FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[kpgoldstar]

Thanks, Bee. I will give that a try. I'll let you know how it works for me.

I think a lot of it depends on your particular bag of feed and the amount of moisture in that feed. The last batch I made got REALLY soupy for some reason even though I felt that my measurements were the same as normal. My big difference is that no matter how liquidy my feed in the bucket tends to be, I still feed out the same dry consistency. I accomplish this with a super fine strainer that I've had in my kitchen forever (I am a chef by trade). On the occasion that I get a soupier mix, it just takes a little longer to shake the strainer vigorously to get all the water out. When my ff is of a dryer consistency I don't have to use the strainer at all. Sometimes when it is way soupy I will add in some feed to thicken it up and my ferment is completely strong enough to take the extra feed without it going backward.

This is the strainer I use and this was back when I had a MUCH wetter ff, as you can see in the bucket below. I make my ff much drier now but sometimes it just ends up watery. My poops are solid nearly all the time. How many chickens are you feeding? PM me and I can send you the amazon link to the strainer. This one is quite small, but it comes in larger sizes.

 

[azygous]

Thanks, KP. I know the soupy mix isn't going to hurt the chickens (20 of them, by the way), but I would rather get solid poops, not the soupy poops to match the soupy FF. Especially these below zero mornings when cleaning the coops is so much easier with solid poops. I'm pretty good at making stuff, so I'll try making a strainer like you use.

Speaking of inventing and making stuff, I've been facing the challenge of feeding FF under below freezing temperatures. I've tried immersing the feed troughs in hot water, but it's messy and doesn't stay warm for long when it's -2. My rooster is in a bachelor pen alone, and his small FF portion freezes especially fast, and he would rather not eat it. I experimented all day today with microwaving sand and rice to see which would hold the heat longer. Rice won. So I came up with a feeding dish with a microwavable rice warming base. Set on a plastic pillow of fiberglass insulation, it stays warm of for hours.

I took two trays of different sizes that microwave meals come in, one fitting inside the other. I filled the larger one with uncooked rice, and then I covered it with a piece of Glad Press 'n Seal. I placed the small tray on the film and traced around the bottom. Then I took scissors and cut a hole out of the film so the small tray will fit inside. The Press n Seal makes a seal that won't come off and the chickens can't eat the rice inside.

Stick the rice-filled tray in the microwave oven for a couple minutes, and fill the small tray with FF, place inside. I then take it out to the pen, and place it on the insulation pillow so the frozen ground can't suck the heat out of it, and it will keep from freezing most of the morning.

I'm working on a larger version for the feed troughs in the girls' pen. It's not enough for the food dish to rest on top of the rice. To be effective, the food dish has to be partially submerged in the heated rice kernels. It has to fit in the microwave, so it'll require more thought than this smaller version. But at least the rooster can eat now.

 

[Beekissed]

I'm having the same weather and I'm not having a difficulty with the FF freezing. Mostly because the birds eat it before it can freeze. That might solve your problem right there...only serve what they can clean up in a half hour or so. If they are hungry enough they will clean up their daily ration in short order. Don't feed them anything else until you see clean plates. If they are not cleaning their plates before it freezes, feed less the next time.

I have a wooden trough and that may keep the feed warmer than most and my feed is very, very dry. If they are hungry enough, they will eat it quickly.

 

[kpgoldstar]

Thanks, KP. I know the soupy mix isn't going to hurt the chickens (20 of them, by the way), but I would rather get solid poops, not the soupy poops to match the soupy FF. Especially these below zero mornings when cleaning the coops is so much easier with solid poops. I'm pretty good at making stuff, so I'll try making a strainer like you use.

Speaking of inventing and making stuff, I've been facing the challenge of feeding FF under below freezing temperatures. I've tried immersing the feed troughs in hot water, but it's messy and doesn't stay warm for long when it's -2. My rooster is in a bachelor pen alone, and his small FF portion freezes especially fast, and he would rather not eat it. I experimented all day today with microwaving sand and rice to see which would hold the heat longer. Rice won. So I came up with a feeding dish with a microwavable rice warming base. Set on a plastic pillow of fiberglass insulation, it stays warm of for hours.

I took two trays of different sizes that microwave meals come in, one fitting inside the other. I filled the larger one with uncooked rice, and then I covered it with a piece of Glad Press 'n Seal. I placed the small tray on the film and traced around the bottom. Then I took scissors and cut a hole out of the film so the small tray will fit inside. The Press n Seal makes a seal that won't come off and the chickens can't eat the rice inside.

Stick the rice-filled tray in the microwave oven for a couple minutes, and fill the small tray with FF, place inside. I then take it out to the pen, and place it on the insulation pillow so the frozen ground can't suck the heat out of it, and it will keep from freezing most of the morning.

I'm working on a larger version for the feed troughs in the girls' pen. It's not enough for the food dish to rest on top of the rice. To be effective, the food dish has to be partially submerged in the heated rice kernels. It has to fit in the microwave, so it'll require more thought than this smaller version. But at least the rooster can eat now.

