Fermented feed for chickens

[Perris]

I just didn’t understand the set up.
Giving other feed and increasing the amount of feed makes the results of the research more difficult to interpret.

They didn't give *more* feed. See Table 1
Table 1. Ingredients and nutrient composition of the diets.

Items (%, unless otherwise indicated)	Control	Fermented feed
Ingredient
Corn (8.7% CP)	63.43	59.75
Soybean meal (47.9% CP)	26.50	24.00
Wheat bran	4.00	2.75
Limestone	1.20	1.15
Calcium hydrogen phosphate	1.30	1.30
D,L-Met (98%)	0.15	0.14
L-Lys (98%)	0.12	0.11
Sodium chloride	0.30	0.30
Fishmeal (64.5% CP)	2.00	2.00
Premix1	1.00	1.00
Lactic acid bacteria fermented feed	0.00	7.50
Total	100.00	100.00
Nutrient level2
ME (Mcal/kg)	2.85	2.86
CP	19.03	19.09
Calcium	0.92	0.93
Nonphytate phosphorus	0.41	0.40
Lys	0.97	0.98
Met	0.36	0.35

 

[BDutch]

They didn't give *more* feed.

So supplemented doesn’t always means extra? It can mean substituted too.

 

[Perris]

Here are some of the conclusions of the study, for convenience:

"Our results indicated that the addition of fermented feed to the diet significantly improved the cellular immunity of laying hen chicks... The fermented feed supplementation also enhanced the humoral immunity of laying hen chicks... we observed that dietary fermented feed supplementation improved the humoral immune status of laying hen chicks by increasing their serum levels of IgG, IgA, and IgM... In the present study, in addition to measuring the systemic humoral immune status, we determined the immune response capacity to a specific antigen, NDV. Newcastle disease is a highly contagious and widespread global disease in poultry that causes severe economic losses every year (Alexander, 2000). Our data show that fermented feed supplementation significantly increased the serum NDV antibody titer, which indicates that the birds fed fermented feed had a stronger immune response to NDV than did birds of the control group... In conclusion, our results indicate that fermented feed improves growth performance, immune function, and antioxidant capacity in laying hen chicks. The roles of fermented feed in modulating T-cell proliferation, Th1 and Th2 cytokine production, and antioxidation are associated with NF-κB activation."

For anyone whose birds are at risk of catching Newcastle Disease, at least, I'd say that's quite important.

 

[bravecoconut]

I ferment a half gallon jar of henhouse reserve, chia, hemp, and flax daily with sourdough starter for twenty birds. The starter adds a huge population of wild yeasts instantly instead of having to catch/collect them. My whole flock devours it. They have dry feed (20% flock maker) 24/7 but come running for this daily. They didn't slow their laying for winter at all (I do not supplement light) and all but two laid through their molt. They love eating it. That alone would be enough for me.

ETA While attempting to read the comments to this post, I couldn't believe the amount of bickering to the point I stopped reading. This is crazy to me how much adults are arguing. Do what works for you, in feeding your flock and everything in your life.

 

[FrostRanger]

I ferment a half gallon jar of henhouse reserve, chia, hemp, and flax daily with sourdough starter for twenty birds. The starter adds a huge population of wild yeasts instantly instead of having to catch/collect them. My whole flock devours it. They have dry feed (20% flock maker) 24/7 but come running for this daily. They didn't slow their laying for winter at all (I do not supplement light) and all but two laid through their molt. They love eating it. That alone would be enough for me.

ETA While attempting to read the comments to this post, I couldn't believe the amount of bickering to the point I stopped reading. This is crazy to me how much adults are arguing. Do what works for you, in feeding your flock and everything in your life.

Agreed, if you ferment, your birds will be fine
If you don't ferment, your birds will also be fine

Either way your birds will be fine so do what makes you and them happy.
Regardless of health benefits it's a fun way to add a healthy treat to their diet

 

[Perris]

ETA While attempting to read the comments to this post, I couldn't believe the amount of bickering to the point I stopped reading.

It isn't bickering. Some of it is clarification and elaboration and some of it is attempt to counter misinformation, as advised by the American Psychological Association here
https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism-facts/misinformation-recommendations

 

[U_Stormcrow]

It isn't bickering. Some of it is clarification and elaboration and some of it is attempt to counter misinformation, as advised by the American Psychological Association here
https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism-facts/misinformation-recommendations

^^^ this.

There is no "one right way". Much of what some of we "more opinionated" (ok, ME! - but I'm not alone in that) posters do as we type madly at our keyboards is try to explore the edges, the limits, the presuppositions of research and experiences to try and figure out under what circumstances "process X" or "ingredient Y" might be appropriate - or not.

And since everyone has different definitions of "acceptable", as well as differing starting conditions, differing flock goals, differing management methods, and differing requirements of proof in the robustness of a given claim - we reach differing conclusions of a claims' value generally, and to us specifically.

[and some claims are so obviously bogus it beggars the mind that their proponents continue to advance them w/ seeming earnestness]

 

[Shadrach]

Agreed, if you ferment, your birds will be fine
If you don't ferment, your birds will also be fine

As Henry the rooster once said to me when I first presented him and his hens with fermented grains,
"You're telling me we have to eat them because they're healthy and good for us. What's your diet like then."

Most of the creatures in the world, including many humans are happy just to eat. Omnivores have an incredible ability to adapt to available foodstuffs.
The field chickens when I arrived were being fed mixed corn and little else and didn't go ranging. I don't know how but they managed and laid eggs
It's difficult to get an accurate picture but I believe this had been going on for a couple of years. Henry still made nine years.

I believe in feeding whole foods to chickens, not because there is any solid evidence that they improve their longevity, or cognitive abilities or productiveness. I feed whole foods because of the numerous studies I've now read relating to human health that says basically were eating too much crap and out health is suffering because of this. It's not a huge leap of faith to assume if it's healthier for us then it's probably healthier for chickens.

However, when one reads of people fermenting commercial feed or some of the weird home brews I've read about then one has to wonder if the chicken health message, what's crap and what isn't, and the basic requirements of their diet is getting through.