Fermented Feed for Quail

[lukem5]

yes, I am more worried about certain strains of bacteria as mold needs a surface to grow on (if I can SEE mold, and dispose of it, its not much of an issue)

Also worried about my quails getting drunk off fermented grains

 

[bush]

What is the shelf life of F/F? How do know when it goes bad? What are the benefits of feeding F/F as opposed to feeding dry feed? Thanks in advance for your replies.

 

[lukem5]

What is the shelf life of F/F? How do know when it goes bad? What are the benefits of feeding F/F as opposed to feeding dry feed? Thanks in advance for your replies.

I asked one post back how long FF keeps for. it is unclear how long it lasts. Now do yourself a favor and read the thread.

 

[Invision]

What is the shelf life of F/F? How do know when it goes bad? What are the benefits of feeding F/F as opposed to feeding dry feed? Thanks in advance for your replies.

You only want to make as much as they eat I'm going on a week and i noticed a milky film (liquid) sitting on the FF, but I just stirred it in and all seems well. I would think you could probably get 2 weeks out of a batch but I'll know for sure next week. Best thing is probably to just stir it before use and make sure it smells the same. From reading other sources I found that if you leave a little bit of the same feed/liquid in the bucket just at water and more feed that way you don't have to wait as long for it to ferment.

 

[Sill]

You made me feel bad about the way I treat my quails, Sill Your offering looks ... delicious! All I do for my quail is building a feeder that will supply enough feed for one week. Low maintenance. But I'm going to try fermenting feed. Just started a batch this morning. Should be ready in a couple days. Don't know if I can keep up with the cleaning and feeding routine everyday, but if it's better for the quail, reduces feed and poops, I'm going to try it. Currently I go through a 50 lbs feed every 2 weeks!

Question: what do you use for the plates? They probably have to be heavy ceramic type with flat bottom so the birds can't flip them over. I have that problem all the time when they just step on the edge and flip and make a mess.

Yes they eat well but we eat their eggs and meat so it's good for us too. It should bring down the amount of feed you have to buy too.

See the first picture in the thread. That is the type of dish I use. The sides are at ninety degree angles from the bottoms. They are less likely to tip them that way. Also the sides are high enough that they can't easily scratch the feed out but can reach the bottom to eat all of it without needing to jump into the dish. I don't use plates as they would just step in it and scratch most of it out. Too much waste that way. Experiment to see what works for you and let us know what you come up with.

Sill,

Wow, your quail eat better than I do... I've just been testing them with plain feed no additives. I don't have any lights on my girls but they have a coop and also a run so they have access to dirt for their grit. Do they need the shells for calcium (they get some in their FF from the feed) if I am not getting eggs from them? Last egg I got was beginning of the month.

That will depend of your feed and your hens. If you are not feeding a layer ration you want to give them access to calcium just in case they need it. With a layer feed they probably don't need extra if they are not actively laying. If they are not getting enough calcium you will see a lower quality shell when they do start laying again. I prefer to let them have calcium if they need it or not. I do have lights on mine so some are always laying depending on how far their cages are from the light source.

Hey guys what do you think about fermenting for more than 3 days?? I want to ferment my feed so it is a goopy liquid viscosity, and I will set it up like a traditional auto-water feeder (jar upside down on plate) so as the birds eat the fermented liquidy goop gravity will refill it from the jar.

So the stuff in the jar will probably be there for 5 days or so before needing to be refilled.

IF I fermented 3 days first, then added to auto-feeder, the mixture when the jar runs dry would be into 8 days of fermentation, would this be safe?

I could just give it a try and see for myself... but it is worth asking to avoid any dead/sick quails.

Read up on some of the FF threads and see how long they suggest. I don't let mine go for long, but since you prefer to then err on the side of caution. I think letting the feed set without stirring might cause it to go bad faster. You want an aerobic not anaerobic environment for your feed and stirring gets the air into the feed.

 

[Sill]

Today's dishes. FF with shredded pumpkin, blended green chili, red pepper flakes, yogurt, chopped kale and oyster/eggshells.

 

[Sill]

yes, I am more worried about certain strains of bacteria as mold needs a surface to grow on (if I can SEE mold, and dispose of it, its not much of an issue)

Also worried about my quails getting drunk off fermented grains

I think it would need to go a good number of days before alcohol is formed. I would think you be able to smell it if so. You are right that mold would be on the surface, easy to spot. I've only had one batch grow mold and I just threw the top layer away. The rest of it looked and smelled like typical FF so I fed it.

 

[Sill]

Today they got FF with shreds of pumpkin, yogurt, spirulina powder and oyster shell.

 

[Invision]

Yeah I shut the lights off on mine because it's freezing now and if I let them lay I'll get a cracked egg the next day. So I gave them a winter break.

So far I have found that a 1 gallon bucket with 6 cups will feed my birds for 2 weeks (only 4 because a hawk decided one tasted good...). I feed them fresh FF in the morning and have my wife give them some around 1 in the afternoon, by the next morning the food is down to maybe a teaspoon in the bottom of the bowl.

I've also found that they do not eat even close to half the amount of dry food i was feeding them. also the droppings has cut back more than half and it doesn't smell at all. Slight ammonia smell but nothing compared to what it was. Also I was filling a 1 gallon bucket with water almost 3 times a week, I have only needed to fill it once in two weeks. I'm impressed with the food, and the birds go crazy every time I open the top and give them more.

 

[Sill]

Yeah I shut the lights off on mine because it's freezing now and if I let them lay I'll get a cracked egg the next day. So I gave them a winter break.

So far I have found that a 1 gallon bucket with 6 cups will feed my birds for 2 weeks (only 4 because a hawk decided one tasted good...). I feed them fresh FF in the morning and have my wife give them some around 1 in the afternoon, by the next morning the food is down to maybe a teaspoon in the bottom of the bowl.

I've also found that they do not eat even close to half the amount of dry food i was feeding them. also the droppings has cut back more than half and it doesn't smell at all. Slight ammonia smell but nothing compared to what it was. Also I was filling a 1 gallon bucket with water almost 3 times a week, I have only needed to fill it once in two weeks. I'm impressed with the food, and the birds go crazy every time I open the top and give them more.

I definitely makes the feed and water go farther. I didn't realize how much it cut down on smell until I visited someone's house that had about the same number of quail as I have. His quail smelled bad! Or rather it was their droppings! I just didn't realize what a difference there is in feeding the same stuff dry or fermented. And yes, they sure love it when they get their dishes.