Fermenting Quail Feed

[FeatherSmith]

Does anyone else ferment quail feed? After a few experiments I started two weeks ago to ferment consistently and the birds look like they prefer it over other feed. I've heard that because of superior nutrition chickens end up consuming 1/3 to 1/2 the amount of feed fermented as opposed to plain. Of course with the extra labor who knows how much money you would save or not!
As for technique I don't have it perfect yet. I usually have to add more water the next day to keep the feed under the water. It's deep winter here and only 67-70 in the basement where I ferment. I find it takes three full days (day I put the ferment out being day 0) to get a good mix for the birds. I taste it to make sure it isn't rotten or alcoholic. Ha ha the things we do.

Anyone noticed savings with fermented feed and quail? I'm going to do it just because the birds seem to love it.
Picture: Fermented Feed ready to go, little dusting of oregano, and one of the containers I ferment in.

 

[Whiskybear]

I’d be curious to hear how ya feel about it after you’ve been at it awhile. I like experiments where other folk do all the work.

 

[Huntmaster]

I've heard that because of superior nutrition chickens end up consuming 1/3 to 1/2 the amount of feed fermented as opposed to plain.

I have not fermented but most data and others that have done fermentation of feed says maybe 10% to 15% decrease in feed consumption at very best nothing like 1/2 but does have better gut/probiotic effects on birds that is a plus. Believe me if it did cut feed consumption in half all-commercial farms would be doing it and they don't. But like other poster stated would love to hear your results/opinion after you have done it for awhile.

 

[AGDependentFarm]

I like the idea of fermented feed and dont mind taking the time to ferment it even though that adds another daily process to an already full day. But you cant automate this in a production environment. My feeders hold a gallon of feed so I only have to feed every other day. I have 2 feeders per cage.
Fermented feed would stick so now you have to have feeders inside the cage/pen. Now they are roosting on it and walking so it adds another thing to clean.
I don't think it is for me in a meat bird environment but if you only have a couple birds in a large aviary maybe.

 

[DvorahChanah]

Does anyone else ferment quail feed? After a few experiments I started two weeks ago to ferment consistently and the birds look like they prefer it over other feed. I've heard that because of superior nutrition chickens end up consuming 1/3 to 1/2 the amount of feed fermented as opposed to plain. Of course with the extra labor who knows how much money you would save or not!
As for technique I don't have it perfect yet. I usually have to add more water the next day to keep the feed under the water. It's deep winter here and only 67-70 in the basement where I ferment. I find it takes three full days (day I put the ferment out being day 0) to get a good mix for the birds. I taste it to make sure it isn't rotten or alcoholic. Ha ha the things we do.

Anyone noticed savings with fermented feed and quail? I'm going to do it just because the birds seem to love it.
Picture: Fermented Feed ready to go, little dusting of oregano, and one of the containers I ferment in.
View attachment 3372303

I hope you don't mind the long post. I am fermenting my grains and seeds, and am committed to it, as I well understand the risks phytic acids and other anti-nutrients in seeds and grains. We generally try to ferment the grains, seeds, and nuts that we eat ourselves as well. Not doing so can endanger one's health, especially dental health.

Backstory: After several years of wanting to raise quail, I finally bought my covey of 20 quail about 7 or 8 weeks ago. At first I was feeding them what they had at the pet store. I don't buy into the "must use commercial feed argument." Yes, they add supplements. Cheap, not all that bioavailable supplements. Grinding a wide variety of different grains and seeds up provides a balanced diet. I suppose. Except the minute it's ground up, it begins to oxidize and go rancid. In my opinion, the written nutrient profile doesn't mean much.

Within days, I switched from the commercial feed to various seeds/grains from the health food store, which is definitely not cheap. After I got used to that, and worked out a few of the problems with my aviary set-up in general (learning that I can't persuade them to stay up on the taller planters inside the aviary so I had to move those out etc....) I went the next step and started sprouting, fermenting, and growing microgreens in several old, lined, somewhat shallow veggie bins inside the aviary.

