FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[rosemarythyme]

I'm all about fermentation, for humans and animals!! Thank you! This is a great article!!
We will get our first chicks in 3 weeks. At what age can we start feeding fermented feed?

You can offer it right at the start but they may/may not go for it, so I would only offer small amounts of first, and don't be discouraged if they just play with it or ignore it at first. Usually takes mine a couple of weeks before they decide they want to eat it.

 

[Molpet]

I have been leaving extra ff in a 2 gallon bucket in the yard. The center stays unfrozen for quite a while.

 

[barchorses52]

I started on day 3 because it takes 3 days to ferment and I hadn't prepared ahead of time. I only offered fermented (took away their dried food), and they ate it right away. After that I put their "bottomless" dry feed out again, along with fermented feed (my guess at their 1/2-to-full ration fermented). They always have finished their fermented feed.

Now that they are outside and the wet feed will freeze if not eaten timely (they are 13 weeks old), I've been putting out 1/2 ration of fermented in the morning, and they always have their bottomless dry feed available as well. The fermented is always eaten in a few hours.

What do you ferment?

 

[Kimi BK]

What do you ferment?

I use scratch and peck organic soy-free feed. This is why I am spending $7 per dozen for eggs I can only sell for $4 per dozen in our impoverished area! That's another story; we are working at lowering our feed costs...

Scratch and peck includes probiotics which will kick-start fermentation. But sprouted grains will ferment spontaneously. If I wanted to kick start grain fermentation I might add whey from yogurt...? Not sure if the microbes would be the right ones. But ferments often don't need any kickstart anyway ...

 

[Teresa D]

Hey Linda, I love to talk about fermented feed. It's my greatest discovery when I came on here the very first day. I found BeeKissed, the lady who started this thread, and never looked back. I've got the healthiest birds in the town. I'd like to say that I followed the Homestead sites instructions perfectly but what works for me is to get within a couple of serviings from the bottom and add hot water and 1/2 cup AEM and about 1/3 c molasses. Stir really good and add water to about halfway up the 5 gallon pail. Stir and start adding feed or grains. Rice Bran is really good for chickens and since I live in the deep south I can buy it for $8 for 50#. It's 12% protein. I also buy catfish food 34% or so protein. 2 Scoops of rice bran, 2 qt scoops of layer or grower and 1 scoop of catfish food. I also add 1/2 scoop of BOSS black oil sunflower seeds. I have azomite rock dust with 70 something trace minerals and I add about 4-5 tbls. I make this the consistancy of thick oatmeal and set it overnight. I lay a gallon size baggie on top of the feed itself before putting the lid on loosely. It keeps it from getting the white scoby on top. If I forget to do that I just stir the white film down and it dissolves back into it. Never throw any out until you check with us.

My daughter came to the coop with me today and was taking pictures for me. She hadn't seen them since they were babies. I told her how healthy they were and she said she could tell. I asked her "Can you smell anything?" No, not at all. No poo smell ever with FF

So I am making my first 5 gallon batch should I keep it in the dark and how long can I keep it?

 

[Teresa D]

I’m making a 5 gallon batch of fermented food how long can I keep that batch going?

 

[ChixHaven]

Hey all, How long should it take, in your experience, for me to see the benefits of fermenting feed? I've been feeding the girls FF for 2 weeks and have not noticed any improvement in feather regrowth, feather shine, no changes in their poops. Am I being impatient? Is this a slow and long term project?

 

[Gramma Chick]

I’m making a 5 gallon batch of fermented food how long can I keep that batch going?

You can keep it going forever . Just add More & stir it up .

 

[Gramma Chick]

Hey all, How long should it take, in your experience, for me to see the benefits of fermenting feed? I've been feeding the girls FF for 2 weeks and have not noticed any improvement in feather regrowth, feather shine, no changes in their poops. Am I being impatient? Is this a slow and long term project?

You say its 2 weeks , What are doing To ferment the food ? Are you just adding water to it ? It has To set For a while Before it ferments .

 

[Lewisbabette]

Upon request I am starting a thread about using fermentation to improve feed nutritive value and health benefits.

1. Anyone doing it?
2. How long have you been doing it?
3. Your methods?
4. Grains/feeds used in this manner?
5. Your overall review of this method of feeding?

I was excited to try out fermenting food for the chickens. Started with a one gallon glass jar with a lid. Right away it became smelly and now on the third day after rinsing a great deal, it was horrible and the chickens wouldn't eat it. I threw the whole batch out after adding lots of beans and grains to it. What a waste. I will try it once more, a much smaller amount, and see if it turns out at all. Very disappointing.