To ferment or not?

[vernandang]

I was looking into fermenting my chicken feed and wanted some first hand advice.

What ratio of grain to water?
How many days in the NC heat do you ferment for? I've heard anywhere from 24 hours to four days.
Does it really save you $?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I was looking into fermenting my chicken feed and wanted some first hand advice.

What ratio of grain to water?
How many days in the NC heat do you ferment for? I've heard anywhere from 24 hours to four days.
Does it really save you $?

I'm not in NC, possibly someone like @3KillerBs might help.
Generally, the grains are kept completely submerged, which is more important than a given ratio. How much water that takes is based, in part, on what grains are used. How long will vary with season - its much faster in late srping, summer, early fall than during mid winter.

My own (FL) experience is that I had a good ferment (from milled feed, not grains) in 48 hours most of the year, and that the savings were almost nonexistent.*

*Nonexistent when compared to feeding wet mash or pellets. Basically, reduced waste. Somewhere on the order of maybe 10% for any of the three methods. Improved bioavailability is only for the ferment of some grains and other feed ingredients, with no guarantees that those are the nutrients your birds are lacking. In my case, I free range, which seasonally saves me anywhere from 10-15% in winter to about 35% right now.

 

[igorsMistress]

I live in AZ and it gets hot here, but I ferment from time to time in the warmest room in the house. I haven’t ever tried to ferment outdoors so not sure how that would work out.

I don’t feed FF every day, just once or twice a week. I put a days worth of feed plus about 1/3 cup in a food grade bucket and add enough water to make a thick paste. It still sticks to the spoon. Then let it sit 24 hours or until it fluffs up, sometimes only 12 hours or overnight depending on how warm it is, then stir and feed a couple times a day. Use the last 1/3 c to jump start the next batch and then it usually doesn’t take as long for it to ferment. My flock doesn’t like it too sour. Also, my flock enjoys just a wet mash from time to time. It’s a good way to use up an ugly hard boiled egg or a few leftover veggies that you’re not serving.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

I don't think it saves money except the chickens often like it so = less waste. I have only fermented with whole and crushed grain not pellets or crumble. The grain has to be fully covered. In summer I just leave it for 24 hours. In winter I just call it soaked instead of fermented and stick with 24 hours, because I'm not going to run a multi-bucket system. I use a slotted spoon to dish it out so it's not too watery, and mix it with dry grain and the rest of the feed mix to make their ration.
They liked it.

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm not in NC, possibly someone like @3KillerBs might help.

I'm afraid not. I don't ferment feed.

I work irregular days and hours so I feed dry feed free choice.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'm afraid not. I don't ferment feed.

I work irregular days and hours so I feed dry feed free choice.

I didn't remember you ever mentioning, was hoping you might have had some past experience. or had heard something from another local.

 

[3KillerBs]

I didn't remember you ever mentioning, was hoping you might have had some past experience. or had heard something from another local.

No, the only time I ever had fermented feed was when a temporary roof on a temporary pen leaked and got a feeder wet.

I did smell some sour before they were done with it, but it didn't last more than a few days.

 

[McMarty]

Anyone knows if you can ferment cracked corn??

 

[rosemarythyme]

Ratio will vary based on the feed you're using and temperatures as well, so hard to give an actual number. In my climate, "1 inch of water over feed level" is my non scientific measure for FF in moderate temperatures.

In hotter temperatures, feed ferments much faster so if you normally would feed a batch over 4 days in winter, you'd probably want to get through a batch in 2 days in summer.

Does it save money? I would say it saves a little, by way of reducing feed waste. Before fermenting my flock didn't eat the fines in their feed (I use a whole grain mash) and so I had 5-10% food waste. With fermenting they eat everything, so that's as close to 0% as I can get it.