Fermented feed feeder

[enola]

Concerning using kitty litter buckets...... I was forced to keep mosquito fish in empty kitty litter buckets for almost six weeks last summer. The fish appeared to do just fine in them. I also have used the buckets to water my horses...... And as planters for vegetable plants..... I love virtually free buckets!!

 

[trsturself]

Concerning using kitty litter buckets...... I was forced to keep mosquito fish in empty kitty litter buckets for almost six weeks last summer. The fish appeared to do just fine in them. I also have used the buckets to water my horses...... And as planters for vegetable plants..... I love virtually free buckets!!

We store all sorts of stuff in them including dog food. I was worried about fermenting stuff in them though. I don't know how that process would affect them. We love free buckets too. We have a ton of them that we store emergency supplies in that we got from local bakeries for free. I need to get some more before they all stop giving them away.

 

[enola]

I would think any buckets from a bakery would be food grade plastic....

 

[trsturself]

I would think any buckets from a bakery would be food grade plastic....

Yes they are. I didn't use one for my fermented feeder because they are all round and I want to do this in a square bucket. I used one for the no mess feeder and our other bucket feeders and waterers before though. They aren't a typical size though so you can't buy accessories like a screw on lid for them or an extra lid if you lose one, or the bakery didn't give it to you.

 

[Kaylish]

This is great!!! I've been wanting to switch to FF but need to keep the feeding simple/easy for the DH since I'm back in the office full time. Going to start finding parts...

 

[COChix]

Hey Hen or @trsturselfhave you used heated dog bowls for fermented feed, was just curious about the pro's and con's on using them.

 

[hennible]

I haven't used one but I've heard a lot of good things.

 

[trsturself]

Hey Hen or @trsturself have you used heated dog bowls for fermented feed, was just curious about the pro's and con's on using them.

I don't see how it would work. FF needs to ferment at least 24 hours to get any benefit from it. How do you feed and ferment in a small area like that?
The bucket works because it holds more than they'll eat and you're putting the new inside so it has time to ferment before reaching where they can eat, at least I'm hoping that's how it works. We've had too much freezing weather still to test mine out.

 

[hennible]

People that use the heated dog bowls just use those to feed out the FF, not for the fermentation process. When it was -20°C and lower they would've been handy for me, the feed was freezing before all got eaten in that weather... I had to go dish out 3 times a day... It's a fairly big flock so to make sure everybody ate I went out three times a day...

 

[COChix]

I don't see how it would work. FF needs to ferment at least 24 hours to get any benefit from it. How do you feed and ferment in a small area like that? 
The bucket works because it holds more than they'll eat and you're putting the new inside so it has time to ferment before reaching where they can eat, at least I'm hoping that's how it works. We've had too much freezing weather still to test mine out. 

Sorry,I meant for feeding only.

People that use the heated dog bowls just use those to feed out the FF, not for the fermentation process. When it was -20°C and lower they would've been handy for me, the feed was freezing before all got eaten in that weather... I had to go dish out 3 times a day... It's a fairly big flock so to make sure everybody ate I went out three times a day...

Ok thanks.

What about barrel/tank blanket heaters like this or something similar. My BF is researching some new tech for his job and showed me these...


http://www.powerblanket.com/powerband-insulated-band-heater/

Or this website, a full barrel wrap would keep the fermented feed liquidy...? Rather expensive for chickens,lol


http://briskheat.com/c-4-drum-heaters.aspx