FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[ShanandGem]

Not criticism, but I'm wondering why you spend the money on the probiotics when you can get it for free by fermenting the grains. You could even inoculate with your probiotics, and then use a bit of that culture to inoculate all successive batches. As you soak for 24 hours anyways, you'll have a great culture in your feed, and can dispense with the probiotics in the water.

Sorry, I guess I wasn't clear. I add a TINY amount of probiotics when I start the ferment. I figure by the time I serve it the next day that bucket is teeming with helpful little bacteria. I use so little there's no real cost involved.

 

[Mom2Sav]

I'm not familiar with Kombucha so I will guess that it's a product of your fermenting other stuff and therefore has probiotics in it?

Are the chia seeds for you or the chickens? I would sprout them first if they were for the chickens.... but I am still learning lots, so.....

My Kombucha is made from a scoby and organic tea. I wanted to sprout them but I underestimated how much they would expand so I don't really have the room to lay them out. The chia seeds are for the chickens. I haven't always had good results sprouting. I at some point will attempt again. And that is the only reasons I'm not sprouting. Wish I was.

 

[Mom2Sav]

Although I've been trying to figure out the difference between lacto and alcohol type fermenting. Kombucha contains minute concentrations of alcohol, minute. So I'm hoping it's still good for the chickens. The other day I walked over to my neighbors with the fruit I use flavor/ferment the Kombucha. They loved it. The fruit is in the Kombucha for about 3 days with a cap. Initially the Kombucha has muslin or coffee filter cover for about 7-10 days before the fruit is added.

 

[lazy gardener]

GASP!!!

You mean you feed her the dreaded first ingredient in most leading brands of dog food????? The evil CORN??????? What kind of dog owner ARE you??????

My dogs love the FF too, especially Ben, and now Flash, the cat, is following me to the coop at feeding time and eating out of the trough beside the chickens.

They all love corn out of the garden and they will compete with the chickens for any of their feed that hits the ground, so corn is definitely on the menu for the pets and livestock hereabouts.

We bought a cheaper brand of dog food last time. She really likes it, she's not itchy as much, and her fur is getting much softer, shinier. Goes to show, price tag does not equal quality. I'm sure if anyone did a side by side comparison of the dog food I bought along with a high end dog food, they'd gasp, and label me a horrid dog owner for feeding a cheap food. But, I won't argue with the results. Then again, perhaps it's the FF that's making the difference. But, she's been eating that since we got her.

 

[Beekissed]

We bought a cheaper brand of dog food last time. She really likes it, she's not itchy as much, and her fur is getting much softer, shinier. Goes to show, price tag does not equal quality. I'm sure if anyone did a side by side comparison of the dog food I bought along with a high end dog food, they'd gasp, and label me a horrid dog owner for feeding a cheap food. But, I won't argue with the results. Then again, perhaps it's the FF that's making the difference. But, she's been eating that since we got her.

I switched dog food awhile back too, from that cheap stuff I was getting at the feed mill to some much cheaper stuff from Rural King...they LOVE it, their fur is glossy as all get out and they are staying fit on it. They have an even cheaper bag there for $10.99 but I splurge and get the $12.99/40# bag. Here the dog food is just part of their diet, so I don't get cranked up about it all. Many a hillbilly dog live to a ripe, full age of activity on cheap dog foods or no dog foods at all....folks just used to feed them table scraps or they hunted for their own.

Left to their own devices a dog will eat just about anything, much like chickens, be it trash, rotten meats, veggies and fruits, etc., so a good cheap dog food is living high on the hog for a dog.

 

[Mom2Sav]

Did I miss something here? What is the dog food about? Are you feeding fermented dog food because I actually looked that up last night and couldn't find anything about it. I'm confused here. Help

 

[Mom2Sav]

Did I miss something here? What is the dog food about? Are you feeding fermented dog food because I actually looked that up last night and couldn't find anything about it. I'm confused here. Help

We buy the grain free dog food. It's very expensive. Do you guys ferment your dog food?

 

[Beekissed]

Nope, not intentionally. Some do, though. That discussion came about when folks were talking about their dogs stealing FF from the chickens or the slop bucket.

I wouldn't mind fermented the dog food at all but it's just not a top priority like it is for the chickens, though it probably should be if it can save me on dog food consumption like it does with chicken feed and produce the same health benefits. Come spring I may even try it out.

The dogs do love the fermented/rotten pumpkins and squash that I feed the chickens too and will lick every speck off the ground.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

My Kombucha is made from a scoby and organic tea. I wanted to sprout them but I underestimated how much they would expand so I don't really have the room to lay them out. The chia seeds are for the chickens. I haven't always had good results sprouting. I at some point will attempt again. And that is the only reasons I'm not sprouting. Wish I was.

I'ts my understanding that sprouting barley is the easiest with the least amount of issues. That's what I tried and was able to achieve around 60 degrees after soaking for 24 hours. Oh ya, mine expanded like crazy to.

No, I don't ferment my dog food. I feed my dogs lamb & rice from Costco, both theirs and Nutra Nuggets. Because 1 if my dogs specifically likes the cheaper and slightly lower quality brand, I buy both kinds.

With 3 good sized dogs we spend about $80 per month. They are $29 and $26 each for 40#.

If your dogs do well with corn, that's good. When people say they can't digest it, I don't know if that's true. Seems like maybe, if it's whole.

But if't it's ground, I don't see why they wouldn't be able to. Like most other things, what works for one may not work for another. But price definitely does not dictate quality and neither does brand name!

People would be shocked if they read some of those high $ brand name ingredients.

Come to think of it, my dogs love the chicken FF too!

And yep, plenty o' hillbilly dogs sure lived to a ripe old age.

 

[Radena]

Many report the birds gobbling FF at first and eating as much or more than they seemed to do when they had dry feeds, but then report they tapered off to a more normal consumption later on.  The theory is that they are getting some kinds of nutrients they were deficient in with regular feed and, once their bodies were no longer deficient, they were able to consume a more regular amount. 

My sheep used to do that when I'd put out more kelp meal in the supplement feeder...they'd act like I gave them chocolate at first and eat it like feed, but would then just sample it now and again over time, as their bodies signaled need for those minerals and vitamins. 

Whatever the reason, this is where the savings in feed amounts and costs come in...they actually consume less feed when it's been fermented than when it's not, as it has more nutrition per serving than the same amount of dry feed.  That's a good thing! 

thank you. They are also mostly free range so eat lots of other things. When the snow hits that will stop. Any one ever feed the fermented food warm?