FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[chicken curious]

Why would you be using DE? I see no reason to add it.

That's good to hear. I barely use any now, but do have food grade DE. I read a few blogs where they were adding to custom food mixes at about 2% for internal parasite control and I've never added to my mix so I was curious.

Symptoms
I have one 9 week old chick with vent gleet and one 4 week old chick that was acting a bit lethargic with droopy, puffy posture. I also heard some light sneezing only after eating (so that could be them expelling any moisture from their nostrils after eating the wet FF).

Typical Regimen
I have a great ferment going and have some acv in their water. They also get some fresh thyme, oregano, and garlic from the garden periodically in addition to dandelion greens. This was enough to keep my last flock healthy for years, but these chicks...

I wasn't sure what else I could do to support health so I was looking into natural parasite control. Which is where I came across adding DE to the food.

Therapeutic Regimen
What I *did* do was add some of my own soli-based probiotic capsule to a bit of plain, Greek yogurt and just fed to/boosted the whole flock of chicks. I also upped the acv to a more therapeutic amount in the water for three days and made sure to offer the garlic and oregano daily. Vent gleet chick has been getting daily versus weekly washes and then is smeared in Nu-Stock. Last night I put some warm water-vetRX under their wings and on their heads in case the sneezing was not clearing FF moisture from nostrils. Today instead of acv in their water I added some Poultry Nutri-Drench.

Symptom Update
Vent gleet chick was sloughing a layer of skin when I washed her last and new skin looked great. She eats a ton, but always has runny poo. I'm very surprised she got a yeast overgrowth while on FF. She was probably 2-3 days old when I got her and has been on FF since I converted them all the first week or so. I'll keep washing her daily for a few more days and keep up with the extra probiotics for that long, too.

Droopy chick has perked up considerably, but still takes breaks to be puffed up with her neck pulled in. Overall, they all seem very healthy and I don't think they should need more than FF and some fresh greens, but I got nervous.

Thanks for "listening" to this saga...any advice is welcome from my FF tribe!

 

[aart]

That's good to hear. I barely use any now, but do have food grade DE. I read a few blogs where they were adding to custom food mixes at about 2% for internal parasite control and I've never added to my mix so I was curious.

DE is put into feed mixes to protect against grain mites and other pests during storage....it's about the only thing DE is really good at, IMO.

 

[igorsMistress]

I have been feeding FF every morning for a week or two. Everyone loves it!

I can only feed it mornings because there's no guarantee anyone will be home before dark to feed again

Feed consumption has been reduced a LOT. The flock takes several days to go thru the dry stuff as instead of filling the bowl about every day and a half.

Hard to believe 4 oz of dry food and a cup of water is enough to feed everyone.

 

[pioneerchick816]

@lazygardener
Thanks! I'm just going to start feeding a little less. I only have nine laying ladies now & a bunch of newbies(I'm fermenting grower for the babies). Everyone loves it The 30 meat chickens devour it

 

[lazy gardener]

I have been feeding FF every morning for a week or two. Everyone loves it!

I can only feed it mornings because there's no guarantee anyone will be home before dark to feed again

Feed consumption has been reduced a LOT. The flock takes several days to go thru the dry stuff as instead of filling the bowl about every day and a half.

Hard to believe 4 oz of dry food and a cup of water is enough to feed everyone.

Could you put out enough FF to last them all day?

That's good to hear. I barely use any now, but do have food grade DE. I read a few blogs where they were adding to custom food mixes at about 2% for internal parasite control and I've never added to my mix so I was curious.

Symptoms
I have one 9 week old chick with vent gleet and one 4 week old chick that was acting a bit lethargic with droopy, puffy posture. I also heard some light sneezing only after eating (so that could be them expelling any moisture from their nostrils after eating the wet FF).

Typical Regimen
I have a great ferment going and have some acv in their water. They also get some fresh thyme, oregano, and garlic from the garden periodically in addition to dandelion greens. This was enough to keep my last flock healthy for years, but these chicks...

I wasn't sure what else I could do to support health so I was looking into natural parasite control. Which is where I came across adding DE to the food.

Therapeutic Regimen
What I *did* do was add some of my own soli-based probiotic capsule to a bit of plain, Greek yogurt and just fed to/boosted the whole flock of chicks. I also upped the acv to a more therapeutic amount in the water for three days and made sure to offer the garlic and oregano daily. Vent gleet chick has been getting daily versus weekly washes and then is smeared in Nu-Stock. Last night I put some warm water-vetRX under their wings and on their heads in case the sneezing was not clearing FF moisture from nostrils. Today instead of acv in their water I added some Poultry Nutri-Drench.

Symptom Update
Vent gleet chick was sloughing a layer of skin when I washed her last and new skin looked great. She eats a ton, but always has runny poo. I'm very surprised she got a yeast overgrowth while on FF. She was probably 2-3 days old when I got her and has been on FF since I converted them all the first week or so. I'll keep washing her daily for a few more days and keep up with the extra probiotics for that long, too.

Droopy chick has perked up considerably, but still takes breaks to be puffed up with her neck pulled in. Overall, they all seem very healthy and I don't think they should need more than FF and some fresh greens, but I got nervous.

Thanks for "listening" to this saga...any advice is welcome from my FF tribe!

