Adding water to chicken layer feed daily is this ok?

[U_Stormcrow]

the coolness of it (our well water is 64 most days) is exactly why I started doing it when its 90+ here most days. Its part of our heat management program. Together with dust bathing in shaded soils, not feeding during the mid day heat, etc.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you. I suppose my knowledge about fermentation goes something like this:
- take pellets, put in container (not many for 5 hens)
-cover with water about 1/2inch
-place lid hand tight
- store in cool dry place
-stir 12 hrs later and again for maybe 2 days
- use a strainer to remove feed and throw the liquid away

I have no idea if this is anywhere near accurate. Can anyone polish my approach? Thank you

Amount of water varies greatly with different feeds and with your climate/temps. For me, about 1" of water over is about right.

Best to not close the container. If you put on a lid, I'd just rest it on top, do not press on it at all. Otherwise build up of gas inside can cause an explosion.

I don't stir it once I make it. I also don't want very long to start using it, like 24 hrs is enough for me.

I don't strain. My goal is to add exactly as much water as needed to make a thick oatmeal like consistency. IMO the goal should be zero waste. Backslop any feed/fluid left at the bottom when you're ready to make a new batch.

 

[DobieLover]

There is a good article on fermented feed here on byc but I don't remember the name of the article. I'll try and find it.
I believe @DobieLover ferments her feed.

I do.
All I do is keep a container full of fermented Flock Raiser. It's been cooking for well over a year now. I just stir it, dump half of it into a bowl and then add enough dry to get a good consistency and feed this to the flock.
Then I pour more dry into the main ferment container, add water and stir.
It's as simple as that.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

I agree I do it fresh every day and they love it. By a.m. they have finished it. I also would not do too much at a time cause it's gets nasty in summer, plus they live the coolness of it. At least I know they are getting a balanced meal each day. ( plus you're the queen that brings goodies!)
You have it down correct on fermenting I fed this all winter with 3 quarts rotating them ony counter. Fermented for at least 2-3 days till it smells like mash.

Oh thats great to read. I tend to hover, so leaving the mash for about 2 hours is reasonable. Cold winters here do have me supplementing their feed to up their protein. Adding an occasional scrambled egg to the mash with hot water is a wonderful application. Do you have cold winters? if so, what are some of your winter additions to the mash to help with cold and general comfort for chickens? thank you, just tryin' my best over here!

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Amount of water varies greatly with different feeds and with your climate/temps. For me, about 1" of water over is about right.

Best to not close the container. If you put on a lid, I'd just rest it on top, do not press on it at all. Otherwise build up of gas inside can cause an explosion.

I don't stir it once I make it. I also don't want very long to start using it, like 24 hrs is enough for me.

I don't strain. My goal is to add exactly as much water as needed to make a thick oatmeal like consistency. IMO the goal should be zero waste. Backslop any feed/fluid left at the bottom when you're ready to make a new batch.

Fantastic. I will start this practice tomorrow. Thanks for the clarification about the lid! imagine!!??

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I do.
All I do is keep a container full of fermented Flock Raiser. It's been cooking for well over a year now. I just stir it, dump half of it into a bowl and then add enough dry to get a good consistency and feed this to the flock.
Then I pour more dry into the main ferment container, add water and stir.
It's as simple as that.

Do you have to keep the fermented mix at a certain temperature? I make all of my flocks a bowl of wet feed every night to make sure their crops are full before bed and I leave it for them to have in the morning because some of them have to wait a little past daylight to be let out. I've noticed what I think is mold growing on top of the mash with 12 hours of making it. Is this the temps and humidity? I use those black rubber bowls, so is it that? Last time I scrubbed the bowl with soap and water thinking I didn't clean it enough between uses and it did the same thing. Anything you see that I'm obviously doing wrong? I didn't notice this until the hot humid weather started, so I'm assuming it's related.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

I do.
All I do is keep a container full of fermented Flock Raiser. It's been cooking for well over a year now. I just stir it, dump half of it into a bowl and then add enough dry to get a good consistency and feed this to the flock.
Then I pour more dry into the main ferment container, add water and stir.
It's as simple as that.

And as always, I thank you kindly for taking the time to guide me in the right direction helping me keep a thriving flock ~ May yours thrive as well

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Do you have to keep the fermented mix at a certain temperature? I make all of my flocks a bowl of wet feed every night to make sure their crops are full before bed and I leave it for them to have in the morning because some of them have to wait a little past daylight to be let out. I've noticed what I think is mold growing on top of the mash with 12 hours of making it. Is this the temps and humidity? I use those black rubber bowls, so is it that? Last time I scrubbed the bowl with soap and water thinking I didn't clean it enough between uses and it did the same thing. Anything you see that I'm obviously doing wrong? I didn't notice this until the hot humid weather started, so I'm assuming it's related.

i would guess keeping it in a cool location, but i think i have read people even have it on the counter in the kitchen but it can get stinky. So i really dont know. I do know that proper fermented feed can sometimes get a film of what i think is supposed to be cloudy white mold looking, but normal. Anything with green and I would get rid of it pronto! I have no experience with fermenting, maybe watch some videos on youtube, thats what I did for the basics. Good luck to you!!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Do you have to keep the fermented mix at a certain temperature? I make all of my flocks a bowl of wet feed every night to make sure their crops are full before bed and I leave it for them to have in the morning because some of them have to wait a little past daylight to be let out. I've noticed what I think is mold growing on top of the mash with 12 hours of making it. Is this the temps and humidity? I use those black rubber bowls, so is it that? Last time I scrubbed the bowl with soap and water thinking I didn't clean it enough between uses and it did the same thing. Anything you see that I'm obviously doing wrong? I didn't notice this until the hot humid weather started, so I'm assuming it's related.

Kahm.

Look it up. Probably what you are seeing. It can colonize quite rapidly. Safe. Arguably beneficial, in that other, less beneficial things have a hard time colonizing where the kahm yeast is already established.

I'm on my tablet, or I'd link pictures. It's not attractive. But not dangerous.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Kahm.

Look it up. Probably what you are seeing. It can colonize quite rapidly. Safe. Arguably beneficial, in that other, less beneficial things have a hard time colonizing where the kahm yeast is already established.

I'm on my tablet, or I'd link pictures. It's not attractive. But not dangerous.

Yes! That's it! This makes me feel so much better. I've been waiting on my birds to show signs of sickness the few times they've ate most of it before I was aware of it, but it didn't happen. In fact, this may be one of the things that turned around a bird that I'd been worried about. Obviously she was feeling better enough to eat but she made a huge come back when I was worried that she was going to get worse after eating it. I'm so happy to learn about this. Now I can stop tossing out perfectly good mash!
Edited to say: THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!