FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[tjo804]

Scratch and Peck is a dusty food, it's whole grain and contains mineral mix and fish meal. Any amount of moisture is going to make it gunky, so if feeding it drier just to avoid gunk forming is all that's done, that would amount to not feeding it fermented. Feeding it dry encourages them picking out just what they want and leaving the other important ingredients behind, so that is not an option. I thought they had an actual reason for saying thicker is better, no need to talk to me like I'm simple.

Anyone have any actual experience with this particular problem able to tell me what you've done for yours?

I used to put my FF in a plastic pan they stepped in it and mostly made a mess but now I use the old troth we had for the goats it has holes in the bottom so the ones who want it less sloppy just wait a minute for things to settle to the bottom I think it works better for me that way it saves me time on straining.

 

[Beekissed]

I currently try to put only enough water to wet all the feed and keep it from being too heavy to stir all the way from the bottom. I'll try wetting it a bit less if I can, or maybe I can take their serving and squeeze it drier with cheese cloth. I'm eager to learn, why is thicker better? I know through trial and error that they prefer the taste, but I'd be happy to know the real reason for it. I've tried parsing this whole thread to take notes but it is a bit of a project at 600+ pages!

Dryer can make it less messy on their beaks and faces and that's pretty much why it's fed dryer in most cases. It helps if you feed in a long or wide, shallow container that has drain holes in the bottom to decrease the liquid in the feed even more. It also makes it cleaner for them if the feeder edge is at chest height for them so they aren't leaning down to eat but reaching up and over. Then, it's also helpful if they have litter in the feeding area on which to wipe their beaks...they will learn this as they go along as it's just instinctive in most chickens to clean their faces. Some just shake their heads to clear the debris from their faces, much like ducks will.

It may be helpful to trim the crest on your crested breeds...this can help them in more than one way. They can stay cleaner and they can spot aerial preds and avoid pecking order behavior more easily.

 

[tjo804]

I just built a makeshift hanger out of 2x2's and attached the goat troth to the run supports and hung it crooked so they could all eat at a level comfortable to them.

 

[frenchiegirl21]

@Beekissed I just wanted to say thank you for passing your knowledge on to us!!! Last summer I read this entire thread and started fermenting our feed. One year later the chickens are still fat, happy, and healthy and still act like they are starving when I come out to feed them lol. We've adjusted amounts and times to better fit their needs but will never go back to feeding plain pellets! Eggs are richer, molting goes faster, and we use around 50-100 less pounds of feed per month because of the lack of waste. I start my chicks with fermented feed and never have any problems. I am so blessed to have come across this topic and find a better way to feed my chickens. They love it and so do I! Your knowledge has greatly blessed my family. Please, continue to share and educate those around you. You are a great and kind teacher!

Love from Texas,
Rachel

 

[tjo804]

@Beekissed I just wanted to say thank you for passing your knowledge on to us!!! Last summer I read this entire thread and started fermenting our feed. One year later the chickens are still fat, happy, and healthy and still act like they are starving when I come out to feed them lol. We've adjusted amounts and times to better fit their needs but will never go back to feeding plain pellets! Eggs are richer, molting goes faster, and we use around 50-100 less pounds of feed per month because of the lack of waste. I start my chicks with fermented feed and never have any problems. I am so blessed to have come across this topic and find a better way to feed my chickens. They love it and so do I! Your knowledge has greatly blessed my family. Please, continue to share and educate those around you. You are a great and kind teacher!

Love from Texas,
Rachel

I agree @Beekissed you have improved the health and wellness of my flock as well. Your contributions are invaluable!

 

[Beekissed]

Thank you, both! It sure means a lot to know others can benefit from things we put on this forum. We never really know where that information goes sometimes, but this FF thing has went around the world, starting right here on this simple little chicken forum. Kinda neat when you think about it!

 

[Clucksandgiggle]

Today for a hot weather treat, at noon I put their fermented feed dinner in the fridge so they clot cold food late afternoon. Hopefully it will help cool them off a little.

 

[Sidhe13]

Have I mentioned the absolutely awesome results I have experienced from using fermented feed? My chooks put on weight and their feathers are glossy. Their poop stinks less and they are so much happier. And I use less food! There is no wastage or spillage and the amount of food they need to eat is much less!

 

[Skink]

Update on the polish, I couldn't make the feed drier and not kill my bad nerves on stirring it so I decided to try squeezing her feed to near-dry with cheese cloth to strain right before serving. It didn't do too much for the mess until I started rolling it in to bite sized balls. It is a bit of extra effort but has been working very well! This would be a terrible solution for a whole flock, but for one gal it isn't so bad. I'm about to give Modesto Milling's a try, I hope this will work for crumble/pelleted as well as it does for whole grain.

If all else failed, she and the silkie have gotten very good at preening each other's crests, and still do it even now that they're all clean

I guess it must feel nice

 

[Beekissed]

When I feed a dryer FF, I never stir except for when I refresh the feed and, later after it's all absorbed and dry mix, the very top and right prior feeding it out...just a surface chop, is all...not much effort involved.