Fermented feed feeder

[COChix]

Sweet, Id like to hear about the results. Rubbermaid tote is my favourite thing to make FF in so far. I could do a whole bag of feed in one bucket. My flock is far smaller right now though, that would be over kill.

My cube comes Friday, hoping to have my experiment up and running next week sometime. Will keep ya posted and of course, I will take some pics.

 

[m5thfl]

That looks like a good idea! How many chickens does that feed at a time or how many do you have. Do you think it would still work by using 2 or 3 U-tubes for more chickens?

 

[hennible]

I had 3, 5 gallon size buckets for almost 30 birds. I think more tubes would still work but have never tried it. It does not work in the cold of course. Now my flock is tiny, only 4 chickens and 15 ducks. I haven't worked on the feeder concept in a long time. Befor I gave my chickens away I was feeding FF in a more traditional way, just scooping into dishes when I let them out and again when I closed them up, any way it was just as easy as the feeder wich needs to be stirred. I still want to come up with something better. I really think the hog feeder a few pages back would better, or the 'no waste' style dry feeder...
The big issue with my feeder is the liquid would leek out faster than the thick feed, the drier it gets the worse it works...

 

[COChix]

Hey Hen, what's happening? Just wanted to stop in and discuss a new direction for fermenting feed in the winter. So if you were remembering I was going to try and use a seed mat and thermal cube to keep my buckets from freezing. Well after reading more, I have decided that the thermal cube and heat mat probably will not be powerful enough to keep things from freezing, besides not to mention not being warm enough for fermenting.

So new plan is as follows, I was thinking about using this submersible aquarium heater, it is controllable as far as the heat setting, so I can set the optimal temp to assure fermentation is happening. I would just toss it into my ferment bucket. We have an extra one laying around for me to use....thoughts?

 

[hennible]

I wondered about this before, some where on this thread someone mentioned their concern that it may short or something and I never tried it. Wonder if you put the heater in a small vessel of water and set that in the feed if it would still work to keep things fermenting... Im not sure it would short in the feed (of course never tried it) but I wonder if the fact that it's so thick would prevent all the feed from being kept at a good temp (does that make sense?) like with water the heat circulates easily, but I don't see it working as well in a thick substance... Just thinking out loud here...
What about a heating pad? Defiantly hotter than a sprouting mat... Might just burn out though...
I have pregnacy brain so if I make zero sense I blame that LOL
I've also wondered about cookie tin heaters under the feed bin...

 

[hennible]

What if the tank heater was in a skinny tote filled with water and you set the tote of feed on that?
Hmmm

 

[COChix]

What if the tank heater was in a skinny tote filled with water and you set the tote of feed on that?
Hmmm

All good points and will decide what to do.....

 

[AnthonyFlock]

There are some pretty neat designs but I kept my fermented feed container as simple as possible...
I use a 64 oz glass jar (stored the lid), strain the feed, put it outside, and they eat like they don't have constant access to dry food. Because there is a lip (bottle-necked sorta) the ladies eat every last bit without any getting outside. The glass makes it too heavy for them to knock over and they lick it completely clean. Should I feel the need to wash it, it gets rinsed and put in the dishwasher. No messing around come winter. With 12 birds, one jar lasts about a day and a half. Easy enough to sit inside too when freezing temps come at night.

 

[hennible]

Simple is good.

 

[Leigti]

I agree, simple is best. I only have six chickens right now, going to end up with eight or 10. So I ferment in one bucket, toss out spoonfuls in the morning, then toss out spoonfuls in the evening. Sometimes I put it in the black rubber feet bowls, The ones that are about 4 inches high and around 10 inches wide. They don't walk through it, they don't kick anything out of it or poop in it or try to stand on it. The bulls are cheap and easy to clean.
I did see a picture of a feeder once that I did want to try. It was just a 6 inch PVC pipe cut in half. No end caps, no stand, just laying there on the ground. If the chickens try to step on it it rolls. It would be very easy to clean. I haven't been able to find that picture since of course. I will keep looking for it and posted if I find it.