FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[ChickNanny13]

2x lazy gardener - Chicks & adults have constant FF through the day but any left overs are removed at the end of the day. I do not leave feed in their enclosure at night, for the very reason of rodents, roaches & bugs, besides figure they're sleeping. The 1/8C Scratch I toss at close up (4:30 - 5pm) keeps them busy & know they'll clean it up before dark.

 

[Molpet]

Oh I put out enough FF, in multiple places, so everyone gets a full crop. In the summer 2x a day and in the winter 3x. Chicks after a week old in the warmer weather.. I have some hatched around Thanksgiving and have been giving them more often... but a lot of my
Just processed five 19 wk cockerels and the lowest ranking turkey yesterday. All had a ton of extra fat on then, even the smallest. I am thinking the 3rd feeding is not needed. It was cold and snowy for the 2 wks before and only the turkeys left the coop. I was thinking they wouldn't be so fat using up reserves to keep warm.

 

[blackdog043]

I did that this last summer, but I ended every batch when we had chicken-sitters. I didn't know I could dry out the bacteria. I've been wanting to start it up again but it seems so cold. When is too cold? Note, I am in the Dallas area. So, usually above freezing. I'd also rather my house NOT smell like beer, so I'd like to do this outside.

You don't have to end a batch or dry it out. If your gonna be away for a week, just cover what you have left and put it in the refrigerator. When you get home take it out and start it up again. The cold temp slows the fermentation way down.
Why does your house smell like beer? How big is your container? My fermented sits right on our kitchen counter in an open crock and doesn't smell, unless you intentionally smell it. It's only one gallon and I add to it every other day to keep it going. I have 11 chickens.

 

[shawthorne44]

I've never brought it inside, so it has never smelled up the house. But, the fermenting bucket smells vaguely beery so I assumed it would smell up the house. I have 19 chickens and I was using a 5-gallon bucket. Not filled, of course.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Mine smell like sourdough, not "beery" ... @lazy gardener your thoughts?

 

[JaeG]

I had read that if it smells of alcohol or yeast gone bad not to use it.

The sour smell that it should have indicates the presence of lactic acid which is the one you want working away in there.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Ok, that's what I thought I read too, thanks JaeG for verifying ...

 

[lazy gardener]

 

[shawthorne44]

Ok, should smell like sourdough. I'll remember that. It might have been that I just assumed it would smell like beer, fermenting grains and all that. I can't really smell, which means I have to be deliberate about keeping smelly things and old food out of the house since my nose can't alert me of a problem. Husband can smell though. I'll tell him sourdough = good, beer = bad.

 

[EB2351]

What about fermenting in Winter, i.e. starting a batch now?
I did that this last summer, but I ended every batch when we had chicken-sitters. I didn't know I could dry out the bacteria. I've been wanting to start it up again but it seems so cold. When is too cold? Note, I am in the Dallas area. So, usually above freezing. I'd also rather my house NOT smell like beer, so I'd like to do this outside.

I would strain out some of the liquid from the current batch, put it in a ziplock, and freeze it to jump start the next. Worked perfectly.