FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[iheartnh]

Also...it sort of sounds like your birds are spoiled with too much food.

I've never met a chicken that wouldn't eat whatever I put in the feeder. Take away continuous portions and only dish out once a day what they can consume in 15-30 min. Soon they will be haunting your steps for anything you throw down for feed.

I don't overfeed them. They got 1 cup of scratch mix (for 7 birds, at 6 AM) and devoured that before I was even out of the yard. We ran out of the finisher crumbles, so all they've had all day was the fermented feed and whatever bugs they scratched up in the yard. Well, a couple of them picked all the BOSS out of the FF - so probably 1/4 cup of that, too. I'm not going to starve them into eating it - only 4 of them are laying, the remaining 3 just doing the squat over the past couple of days - so I'm not going to stress them - I'd rather have the eggs. My husband just brought a pan of the pellets (that they originally rejected, which prompted me to ferment) and they're eating it. So I guess the outcome - having them eating the organic soy-free pellets - is the same. I'm just stuck with a couple gallons of fermented feed. No biggie.

 

[Beekissed]

They won't starve in a day's time....

 

[marktoo]

I don't overfeed them. They got 1 cup of scratch mix (for 7 birds, at 6 AM) and devoured that before I was even out of the yard. We ran out of the finisher crumbles, so all they've had all day was the fermented feed and whatever bugs they scratched up in the yard. Well, a couple of them picked all the BOSS out of the FF - so probably 1/4 cup of that, too. I'm not going to starve them into eating it - only 4 of them are laying, the remaining 3 just doing the squat over the past couple of days - so I'm not going to stress them - I'd rather have the eggs. My husband just brought a pan of the pellets (that they originally rejected, which prompted me to ferment) and they're eating it. So I guess the outcome - having them eating the organic soy-free pellets - is the same. I'm just stuck with a couple gallons of fermented feed. No biggie.

Try the fermented feed plus free choice for awhile before giving up completely, put some garlic & Cayenne pepper in it. Got nothing to loose...if it doesn't work toss it in the compost.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Brown sugar?

I don't know who told you to put in sugar but please don't do that. Nor apple juice. No sugar is needed as the grains have all the sugar needed for fermentation to take place. The only thing folks are adding at the beginning of the process is maybe some mother vinegar, kefir or kimchi. Mostly just the mother vinegar but you don't even need that...just your feed, water, warm temps and time. Stir it a couple of times and leave it open to get some air...I put a lid on it but just snap down one side so that the other side gaps open for some air flow...that's all that's needed, just a little air and opportunity for the mix to let off some gases.

You can't really mess it up, so don't worry..it's such a simple process that anyone can do it. Just feed, water enough to account for absorption, air and time...that should do it!

LOL when I saw your thud person I fell out laughing.

 

[iheartnh]

Try the fermented feed plus free choice for awhile before giving up completely, put some garlic & Cayenne pepper in it. Got nothing to loose...if it doesn't work toss it in the compost.

I might try it with some yogurt mixed in tomorrow morning, just so I don't have to toss the whole batch.

They won't starve in a day's time....

Denying all other food in order to get them to eat something they don't want to eat is, in my opinion, starving them. Will they starve to death? Of course not - they'll eat the ferment eventually. But I'm not so obsessed with getting them to eat it that I'll take away everything else to motivate them - their diet is the same either way. It's hardly worth digging in my heels to force acceptance when they will eat everything I put in the ferment separately - and in the case of BOSS, oats, and flax seeds - really enjoy it.

 

[RoseMarie1]

i have chicks that end up getting feed dumped on them cause they jump into the feeder and look up and try to fly into the scooper... they absolutely love love love it .... idk why ive been feeding dry all this time lol its like a treat all the time for them... and when i have 2 5 gal pails instead of the 30 gal trash bin, i had a wetter and a dryer mix, i would take dry and dump it into the wet so there was a little more liquid but feeding at an oatmeal consistancy instead of a paste seems to work better

lol mine do the same thing! They try to eat out of the scoop and the bucket and everything. I can't help but laugh and they even sling it on me. Someone came by today to get one of my RIR cockerels and when I caught him he had ff all over him. He was laughing when I told him he had ff on him.

 

[RoseMarie1]

I might try it with some yogurt mixed in tomorrow morning, just so I don't have to toss the whole batch.


Denying all other food in order to get them to eat something they don't want to eat is, in my opinion, starving them. Will they starve to death? Of course not - they'll eat the ferment eventually. But I'm not so obsessed with getting them to eat it that I'll take away everything else to motivate them - their diet is the same either way. It's hardly worth digging in my heels to force acceptance when they will eat everything I put in the ferment separately - and in the case of BOSS, oats, and flax seeds - really enjoy it.

but the ff has the probiotics they need as well as all the good vitamins and all the other good stuff. When you know something is better for your child than say giving them something sweet for breakfast you'd would want them to eat healthier for an example.

 

[marktoo]

I'm still trying to figure out portions...just checked my birds....They ate a portion x 2. No dog under the table, no where to hide it...they ate it. Plus a healthy amount of veggie peelings. ;o)

 

[Beekissed]

but the ff has the probiotics they need as well as all the good vitamins and all the other good stuff. When you know something is better for your child than say giving them something sweet for breakfast you'd would want them to eat healthier for an example.

It's just not for some folks and you really can't explain it any better than it has been explained countless times as to the benefits of fermenting the grains versus feeding them as is. And, of course, if something doesn't work the very first time you try it, it must be abandoned immediately as a bad idea because you weren't immediately successful in utilizing it. That's how all advances were made in this world, by giving up immediately and pronouncing it as not worth doing in the first place because you can't do it the first time you try it.

 

[bruceh]

I'm still trying to figure out portions...just checked my birds....They ate a portion x 2. No dog under the table, no where to hide it...they ate it. Plus a healthy amount of veggie peelings. ;o)

now you have done it. the birds will come running to you now that you converted them.. they love the fermented feed. if you run from the birds they will run after you like the Alfred Hitchcock movie the birds. on a funny note my kitten decided to stalk a chicken today. the bird did the oh crap chirp. 5-6 other chickens came running. the kitten did the oh crap i am out numbered thing. did an about face and ran for the house.