Fermented Feed-Is it really a superfood?

[FarmerGirl101]

Hello! So lately I have been seeing many posts about Fermented feed. I have heard that it cuts your feed bill by a whole lot. I am very open to this idea and I have been wondering how to do. For a long time, I fed 6 chickens 16% crumbles which would get eaten in a week and keep in mind that this is a 50 pound bag of food. Then I fed them 18% pellets which have drastically cut my feed bill and now I use up a 40 pound bag with 12 chickens in a 1 and a half to two weeks.
Here are some of my questions that I would like to get answered:

1. What are the benefits?
2. What food works best so commercial vs. homemade feed?
3. Would Hearty Hen 18% Pellets work?
4. How much had this cut your feed bill or even added?
5. How do you do this, so like the recipe?
6. If a homemade feed works best, how should I make it?

If you have anything to add then I would greatly appreciate this.

 

[Folly's place]

I feed Flock Raiser, a 20% protein crumble from Purina, with oyster shell on the side. I use feeders that limit waste, and don't ferment or do home made.
My flock includes birds laying eggs, and birds who aren't, so it's the best choice for me. It's fresh by mill date at my local feed stores too.
Time and space matter to me, and so fermenting stuff has no appeal.
Home made is more expensive and very difficult to balance in small batches, and neither time or cost effective.
Simple is best, IMO.
Mary

 

[MissChick@dee]

Wow 50lbs for 6 chickens !!
What else is eating the feed?
LOL I have fat sparrows in my yard. I certainly can see how you’d want some help with that food bill. I dabbled in fermented/sprouted grains. I just didn’t devote myself to it because my hens didn’t get as excited as I did over it. One thing I learned is that you really need to wash/rinse it religiously. It sours quickly. Good thread to start. I’ll be watching. Winters coming and all my greens in my garden will soon be gone. Perhaps I’ll try again this year. Best wishes

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Wow 50lbs for 6 chickens !!
What else is eating the feed?
LOL I have fat sparrows in my yard. I certainly can see how you’d want some help with that food bill. I dabbled in fermented/sprouted grains. I just didn’t devote myself to it because my hens didn’t get as excited as I did over it. One thing I learned is that you really need to wash/rinse it religiously. It sours quickly. Good thread to start. I’ll be watching. Winters coming and all my greens in my garden will soon be gone. Perhaps I’ll try again this year. Best wishes

I am gonna try and do folder as well since it a good source of greens and does cut my feed bill. Mine don't free range so they don't have a big source of greens at all.

 

[Ursula09]

Hello! So lately I have been seeing many posts about Fermented feed. I have heard that it cuts your feed bill by a whole lot. I am very open to this idea and I have been wondering how to do. For a long time, I fed 6 chickens 16% crumbles which would get eaten in a week and keep in mind that this is a 50 pound bag of food. Then I fed them 18% pellets which have drastically cut my feed bill and now I use up a 40 pound bag with 12 chickens in a 1 and a half to two weeks.
Here are some of my questions that I would like to get answered:

1. What are the benefits?
2. What food works best so commercial vs. homemade feed?
3. Would Hearty Hen 18% Pellets work?
4. How much had this cut your feed bill or even added?
5. How do you do this, so like the recipe?
6. If a homemade feed works best, how should I make it?

If you have anything to add then I would greatly appreciate this.

I would like to know that answer as well.
My chickens don't seem to like the "scratch and peck" feed they waste alot of it. And I am trying to find one without corn or soy, but have no luck finding any. The young chicks seem to like it well, but they are too young to eat grower feed, only 3-1/2 weeks old.

 

[Molpet]

I have fermented since 2015. Here is a cheat sheet a byc member made that answers some questions and is the method I use.
https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/
I feed 12 turkeys, 5 roos, 30 + hens, and 50 grow outs on 150 lbs a week of organic feed.
I prefer milled feed, but the closest mill ( 1 1/2 hr away) closed the feed division. I now am feeding crumbles

 

[FarmerGirl101]

I have fermented since 2015. Here is a cheat sheet a byc member made that answers some questions and is the method I use.
https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/
I feed 12 turkeys, 5 roos, 30 + hens, and 50 grow outs on 150 lbs a week of organic feed.
I prefer milled feed, but the closest mill ( 1 1/2 hr away) closed the feed division. I now am feeding crumbles

So how can you get milled feed as I have never really understood the purpose.

 

[Folly's place]

If there's an actual feed mill nearby, you can buy whatever they offer for your flock, or sometimes have a special blend done (in large quantities). It's very likely to be a mash, because of the cost of having equipment to make it pelleted. Cheaper, but quality will vary. My local mills didn't work out for my flock.
Mary

 

[Molpet]

So how can you get milled feed as I have never really understood the purpose.

Milled feed is like' scratch and peck' brand.. which is expensive compared to buying from a feed mill.. It's less processed than pellets or crumbles , which is a pro to me.. There are pros and cons to both types.

 

[Ursula09]

I don't know what it is about the scratch and peck that my growers do not like, but they still go ravenously over the starter feed! My 3-1/2 week old chicks like the scratch and peck fine...enough to pull out ones hair...lol