I'm experimenting with which seeds/grains they like sprouted, which they like fermented and which as microgreens. I've been fermenting, sprouting, and planting, then observing their reactions to the following:

1. Aramanth. It seems this seed is too small. Just planted some for microgreens. They might enjoy it then.
2. Black beans. I bought these because they are so high in protein. However, they're not sprouting. So, I might try to ferment them. Not good though...something is not right when a seed doesn't sprout. Some sort of process has been applied. Irradiation maybe?? If I use them, these might have to be ground up a bit, since they're so big.
3. Buckwheat. I'm getting mixed reviews from the quail on buckwheat, either sprouted or fermented. The wild sparrows just adore these seeds. They'll eat them dry or sprouted. Buckwheat migh work as fodder (microgreens.)
4. Chia. They gobble these up as microgreens. They can't be sprouted the standard way, because a gel forms around them, and they stick together. Must use a substrate if one is after sprouts. So I direct sow them in my growing bins inside the aviary.
5. Flax. My quail are crazy about these as microgreens. Same problems when sprouting as with chia seeds. You need some sort of substrate. Again, I decide to direct sow in a growing bin.
6. Fonio (a small type of millet.) Fermented. Just like Aramanth, I think it's too small. They don't seem to care for it. It can't be sprouted or grown as a microgreen because it's hulled. Won't be buying fonio again.
7. French lentils. They don't like these as sprouts or fermented. Trying them as microgreens. Going to try other types of lentils to see they respond favorably. I seem to have skimmed a post that mentioned lentils not being recommended but I can't find the post now.
8. Garbanzo beans. Still sprouting those. No idea what their response will be.
9. Millet (must be fermented as it's hulled so it won't sprout.) They do seem to like it.
10. Mung beans. They love these, either sprouted or as microgreens.
11. Pumpkin seeds. I am sprouting those now. Haven't fed them to my quail yet.
11. Quinoa, white and red. I've heard they love quinoa but I'm not seeing them flock to it when I put it out.
12. Rye. They adore these as microgreens. Slurp the stems up like I do with spaghetti noodles.
13. Sunflower seeds, hulled. (fermented) Will be trying unhulled as microgreens soon.
14. Wheat. They didn't care for wheat sprouts, so I'll be trying it out in microgreen form.

Of this list, the most obvious success are the mung beans. My quail love these nearly as much as mealworms.

Processing after sprouting or fermenting:
I've been drying out my fermented grains and seeds in the oven on almost no heat. They're eating them, but I decided to try a light grind. They seemed more interested in the lightly ground feed. I may try feeding the fermentations damp, but I'm concerned if it's too wet it will mold quickly.

Additional seeds:
I have some broccoli seeds I bought to sprout for my family but it turns out, meh. We don't like them. In fact, we just don't like sprouts, except for French lentils and garbanzo beans, and then only when they just barely sprout. Broccoli sprouts are very nutritious, but not if nobody will eat them. So those are on the list of what to try sprouting next.

I also have a large bag of (untreated) Dunn peas I bought for cover cropping on a community landscaping project, to remediate the soil. Then changed my mind, so I may try sprouting those as well.

I've heard some folks sprout radish seeds. I can't find an inexpensive enough source of radish seeds here that would enable regular sprouting.
If I can source it, I may try sorghum.
Teff is another possibility but I believe it's a very small seed so might have to be planted as fodder, assuming it's not hulled.

On forage: I have 3 planters of French Sorrel and they are nuts about it, as are the wild sparrows. I'm constantly having to cover it up or the sparrows eat it all. It's yummy in salads, kind of a lemony flavor. Hoping to plant more in their aviary soon. Interestingly, they will also eat sweet alyssum leaves. Alyssum is edible for humans too.

Once the microgreens I grow inside the aviary are big enough I remove the cover (which allows sunlight in while keeping quail out...they're always peeking at it though.) Once uncovered, I let the quail have at it. It takes them 30 seconds to hop up on these low planters and begin scratching and chomping. Within a few hours, almost everything is gone. I'm planning on preparing new bins outside the aviary to start and switch out, so they'll always have fresh "fodder." I'm sure their digging and pooping will make the potting soil very fertile for the next batch. At some point, I'll put that soil in my regular container garden and give them new potting soil to work on. A symbiotic relationship....

For bedding I'm using the deep bed method, wood shavings. It's not the best but it's what's available here for a reasonable price. Before I began fermenting, I did note the incredible amount of feed waste. However, it seems the quail loved looking for those "lost" seeds in the bedding, particularly around the waterers, where I spill a bit when changing out the water, and by the microgreen growing bins, where the bedding gets damp from moisture at the bottom of the bins. (The rest of their bedding is very dry.)

The climate here is hot and dry during the summer, so I can get away with a little moisture here and there. Winter, I'll have to be much more careful. I turn those few damp areas up daily to let it dry, and to avoid ammonia build-up. They seem to get excited when I move the bedding around... In fact, even though Joel Salatin in his books insists livestock despise changes, it seems to me my quail LOVE changes, within reason. (They do not like being moved out of the aviary.) Small changes keeps things interesting I guess.

As I observe the quail, it occurs to me those "lost seeds" the ones I didn't sprout or ferment when I first started out, sprout in the damp areas, and that's what they enjoy scratching and digging for so much. I'm sure in the wild, seeds on the ground sprout frequently, if only from the evening dew.

