was Spring - Fall (warmer months), kept about an inch of water above the solids. This time I'm using a ration of 1:1 (water/feed) and I mix a gallon of water with 1T ACV (undiluted) for their drinking water, so I use that water to start the FF.

With the cooler weather it did take longer to "bubble", when you see that & get the "sour dough" smell, you're good. Also the feed does swell ALOT, can't tell how much you started with & how long it's been sitting. If you have your indoors, I'd remove the lid, it needs to breathe. How much feed/water did you start with? You said you used 1T ACV but depending on how much water, it may have been too much. My second attempt with FF wasn't working out, it wouldn't bubble & didn't have the smell.

I asked to be rescued from BYC readers. I got a reply saying I'm pickling the feed I also started another batch 1:1 with 1/4tsp ACV which bubbled within days. The "old" stuff I had drained & added to the new batch once it got going with more plain water. It worked and going ever since (Nov '15). Couldn't figure out why I got it going the first time but had problems the second?

I don't think yours is ready, doesn't look right, Bridebeliever is right add more feed & I think your container's too small. When it starts to ferment, it GROWS, not like when using grain seeds. I've got only 4 pullets (12wks) and I refresh mine every day....I'm now mixing 2C water to 2C feed (medicated chick starter) in a gallon container. Will to take a picture now & post. When I feed my chickens I drain some liquid off, add more feed & plain water. Working good now. THANK YOU BYC READERS!
 
ChickNanny13 said:
I've done FF a few years ago while raising chickens, gave up due to family situation but recently got started again.  I know FF = less stinky poop & firmer, less feed waste & chickens love it.  Guess consistency is preference?  I use crumble too, the first time I used it was Spring -  Fall (warmer months), kept about an inch of water above the solids.  This time I'm using a ration of 1:1 (water/feed) and I mix a gallon of water with 1T ACV (undiluted) for their drinking water, so I use that water to start the FF.

With the cooler weather it did take longer to "bubble", when you see that & get the "sour dough" smell, you're good.  Also the feed does swell ALOT, can't tell how much you started with & how long it's been sitting.  If you have your indoors, I'd remove the lid, it needs to breathe.  How much feed/water did you start with?  You said you used 1T ACV but depending on how much water, it may have been too much.  My second attempt with FF wasn't working out, it wouldn't bubble & didn't have the smell.

I asked to be rescued from BYC readers.  I got a reply saying I'm pickling the feed I also started another batch 1:1 with 1/4tsp ACV which bubbled within days.  The "old" stuff I had drained & added to the new batch once it got going with more plain water.  It worked and going ever since (Nov '15).  Couldn't figure out why I got it going the first time but had problems the second?

I don't think yours is ready, doesn't look right, Bridebeliever is right add more feed & I think your container's too small.  When it starts to ferment, it GROWS, not like when using grain seeds.  I've got only 4 pullets (12wks)  and I refresh mine every day....I'm now mixing 2C water to 2C feed (medicated chick starter) in a gallon container.   Will to take a picture now & post.  When I feed my chickens I drain some liquid off, add more feed & plain water.  Working good now.  THANK YOU BYC READERS!
Click to expand...


Thank u! I added more water, today is day 5 and holly goodness I'd swelled alot! It smells like sour dough bread with apples lol I think the ACV gives it that sweet smell, so it worked! Definitely made way too much I will cut it back for sure next time.

How long is ferment feed about to sit out? Day 5 here, maybe 5 more days?
 

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