Feed waste, to soak or not soak

[MshVT]

So my chickens have been on scratch and peck whole grain feeds since a day old and have refused pellets since the beginning. I cannot afford the massive amount of waste they are producing anymore. It’s to the point in which I am going through 50 lbs of feed for 9 birds in a month. NOT GOOD. After reading a post here I had started adding just enough hot water to the feed just before giving it to create an oatmeal consistency. And it seemed that they really liked it. Yes, anything left was discarded at the end of the day. I have dealing with a sick chicken for a few weeks. The vet had me treat her for coccidia but that didn’t help so I’ve been giving her amoxicillin. She’s finally showing signs of improvement but now I’m afraid to feed them soaked grain! I have no idea what was wrong with her and she still isn’t out of the woods. The vet was not helpful and didn’t even want to see her in person. How do you all feed whole grains and not have massive waste? Should I be fearful of soaking? Fermenting for days made me even more nervous so I would only soak overnight or with hot water in the morning. Will feed go bad being wet for 24 hours and cause illness? Thanks for your help.

 

[Hannahnic14]

I soak my feed overnight and feed first thing the next morning. I use cold water to lessen any chance of bacteria growing if your afraid of that. I haven't had any issues at all.

I have fermented feed as well, it soaks for 3 days, stirring each day. It won't go bad in 3 days, it will smell yeasty and fermented. Perfectly good to feed them! I wouldn't use feed that had soaked for more than 3 days however.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Fermenting really is your solution. I have probably less than 1% waste with fermented Scratch & Peck. The company even encourages people to ferment their feed, because if you don't, all the vitamins and protein added to the feed (the powdery fines) go uneaten, and then your birds aren't getting the nutrition they need from the feed.

 

[paolofrancescsosorrentino]

I was losing so much feed dust on the ground and then started soaking my mash feed. Now, I lose barely any feed, the dust clumps together and is more easy to eat. I also took a page out of Justin Rhodes book, I am not sure if he still does this, I soak in plastic buckets and then pour the feed directly on the ground in a very long line. This way I don't have to strain the feed and the chickens are able to all eat at the same time. I also don't have to worry about cleaning feeders or unclogging left over feed. I started this a few weeks ago and I haven't cleaned my buckets yet, I rinse them after feeding and refill to soak until the next day. I have done some Lacto-fermentation for myself and I believe refilling and reusing the buckets is safe as I am always replacing with new product. Perhaps it is not safe as the feed is really only soaking and not actually fermenting over night, not enough time and the weather is too cold, I will see.

Does anyone know if absolute whole grain is good or bad for egg and meat production? I wonder if their gizzard is able to break down the grains enough. I would provide the fish meal powder and kelp powder free choice in another container. another way to avoid loss of feed and potentially I can achieve some sprouting with a whole grain. I could also buy the grain in bulk and reduce cost even more. A source or reference to someone's experience would be great.

 

[Cindy in PA]

50 pounds for 9 birds for a month is not excessive. At 1/4 lb. per bird per day, I calculate 67.5 lbs. per month, so I don't know.

 

[Householder Homestead]

I accidently stumbled upon feeding my chickens that way. I started to ferment their food a few weeks ago. They barely touched it in the trough I had. I went clear out the trough after it had been in the coop overnight and accidently dropped it on the ground. A freaking fight broke out over the spilled feed. Ever since we've poured out their fermented feed on the ground and they go nuts over it. No having to strain it out. No having to worry about cleaning feeders. Just pour and go. Now if I had to be away for a few days and had a farm sitter come over, I'd probably go back to filling their feeder for the time being until I got home.

 

[saysfaa]

I accidently stumbled upon feeding my chickens that way. I started to ferment their food a few weeks ago. They barely touched it in the trough I had. I went clear out the trough after it had been in the coop overnight and accidently dropped it on the ground. A freaking fight broke out over the spilled feed. Ever since we've poured out their fermented feed on the ground and they go nuts over it. No having to strain it out. No having to worry about cleaning feeders. Just pour and go. Now if I had to be away for a few days and had a farm sitter come over, I'd probably go back to filling their feeder for the time being until I got home

You aren't worried about their feed mixing with their poops? Have you tried any other feeders, like a bowl instead of a trough?

 

[Householder Homestead]

You aren't worried about their feed mixing with their poops? Have you tried any other feeders, like a bowl instead of a trough?

I guess that's a possibility, but I feed them out in the run, not the coop, with less poop. And I tried a bowl, all they did was knock it over and went to town on the spilled feed once it hit the ground. My birds free range in a fenced in area, tilling my garden beds for me until spring, when they'll be moved to a new run area for the growing season and then back into my garden space to till and fertilize my garden beds again. I work on the permaculture conspect of putting my animals to work on my land. Yes they're mainly pets with names, thanks to my girls naming them all, but at the end of the day they're here to work for me. I do provide them a clean dry predator proof coop to sleep in, fresh water both inside and outside the coop, and tons of loves from my girls and all the kitchen scraps they could want along with whatever bugs and plants they find in their run. I'm actually planning on growing a chicken garden with plants just for them to eat, hoping to cut down on my feed costs.

 

[saysfaa]

Mine knocked the stainless steel dog bowl over too. They didn't knock over the stoneware crock but I like the dog bowl better. I put weights (literally, weights from a weight bench) in the bottom of an ice cream bucket under the bowl.

But yeah, they dig in the dirt anyway.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

You aren't worried about their feed mixing with their poops? Have you tried any other feeders, like a bowl instead of a trough?

Interesting. I plan to ferment feed for my chickies. I'm also going to do a sprouted greens tower as a treat every few days