Fermented Feed... They seem like they are starving and then binging

[PurpleCArTires]

Hi guys! So i thought id try fermenting feed to save some money and for the health benefits. I used a locally milled mash and let it sit a few days and it started bubbling and smelling sour, so it was ready to go.

I didnt worry about draining the water (it was pretty thick), so i gave my 30 chickens about 15 cups (half a cup each). For a test, i took their free access feed out and tried just the fermented feed ration and some kitchen scraps for about 3 days. They were also let out to free range. By the 3rd day, they acted like they were starving when i would feed them, or if they saw me outside, they came begging for food.

So i put the free choice food back in their runs and continued with the fermented feed ration each day. After about a week, I noticed They were eatting almost as much of the free choice as they did before i started giving them fermented.

I have since quit the fermented feed idea for now, they are back to their free choice feed only, until i find out how to manage it better.

What am I doing wrong here? Are they looking at the fermented feed as a treat, and over indulging? How do you guys manage the fermented vs. Free choice feed?

 

[NatJ]

What am I doing wrong here? Are they looking at the fermented feed as a treat, and over indulging?

One way to check that:
weigh each chicken, or at least specific ones that you can recognize, and write down the weight.

Then feed the fermented feed once or twice a day, while letting them have free-choice dry feed.

After a week or two, weigh those same chickens again and check against the weights you wrote down. If they have all gained a noticeable amount of weight, then they really are eating more. But if they have not gained weight, then they really do need that much.

Do you think 1/2 cup (wet) per bird is enough for them? Should i measure the 15 cups out dry?

No, it wasn't enough.

Feed tends to at least double in size when you get it wet, so that was probably only 1/4 cup each when it was dry.

A common estimate is 1/4 POUND per laying hen per day (or more for large breeds).
Someone weighed a few feeds once, and 1/4 pound is about 3/4 CUP of feed.
(It varies from one brand to another--weigh some of your own food, dry, if you want to be sure.)

So 1/2 cup wet is probably about 1/3 of what each birds needs per day. They would still need to eat about 2/3 the usual amount of dry food to make up the difference.

If you want most of their food to come from fermented feed, take a scale and weigh out 7 1/2 pounds of food per day. That should be at least close, although they may need more yet if they are large breeds. (After you weigh it once, you can measure how many cups it was, if you prefer not to use the scale every day.)

 

[PurpleCArTires]

Are you measuring before fermenting or after? I feed about 1/2 cup but that measurement is before fermenting. The can I use I put in 3 cups of feed (1/2 the can) then fill with water. It then expand and fills the entire can once fermented so 1 can is 1 day of feed. I feed half in the morning and half about an hr-30 min before bed. I have 11 birds that are eating this feed right now. I dont measure after fermenting. I know its half the can.

I was measuring after fermenting. So they were only getting half the amount they actually needed... Therefore they were binging on the free choice food too. Its all making sense now! I really appreciate you guys!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

My tenure in FF feed was short (3 weeks) since my chooks weren't really into it after two weeks. I stopped FF, and just give them wet feed. However, during those three weeks, I did have a successful pipeline going. Here are some tricks that helped with the production:

1. I used empty plastic mixed nuts (or almond) containers from Costco for fermenting. Each container holds about 2lb dry feeds, a daily ration for my 8 chickens. So I was able to experiment with different amount of water for fermentation. Since it took about 3 days to ferment from start, I had 4 containers fermenting at all time. I kept them all in front of our heater outlet, with lids lightly covering the container. Everyday I used one container to feed them twice a day, and then refilled the container. This way I didn't have to worry about how much wet feed to scoop out. ( I used some leftover liquids from our Kombucha brew as starter since I didn't have any apple cider vinegar, it worked very well for fermenting!) Once I had the FF going, I never washed the container, just continue to refill dry feed and water each day).

2. We installed a gutter along the base of the run to use as a wet feed feeder (it's cheap! $5 for a 10ft gutter, we cut the gutter into two sections, nailed the gutter to a 2x2 wood bar and mounted on the wall). It works very well, the chickens can't scratch the feed, no waste! It's also equal access to all, pecking order does not interfere with access.

They also have access to unlimited dry feed in several PVC auto feeders with oyster shells and grits on the side. But as long as they have the wet feed, they won't touch the dry feed. They can also go out to the extended yard during the day, but there is nothing but snow for them to peck now!

#2. Seriously. #2

I tried FF for a while as well - I don't object to it, but I don't make an effort at it anymore, either. I do feed wet mash to reduce waste and help with our FL heat and humid. I start with a commercial crumble from the local mill - it can be dusty at times) I also feed once daily, at night, so they sleep with full crops and free range eagerly in the AM.

i STILL put their glop into 5" wide, long plastic gutters to reduce waste when it gets a little runny, whatever, and to deter, just a little bit, their tearing up of the ground where they eat. There are no end caps on the gutter pieces I used - scraps from actual gutter projects - and that's where my ducks will often stand to eat.

and of course, free choice oyster shell in a heavy bottomed bucket on the side.

 

[DobieLover]

I was feeding once a day too. In the morning, id put it out and it woukd be gone in less than 20 mins. Do you think 1/2 cup (wet) per bird is enough for them? Should i measure the 15 cups out dry? Thanks!

If it's overly wet and too soupy it's hard for them to get a good bite to eat it. I always mix dry feed back in to get the consistency right.
For me, the FF bowl is always empty at the end of the day and the dry feeder always had something left.

 

[PioneerChicks]

I was feeding once a day too. In the morning, id put it out and it woukd be gone in less than 20 mins. Do you think 1/2 cup (wet) per bird is enough for them? Should i measure the 15 cups out dry? Thanks!

I feed in the evening so they can stuff themselves before bed. I don't measure exactly, but I try to give them a bit extra. They can have the remainder in the morning.

 

[Mamatomany123]

I was measuring after fermenting. So they were only getting half the amount they actually needed... Therefore they were binging on the free choice food too. Its all making sense now! I really appreciate you guys!

Yeah, you need to measure dry feed. Mine doubles, sometimes triples, after fermenting. Make sure it's not too liquidy also. They wont be able to eat it as easily. The perfect consistency for my girls is like a thick oatmeal.

 

[Sally PB]

You mention the benefits of fermented feed. You can get some of those by just serving the feed wet. (That keeps the chickens from scattering dry feed all over, so it reduces waste and saves you money. And many chickens like the wet food better than dry food.)

I save the "fines" (small bits of the food) that fall to the bottom of the feed bowl in a bucket in the tote I have the feed in. Most days, I take 1 cup of that (for four chickens), mix with water to "thick oatmeal" consistency, split it into two pie pans, and set it in the run. I do this in mid-late afternoon. The pie pans are always empty when I go out at lockup.

They LOVE this "chickie snack." It's their same feed, silly birds, but they think it's a big treat. And it uses up the fines, which they seem to think are no good. Silly birds.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

They do not seem to be impressed by pellets at all. And the powdery stuff neither. I will do that. I went and put some of their feed into the dishes to make it thicker and they had some. Funny, Phoebe was eating it and when she saw me put her regular feeder out, she began speaking chicken, I guess she was telling me, "hey now you get the good stuff out after you made me eat this mushy stuff?" Silly chickens,
I have decided to do nothing but crochet today. I began a new huge afgan for my sofa.

 

[NatJ]

So it is ok to have the feed just damp?

Yes, it's fine to serve it dry, damp, or wet.

Personally, I tend to leave dry feed available at all times, but serve some wet feed because the chickens like it better. That saves me the bother of figuring how much they need-- they can eat up all the wet feed, then have a bit of the dry stuff if they need more.