FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[Ariel188]

FF won't go bad...it's preserved, much like vinegar will preserve green beans for months. But FF is a live fermentation, meaning that unless the temps are hot or cold enough (to kill or slow down the process), it will continue to produce more lactic acid and get more sour. It could be your birds are reacting to it being too sour for their tastes (I have some birds like that). In that case, you could simply mix a day's portion of your over-sour FF with some dry feed (with or without a bit of water to wet the mixture) and see if they like it better that way.

Oh thank you! This makes me feel A LOT better!!! What is "too hot?" I have it in the house and in the summer if we don't use AC it can get 80 degrees inside, is that too hot? Thank you!! I just mixed in some fresh feed, water, and more ACV into the mix of 3 day old feed. I didn't know to just add more to the existing. I thought you were suppost to take only a cup of old feed and mix it with new.

Should I be adding new ACV each time I add more feed and water? Thank you!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Another question - Anyone fermenting for Turkeys?? Can I keep them on the chicks grower and then switch them to layer?? This is my first time having turkeys.

.....apparently I have lots of questions tonight! 

The poultry specialists I've spoken to about feed STRONGLY encourage using Turkey Starter ... 28% protein feed ... for poults. It isn't that easy to find around here.

 

[Ariel188]

Just add when you start to get low - really whenever you want. I don't ever use ACV. It'll ferment without it. And it really does bubble! Not boiling bubbling, but you can actually watch it bubble. Pretty neat!

Yeah I made a video of it bubbling away! was cool!

Bubbles are not like boiling; little bubbles in the feed.

You add more feed and water (ACV not needed) when you get low. I like to add when I have about one serving left.

Thank you.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

If I hang out in the kitchen the flock can see me through the windows and they think it will be treat time soon. So they gather by the gate to wait for Dad, the treat man. The flock LOVES him. Dad's a little sad because now that we switched to putting out more FF he needs help with the bucket and soon the help will be Treat Man instead of him.

 

[pdirt]

OK so how often do I add new feed, water and ACV? Do you use a certain amount of ACV per cup of feed? I have just been pouring some of the bottle in the mix and I do not measure at all.

Does your feed really bubble?

In all of the fermented things I have made over the years (FF, sourdough, kraut, pickles, etc) I've found that sometimes you get bubbles and sometimes not. Some of the best kraut I've made never made one bubble, but it fermented just fine. But bubbles are fun and it's a visual that SOMETHING is happening! Food will either putrefy or ferment and in the case of mixing grains and water, they are far more likely to ferment.

I'd recommend not using ACV, or if you do, use 1tsp per 8 cups of feed. You don't really need it and it's easy to overdo it on the ACV. The ACV doesn't do the fermenting but it does slightly lower the pH, which will happen naturally anyways. What does the fermenting are the bacteria and yeasts already present on the grains in the feed.

 

[Ariel188]

In all of the fermented things I have made over the years (FF, sourdough, kraut, pickles, etc) I've found that sometimes you get bubbles and sometimes not. Some of the best kraut I've made never made one bubble, but it fermented just fine. But bubbles are fun and it's a visual that SOMETHING is happening! Food will either putrefy or ferment and in the case of mixing grains and water, they are far more likely to ferment.

I'd recommend not using ACV, or if you do, use 1tsp per 8 cups of feed. You don't really need it and it's easy to overdo it on the ACV. The ACV doesn't do the fermenting but it does slightly lower the pH, which will happen naturally anyways. What does the fermenting are the bacteria and yeasts already present on the grains in the feed.

Oh wow, I probably add WAYYYYY too much ACV then, I just dump some in and I had already put more in when I just added more grains and water just now. Do you think that is why they don't like it? TOO MUCH AVC? Will it hurt them?

 

[Tikkijane]

Oh thank you! This makes me feel A LOT better!!!  What is "too hot?" I have it in the house and in the summer if we don't use AC it can get 80 degrees inside, is that too hot?  Thank you!!  I just mixed in some fresh feed, water, and more ACV into the mix of 3 day old feed.  I didn't know to just add more to the existing. I thought you were suppost to take only a cup of old feed and mix it with new.  

Should I be adding new ACV each time I add more feed and water? Thank you!

You don't need ACV at all.

 

[jbher]

Okay I have a random question - do you all keep dry feed out and accessible at all times too?? I just am thinking, what if we wanted to go away for the weekend and they are only used to FF being fed to them daily. Then what?? Whereas if I have dry food available and we leave for a weekend they could just eat that while we're gone and be okay skipping 2 days of FF.

Thoughts?

 

[Ariel188]

You don't need ACV at all.

I like to add it to the feed instead of the water and I want the girls to have it for the other benefits.

Was thinking of adding fresh organic crushed garlic cloves to the FF also, or should I not do that?

 

[pdirt]

Oh thank you! This makes me feel A LOT better!!! What is "too hot?" I have it in the house and in the summer if we don't use AC it can get 80 degrees inside, is that too hot? Thank you!! I just mixed in some fresh feed, water, and more ACV into the mix of 3 day old feed. I didn't know to just add more to the existing. I thought you were suppost to take only a cup of old feed and mix it with new.

Should I be adding new ACV each time I add more feed and water? Thank you!

Above 130F might be hot enough to kill the beneficial bacteria. 80F is just fine.

Different microorganisms thrive at slightly different temperatures and conditions, but it's not something we need to worry about. Just remember that while your FF will ferment at 60F, it will be very slow and result in a different product/smell than when you ferment at 80F or 90F. Higher temps ferment faster. Below 60F fermentation slows WAY down, what would take a day or two at 80F might take a week or two at 55F.

No need to add more ACV. If you do (especially if you're not measuring), it would be very easy to add too much ACV and while it won't be spoiled, it could be too acidic for the birds to stomach. Try this experiment: take two same size water glasses, in each glass, add 2tsp of ACV and add 6-8oz of water in the one of the glasses. Drink both glasses and tell us which one you preferred!