I'm no expert, nor do I claim to be, but when I started giving FF, I dispensed with ACV in the water b/c the FF is higher in acid, and loaded with probiotics, so IMO they don't need the ACV. As for the herbs, they would be fine occasionally, but I'd not give them daily. Garlic is known to be a blood thinner. If the herbs are offered free choice in addition to their other greens, it would be less of an issue. Are you giving them some sod or soil from an untreated lawn? That might help with the gleet. Your VG chick may be a failure to thrive bird. I've noticed that birds tend to get VG when they are at the bottom of the pecking order which leads me to think they have something out of whack internally.

 

[chicken curious]

[1] ...so IMO they don't need the ACV.

[2] If the herbs are offered free choice in addition to their other greens, it would be less of an issue.

[3] Are you giving them some sod or soil from an untreated lawn? That might help with the gleet.

[4] Your VG chick may be a failure to thrive bird. I've noticed that birds tend to get VG when they are at the bottom of the pecking order which leads me to think they have something out of whack internally.

I separated out your points that I'll address...
[1] good to know!
[2] yes. Chopped garlic and herbs are always free choice, not in the FF
[3] they're on deep litter in the coop and run, but I can add sod more often
[4] dang. I'll see if she starts to thrive, but I won't hold my breath and am willing to cull her if the gleet comes back. I do not enjoy the constant care. Definitely bottom of pecking order in the older set of 4 chicks and time will tell when I fully integrate the 9 younger chicks.

Thank you!

 

[Beer can]

I have a question, how long can a batch of fermented feed sit before it "goes bad"? I'm going to be gone for a week, and although I have someone coming by to feed and care for my chickens They will not be required to keep up the ferment.

I use individual casks each holding one day's worth of FF (1 Qt, crumbles per mix) if that matters.

1 qt per day. Toss it all in a five gal bucket and have them scoop it out each day, doubt it would go bad in a week unless it's super hot.
But....I agree with lazy gardener. When we leave on vaca I go back to just dry feed, have a big feeder and a fifteen gallon waterer with nipples. Then I don't have to worry.

 

[Beer can]

I have been feeding FF every morning for a week or two. Everyone loves it!

I can only feed it mornings because there's no guarantee anyone will be home before dark to feed again

Feed consumption has been reduced a LOT. The flock takes several days to go thru the dry stuff as instead of filling the bowl about every day and a half.

Hard to believe 4 oz of dry food and a cup of water is enough to feed everyone.

Why I stick to fermenting, notice it in my wallet. Lucky also on the wallet I have a local mill I get 17% mash with a nice grain consistency for $10 for 50lbs, nice stuff and I can go heavy on water and it doesn't get mushy or sloppy like pellets and crumble. The extra water works great for the backslop.

 

[Beer can]

That's good to hear. I barely use any now, but do have food grade DE. I read a few blogs where they were adding to custom food mixes at about 2% for internal parasite control and I've never added to my mix so I was curious.

Symptoms
I have one 9 week old chick with vent gleet and one 4 week old chick that was acting a bit lethargic with droopy, puffy posture. I also heard some light sneezing only after eating (so that could be them expelling any moisture from their nostrils after eating the wet FF).

Typical Regimen
I have a great ferment going and have some acv in their water. They also get some fresh thyme, oregano, and garlic from the garden periodically in addition to dandelion greens. This was enough to keep my last flock healthy for years, but these chicks...

I wasn't sure what else I could do to support health so I was looking into natural parasite control. Which is where I came across adding DE to the food.

Therapeutic Regimen
What I *did* do was add some of my own soli-based probiotic capsule to a bit of plain, Greek yogurt and just fed to/boosted the whole flock of chicks. I also upped the acv to a more therapeutic amount in the water for three days and made sure to offer the garlic and oregano daily. Vent gleet chick has been getting daily versus weekly washes and then is smeared in Nu-Stock. Last night I put some warm water-vetRX under their wings and on their heads in case the sneezing was not clearing FF moisture from nostrils. Today instead of acv in their water I added some Poultry Nutri-Drench.

Symptom Update
Vent gleet chick was sloughing a layer of skin when I washed her last and new skin looked great. She eats a ton, but always has runny poo. I'm very surprised she got a yeast overgrowth while on FF. She was probably 2-3 days old when I got her and has been on FF since I converted them all the first week or so. I'll keep washing her daily for a few more days and keep up with the extra probiotics for that long, too.

Droopy chick has perked up considerably, but still takes breaks to be puffed up with her neck pulled in. Overall, they all seem very healthy and I don't think they should need more than FF and some fresh greens, but I got nervous.

Thanks for "listening" to this saga...any advice is welcome from my FF tribe!

New here, and just reading this, IMHO only, I don't claim to be a expert.
DE? no, think it's over rated and not likely to do any good.
Vent gleet on such a young bird?
Just from my experience, like I said I ain't no expert, just my opinion, I do not feed chicks or young birds anything but feed, fermented or not. No greens, no herbs, never ACV, no yogurt.
Way I figure is they need to grow first, like a baby on formula or mammas breast milk. Simple protein and grow. Then I feed whatever.
Save all the extras for later.

 

[centralcaligirl]

After weeks of experimenting, I think I was finally able to get the FF to the consistency I want. I was so pleased with it this morning I just had to take a picture. Both bowls contain the same amount of feed. The one on the right is dry, the one on the left is what it looks like after 24 hours of fermentation. So happy with the fermented feed.