FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[KrazyChromatics]

peg, mine smells the same, it actually smells yummy lol even my friends come over and say the same thing, and before i feed it i leave it in front of the woodstove to really heat up and it warms to a neutral to slightly warm temp and bubbles like crazy... its never smelled vomity, and I fish from a 20gallon rubbermaid trash can of ferment, and that if i dont replenish everyother day will last me over a week with 60ish birds

 

[ak rain]

Sigh now ff is freezing. I thought they would eat it fast enough. Ak rain

 

[pegm]

Chrom...I didn't want to call you Crazy.....yes, mine does smell good. They are doing OK on it, just watery poops and not as crazy about it as at first. MIne stays in the garage, not sure DH would be thrilled if I brought it in. I've been trying to think where I could put it, but the house is not very large and space is precious. Maybe in the deep sink. It did bubble at first, but doesn't bubble unless I stir it now. Probably because it is not very warm. But still smells the same. I will try it for a little longer to give their systems time to adjust. Gave them some re-hydrated alfalfa cubes today, no dice. Really thought they would go for that because it is so nice and green. Noooo. Will try a few times, then if they won't eat it I'll give them back to my horse.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Sigh now ff is freezing. I thought they would eat it fast enough. Ak rain

oh no! Can you bring it inside? Mine is in my utility room with a large beach towel under it.

 

[ak rain]

It was the feed bowl served that froze. I feed a little extra so they have snack in mornings hen feed a little less for breakfast. The snack portion froze so I added a bit more then usual. My birds eat some then run out to check out the day. When I returned later they never got to finish as it was frozen. It's 25 degrees in coop. I brought in feeder thawed and brought in after there dinner. I'll look for a heated dog bowl and see if that works. It well have to be mail ordered or when we fly out of here next.
Ak rain

 

[kpgoldstar]

It was the feed bowl served that froze. I feed a little extra so they have snack in mornings hen feed a little less for breakfast. The snack portion froze so I added a bit more then usual. My birds eat some then run out to check out the day. When I returned later they never got to finish as it was frozen. It's 25 degrees in coop. I brought in feeder thawed and brought in after there dinner. I'll look for a heated dog bowl and see if that works. It well have to be mail ordered or when we fly out of here next.
Ak rain

Are you only feeding ff as a snack before breakfast and after dinner? Why aren't you feeding ff for all meals? What are you feeding them that isn't ff?

 

[Sandstorm495]

I have read one post on a different thread and forum saying that feeding Fermented Feed can prevent worms. Have you found this to be true? And also, what are the benefits of feeding fermented feed?

 

[ak rain]

No it's the only feed is ff it's just night feed I try to give enough to have some in morning and morning feed just what they'll finish. I try to let free range when I'm home avg only hour a day. But this mornings leavings were frozen so I gave extra then that froze. They have extra large run with compost pile when not free. We have hawks, wolves, coyote, and bear (who are hibernating right now)to watch out for.
Ak rain

 

[kpgoldstar]

No it's the only feed is ff it's just night feed I try to give enough to have some in morning and morning feed just what they'll finish. I try to let free range when I'm home avg only hour a day. But this mornings leavings were frozen so I gave extra then that froze. They have extra large run with compost pile when not free. We have hawks, wolves, coyote, and bear (who are hibernating right now)to watch out for.
Ak rain

Oh, I see. You had me a bit confused. I don't feed at night. They get a small snack in the late afternoon when they are out in the yard with me. Then they get fed at 7 in the morning when they are let out of the coop into the run enough to last them about 7 hours.
When they get their snack around 5 pm they act as if they are starved but of course their crops are still full from finishing breakfast around 2.
I am in AZ so a completely different situation from you. It has only been as low as 27 here once ever in the 20+ years I have lived here.

 

[kpgoldstar]

I have read one post on a different thread and forum saying that feeding Fermented Feed can prevent worms. Have you found this to be true? And also, what are the benefits of feeding fermented feed?

I don't know about worms as I am new to chickens and fermented feed. A couple benefits I know of is the nutrition in the feed is more readily available to the birds therefore they eat less. The fermenting also increases certain vitamins like K and some B's as well. Their poo is more firm and not nearly as stinky as when feeding dry. The feed sticks together so is not as easily tossed about out of the feeder all over the coop resulting in much less waste.