Fermented Feeds

[LCfarms]

Ferment has began!
For anybody else's reference I've got 1 part(by weight) alfalfa cubes(pellets work to, either way they will absorb the water in the mix and turn to a meal), 2 parts wheat bran, 1 part whole oats(next time I will use rolled oats), and then it works out to be about 3 oz. of boss when the parts are 1 lbs for 1 part so 2 pounds for 2 parts. I opted out the corn as I found I really didn't need the extra heat energy just yet. It figures up to be 17% protein, 7% fat. I haven't found the fiber yet, so if anyone wants to calculate that have at it. I will tweak this mix as I go. I am thinking maybe dehulled safflower for a protein and fat boost in one with less added fiber. For flocks containing just chickens and game birds with no waterfowl, fish meal would be a wonderful bonus. Flax seed or flax seed oil is also most likely in the future. I just added probably between 1/4 and a cup of ACV with mother, I didn't really measure.

 

[6of6chicks]

WOW - fermented scratch was a BIG hit this morning!

After a lot of reading I decided to take the plunge and try fermented feed. I had read you could ferment any of their foods, so I first tried the grower crumbles. That was a soggy, smelly, disgusting MESS. The girls wouldn't eat it, I hated it, and it ended up in the trash.

So I refined the technique a bit - got better glass jars, added way less ACV this time, and used scratch grains instead. I let it sit 24 hours, and this morning it was nice & bubbly so I thought I'd let them have some even though it probably wasn't "fermented" all the way. They chowed down like it was the first time I had ever *really* fed them! I've seen them go nuts over sprouts and corn, but this was the first time the pecking order asserted itself over food. If the top girls were willing to claim it, then it must have been good!

For anyone interested, I used a 2 qt.jar (with mason-style snap lid), 3 cups scratch grain (Texas Naturals - wheat, oats, sorghum, BOSS, & trapper peas), and 1/8 tsp. raw ACV. Filled the jar with water, and after soaking overnight there was still a good 2 inches of liquid at the top.

My six pullets ate about 3/4 cup of the fermented grains. I plan to give them the fermented scratch once a day, and they have grower crumbles available 24/7 the rest of the time, with sprouts/fodder a few times a week to make up for the fact that they don't free-range. Once I'm done with this bag of scratch I will probably start experimenting with mixing my own grains. I just started with the scratch because it's what I already had on hand.

Thanks for all the info in the threads - I'm glad I tried fermented feed!!

 

[Lilyput]

!

WOW - fermented scratch was a BIG hit this morning!

After a lot of reading I decided to take the plunge and try fermented feed. I had read you could ferment any of their foods, so I first tried the grower crumbles. That was a soggy, smelly, disgusting MESS. The girls wouldn't eat it, I hated it, and it ended up in the trash.

So I refined the technique a bit - got better glass jars, added way less ACV this time, and used scratch grains instead. I let it sit 24 hours, and this morning it was nice & bubbly so I thought I'd let them have some even though it probably wasn't "fermented" all the way. They chowed down like it was the first time I had ever *really* fed them! I've seen them go nuts over sprouts and corn, but this was the first time the pecking order asserted itself over food. If the top girls were willing to claim it, then it must have been good!

For anyone interested, I used a 2 qt.jar (with mason-style snap lid), 3 cups scratch grain (Texas Naturals - wheat, oats, sorghum, BOSS, & trapper peas), and 1/8 tsp. raw ACV. Filled the jar with water, and after soaking overnight there was still a good 2 inches of liquid at the top.

My six pullets ate about 3/4 cup of the fermented grains. I plan to give them the fermented scratch once a day, and they have grower crumbles available 24/7 the rest of the time, with sprouts/fodder a few times a week to make up for the fact that they don't free-range. Once I'm done with this bag of scratch I will probably start experimenting with mixing my own grains. I just started with the scratch because it's what I already had on hand.

Thanks for all the info in the threads - I'm glad I tried fermented feed!!

