FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[Beekissed]

It may take an adjustment period, as with any change in feed can do. If you are consistently getting wet stools it could be due to having too much water in the feed~soupy~for this time of year. When I first started FF for my layer flock they had some massive, tarry stools that stank and looked much like broody poop. That only lasted a day or so and then no more poop changes. I think the FF was just cleaning the pipes of all that earlier feed they were getting that was taking too long to digest and just rotting in there.

 

[MandalaMaMa]

It may take an adjustment period, as with any change in feed can do. If you are consistently getting wet stools it could be due to having too much water in the feed~soupy~for this time of year. When I first started FF for my layer flock they had some massive, tarry stools that stank and looked much like broody poop. That only lasted a day or so and then no more poop changes. I think the FF was just cleaning the pipes of all that earlier feed they were getting that was taking too long to digest and just rotting in there.

Thanks - that makes sense now. Any thoughts on the cayenne pepper. How often do I use it.

 

[Beekissed]

Thanks - that makes sense now. Any thoughts on the cayenne pepper. How often do I use it.

I've never used cayenne pepper, so not sure about that. Why are you using it?

 

[flockanuts]

If it did would that be a bad thing?

Scott H, it would not be a bad thing for me (others might not like it, though!!) I learned to eat hot sauce on my fried eggs when I lived in New Orleans. Of course, they put hot sauce on everything there, except for the beignettes!!!

 

[MandalaMaMa]

I've never used cayenne pepper, so not sure about that.  Why are you using it? 

Using it as a de- wormer. Want to stay all natural if possible. Something I read on hear. But I've also been using ACV in their water and DE in their food from day one. I don't believe any of them have worms just doing it as a precaution. And thought if it would just start them laying was worth a try. Something else I read. Only had two laying before cayenner pepper.. Now I have 4 laying.

 

[Beekissed]

Well, that's good news! Now that you are doing the FF you won't need to do ACV in the water anymore if you don't want to. Same stuff in the FF only better.

The thing with preventative measures for worms is that you don't want to bombard them with a bunch of different things all at once or you will never know which one is working and you don't want to breed worms that build a resistance to things like garlic, ginger, cayenne. You'll want to switch it up now and again and only use such things a couple of times a year, just as a clean out.

Mostly a healthy balance in the soils and inside the bird's intestines is going to do more than all the other things to prevent worms and the ultimate tool of culling for nonlaying, poor condition, etc. will do the most of all.

 

[MandalaMaMa]

Well, that's good news!  Now that you are doing the FF you won't need to do ACV in the water anymore if you don't want to.  Same stuff in the FF only better. 

The thing with preventative measures for worms is that you don't want to bombard them with a bunch of different things all at once or you will never know which one is working and you don't want to breed worms that build a resistance to things like garlic, ginger, cayenne.  You'll want to switch it up now and again and only use such things a couple of times a year, just as a clean out. 

Mostly a healthy balance in the soils and inside the bird's intestines is going to do more than all the other things to prevent worms and the ultimate tool of culling for nonlaying, poor condition, etc. will do the most of all. 

Thank you so much for your help with this. I'm feeling much better about everything and am totally sold on FF now. I do believe now that I've been putting to much water on my food. I have been covering the food with about two inches of water on top. After doing a bit more research I see that I only need enough water to keep it wet. I have been stirring it throughout the day.

 

[niqueie]

Welcome to FF. Hope you continue to see the benefits !!

 

[kpgoldstar]

Thank you so much for your help with this. I'm feeling much better about everything and am totally sold on FF now. I do believe now that I've been putting to much water on my food. I have been covering the food with about two inches of water on top. After doing a bit more research I see that I only need enough water to keep it wet. I have been stirring it throughout the day.

Since you started feeding out after only a day of being in water, I wonder if you have a good ferment. You should be smelling a pickle/sourdough smell in your feed which usually takes up to 4 days depending on the temperature of where you keep your bucket. Once you have the good ferment, adding more feed and water to it daily or every few days will turn back to fermented in a very short time, but going right out the get-go takes a few days.

 

[Tikkijane]

Since you started feeding out after only a day of being in water, I wonder if you have a good ferment. You should be smelling a pickle/sourdough smell in your feed which usually takes up to 4 days depending on the temperature of where you keep your bucket. Once you have the good ferment, adding more feed and water to it daily or every few days will turn back to fermented in a very short time, but going right out the get-go takes a few days.

I agree. That's not saying you can't feed to them before it ferments; just that they won't get the full benefit. And, if you keep adding and adding, it might not ever actually get there. I wanted to wait to feed until I had a good ferment going, and when it gets low, it's very strong smelling until I mix in the new feed.

When I do, it begins fermenting right away- bubbling immediately and the SCOBY layer visible in a very short amount of time (like under an hour I can see it over the top.) As long as my kids don't kill it while I'm gone, I should have a delightful never-ending bucket going on.