Ingenious!! Now to invent a larger one for your girls!
P.S. I am in Arizona with 70 degree temps so I can't relate, sorry.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Thanks, KP. I know the soupy mix isn't going to hurt the chickens (20 of them, by the way), but I would rather get solid poops, not the soupy poops to match the soupy FF. Especially these below zero mornings when cleaning the coops is so much easier with solid poops. I'm pretty good at making stuff, so I'll try making a strainer like you use.

Speaking of inventing and making stuff, I've been facing the challenge of feeding FF under below freezing temperatures. I've tried immersing the feed troughs in hot water, but it's messy and doesn't stay warm for long when it's -2. My rooster is in a bachelor pen alone, and his small FF portion freezes especially fast, and he would rather not eat it. I experimented all day today with microwaving sand and rice to see which would hold the heat longer. Rice won. So I came up with a feeding dish with a microwavable rice warming base. Set on a plastic pillow of fiberglass insulation, it stays warm of for hours.

I took two trays of different sizes that microwave meals come in, one fitting inside the other. I filled the larger one with uncooked rice, and then I covered it with a piece of Glad Press 'n Seal. I placed the small tray on the film and traced around the bottom. Then I took scissors and cut a hole out of the film so the small tray will fit inside. The Press n Seal makes a seal that won't come off and the chickens can't eat the rice inside.

Stick the rice-filled tray in the microwave oven for a couple minutes, and fill the small tray with FF, place inside. I then take it out to the pen, and place it on the insulation pillow so the frozen ground can't suck the heat out of it, and it will keep from freezing most of the morning.

I'm working on a larger version for the feed troughs in the girls' pen. It's not enough for the food dish to rest on top of the rice. To be effective, the food dish has to be partially submerged in the heated rice kernels. It has to fit in the microwave, so it'll require more thought than this smaller version. But at least the rooster can eat now.

Interesting invention !
I just put my bowls on top of a regular heating pad .trying to figure how to heat 2 bowls though


I let my chickens out between 10 - noon so they are in there along time ...from dark the night before ..so I like them to have food till I get to them .
( I get up at 10:00am ) Im up most of the night- till 3:am usually )

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I've read about 40 pages of this thread and still can't find the answer.

Why would you mix such large quantities of scratch grains with bagged feed when fermenting? I understand that nutrients are more readily absorbed when feed is fermented but to deplete the total protein percentage with 50/50 mixes and the like seems too much. What am I missing here?

The fermenting may increase the protein of the grain somewhat and it also improves gut flora so nutrients in the feed become more available.
I don't add that much grain and I don't use corn at all. Just some wheat, barley, and flax. In summer I'll switch to mostly oat groats. All of those are significantly higher in protein and no GMOs.
Eggs are about 5 or 6 grams of protein so it does take significantly more protein to make eggs. Bee is right though, adult birds that aren't molting or laying can get by nicely on about 13% or so protein.
Roosters only need 13-15%.

Speaking of inventing and making stuff, I've been facing the challenge of feeding FF under below freezing temperatures. I've tried immersing the feed troughs in hot water, but it's messy and doesn't stay warm for long when it's -2. My rooster is in a bachelor pen alone, and his small FF portion freezes especially fast, and he would rather not eat it. I experimented all day today with microwaving sand and rice to see which would hold the heat longer. Rice won. So I came up with a feeding dish with a microwavable rice warming base. Set on a plastic pillow of fiberglass insulation, it stays warm of for hours.

I took two trays of different sizes that microwave meals come in, one fitting inside the other. I filled the larger one with uncooked rice, and then I covered it with a piece of Glad Press 'n Seal. I placed the small tray on the film and traced around the bottom. Then I took scissors and cut a hole out of the film so the small tray will fit inside. The Press n Seal makes a seal that won't come off and the chickens can't eat the rice inside.

Stick the rice-filled tray in the microwave oven for a couple minutes, and fill the small tray with FF, place inside. I then take it out to the pen, and place it on the insulation pillow so the frozen ground can't suck the heat out of it, and it will keep from freezing most of the morning.

I'm working on a larger version for the feed troughs in the girls' pen. It's not enough for the food dish to rest on top of the rice. To be effective, the food dish has to be partially submerged in the heated rice kernels. It has to fit in the microwave, so it'll require more thought than this smaller version. But at least the rooster can eat now.

Very ingenious. Thanks for that.

I've had to quit FF for a few days. The highs are below zero. Things are freezing in a couple minutes here. We got down to -13 with 25 mph sustained wind and 35 gusts.

I'm having the same weather and I'm not having a difficulty with the FF freezing. Mostly because the birds eat it before it can freeze. That might solve your problem right there...only serve what they can clean up in a half hour or so. If they are hungry enough they will clean up their daily ration in short order. Don't feed them anything else until you see clean plates. If they are not cleaning their plates before it freezes, feed less the next time.

