Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[AletaG]

I noticed your comment and then location after reading and went back a few posts for the others. I guess it might be more important where you all are because of your harsher winters. Here in Arizona, I'm fortunate enough to have plenty of bugs and greenery year round to give them, so I don't have to prioritize like that. I don't get any of that wet, white stuff here, either. What's it called in your post? It's so rare... Oh yeah, SNOW!!! Do you collect your melting snow and rain for later use? I've always wanted to do that, but when we average about 5 inches per year, it's hard to even dream about justifying it.
Mine are definitely not picky. The only two things I find left laying around are the bones and the corn cobs, both picked utterly clean. Which reminds me, from the looks of things, it's time to go pick the tuna from my local prickly pear cactus. They are used so much as landscaping here and nobody puts them to use. Jams, syrups, candy, you name it. I wonder if the chickens would like them, too, once I scorch the needles off them... Natures treat to the Southwest and they get discarded like spoiled fruit. Such a shame.

Yeah, yeah, laugh it up sunburn-ball (See old StarWars)! We all got our reasons for where we live. Only thing I love about your neck of the woods is roasted green chiles! I've never had prickly pear fruit... heard awesome things about it, and eat lots of agave instead of syrup on things... We do have a rain barrel for ckn water off the coops. Lots of people do that around here. Would do more, but the demand makes barrel prices pretty ridiculous.
Hmm. why take the prickles off? Mine DO eat blackberry vines and leaves, which have pokies. Might try just seeing what they do with one. People let their blackberries and cherries and apples rot a lot up here, makes me want to scream and pull out my hair at the waste of it.

 

[Costa Rica Art]

Aren't we already growing LAB in the fermented feed?

I think you are correct if what I have read is correct. My using yogurt for a starter is supposed to give me a finished lactic acid FF, someone correct me if I am wrong. I kick start my FF with some baker's yeast and molasses then with the liquids form the last batch and a 4 day ferment I get that awesome sourdough smell. I have to deal with soy products in my feed so I want things really going crazy, lots of bubbles and the natural yogurt using the alcohol and converting it to lactic acid. all of the chicks/chickens/keets start on this ferment from day one and do really well considering the weather we have here.

 

[old farmer]

Hello I'm new to fermenting feed can someone please post pictures with step by step
thank you.

 

[Beekissed]

I don't have pics for that but they really aren't needed...it's extremely basic.

Step 1. Place feed in a bucket.
Step 2. Add water, stirring well until all feed is fully wet and water is over the feed...for now.
Step 3. Leave lid canted or top of bucket open to allow air flow.
Step 4. Wait. The water will be absorbed after a bit and the mix will look like it has risen in the bucket. Stir it again.
Step 5. Stir each day, watch for bubbling, sniff for a soured, pickly smell...like sourdough bread.

****optional: Add a cup of mother vinegar to mix at inception to help process get off to a good start.
****Note: Feed does not have to be drowning in water to ferment or stay "good"...many mix to a thick consistency that doesn't require straining or draining and makes for easy feeding.

 

[bruceh]

I don't have pics for that but they really aren't needed...it's extremely basic.

Step 1. Place feed in a bucket.
Step 2. Add water, stirring well until all feed is fully wet and water is over the feed...for now.
Step 3. Leave lid canted or top of bucket open to allow air flow.
Step 4. Wait. The water will be absorbed after a bit and the mix will look like it has risen in the bucket. Stir it again.
Step 5. Stir each day, watch for bubbling, sniff for a soured, pickly smell...like sourdough bread.

****optional: Add a cup of mother vinegar to mix at inception to help process get off to a good start.
****Note: Feed does not have to be drowning in water to ferment or stay "good"...many mix to a thick consistency that doesn't require straining or draining and makes for easy feeding.

 

[Brada Puhi]

Aloha,

I say you do have to drown it. Especially at the beginning.

You should maintain 1 inch of water above feed at all times.

Skip the vinegar, it stinks.

kden, Puhi

 

[Zootopia]

Aloha,

I say you do have to drown it.  Especially at the beginning.

You should maintain 1 inch of water above feed at all times.

Skip the vinegar, it stinks.

kden, Puhi

My grains only barrel usually has some liquid topping it, with a grayish spider web cover, but not always. Sometimes when I feed out I end up with more grain then water, it is soaked so it is good. I just give it a good stir.
My feed out barrel consists of lay crumble , fermented grains (from the other barrel) soaked (in back slop and water) alfalfa cubes and red rice yeast. I stir water in to an oatmeal consistency. I have 2 of these barrels so I feed out of one for 2 days, refill barrel stir and go to the other barrel for 2 days. No water on top of the feed out barrels. It is usually 90 to 100 degrees in the shed so it starts bubbling good in one day. Just stir.

 

[old farmer]

I don't have pics for that but they really aren't needed...it's extremely basic. 

Thank yall

Step 1.  Place feed in a bucket.
Step 2.  Add water, stirring well until all feed is fully wet and water is over the feed...for now.
Step 3.  Leave lid canted or top of bucket open to allow air flow.
Step 4.  Wait.  The water will be absorbed after a bit and the mix will look like it has risen in the bucket.  Stir it again.
Step 5.  Stir each day, watch for bubbling, sniff for a soured, pickly smell...like sourdough bread. 

****optional:  Add a cup of mother vinegar to mix at inception to help process get off to a good start. 
****Note:  Feed does not have to be drowning in water to ferment or stay "good"...many mix to a thick consistency that doesn't require straining or draining and makes for easy feeding.

 

 

[RedRidge]

Quote: In the spring I put a couple of 5 gallon buckets in different places around the farm with food waste in them.
I use a wire and thread some corrugated cardboard through the wire and hang it inside the bucket over the waste.
Put a lid on the bucket but not tight, you don't want it sealed but BSF can get in through very small cracks... I put a log on top of mine to discourage other critters.
At first you will get maggots... ignore the maggots, they will go away. After a few weeks you will get clutches of BSF eggs laid in the cardboard.
Take the cardboard and put it on top of your fermenting waste in the container you are going to use for crawl off and harvest.
Within a few weeks you'll have 10's of thousands of BSF.
They will continue to propagate until the night time temps dip below 50, then they will slow down.
They don't die, just rather "hibernate" over the winter as long as you get their container above freezing... I wrap mine in a blanket and put it in the feed room in my barn... it never freezes in there.
Then in the spring when you move it back outside just make sure it doesn't get below freezing. When it got in the 30's a few nights last spring and I was a little worried, I moved a heat lamp from my brooder over it - but not too close, pretty high... just to keep it above freezing.
I freeze all mine during the summer so I have them to feed all winter since they don't crawl off over the cold months.
Although I do offer them as treats some days just for the fun of it.

 

[old farmer]

Thsnk you