FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[Zombrit]

Alright guys, another fermented feed question!
I've had a wide range of smells with fermenting my chickens crumble, it varies depending on the method, the amount of time a batch has been going, whether it's a new batch or an on going batch.
Today a new smell, it smells like acetone...? I stirred it and it smelled like normal.
Just a couple days ago I had some scoby form on the stop and I just stirred it back in the mix and added new feed and water.

So what do you guys think?
Think it's just an extra potent batch because of the scoby?

 

[yakitori]

acetone is generally due to over fermentation, it’s a sign that the bacteria is running out of food!
just mix in some more feed, and you should be good to go. if your fridge has the capacity, you can put your ferment in there to slow down the process.

 

[Zombrit]

acetone is generally due to over fermentation, it’s a sign that the bacteria is running out of food!
just mix in some more feed, and you should be good to go. if your fridge has the capacity, you can put your ferment in there to slow down the process.

Does this still apply if the acetone smell came after I mixed new food and water in?

 

[yakitori]

hmm that’s odd. is there a chance that mixing stirred up a smell that was already there? How does it smell now?

 

[Zombrit]

hmm that’s odd. is there a chance that mixing stirred up a smell that was already there? How does it smell now?

I just got up to feed chickens and the smell was strong, it had a thin layer of yeast over the top. I stirred it and it smells slightly sourish like vinegar.
Maybe I need more airflow?
The attached picture is my vessel and the hole on top is covered with cheese cloth

 

[yakitori]

I just got up to feed chickens and the smell was strong, it had a thin layer of yeast over the top. I stirred it and it smells slightly sourish like vinegar.
Maybe I need more airflow?
The attached picture is my vessel and the hole on top is covered with cheese cloth

Sour/vinegar is a good smell. how much are you backslopping?

And is the yeast kahm yeast? You can go ahead and close that hole, it should do fine with an anaerobic ferment (no airflow). By having an airtight lid, you'll be able to keep out a lot of mold and other unwanted bacteria. Kahm yeast changes the flavor of ferments for humans I'm not sure whether it would bother chickens. but once you have it in the ferment, it will always be there.

 

[Zombrit]

Sour/vinegar is a good smell. how much are you backslopping?

And is the yeast kahm yeast? You can go ahead and close that hole, it should do fine with an anaerobic ferment (no airflow). By having an airtight lid, you'll be able to keep out a lot of mold and other unwanted bacteria. Kahm yeast changes the flavor of ferments for humans I'm not sure whether it would bother chickens. but once you have it in the ferment, it will always be there.

I don't have a specific amount, there was maybe one and a half days worth of the last batch before I mixed in the new feed, and water. I read that because I don't do the water over the top of the feed and do equal parts that I need airflow and the first time the yeast showed up was when I closed off the airflow one night.

 

[yakitori]

I don't have a specific amount, there was maybe one and a half days worth of the last batch before I mixed in the new feed, and water. I read that because I don't do the water over the top of the feed and do equal parts that I need airflow and the first time the yeast showed up was when I closed off the airflow one night.

hmm, well that's interesting, because kahm yeast is aerobic, so it likes air. Unless what you have there is not kahm yeast, in which case I would be a little concerned...
Could you take a photo of the yeast undisturbed and before you stir it in - if it show up again?

 

[Molpet]

I don't have a specific amount, there was maybe one and a half days worth of the last batch before I mixed in the new feed, and water. I read that because I don't do the water over the top of the feed and do equal parts that I need airflow and the first time the yeast showed up was when I closed off the airflow one night.

People have had it build up pressure and explode if no ventilation.
I think fermenting less or using quicker would prevent the smell

 

[yakitori]

People have had it build up pressure and explode if no ventilation.

I don’t think this an issue with her setup - plastic container / opened a few times daily to feed. I think the pressure will pop the lid on that plastic container before anything explodes