Do not use any vinegar; only feed and water. It has to sit longer than 24 hours the first time you make it. At least 3 or 4 days the first time. It needs that amount of time to grab all the bacteria from the air (be sure your container lid is askew/partially open) If it is not open, your jar could explode). Once you have that starter "fully fermented", then after feeding, you just leave a little in the container and add new feed and water and then this new batch will only take 24 hours. I only have six chickens, so I keep 2 small containers going (each one has 2 days to re-ferment). Don't add a lot of other things and contaminate starter. Add extras to the fermented feed after you remove it from your starter container. YOU ARE NOT MAKING COMPOST; YOU ARE FERMENTING FEED!
Fermenting your feed gives you a lot more of the B vitamins and other trace elements and saves you wasted feed that the chickens throw all around. I wouldn't bother fermenting scratch or grains because the chickens don't waste them like they do feed. If your fermented feed is too wet, just add a little dry feed to what you are giving to the chickens.

 

[6of6chicks]

!

Do not use any vinegar; only feed and water. It has to sit longer than 24 hours the first time you make it. At least 3 or 4 days the first time. It needs that amount of time to grab all the bacteria from the air (be sure your container lid is askew/partially open) If it is not open, your jar could explode). Once you have that starter "fully fermented", then after feeding, you just leave a little in the container and add new feed and water and then this new batch will only take 24 hours. I only have six chickens, so I keep 2 small containers going (each one has 2 days to re-ferment). Don't add a lot of other things and contaminate starter. Add extras to the fermented feed after you remove it from your starter container. YOU ARE NOT MAKING COMPOST; YOU ARE FERMENTING FEED!
Fermenting your feed gives you a lot more of the B vitamins and other trace elements and saves you wasted feed that the chickens throw all around. I wouldn't bother fermenting scratch or grains because the chickens don't waste them like they do feed. If your fermented feed is too wet, just add a little dry feed to what you are giving to the chickens.

I knew it wasn't fully fermented yet - that basically it was just soaked scratch - but I was excited and it had been several days since they had had a "treat." I've read that soaking grain for 24 hours is in itself very beneficial and makes it easier for chickens to digest, so I didn't see the harm in giving them some after only 24 hours.

I did a lot of reading before trying it and found a lot of people who used raw apple cider vinegar to kick start the fermentation. And I only used 1/8 tsp. which is hardly any at all. One of the main reasons I wanted to use ACV was to ensure that I had a lactic acid fermentation (as opposed to ethanol) and because I don't add ACV to their water (so this was one way to get it in their diet). I'm not sure why you shouted at me that I'm making compost? The only thing in the jar was grains, water, and ACV.

The only chicken food I have in my house is grower crumbles and scratch grains. I tried it with grower crumbles and it didn't work for me (or the bucket feeder I'm using). So I tried it with the scratch instead. That's just grain-based fermentation and I don't see what's wrong with that. It's only one small "meal" and the rest of the day they eat commercial grower crumbles. Grain-based fermentation was described in this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds

I did leave the lid partially open. I also bought two jars so that I can keep a rotation going. There's enough room in the jar to make about a week's worth of fermented feed. So I will be emptying one jar one week while the other jar ferments.

The whole reason I wanted to try this was for the health benefits. Two of my four chicks are chronically sick, so I'm hoping this will help strengthen their immune systems. Fingers crossed!

 

[LindaB220]

!

Do not use any vinegar; only feed and water. It has to sit longer than 24 hours the first time you make it. At least 3 or 4 days the first time. It needs that amount of time to grab all the bacteria from the air (be sure your container lid is askew/partially open) If it is not open, your jar could explode). Once you have that starter "fully fermented", then after feeding, you just leave a little in the container and add new feed and water and then this new batch will only take 24 hours. I only have six chickens, so I keep 2 small containers going (each one has 2 days to re-ferment). Don't add a lot of other things and contaminate starter. Add extras to the fermented feed after you remove it from your starter container. YOU ARE NOT MAKING COMPOST; YOU ARE FERMENTING FEED!
Fermenting your feed gives you a lot more of the B vitamins and other trace elements and saves you wasted feed that the chickens throw all around. I wouldn't bother fermenting scratch or grains because the chickens don't waste them like they do feed. If your fermented feed is too wet, just add a little dry feed to what you are giving to the chickens.

