Anyone doing fermented feed for their ducks?

[razvanM]

I startedfeeding this fermented feed to my geese today,I am really curious what effects it will have for them.

 

[Tivona]

I'm going to have to look at this more closely when my brain is turned on lol We don't eat our birds here so i am not needing to bulk up a sole but am always looking at alternative feed methods with having so many.

I don't eat my birds either except a couple of extra males that have hatched and I couldn't find homes for. I mainly have them for eggs, slug control and just enjoyment. I am not doing it to bulk them up just improve their health, reduce the feed bill (if possible), and reduce the smell of their poop.

So far I am extremely happy with the results of feeding this. All my birds are looking better and their poop is so much better smelling. I am only fermenting what I would feed anyway (waterfowl feed) so the nutrients should be about the same, just more digestible is the idea. I just got two geese given to me and wow the difference between my birds poop and the two new geese is unbelievable. The new geese have such stinky poop and mine that have been on the fermented feed is barely noticeable. My birds are starting to really love it too. I have been feeding both the fermented waterfowl and also dry layer pellets side by side. They now have left over dry layer pellets after they have finished the fermented feed. I am so happy with this stuff that I plan on getting another bucket going just for the layer pellets. Its fairly easy to do too.

 

[Tivona]

I startedfeeding this fermented feed to my geese today,I am really curious what effects it will have for them.

Not too many people doing this for ducks and geese yet so every ones experiences with this would be helpful. Lots of info on feeding the fermented feed to chickens and quite a bit on feeding it to quail. I would love to hear how your birds do please!

 

[Dianuzhka]

I'm still reading all the thread in the chicken people area, but i stared a couple days ago, at first it didn't look like it was fermenting but then i just got a real kick, i was playing with some yeast in the kitchen and i think the spores found their way to the bucket (at the time i didn't know yet that i could use the yeast to start it, i had put some mother of vinegar) i only have 2 ducks, 5 roosters and a pullet, but they are eating it. i don't know about the smell of the poop 'couse it didn't really smell that much before, i guess not enough birds to notice and i have deep litter in the little crops. I'm watching them closely, i think they are eating less but didn't measure it before, I'll keep on watching for any change and keep u post it.

 

[TracyLovesDucks]

Been researching fermented feed for the last hour or so, as I'd like to start feeding my ducks this. But I haven't found the answer to this question yet (hoping you all will know the answer):

How often do your ducks get fermented feed? Like, can you just feed them fermented feed and ditch the dry, non-fermented feed forever? Or do you have to switch it up?

Thanks in advance. I may have missed the answer to this, but I'm running out of duck research time for the day

 

[tatswell]

Following. This sounds great!

 

[Tivona]

I give it free choice. Ditch the dry and feed the ferment. I have been giving the fermented feed to all my birds for hmm, a couple of years I think. Some times I give them a bit of dry pellets sprinkled on the top but basically I just feed the fermented. The ferment is made from the dry pellets so its similar in many regards in nutrients. The advantages of fermenting include that its easier for them to digest so they need less feed, way less smell to the poop and over all better health.

Some ducks like to waste some of the fermented feed swishing it in water so watch for that. Either moving the fermented feed farther from the water or just mixing some of the ferment into dry feed can work if you have ducks that seem to be wasting it in the water. Some ducks just eat it, then drink so it depends on the birds. Just keep an eye on how they seem to do with it. Personally I won't go back to the dry pellets.

 

[AlohaDuck]

I just started doing this and I noticed in just a few days the smell of the duck pen went from stinky to barely any smell. I had to normally clean it out everyday else the poop smell was to much. I am fermenting their normal feed and so it should remain balanced for them. I got the idea here for the fermented feed. I am curious as to any others experiences who have tried this for ducks. Seems like it should be good for them, and its not to much work although I am having to try and figure how much to give them instead of just filling a pan with pellets then taking it away at night. I notice they like it best if its not been out of the ACV/water for more then a few hours. Anyone else doing this?

 

[TracyLovesDucks]

Great so you can pretty much feed them all fermented feed, no need to change it up by giving them dry feed.

And actually the fermented feed should contain more nutrients and vitamins than the dry feed. At least that's how it is with sauerkraut... The beneficial micro organisms that drive the fermentation process synthesize more vitamins out of what's already there. It's all readily accessable to whoever is consuming it.

Oh I forgot to ask does anyone know of a good source where I can learn about fermenting feed step by step?

 

[TracyLovesDucks]

Just found a great resource to explain the process:

http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/p/fermented-feed.html