1 week old ducks

[Jo C Stay]

Fermenting feed for my chickens and wondering if fermenting would be good for the ducks too and if so, at what age?

 

[Pyxis]

Well, I'll be honest and say I don't like fermented feed in general for birds. Someone
here on BYC had to help their friend in the middle of the night when their birds started suddenly dying. A necropsy confirmed it was the fermented feed that did it.

Birds don't pass food directly to their stomachs like we do, it sits in their crop for awhile first. And it will continue to ferment in there - and grow mold, if mold spores got into the feed. And it can get moldy if left out for any length of time before the birds eat it. And for ducklings that need access to food at all times since they are growing and need to be able to eat whenever the mood strikes, that would mean leaving fermented feed out for them in their warm brooder constantly, which is the perfect environment for mold to start growing.

So in general I'm not a fan of fermented feed. Others may feel differently, but if it's done wrong it can and will kill your birds, as was verified by the lab report that verified that it was the fermented feed that killed the flock I mentioned above.

 

[chickens really]

Holy your so awesome and touch subjects that I know, but too scared to bring forward....your great @Pyxis

 

[Pyxis]

Holy your so awesome and touch subjects that I know but too scared too bring forward....your great @Pyxis

You're gonna make me blush, lol! People do get riled up about fermented feed, don't they? Hopefully no one takes what I said the wrong way or as an attack on their husbandry.

 

[chickens really]

Thanks! People do get riled up about fermented feed, don't they? Hopefully no one takes what I said the wrong way or as an attack on their husbandry.

I think I love you.....lol...........

 

[chickens really]

@Pyxis
In all seriousness though....I totally back you up in what information you shared....Wow, your thoughts on feed coincide with me.....Awesome info....I was too scared to say it....

 

[chickens really]

I could open another whole can of worms also, think it's best left alone.....feeding Birds properly is easy......Too easy....

 

[Pyxis]

Yeah, people do get a bit crazy about FF - there's definitely cause to worry that you could be attacked for your views when posting you're against the practice, unfortunately.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I can only relate my story on FF, I started our with FF 6 yrs ago using the wet method where you drained off the liquid I never did like that one and had trouble with mold a few times then, I came across Sally Sunshines thread on making FF and have been using it for 4 yrs I believe. I really like it a lot I have never had mold to grow and never had sick birds from feeding it, It never sits out in the weather or over night after I feed it. I put out just what they eat in a day.
The ACV keeps mold from growing and it being the consistency of cornbread before baking there is not any liquid sitting in it.