Good post. I let mine get really dry. Like thick oatmeal. I add it all 1 big scoop of scratch, 2 scoops of starter or layer for older birds. After they are 2 mo old you can feed this. I also add 1 couple of c of Boss. Chickies I make with only starter and water. You can add Apple Cider Vinegar to speed it up a day or so. Not necessary. There is really no one way to make it.

 

[Lilyput]

I knew it wasn't fully fermented yet - that basically it was just soaked scratch - but I was excited and it had been several days since they had had a "treat." I've read that soaking grain for 24 hours is in itself very beneficial and makes it easier for chickens to digest, so I didn't see the harm in giving them some after only 24 hours.

I did a lot of reading before trying it and found a lot of people who used raw apple cider vinegar to kick start the fermentation. And I only used 1/8 tsp. which is hardly any at all. One of the main reasons I wanted to use ACV was to ensure that I had a lactic acid fermentation (as opposed to ethanol) and because I don't add ACV to their water (so this was one way to get it in their diet). I'm not sure why you shouted at me that I'm making compost? The only thing in the jar was grains, water, and ACV.

The only chicken food I have in my house is grower crumbles and scratch grains. I tried it with grower crumbles and it didn't work for me (or the bucket feeder I'm using). So I tried it with the scratch instead. That's just grain-based fermentation and I don't see what's wrong with that. It's only one small "meal" and the rest of the day they eat commercial grower crumbles. Grain-based fermentation was described in this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds

I did leave the lid partially open. I also bought two jars so that I can keep a rotation going. There's enough room in the jar to make about a week's worth of fermented feed. So I will be emptying one jar one week while the other jar ferments.

The whole reason I wanted to try this was for the health benefits. Two of my four chicks are chronically sick, so I'm hoping this will help strengthen their immune systems. Fingers crossed!

Sorry, if I sounded like I was shouting at you. I'm a New Yorker and meant nothing personal. It was actually my sense of humor about the compost! Seems some people on here adding all kinds of stuff, and I get the feeling they really want to make liquor!

I just think it's better to add all your treats to the portion being served the chickens that day; you only need feed and water for the benefits of fermented feed (higher B vitamins and trace elements and less waste).

 

[Lilyput]

Good post. I let mine get really dry. Like thick oatmeal. I add it all 1 big scoop of scratch, 2 scoops of starter or layer for older birds. After they are 2 mo old you can feed this. I also add 1 couple of c of Boss. Chickies I make with only starter and water. You can add Apple Cider Vinegar to speed it up a day or so. Not necessary. There is really no one way to make it.

Enjoyed your post also. I keep the scratch separate only because the chickens go so wild over it and its such a special treat I hate to mix it into the ff.

 

[6of6chicks]

Sorry, if I sounded like I was shouting at you. I'm a New Yorker and meant nothing personal. It was actually my sense of humor about the compost! Seems some people on here adding all kinds of stuff, and I get the feeling they really want to make liquor!

I just think it's better to add all your treats to the portion being served the chickens that day; you only need feed and water for the benefits of fermented feed (higher B vitamins and trace elements and less waste).

Oh, okay. I'm a Southerner and take everything way TOO personally, lol! No worries!

Maybe you can help answer some questions I have? I feel like I've spent a lifetime reading everything I can about fermented feed, so I felt armed enough with information to try it - but I'm still really overwhelmed with it. After the first batch of gloppy mess I made (and threw out) I was just so excited to have something that resembled what I SHOULD have!

