Fermenting Feed?

[12Chicksand1Lady]

Hellow everyone!
I haven't been around much, you know warm weather = outside, plus taking care of a baby. So i have been looking into different ways to feed the chickens... Straight grains, fodder, and fermenting. I have been using straight grains this past few months and would like to try fermenting. Are any of you doing this or have done this that can give me some insight? I know it's a 3 day process. More wandering how you feed it to them? From what i have read or YouTube, some people just throw it on ground, use a bowl, or a trough. I really like the trough idea. What do you do? Oh also what type of grain do you use to ferment?

 

[Waskoneto]

I started my chicks and ducklings on fermented chick starter. I must have spent a month researching but after I got it up and running I realized I had put way too much effort into something that is so simple. You can ferment any kind of feed whether its crumbs or pellets. I started with just an empty coffee can, added water to about half full and checked it about every 12 hours and adding more water when needed. Let it sit until its bubbly on top and has a nice yeasty smell. I use a little hand held mesh dipper to strain out the feed from the liquid. I feed both chicks and ducks in a metal pie pan just because that's what I had on hand. Start out with small servings because they eat a lot less when its fermented. You won't use all of your first batch and that's fine...just add more feed. Every day after feeding add more feed and water into the fermented batch as needed. If it starts to get a bad smell start over. I also feed fodder and my flock goes crazy over it!! It's like chicken crack!!

 

[12Chicksand1Lady]

I started my chicks and ducklings on fermented chick starter. I must have spent a month researching but after I got it up and running I realized I had put way too much effort into something that is so simple. You can ferment any kind of feed whether its crumbs or pellets. I started with just an empty coffee can, added water to about half full and checked it about every 12 hours and adding more water when needed. Let it sit until its bubbly on top and has a nice yeasty smell. I use a little hand held mesh dipper to strain out the feed from the liquid. I feed both chicks and ducks in a metal pie pan just because that's what I had on hand. Start out with small servings because they eat a lot less when its fermented. You won't use all of your first batch and that's fine...just add more feed. Every day after feeding add more feed and water into the fermented batch as needed. If it starts to get a bad smell start over. I also feed fodder and my flock goes crazy over it!! It's like chicken crack!!

I have been putting a lot of research into it and I'm just ready to try it.

 

[Waskoneto]

Go for it!! You can TOTALLY do it

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have a small flock so I use multiple cat bowls - they're shallow and easy to clean, too small for the chickens to stand in, and this way the feed is spread out so less squabbling.

I ferment my actual feed (Scratch & Peck) which is whole grain mash.

I don't actually go with a 3 day cycle though... I make maybe a week's worth at a time, so the first serving is a day after it starts (so more wet than fermented). It really simplifies the process.

 

[jlwquilter]

I’ve just started feeding fermented feed to my flock (27 mixed bag of fluff butts). They love it! I did a 1/3 each of crumbles, scratch and BOSS. On the morning I mix the strained wet mash into some dry crumbles to make it a damp chunky mixture. I use 2 metal cookie trays I had not been using. I will say they go for the scratch and BOSS first but the feed gets eaten as well. I do leave it longer than 30 minutes because the boss girls eat first and then when they’ve had their fill the lower status girls come in for their breakfast.

I’ve gotten better at gauging the right amount to set out.

I just emptied my first batch and put the fermented water in a jug for the trash as I was worried about reusing it - especially since it’s been in the shed and it’s been hot here this week. It smelled ok. I think I’m going to go get it out and use it after all

It’s so awesome to have a place I go to to get answers from people really doing it.

 

[Criticalicious]

I ferment their regular feed, which is New Country Organics whole grain mash similar to Scratch & Peck but cheaper because no shipping. I add water to the feed in a mason jar about 1 inch above height of the feed. Let it sit for 48 hours, stirring halfway through. I always start with a fresh jar because I found when I don't sometimes it gets mold. So at any time I have 2 jars sitting on the counter. I feed them in metal kennel bowls which are easy to clean and can be hung on the side of the run. Available on Amazon around $5 as an add-on Prime item.

Warning: It takes about a week of offering fermented before they will touch it. Once they try it, they will go nuts for it. Be patient.

 

[Molpet]

I start mine on FF from day 1. I use hanging goat troughs, gutters and black rubber bowls.
I use this method and use it after about 12-48 hrs depending on the weather.
https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

 

[MissPoulette]

We ferment Scratch and Peck on a 4 day cycle. Ie we have 4 jars fermenting at the same time. Day 1 is the newest fermented feed and Day 4 is ready to feed the hens. We check the container to make sure that the feed is covered with water to prevent mold. We leave a bit of leftover fermented feed in the jar to help the new batch ferment. We don’t have a container for the feed since we have dirt in our run. The uneatened fermented food hopefully will sprout and then chickens will eat it then.

 

[DobieLover]

I made a trough for the chickens to eat their fermented feed from. I had to make a second longer one for the new batch coming down the pike.
The littles recently got upgraded from their chick trough to the old 4' trough and the hens and rooster are using the new 6' trough.

New 6' trough for the hens and rooster:

The smaller diameter pipe suspended over the trough keeps them from getting in the trough. It is suspended on a coated wire so it moves when the try to perch on it and they quickly give up and jump off.