FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[Beekissed]

So cute! Awwwww, little Milky!!!

 

[JJL74]

Why would you want to?  I mean, if they are getting in your feed bucket they could be laying eggs and adding protein~that's a win/win!  If they are just in your coop and on the feed, that's odd...I've not seen a fly one on my FF, nor on the poops from feeding FF.  Using deep litter may help you combat the fly problem and using the FF consistently may also...I haven't seen a fly in the past 2 yrs I've been using it.  The first time was with CX, and if you are ever going to have flies it will be when raising those little poopers. 

But..all in all..if your feed is fully fermented it's not likely you'll see flies but if merely wet feeds, you'll see flies aplenty.  If you are still seeing flies with a full FF, I doubt they hurt anything...chickens regularly dig through cow patties and eat fly maggots laid there. 

The flys are a small fruit fly like fly and they multiply very quickly. The feed was quickly covered with them. Wasn't sure if that was ok for them. I use LAB as my starter and within 24 hrs it's bubbling and I start feeding it. I use a mix of scratch grains, grower, non-GMO soy meal( going to try alfalfa meal next) and fesh garlic. I just wasn't sure if it was good for the chickens for the feed to be infested with those small flies.

 

[Beekissed]

The flys are a small fruit fly like fly and they multiply very quickly. The feed was quickly covered with them. Wasn't sure if that was ok for them. I use LAB as my starter and within 24 hrs it's bubbling and I start feeding it. I use a mix of scratch grains, grower, non-GMO soy meal( going to try alfalfa meal next) and fesh garlic. I just wasn't sure if it was good for the chickens for the feed to be infested with those small flies.

Other people have been fighting fruit flies this year as well...I've had some in my FF bucket, though they really don't have time to get on it in the feeder as it disappears so quickly there they would be suicidal to even risk it. As for those in the buckets, they won't hurt anything...these are the same fruit flies that come out every year at this time for the fruit crops and it won't matter if they are on the feed. Hopefully they will lay eggs there, as the increase in protein in the feed is only a bonus!

Other people are trying to grow maggots for their chickens...but you have the perfect way to do it and also feed it directly where it needs to be!

 

[dutchbunny83]

All my water was absorbed into the feed.
Do I add more? (When I started there was like 6 inches above the feed)
I mean there's some, but it's more like slop.
The only photos of FF I've seen were made with mostly seeds and there were like 3 inches of water on top
Mine is like wet mush with a little bit of water on top....

 

[dutchbunny83]

Also, anyone know an estimate for how much FF (if it's the main thing fed) should be given per bird per day?

 

[amyandkids]

I leave mine like mush with little water on top to still see the feed, my birds don't like it to wet! I feed mine enough so it lasts all day!oh and if u do make it wet I mixed a little dry in the feed pan to thicken it up some! Have fun with the experiance!

 

[Beekissed]

Don't add more water..it will absorb more and some will evaporate too. Just stir it good each time you feed and it will stay moistened. Feed what they can clean up in 15-30 min. If there is a little left over that's okay but if more than a little, feed less next time. If they lick it clean in that time, feed a little more until they are leaving just a little skim along the bottom of the feeder. They will clean that up later but at least you know they got a good feed.

If you don't free range and would like to feed once a day, then feed twice the amount you would feed in the one feeding and check at the end of the day for the amount left behind. If too much, feed less...so on, so forth. Just like with kids..if they leave a lot on the plate, you've fed too much, if they licked the plate too quickly, then feed more.

 

[dutchbunny83]

Okay thanks
I have 10 FR's and I put a 40oz cup full filling a pie pan 4 times today and each times it was gone within 5 minutes.
I was worried about overfeeding or underfeeding.

 

[Beekissed]

Okay thanks
I have 10 FR's and I put a 40oz cup full filling a pie pan 4 times today and each times it was gone within 5 minutes.
I was worried about overfeeding or underfeeding.

Oh...you are feeding meat birds! Same story but you'll be feeding more than you would a layer flock. You need to build yourself a longer feeder..like a trough style. Some use wall paper trays from the hardware store. I use a piece of rain guttering. Spread those birds out along a trough where you can put enough in it for a full morning's feed and won't have to feed four times a day. Once in the morning, once in the evening...and feed enough that they are leaving a little bit behind when the majority of them walk away from the feeder. This amount will grow more as they age out, so the amount fed seems to change on a weekly basis.

 

[dutchbunny83]

Okay thanks!
They only have about 2 weeks left until processing, but wanted to try fermented feed.
When they are gone, I'm switching to fermented feed for everyone-- turkeys & my pet chickens