I have a wooden trough and that may keep the feed warmer than most and my feed is very, very dry. If they are hungry enough, they will eat it quickly.

I'll try feeding more appropriately sized portions after I build some troughs. I was using dog bowls but by the time those at the bottom of the pecking order got to the feed it was frozen.


I just started a probiotic and FF experiment.
I had 34 chicks hatch last week. The first 3 days they were together and were fed 22% grower crumbles and de-chlorinated water containing probiotics and vitamins.
I then separated them into 3 groups, selected randomly and all are the same breed.
Group 1 (control group) is getting 22% grower and plain chlorinated city water.
Group 2 is getting the same 22% grower and de-chlorinated water with Gro-2-Max probiotic powder.
Group 3 is getting FF using the same 22% grower and de-chlorinated water without the probiotic powder.
They are all the same breed and hatched inside a 55 hour window.
I weighed them at 3 days and will weigh at 7 days and every week thereafter. After about 4 weeks, if I see a difference, I'll start the control group on probiotics but continue the FF and non FF experiment.
I have also weighed the feed each group is getting. For the FF group, I'm weighing the feed dry before fermenting so I'll have a better handle on actual dry feed consumed.

If anyone has suggestions on something I should consider or that I'm missing, feel free to chime in.

 

[LindaB220]

The fermenting may increase the protein of the grain somewhat and it also improves gut flora so nutrients in the feed become more available.
I don't add that much grain and I don't use corn at all. Just some wheat, barley, and flax. In summer I'll switch to mostly oat groats. All of those are significantly higher in protein and no GMOs.
Eggs are about 5 or 6 grams of protein so it does take significantly more protein to make eggs. Bee is right though, adult birds that aren't molting or laying can get by nicely on about 13% or so protein.
Roosters only need 13-15%.


Very ingenious. Thanks for that.

I've had to quit FF for a few days. The highs are below zero. Things are freezing in a couple minutes here. We got down to -13 with 25 mph sustained wind and 35 gusts.

I'll try feeding more appropriately sized portions after I build some troughs. I was using dog bowls but by the time those at the bottom of the pecking order got to the feed it was frozen.


I just started a probiotic and FF experiment.
I had 34 chicks hatch last week. The first 3 days they were together and were fed 22% grower crumbles and de-chlorinated water containing probiotics and vitamins.
I then separated them into 3 groups, selected randomly and all are the same breed.
Group 1 (control group) is getting 22% grower and plain chlorinated city water.
Group 2 is getting the same 22% grower and de-chlorinated water with Gro-2-Max probiotic powder.
Group 3 is getting FF using the same 22% grower and de-chlorinated water without the probiotic powder.
They are all the same breed and hatched inside a 55 hour window.
I weighed them at 3 days and will weigh at 7 days and every week thereafter. After about 4 weeks, if I see a difference, I'll start the control group on probiotics but continue the FF and non FF experiment.
I have also weighed the feed each group is getting. For the FF group, I'm weighing the feed dry before fermenting so I'll have a better handle on actual dry feed consumed.

If anyone has suggestions on something I should consider or that I'm missing, feel free to chime in.

Keep us posted.

 

[pegm]

I am starting to ween the girls off the FF as we will be gone a week and I don't want my elderly neighbor to have to mess with the ff. I am doing it slowly, gave them about 2/3 portion of ff this am, when they have finished that will give them crumbles. A little less ff tomorrow, a little more crumbles, etc, till they are transitioned. Does this sound like a good plan? When we return, will do it in reverse.

 

[RedneckGurl]

Hey! They have fluffy butts in the wild! They DO. Somewhere.....

Knowin' them city slickers at NG, they would take my word for it and publish the pic as feral chickens in the northern woods.

Speaking of city slickers and gullibility, we had a dog named Bogey (a lab/pit mix) when we were living in Los Angeles. He was white with big black spots and looked a lot like a Holstein cow. He was a very pretty dog and people would come up to us and ask us what breed he was. Without batting an eye, my husband would tell them that Bogey was a Holstein Terrier. Invariably they would reply something to the effect that they had never heard of that breed before. Again, with a perfectly deadpan delivery, my husband would say, "Oh yes, they are very popular in Wisconsin". Never failed that they bought it hook, line and sinker! Gotta love them city slickers!

 

[LindaB220]

Speaking of city slickers and gullibility, we had a dog named Bogey (a lab/pit mix) when we were living in Los Angeles. He was white with big black spots and looked a lot like a Holstein cow. He was a very pretty dog and people would come up to us and ask us what breed he was. Without batting an eye, my husband would tell them that Bogey was a Holstein Terrier. Invariably they would reply something to the effect that they had never heard of that breed before. Again, with a perfectly deadpan delivery, my husband would say, "Oh yes, they are very popular in Wisconsin". Never failed that they bought it hook, line and sinker! Gotta love them city slickers!

Bahahahahaha

. Love it. I'm very gullible so I probably would have bought it.