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

[NatJ]

They will try and leave it....I want them to be the benefits of FF.

How long has this been going on?
Many animals will try just a little bit of new feed, then wait a while to see if it makes them sick, then eat a bit more the next day when they have decided it really is safe.
So you might just need to offer small amounts for several days, so they can learn it is good to eat.

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.)

If you really want them eating fermented feed, maybe start by serving wet feed, and if they eat that you can serve wet feed that is a little bit fermented. If they eat that too, then serve them food that was fermented a little bit longer. Work up gradually, until you are serving it at the level of fermentation you want, and the chickens are used to it.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

What are you fermenting, are the feeders clean, what type of feeders are you feeding the fermented feed in and do they have access to forage?

Well, they eat organic starter. It rained and it got wet as I was getting them inside. The GLS had to bring into the house and dry them out because they got really wet. The other are bigger and went into coop. So I decided, since it was wet, minus well do FF. It was served in the rubber containers they always eat out of. They outgrew the other plastic one. They do have a little temporary area in front of my kitchen to be free. Kind of 12 x 15 area( not good at measuring). Their run will be 12 x 22 once it is finished.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

How long has this been going on?
Many animals will try just a little bit of new feed, then wait a while to see if it makes them sick, then eat a bit more the next day when they have decided it really is safe.
So you might just need to offer small amounts for several days, so they can learn it is good to eat.

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.)

If you really want them eating fermented feed, maybe start by serving wet feed, and if they eat that you can serve wet feed that is a little bit fermented. If they eat that too, then serve them food that was fermented a little bit longer. Work up gradually, until you are serving it at the level of fermentation you want, and the chickens are used to it.

So it is ok to have the feed just damp? I have tried this just 2 days now. I did not offered anything else but thought of giving them their usual once done in computer. They do make a huge mess around their bowl. They do not scratch it but they peck it out, which I think is worse,

 

[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.

 

[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.