Chicks don't like fermented feed?

[Grace Brooks]

We tried making fermented feed from scratch and peck chick starter and my chicks wouldn't touch it. I'm not sure if I did something wrong or if they just don't like it. I want them to get the probiotics/benefits, but I guess if they don't want it there's nothing to do. I followed these instructions: fill feed halfway full in large mason jar, covered with a couple inches of filtered water, stir 1-2x/day, add more water as needed, left covered on counter with muslin/rubber band. It smelled pretty unappetizing to me after just a day, and now we are looking at throwing out a large amount of expensive feed. :/

 

[Aunt Angus]

Aw, man! That's a bummer! My girls love that stuff. It sounds like you're doing everything right. Here's what I do, FWIW. Seems a lil different:

I use half gallon mason jars. I have 8 grown birds, so I use 2 cups of feed. I add enough water to cover and then some. The mixture of feed and water comes to about 4 1/2 cups. I close it up. It sits for 3 days (getting shaken up a few times daily, of course). On the third day, I dump it into a bucket. I think the directions say to drain it, but I don't. I add organic pellet from a local mill to it until it becomes a mash. I add a bit of feather conditioner supplement and feed it to them on plates. It does smell funny, but it's a sweet, yeasty smell. And my flock is super spoiled. I also ferment it with dried marigold (for yolk color) and occasionally add shrimp flakes just before dishing it out.

What you might do is just mix it with regular crumbles and add water so that they don't just pick out bits and they get all the nutritiony stuff (without the fermenting process). Then you can just transition to the new pellets (wet or dry) when the Scratch & Peck is gone. There are powdered probiotics you can add, if you want to try that.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Forgot to add: I suggest that do you don't waste the feed. Hopefully, you can find something they like.

And, come to think of it, chickens hate change. They may just not know what to do with it. They might just need time to get used to the idea. Silly birdies....

 

[cavemanrich]

Fermented feed is like a religion to many peeps feeding their flocks. I'm not here to start a debate so will leave it at that.
I do not, and choose not to feed fermented feed. Have been keeping chickens over 20 years now, and always fed dry feed. Baby chicks, I did use feed crumbles, and when grown, I switched to pellets.
Just feed your chicks Chick Starter, and everything should go well for you. I leave out all the extra additives, and enhancers out of feed and water.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[Aunt Angus]

Fermented feed is like a religion to many peeps feeding their flocks. I'm not here to start a debate so will leave it at that.
I do not, and choose not to feed fermented feed. Have been keeping chickens over 20 years now, and always fed dry feed. Baby chicks, I did use feed crumbles, and when grown, I switched to pellets.
Just feed your chicks Chick Starter, and everything should go well for you. I leave out all the extra additives, and enhancers out of feed and water.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

Well said! Not a religion for me, but my eggs have to be certified organic for sale here at my farmers market. And nice orange yolks are a hit!

 

[cavemanrich]

Well said! Not a religion for me, but my eggs have to be certified organic for sale here at my farmers market. And nice orange yolks are a hit!

I agree with you
A member on our state thread, (Illinois) feeds her chickens and turkeys strictly organic feed. Yes,,, it costs her more cash, VS feed from common feed sources. Sells eggs, and her customers do want the eggs to be organic. She does not ferment.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I agree with you
A member on our state thread, (Illinois) feeds her chickens and turkeys strictly organic feed. Yes,,, it costs her more cash, VS feed from common feed sources. Sells eggs, and her customers do want the eggs to be organic. She does not ferment.

Fermenting saves monnneeeyyy!!!! I use half the feed I used to.

 

[sealer39]

We tried making fermented feed from scratch and peck chick starter and my chicks wouldn't touch it. I'm not sure if I did something wrong or if they just don't like it. I want them to get the probiotics/benefits, but I guess if they don't want it there's nothing to do. I followed these instructions: fill feed halfway full in large mason jar, covered with a couple inches of filtered water, stir 1-2x/day, add more water as needed, left covered on counter with muslin/rubber band. It smelled pretty unappetizing to me after just a day, and now we are looking at throwing out a large amount of expensive feed. :/

Just try again with a small batch in a week. I had the same issue with week old chicks. They took to it after about two or three weeks.

 

[Perris]

It smelled pretty unappetizing to me after just a day

yes it does, and some more than others. Ideally it smells yeasty and not unpleasant.

my chicks wouldn't touch it

I suggest that do you don't waste the feed

What you might do is just mix it with regular crumbles

It'd be a real shame to waste all that feed; another thing you could try is sprinkling some dry feed onto the fermented feed, so they see (and eat) the familiar on the top and get accustomed to (and eat) the fermented underneath.

 

[Gonzalezfam]

We tried making fermented feed from scratch and peck chick starter and my chicks wouldn't touch it. I'm not sure if I did something wrong or if they just don't like it. I want them to get the probiotics/benefits, but I guess if they don't want it there's nothing to do. I followed these instructions: fill feed halfway full in large mason jar, covered with a couple inches of filtered water, stir 1-2x/day, add more water as needed, left covered on counter with muslin/rubber band. It smelled pretty unappetizing to me after just a day, and now we are looking at throwing out a large amount of expensive feed. :/

I don’t feed my chicks fermented, my mom does. When she started she had the same prob so she started giving them dry feed and adding a bit of water, they ate it after a week of wet feed they didn’t tell much difference from the fermented. Hope it helps