FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[rebrascora]

I don't sprout grains but I do soak them and the water from that does makes a good starter for the FF

 

[Molpet]

I feed the FF in the winter because they need less water.. I figured I am out changing water and getting eggs before they freeze anyway.... they eat their fill before it freezes and I switch bowels and thaw the leftovers...no electricity out there and I am retired and chickens keep me active LOL

 

[Dayrel]

I still feed my girls FF, but have switched to feeding them twice/day rather than all in the morning. This allows them to have warmer food while forcing me out to check on their welfare more often with recent sub-zero temps. I'm also more likely to find eggs before they've had a chance to freeze.

 

[FlyWheel]

I have a question, has anyone posted just how long a fermented batch can sit and brew before it is no longer of any value or even goes bad?

 

[lazy gardener]

I don't think there is a standard answer to this. It all depends. My last batch, I threw out b/c it had been sitting for about 2 weeks. It was grey and smelled bad. Depends on the temperature, I would think.

 

[rebrascora]

I have a question, has anyone posted just how long a fermented batch can sit and brew before it is no longer of any value or even goes bad?

If you are not actively stirring it, removing some and topping it up (feeding the yeasts) I would say the "balance" probably starts to deteriorate after a couple of days of it starting to work. You can smell when it starts to go sour. The conditions are such that mould will grow too, so you need to keep it working and mixing it. I feed a combination of fermented and dry pellets, so that they have access to the pellets all the time and the fermented once a day is a treat. That ensures they get the probiotics but it's not sitting around getting cold/frozen and they have the choice and I don't have to provide so much thawed water for each pen.

 

[Kusanar]

Finally, this week has seen a break in the weather pattern. I'm ready to start FF again. However, I was not looking forward to the "wait" for the FF to "mature". Yesterday, I started 1/2 bucket of FF. For starter liquid, I used rinse water from my sprouting. By THE END OF THE DAY, the contents of that bucket were percolating like a witch's brew. Nice tangy scent to it this morning. Moving forward, I intend to keep about 3 gallons of ferment going. They will get one bowl of FF, in addition to dry pellets until the weather remains predictable so their whole feed regime can return to FF.

If you have to stop the FF for a period of time again, take some of your already fermented feed and spread it out to dry, and store the dry sludge, then just put that back in the bucket when you start back up and the dormant bacteria in the dried stuff will wake up and kick start your new batch.

I have a question, has anyone posted just how long a fermented batch can sit and brew before it is no longer of any value or even goes bad?

It depends on a lot of variables. The bacteria eats just like we do, so, if the good bacteria runs out of food, it will die and the bad stuff can start growing. As long as the mix is regularly fed to keep the good guys fed, it should last forever (think sourdough starters that have been going for hundreds of years and passed through the family). The hotter it is, the faster the ferment goes and the more food it needs more often, the cooler it is, the less food it needs to stay healthy, though at a certain point, the ferment will go dormant due to everything slowing down so much so super cool isn't ideal either.

 

[annanicole18]

I have looked multiple pages in but haven't seen an answer. If you are feeding fermented feed to chicks do you still go by the 30 minute clean up rule 2x a day? Try to keep it available all the time? Or feed more than 2x a day with 30 min rule? Thanks!

 

[rebrascora]

I would be inclined to do what I do with my adults.... leave dry feed available and offer FF as a treat and only give as much as they clean up in a day.
I'm afraid I don't know the definitive answer.

 

[lazy gardener]

I have looked multiple pages in but haven't seen an answer. If you are feeding fermented feed to chicks do you still go by the 30 minute clean up rule 2x a day? Try to keep it available all the time? Or feed more than 2x a day with 30 min rule? Thanks!

Hi Anna! I have found that the sooner I start my chicks on FF, the better. Initially, I put out dry crumble, with a tablespoon or so of FF along with it. I then sprinkle some crumble over the FF. I keep an eye on it, and as they eat it, I keep adding more. It takes about a week before I am fully satisfied that they are doing well with the FF, then I remove the crumble. I have found that the easiest feeder to manage with them after they get a bit of size on them is a trough with a spinning dowel to keep them from wallowing in the FF.

Always be sure the FF is not wet enough or deep enough that they can do a face plant or otherwise figure out how to commit suicide with a bowl of FF!!!