Feed mistake

[Niki1313]

I bought a bag of layer feed from my local feed mill for my chickens, usually I get a bag of the prince organic pellets. They had a new guy load my feed for me it is ground really fine, I think it may be for making mash. No directions on bag though for making mash. Going to get new bag tomorrow, hate to waste this bag. Anyone got the grain/water ratio? I have never fed mash before.

 

[jher77]

Purinas all flock feed is bad about that. I quit using it because that.

All you have to do is put the feed in a container and add water until you wet the feed. You don't want to over water but when the feed sticks together, it is about right. Not hard to do but takes more time than putting out regular feed. The good news is they think it is a treat.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I bought a bag of layer feed from my local feed mill for my chickens, usually I get a bag of the prince organic pellets. They had a new guy load my feed for me it is ground really fine, I think it may be for making mash. No directions on bag though for making mash. Going to get new bag tomorrow, hate to waste this bag. Anyone got the grain/water ratio? I have never fed mash before.

Not sure how many birds you are feeding, but I pull out a 5 gal bucket (Lowes, Home Depot, doesn't matter, long as its cheap) and throw 40-5 scoops with a plastic coffee can (Folger's Black Silk, I think? Breakfast blend and French Roast are OK ) Walk around the side of the barn to the water source, open the spigot, let it pour in.

I have sturdy 1x2, about 4.5' in length I use as a paddle to stir it as it fills with water till I get a loose oatmeal consistency. Stop the water, stir another minute or two. Will thicken further - no idea why or how.

You're done.

Add a little more water to just cover, put a lid on it, forget about for 2-5 days (climate dependent) and you have fermented mash. Sometimes with a white powdery something on the top 1/16". Its harmless. Kahm, a yeast culture bloomed in the presence of oxygen. Its why airlocks are used for fermenting beer , wine, etc - vessel fills with CO2, Kahm can't form - no oxygen. If you keep your mash underwater, no kahm, because no oxygen - but I find that makes my mash more soup than oatmeal.

Others may be doing it better.

 

[Mellowmalt]

you don't need to make mash if you don't want to. You can just mix it in dry with their regular feed and they will eat it wether it is wet or dry, might take them a little longer but unless they have something more important to do during the day it shouldn't be a problem.
Wet feed needs regular cleaning