Fermented feed

[Jenthehen127]

I am fermenting some feed for my girls. I know fermented food is good for humans, and supposed to be good for chickens. I'm just wondering how dose anyone else do it. I am using mason jars with feed and water. Do you scoop it out of the water or do you drain it and store it some how? Also, my girls like it slightly warm, but of warming it (15 seconds in the microwave) killing the good bacteria? What is everyone's experience with this?
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[rosemarythyme]

I use a large (think it's 2 gallon) glass jar. I keep it super simple and just add feed and water and mix. I can eyeball it really well now so there's not too much water and not too little... by 24 hours the water is absorbed without any excess and I start feeding it from there (at that point, it's not really fermented, but good enough for me). Each morning I feed from that batch until it runs low, then to start the next batch I add more food and water to the jar remnants and so on and so forth.

Not sure about warming it, if that has any effect on anything...

 

[DobieLover]

I am fermenting some feed for my girls. I know fermented food is good for humans, and supposed to be good for chickens. I'm just wondering how dose anyone else do it. I am using mason jars with feed and water. Do you scoop it out of the water or do you drain it and store it some how? Also, my girls like it slightly warm, but of warming it (15 seconds in the microwave) killing the good bacteria? What is everyone's experience with this?
❤

I strain my fermented feed before feeding it and keep the liquid to start the next batch. I ferment for 3 days so I have three jugs going at a time.

 

[Rocky1028]

I agree with the above posts; lots of good info.

For my set up, I use these buckets (5 gallons) and drilled holes in the bottom of one. After that, I just put it into another bucket (same size, no holes). That way it's kind of like a built in strainer that saves the liquid for the next batch. I got the idea off of Pinterest if you wanted to see pictures.

 

[Jenthehen127]

I agree with the above posts; lots of good info.

For my set up, I use these buckets (5 gallons) and drilled holes in the bottom of one. After that, I just put it into another bucket (same size, no holes). That way it's kind of like a built in strainer that saves the liquid for the next batch. I got the idea off of Pinterest if you wanted to see pictures.

Interesting! Thanks, I'll check it out!

 

[Jenthehen127]

I strain my fermented feed before feeding it and keep the liquid to start the next batch. I ferment for 3 days so I have three jugs going at a time.

That seems to be the way I read also. Thanks!

 

[Jenthehen127]

I use a large (think it's 2 gallon) glass jar. I keep it super simple and just add feed and water and mix. I can eyeball it really well now so there's not too much water and not too little... by 24 hours the water is absorbed without any excess and I start feeding it from there (at that point, it's not really fermented, but good enough for me). Each morning I feed from that batch until it runs low, then to start the next batch I add more food and water to the jar remnants and so on and so forth.

Not sure about warming it, if that has any effect on anything...

I started a second jar using about half the liquid from the first with the feed and more water. It soaked it up overnight, and we had a mini explosion when I opened it the next afternoon! I'm going to keep playing with it. Thanks!

 

[sunrise.superman]

I have multiple gallon mason jars w lids going for 14 hens. At first it took 3 days or so to really ferment but once the jars were "fermenty" from previous batches it's about a day and a half now. I line them up in order and just rotate through them, oldest fed first.

I scoop in feed (I use Scratch n Peck) up to 1/2 to 2/3 full and then add filtered water to about an inch or two under the shoulder of the jar, put the lid on tight and invert the jar to get everything mixed, and then slightly loosen the lid so it has some escape room and the jar doesn't blow as things ferment. That makes the feed pourable but not liquid. Like thick porridge consistency.

The chooks LOVE it...to the point that they give me dirty looks if I try to feed anything else.

 

[Jenthehen127]

I have multiple gallon mason jars w lids going for 14 hens. At first it took 3 days or so to really ferment but once the jars were "fermenty" from previous batches it's about a day and a half now. I line them up in order and just rotate through them, oldest fed first.

I scoop in feed (I use Scratch n Peck) up to 1/2 to 2/3 full and then add filtered water to about an inch or two under the shoulder of the jar, put the lid on tight and invert the jar to get everything mixed, and then slightly loosen the lid so it has some escape room and the jar doesn't blow as things ferment. That makes the feed pourable but not liquid. Like thick porridge consistency.

The chooks LOVE it...to the point that they give me dirty looks if I try to feed anything else.

Ooo, that's good to know! I have noticed it goes quicker after the first batch since I use some from it for the next. I think that's the trick...playing with amount of liquid!

 

[sunrise.superman]

Ooo, that's good to know! I have noticed it goes quicker after the first batch since I use some from it for the next. I think that's the trick...playing with amount of liquid!

Yes....just play w your water to feed ratio. I did what the feed store recommended at first and it was like soup. Chooks ate it well enough, but seemed wasteful of all of the good fermenty juju, so I upped the feed a bit and a little less water and get thick oatmeal consistency and they seem to like it better, too.