I recently bought a 5 kg bucket of Quiko for pheasants and quail and am giving them a few hundred grams of that each day. I'm concerned about some things with Quiko though. For one thing, they have zero instructions on preparation and there's something called "rusk" in the mix. In one of their videos on preparing a totally different mix, the rusk is moistened and added to that particular mix separately. In that video they say rusk shouldn't ever be served dry. Sooo should this mix be moistened? Then there's the fermentation question. I mean, there are unfermented, unsprouted seeds in their mixes right?

This Quiko mix is about 4 times more expensive than organic grains and seeds, thus it cannot be the only feed I give my quail. I'm thinking Quiko is a stopgap/safety solution until I get my own seed, grain, fodder, and supplement feeds, such as mealworms and black soldier fly larva, ratios figured out. I hope to start growing at least my own mealwoms, maybe also BSFL. It only makes sense to me that ground birds enjoy eating bugs, and need them.

 

[CliftonQuail]

I hope you don't mind the long post. I am fermenting my grains and seeds, and am committed to it, as I well understand the risks phytic acids and other anti-nutrients in seeds and grains. We generally try to ferment the grains, seeds, and nuts that we eat ourselves as well. Not doing so can endanger one's health, especially dental health.

Backstory: After several years of wanting to raise quail, I finally bought my covey of 20 quail about 7 or 8 weeks ago. At first I was feeding them what they had at the pet store. I don't buy into the "must use commercial feed argument." Yes, they add supplements. Cheap, not all that bioavailable supplements. Grinding a wide variety of different grains and seeds up provides a balanced diet. I suppose. Except the minute it's ground up, it begins to oxidize and go rancid. In my opinion, the written nutrient profile doesn't mean much.

Within days, I switched from the commercial feed to various seeds/grains from the health food store, which is definitely not cheap. After I got used to that, and worked out a few of the problems with my aviary set-up in general (learning that I can't persuade them to stay up on the taller planters inside the aviary so I had to move those out etc....) I went the next step and started sprouting, fermenting, and growing microgreens in several old, lined veggie bins inside the aviary.

I'm experimenting with which seeds/grains they like sprouted, which they like fermented and which as microgreens. I've been fermenting, sprouting, and planting, then observing their reactions to the following:

1. Aramanth. It seems this seed is too small. Just planted some for microgreens. They might enjoy it then.
2. Black beans. I bought these because they are so high in protein. However, they're not sprouting. So, I might try to ferment them. Not good though...something is not right when a seed doesn't sprout. Some sort of process has been applied. Irradiation maybe?? If I use them, these might have to be ground up a bit, since they're so big.
3. Buckwheat. I'm getting mixed reviews from the quail on buckwheat, either sprouted or fermented. The wild sparrows just adore these seeds. They'll eat them dry or sprouted.
4. Chia. They gobble these up as microgreens. They can't be sprouted the standard way, because a gel forms around them, and they stick together. Must use a substrate if one is after sprouts. So I direct sow them in my growing bins inside the aviary.
5. Flax. My quail are crazy about these as microgreens. Same problems when sprouting as with chia seeds. You need some sort of substrate. Again, I decide to direct sow in a growing bin.
6. Fonio (a small type of millet.) Fermented. Just like Aramanth, I think it's too small. They don't seem to care for it. It can't be sprouted or grown as a microgreen because it's hulled. Won't be buying fonio again.
7. French lentils. They don't like these as sprouts or fermented. Trying them as microgreens. Going to try other types of lentils to see they respond favorably. I seem to have skimmed a post that mentioned lentils not being recommended but I can't find the post now.
8. Garbanzo beans. Still sprouting those. No idea what their response will be.
9. Millet (must be fermented as it's hulled so it won't sprout.) They do seem to like it.
10. Mung beans. They love these, either sprouted or as microgreens.
11. Quinoa, white and red. I've heard they love quinoa but I'm not seeing them flock to it when I put it out.
12. Rye. They adore these as microgreens. Slurp the stems up like I do with spaghetti noodles.
13. Sunflower seeds, hulled. (fermented) Will be trying unhulled as microgreens soon.
14. Wheat. They didn't care for wheat sprouts, so I'll be trying it out in microgreen form.

Processing after sprouting or fermenting:
I've been drying out my fermented grains and seeds in the oven on almost no heat. They're eating them, but I decided to try a light grind. They seemed more interested in the lightly ground feed. I may try feeding the fermentations damp, but I'm concerned if it's too wet it will mold quickly.

