Does anyone feed only sprouted grains or fodder to their ducks?

[RainbowRabbits]

Does anyone feed only sprouted grains or fodder to your ducks or do you use it only as a supplemental feed?

New Country Organics has an unmilled feed that I want to try to use for sprouted/fodder feed so I’m curious if anyone else has done this. https://www.newcountryorganics.com/...ee-poultry-layer-feed-40-pounds-unmilled.html

If so how do your ducks do on it? Do they prefer this to grain feed or fermented feed over sprouted or fodder?

 

[DukesDucks]

I feed sprouted grains only as an treat.

 

[relicshunter]

I have been fermenting scratch grain for my flock. I fill a bin with about 3 lbs and cover with water, let sit for two days. I add more water the second day and stir a little. By the second full day ( maybe third) it is bubbly and smells a little fermented. I know I can go longer but I don't want to risk it getting real off. I offer it once a week separite with their normal pellet. I also had sprouted horse oats up to a 4-5" grass in trays. They love it but this summer it was just to hard to do with the heat. I am getting set up with bigger trays to do it again this winter.

 

[RebinNH]

What is the advantage to doing this? Do people think it is more nutritious?

 

[RebinNH]

Ok. I just went to the site and found that is kind of like a probiotic for birds. That makes sense to me with my gut issues. I find that (cow) milk is more digestible since I consume raw camel milk.
When I rescued 2 muscovy hens (from an overwhelmed farmer who had never had ducks) I gave them various things and the thing one of them absolutely goes crazy for it the Manna Pro grit with the probiotics! She eats it like it is THE very best food! I have to limit her consumption, as she will be full of grit if I don't. I'm pretty sure they were raised without it on nothing but mud (no pebbles).

 

[RainbowRabbits]

Ok. I just went to the site and found that is kind of like a probiotic for birds. That makes sense to me with my gut issues. I find that (cow) milk is more digestible since I consume raw camel milk.
When I rescued 2 muscovy hens (from an overwhelmed farmer who had never had ducks) I gave them various things and the thing one of them absolutely goes crazy for it the Manna Pro grit with the probiotics! She eats it like it is THE very best food! I have to limit her consumption, as she will be full of grit if I don't. I'm pretty sure they were raised without it on nothing but mud (no pebbles).

Here's a site that someone linked before that has a lot of info on fermenting feed (all taken from the linked site):


The fermentation process uses naturally occurring bacteria to partially break down the food, improving its enzyme content and increasing its levels of vitamins B, C and K. It also makes food more digestible, and boosts the "usable" protein level by about 12 percent.

The other benefits to using fermented feed:

• Feed consumption and waste will drop by 1/2 to 3/4 (this will save you money)
• Poultry on a diet of fermented feed are generally healthier and less likely to contract disease
• There is almost zero waste as chickens don't scratch through it, kicking it out of the feeder
• Stools become more solid and many people report less smell in the coop and run!
• Egg yolks of eggs laid by hens on fermented feed will become noticeably larger, and shells will be more solid.

Why is fermenting feed a good idea?
In a previous article, "Easy Ways to Sprout Seeds for Your Chickens" here on the Natural Chicken Keeping Blog, we discussed the anti-nutrient roll of phytic acid, enzyme inhibitors, tannins, and hard-to-digest proteins that are present in grains (seeds) and legumes (also a seed). We learned that seeds were created with these items as a protective device to help them survive until conditions are right for them to sprout and grow into mature plants. This is GREAT for the seeds and their continued proliferation. However, it's not so great for people or animals that attempt to use them as a main food source as they deplete our systems of nutrients that are vital to health.

While sprouting, fermenting, or even just overnight soaking of seeds/grains reduces their anti-nutrient properties making them more available for digestion and use by the body, lacto-fermenting provides another set of benefits.
In the book, Real Food Fermentation by Alex Lewin, the author states, "... beyond simply maintaining the vitamin content of raw foods, the process of fermentation can actually create new vitamins, specifically B vitamins and Vitamin K2 , as well as some types of enzymes." (Emphasis added) These additional nutrients are part of the benefit and byproduct of lactic acid bacteria working in the fermentation process.
Almost everyone who has ever eaten yogurt will recognize the term "friendly bacteria" or "probiotics". We've learned that these friendly bacteria are ESSENTIAL to maintain a healthy digestive tract and a properly functioning immune system. Fermenting feed for our animals provides these same benefits.

According to one study regarding use of lacto-fermented feed for chickens, an adaptation period of several weeks is required to see benefits in chickens that were previously given dry feed. After the initial adaptation period, fermented feed was observed to:
"...improve feed conversion as compared with the dry mash... increase egg weight... increase shell weight and stiffness...increase intestinal health by acidification of the upper digestive tract, forming a natural barrier towards infection with acid sensitive pathogens, e.g. E. coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter. "


Additional studies note that:

• Wet feeding increases the feed intake and growth rate of Chickens.
• Pre-soaking of broiler feeds for 12 and 24 hours significantly increased dry matter digestibility and body weight gain in male broilers (25-40 days of age) compared with dry feed.
• Bacterial fermentation of barley and wheat whole meal flours with b-glucan-degrading LAB (Lactic Acid Bacteria) has improved growth and early feed-to-gain ratio in broiler chickens.

Regarding Chicks:

• Early access to semi-moist diets for day-old chicks stimulates gastrointestinal (GI) development and prevents dehydration during transport from the hatchery.
• Rapid GI tract development after hatch is essential for optimization of digestive function and underpins efficient growth and development as well as a full expression of the genetic potential for production traits.
• The moisten capacity of the crop of chicks during the first weeks of life is also believed to be a limiting factor for the optimal functioning of the gut when standard solid diets are fed.
• Benefits of wet feeding have been attributed to decreased viscosity of gut contents, greater development of the layer of villi in the digestive segments and reduced crypt cell proliferation.

Here's another link with some good info!

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

Ducks don't show deficiencies right away, and when they have one it goes fast from first symptoms to death, so I would be super slow and gradual and attentive to any big diet experiments.

 

[Miss Lydia]

This is the method I use
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ter-easy-fermented-feed-method-w-video.65375/

I use NON GMO layer/grower and 6 way scratch grains to ferment.

 

[flyawaynet]

Does anyone feed only sprouted grains or fodder to your ducks or do you use it only as a supplemental feed?

New Country Organics has an unmilled feed that I want to try to use for sprouted/fodder feed so I’m curious if anyone else has done this. https://www.newcountryorganics.com/...ee-poultry-layer-feed-40-pounds-unmilled.html

If so how do your ducks do on it? Do they prefer this to grain feed or fermented feed over sprouted or fodder?

Just curious if you tried it and how it turned out for you? I'm trying this - sprouting grains (mostly 50% wheat with a small bit of black oil sunflowers, some peas, milo, and some scratch with whole seeds and some cracked corn included). I'm struggling to figure out rations so I know how much I need to do. Have you tried it? Learn anything you can share?
I've got chickens, quail, ducks and turkeys.
I haven't tested it on my quail yet, but I'm thinking I may need to run their portion through a food processor to make it smaller.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

I'm thinking I may need to run their portion through a food processor to make it smaller.

If they like it the size is fine, they eat bigger things in the garden. My ducks are picky, mostly only like lettuce and spinach. But the hens will eat all of that, so it isn't wasted