I think my main problem with fermenting the crumbles is that it doesn't work in the feeder. I have a 5 gallon bucket feeder in the run and a small PVC feeder in the coop (so I can hit snooze on the weekends). The wet gloppy fermented stuff doesn't work in the feeders. So how do you have food out 24/7 if you're fermenting the crumbles? That's the one part of fermenting feed that I just can't figure out.

I'm also scared of all the bacteria in fermented feed. Like I said, I have two chronically sick girls. That's another reason why I added that little bit of vinegar. I keep reading about the fermenting liquid turning to moonshine (like you said!) and I got scared I'd poison them with bad bacteria, or mold, or yeast, or whatever. So I figured if I kick started with ACV then it would help ensure that I had a lactic acid bath going and I'd be less likely to accidently poison them.

I don't plan to keep adding ACV - it was just that little bit to start. I'm hoping that the rotation system (letting a jar sit a full week before using it) will help get a good ferment going. Each jar makes about a week's worth, so I just planned to slowly empty the jar through the week, then keep the old liquid, fill it back up with fresh grain, & top off with water as needed. Then let it sit while I switch to the other jar. That's because I didn't really understand adding new grain each day - then you get a mix of really fermented stuff with non-fermented stuff, which didn't make sense to me (?).

I'm just so desperate to try anything that might help get my two sickly ones healthy. I'm awfully fond of those two (nicknamed "the pooper" and "the rascal" - one because she poops every single time you pick her up, and the other because she reminds me of kids I used to teach - the super-smart ones that always caused trouble but never got caught, lol!).

I'd love any advice you're willing to give. You can even shout at me if you want!

 

[LindaB220]

Oh, okay. I'm a Southerner and take everything way TOO personally, lol! No worries!

Maybe you can help answer some questions I have? I feel like I've spent a lifetime reading everything I can about fermented feed, so I felt armed enough with information to try it - but I'm still really overwhelmed with it. After the first batch of gloppy mess I made (and threw out) I was just so excited to have something that resembled what I SHOULD have!

I think my main problem with fermenting the crumbles is that it doesn't work in the feeder. I have a 5 gallon bucket feeder in the run and a small PVC feeder in the coop (so I can hit snooze on the weekends). The wet gloppy fermented stuff doesn't work in the feeders. So how do you have food out 24/7 if you're fermenting the crumbles? That's the one part of fermenting feed that I just can't figure out.

I'm also scared of all the bacteria in fermented feed. Like I said, I have two chronically sick girls. That's another reason why I added that little bit of vinegar. I keep reading about the fermenting liquid turning to moonshine (like you said!) and I got scared I'd poison them with bad bacteria, or mold, or yeast, or whatever. So I figured if I kick started with ACV then it would help ensure that I had a lactic acid bath going and I'd be less likely to accidently poison them.

I don't plan to keep adding ACV - it was just that little bit to start. I'm hoping that the rotation system (letting a jar sit a full week before using it) will help get a good ferment going. Each jar makes about a week's worth, so I just planned to slowly empty the jar through the week, then keep the old liquid, fill it back up with fresh grain, & top off with water as needed. Then let it sit while I switch to the other jar. That's because I didn't really understand adding new grain each day - then you get a mix of really fermented stuff with non-fermented stuff, which didn't make sense to me (?).

I'm just so desperate to try anything that might help get my two sickly ones healthy. I'm awfully fond of those two (nicknamed "the pooper" and "the rascal" - one because she poops every single time you pick her up, and the other because she reminds me of kids I used to teach - the super-smart ones that always caused trouble but never got caught, lol!).

I'd love any advice you're willing to give. You can even shout at me if you want!

I don't know if you have had the opportunity to read Tikktoc's blog She takes all the questions and puts them in one place. Beekissed liked that she uses her version.

http://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

 

[RoosterLew]

With the fermented crumbles, I only feed enough for them to eat it in a short period. Otherwise it draws flies really bad. Some say chickens should not be left on feed 24/7, feed them in the morning and evening....but I always say do what works for you!