Additional seeds:
I have some broccoli seeds I bought to sprout for my family but it turns out, meh. We don't like them. In fact, we just don't like sprouts, except for French lentils and garbanzo beans, and then only when they just barely sprout. Broccoli sprouts are very nutritious, but not if nobody will eat them. So those are on the list of what to try sprouting next.

I also have a large bag of peas -- I can't recall exactly what they are right now, have to look it up. I bought for cover cropping on a community landscaping project, to revitalize the soil. Then changed my mind, so I may try sprouting those as well.

If I can source it, I may try sorghum.
I've heard some sprout radish seeds. I can't find an inexpensive enough source of radish seeds here that would enable regular sprouting.

On forage: I have 3 planters of French Sorrel and they are nuts about it, as are the wild sparrows. I'm constantly having to cover it up or the sparrows eat it all. It's yummy in salads, kind of a lemony flavor. Hoping to plant more in their aviary soon. Interestingly, they will also eat sweet alyssum leaves. Alyssum is edible for humans too.

Once the microgreens I grow inside the aviary are big enough I remove the cover (which allows sunlight in while keep quail out...they're always peeking at it though.) Once uncovered, I let the quail have at it. It takes them 30 seconds to hop up on these low planters and begin scratching and chomping. Within a few hours, almost everything is gone. I'm planning on preparing new bins outside the aviary to start and switch out, so they'll always have fresh "fodder." I'm sure their digging and pooping will make the potting soil very fertile for the next batch, and then maybe I'll put that in my regular container garden and give them new potting soil to work on. A symbiotic relationship....

For bedding I'm using the deep bed method, wood shavings. It's not the best but it's what's available here for a reasonable price. Before I began fermenting, I did note the incredible amount of feed waste. However, it seems the quail loved looking for those "lost" seeds in the bedding, particularly around the waterers, where I spill when changing out the water, and by the microgreen growing bins, where the bedding gets damp from moisture at the bottom of the bins. (The rest of their bedding is very dry.) I turn those damp areas up daily to let it dry, and to avoid ammonia build-up. They seem to get excited when I move the bedding around... In fact, even though Joel Salatin in his books insists livestock despise changes, it seems to me my quail LOVE changes. Keeps things interesting I guess.

As I observe the quail, it occurs to me those "lost seeds" the ones I didn't sprout or ferment when I first started out, sprout in the damp areas, and that's what they enjoy scratching and digging for so much.

I did buy a 5 kg bucket of Quiko for pheasants and quail and am giving them a few hundred grams of that each day. I'm concerned about a few things with Quiko though. For one thing, they have zero instructions on preparation and there's something called "rusk" in the mix. In one of their videos on preparing a totally different mix, the rusk is moistened and added to that particular mix separately. In that video they say rusk shouldn't ever be served dry. But can the mix be moistened? Then there's the fermentation question. And it's about 4 times more expensive than organic grains and seeds. I'm thinking Quiko is a stopgap/safety solution until I get my own seed, grain and supplement feeds, such as mealworms and black soldier fly larva ratios figured out. I hope to start growing at least my own mealwoms, maybe also BSFL. It only makes sense to me that ground birds enjoy eating bugs, and need them.

I have also sprouted a few things for my quail as treats. I haven't quite decided to get away from commercial feeds, yet.
They love the mung beans most. I've given them alfalfa sprouts and broccoli and they seem to enjoy them, too. They sometimes get some BSFL and I think it's a toss up whether they like the mung beans or BSFL better. I've given them some sprouted sunflower seeds which they ate, but I'm not sure they really enjoyed them.

 

[DvorahChanah]

I have also sprouted a few things for my quail as treats. I haven't quite decided to get away from commercial feeds, yet.
They love the mung beans most. I've given them alfalfa sprouts and broccoli and they seem to enjoy them, too. They sometimes get some BSFL and I think it's a toss up whether they like the mung beans or BSFL better. I've given them some sprouted sunflower seeds which they ate, but I'm not sure they really enjoyed them.

The other thing I forgot to point out in my "most successful" paragraph after my enumerated list: They adore fodder (microgreens.) It seems especially flax greens, but they also loved the rye grass, and of course, always French Sorrel, even if the leaves are very large. I tie up 4-6 bunches and hang it up for them when I have it. By the end of the day, it's all gone. I bought them brocolli sprouts once, just to see what their reaction was, and they demolished the whole flat within hours. I just pulled my broccoli seeds for sprouting out of the freezer....hope to start a veggie bin planter with those soon.

The problem with commercial feed is the whole GMO thing. I'm having a very difficult time locating organic commercial feed here. So, I really don't have an option because I refuse anything GMO. It destroys the gut microbiome because there's always glyphosate or other herbicides on/in a GMO plant.