Fermented Feed Flop : (

[OliverZoe]

I gave my chickens and ducks some fermented feed today for the first time and I was pretty excited about too! well they were not amused and wanted their dry feed back.


My question is does everyone else's chickens and ducks like it right away or do they have to get used to it? and is there anything you add to it to make them like it a little better?


Thank You

 

[OliverZoe]

I also have another question

I have noticed now sense my chickens and ducks have been on fermented feed for a few days now that a few of them now have diarrhea, it kind of looks like really watery fermented feed

Is this normal at first? or am I doing something wrong HELP!!!

 

[OliverZoe]

Anyone?

 

[katbriar]

If you follow the fermented feed thread you'll see people have had varied reactions to fermented feed from their birds. Mine took to it right away, and I didn't notice any changes in their droppings, but some did. I used chick grower and started it with a little apple cider vinegar with the mother. I did not add anything but water and feed once it got started.

There is a lot experience on that thread, so I'd recomend doing some research there and posting with your questions.

 

[foreverlearning]

Yes sometimes the extra water does make a loose stool. This will correct itself in a couple of days. Usually when they start FF they start to drink less because they are getting fluid in their feed as well. My girls loved it from the get go, but I have read posts and studies about it taking longer for older birds. They all say to give it as the only food for a couple of days and they will soon mow you down to get more. What are you fermenting and how? I started with their layer feed and mother acv. I think it helps to start with what they already eat. I now have a batch of grains going and because they already eat FF they took to it easily.

 

[OliverZoe]

Thanks! that makes me feel better!!!

I know about that thread but it is soooo long and you guys pretty much answered my questions thanks, but if anyone else wants to chime in with their experiences that would be great too

And right now I am fermenting their layer feed and using the ACV method. I have it in a plastic bucket.

 

[OliverZoe]

Well it's been about a week now and my chickens have finally decided they like the fermented feed. I put out their FF today and they gobbled it up like they have just realized today it's good

Silly chickens!!!

I'm glad they like it but so far I'm not seeing any savings on the feed bill and there is still some diarrhea going on so I think I will give it a little while longer and see if it is worth it.

 

[foreverlearning]

Even if it doesn't reduce the feed bill it is worth it for the health benefits. I buy a half ton of feed at a time, so at this point I don't know if the bill has been reduced. However, if I even look at the bucket they come running.

 

[OliverZoe]

Even if it doesn't reduce the feed bill it is worth it for the health benefits. I buy a half ton of feed at a time, so at this point I don't know if the bill has been reduced. However, if I even look at the bucket they come running.

That is true! the main reason I started doing it is because of the health benefits

I just worry about the diarrhea which I am pretty sure is from the FF, hopefully it will correct itself in time.

 

[foreverlearning]

It will. I just had a girl get over a spout of diarrhea she started last night from the FF. I had to make sure what came out of her today was not a really poopy egg. It wasn't, and I never knew something that big could come out of her. She had no problems passing it and it just showed that she had asorbed much more from the FF than she was with dry feed. It will get better, they just need to adjust.