Am I doing this right, fermented feed

[Vincentville farm]

I have done the research on feeding fermented feed and decided to go for it. One reason is that I want my girls to get bigger so they can give me bigger eggs. 16 barred rock and 1 older easter egger. One roo too. Anyway, I have free feed out for them at three stations with oyster shell along with each. At about noon I bring them fermented feed with a little molasses mixed in. One site recommended 1/4 cup per bird so I give them a base of 4.5 cups of all in one crumble. I mix it to be between cake batter and cookie dough thickness when I serve it. By the end of the day, when I go to ready the run for the next day, it's all gone. I have noticed that they don't stand there and gobble it all down at once but work on it throughout the rest of the day.

I also just read a post about over feeding your chickens and causing premature death. I used to give a small snack around 2 of fruit. On really hot days the snack would be water melon and it was of larger quantity. They LOVE our snack time and flock to me every time I pass their run or am in the coop. Am I over feeding my flock? I want the benefits of the fermented food without hurting them. I can't get out to them bright and early and most of them are on nests at that time. That's why I wait until noon. Most are done by then and no one misses out. They also occasionally get dried soldier fly larva. Help me be a good chicken mama to my girls. What is the best for them?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Bird size has nothing to do with egg size. If you want bigger birds for whatever reason (i.e. meat), protein is what they'd need while they are growing. You don't mention how old your birds are but if they're already laying or close to it they're mostly done with growing. Nothing about fermenting feed would make them get larger or lay larger eggs.

Why the addition of molasses?

A couple pieces of fruit should be fine and harmless, especially if it's hydration in hot weather. However they don't "need" it.

 

[Tonyroo]

I can see adding molasses on very hot days but you should skip it. To much sugar can affect there health in the long run.

I give my chickens fermented scratch every morning to start there day. It helps with there digestion and gets them going for the day.

 

[Vincentville farm]

I don't remember where I read it but the recommendation for molasses was to get them to eat it better. I've forgotten the molasses a few times though and it was eaten by the end of the day too. Will leave it out.
My niece told me about bird size to egg size connection. I my BR ladies are between 6 and 7 months old. I have one that quite often gives me double yolks.

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Like Rosemary said, bird size has nothing to do with egg size. One of my largest hens lays an almost Bantam sized egg (always has). I think you'll find varying degrees of agreement/disagreement as to whether fermenting feed has any actual benefit over just ensuring they have a high quality dry feed (crumble or pellets). However, chickens do seem to love wet feed/mash (doesn't even need to be fermented).

 

[Penpal]

I feed fermented, but it is whole grains and seeds. The soaking destroys the anti nutrients that are naturally in the grain. I am not sure that soaking commercial kibble is helpful.

 

[Nalex1]

I feed fermented, but it is whole grains and seeds. The soaking destroys the anti nutrients that are naturally in the grain. I am not sure that soaking commercial kibble is helpful.

Do you use a receipe for that? What do I need to do to start that? How long does it need to sit and ferment?

 

[Penpal]

For corn, wheat, and oats you soak 3 days. For sunflower seeds you soak 12 hours. I also add a little granulated garlic every couple of days. If someone looks poorly, I add a pinch of vitamin C powder.

I fed the chicks cornmeal, oatmeal, quinoa, and flax. Oatmeal only needs a few minutes, cornmeal a few seconds. I'm not sure for the flax and quinoa, I generally just put it all together.

They also forage. Right now, it being winter, I will sprout some wheat or oats for them.

 

[kcan2]

For corn, wheat, and oats you soak 3 days. For sunflower seeds you soak 12 hours. I also add a little granulated garlic every couple of days. If someone looks poorly, I add a pinch of vitamin C powder.

Hope this isn't a silly question - can the sunflower seeds be unshelled?
Also, is there a particular kind of vitamin C powder that you use?

 

[Debbie292d]

For corn, wheat, and oats you soak 3 days. For sunflower seeds you soak 12 hours. I also add a little granulated garlic every couple of days. If someone looks poorly, I add a pinch of vitamin C powder.

I fed the chicks cornmeal, oatmeal, quinoa, and flax. Oatmeal only needs a few minutes, cornmeal a few seconds. I'm not sure for the flax and quinoa, I generally just put it all together.

They also forage. Right now, it being winter, I will sprout some wheat or oats for them.

I soak it all 3 days. Just don't put too much flax in it or it's hard as heck to drain. Mine's half Kalmbach's Henhouse Reserve because they wasted too much of it when it was their feed. That has sunflower seeds already in it.

The other half is whole wheat, whole oats, flax, and chia seeds. The chia seeds I wait until I half-fill a quart jar with the rest of that, then put a tablespoon of those in.

I too sprout wheat or oats for them. It's fun watching them eat that lol.