FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[jennfurtrombly]

I don't have anywhere to keep it cooler. That's the problem. I've already got it under the big equipment shed in front of a round bale so it gets no direct sun. It's shaded the entire day where it is and it certainly cooler than anywhere else outside. Inside is a big no. The Texas heat may just be too much for it.

I am in Texas and I keep mine inside. It may be rotting or something in the heat. It shouldn't smell like that. Mine smells like beer-y chicken food, lol. It does smell when I open the lid but the smell is gone as soon as I set the lid back on (and I don't close it all the way, just leave it sitting loose).

 

[aatx]

I am in Texas and I keep mine inside. It may be rotting or something in the heat. It shouldn't smell like that. Mine smells like beer-y chicken food, lol. It does smell when I open the lid but the smell is gone as soon as I set the lid back on (and I don't close it all the way, just leave it sitting loose).

My husband is very sensitive to the odor, even the first odor, where it is more sour like sauerkraut is offensive to him. I did get concerned there was something wrong with a batch and started one over completely just to confirm the odors stayed the same. I did keep the FF inside for the first 6 weeks when I still had the chicks inside. It did not smell as bad, but it still was not pleasant, and not something we can allow back inside.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

No offense but he seems cranky. Or it's a small house. I understand because my wife wasn't happy about five 5-gallon buckets occupying the back porch last winter. I've had to move my buckets into the basement during the day or it just gets too hot.

Another option is to only make enough for 2 or 3 days and have 2 batches going.

 

[evemfoster]

I did have my FF outside for just a little while. While it was outside I found that I had to make it waterier more sloppy or it will dry out. The chickens don't seem to mind it wetter. I got a little lax in checking the FF and it got baked into a lump and smelled horrible. So i gave the lump to the chickens half sunk in a dish of water and brought enough FF for a starter back inside where its cooler.

Anyway i made some changes in how i prepare and store the FF for the summer. The chickens don't seem to be eating as much FF in the hot weather. So I make smaller batches enough for only a couple days. I figure the FF will be completely fermented in a day or two in this heat. So no need to keep it longer. I feed the chickens and add enough feed and water to replace what was used every day. So they are always getting some old ff and a little new day old ff in the mix. Its crumbles so should be fermenting fast.

I use a red vine container for my fermenting tub. This is just a little over 2 days worth. Note that there is a orange filter at the very top of the lid. Its a small piece of fake Sammie. I drilled holes in the top of the lid and put the filter on the inside. Its held in place with a length of stiff bendy wire. I believe the filter helps keep orders down and bugs away. In any case its nearly 90 inside this morning and i don't smell a thing. Ok, I don't have a super smeller nose and extra steps may be needed later. I have been thinking of trying a carbon filter as carbon adsorbs orders. I could use aquarium filter pads. Thought i would pick up some at Pet Smart the next time i am in town.

I would have to take the photo on the day i forgot to wash the sides down.

Yes I have the tub in the house, its quite a bit cooler inside and my tub is small enough i can put it in he fridge if it starts to smell or it just gets too hot and the chickens aren't eating as much as expected. I believe the fridge vertically stops the fermentation so things won't get as stinky.

I know it isn't possible to bring the FF in the house for people with larger flocks i only have 8 half grown chickens so don't need much feed. But so far the filter idea is working well.

 

[kpgoldstar]

started my first batch of FF last night, let the food soak overnight.... fed this morning, don't think it had fermented yet, but the girls loved the soaked food. Today, I added some back to the jar, and some more water, now its bubbling, and looks like its fermenting, also the level of water and food kept rising, so I put half in another jar. How long will it stay good for once fermented? It's just Scratch and Feed Grower formula with R/O water, no added ingredients.

The level of food and water will keep rising as the feed absorbs the water. Some feeds absorb more than others and it also depends on your humidity. The FF will stay good forever. I feed out until there is 1/2 to 1 cup of FF left in my bucket then add in enough water and food to last about 4-5 days. I have been using the same bucket for 10 months, it is a continuous cycle. I only use layer food and water too, nothing else added.

 

[aatx]

No offense but he seems cranky. Or it's a small house. I understand because my wife wasn't happy about five 5-gallon buckets occupying the back porch last winter. I've had to move my buckets into the basement during the day or it just gets too hot.

Another option is to only make enough for 2 or 3 days and have 2 batches going.

LOL, we're probably both just a bit sensitive about odors in this house. We spent a year renovating it and finally got to move in in March. I have seven litter boxes that I try to clean twice a day and numerous puppy pads out for a small dog on meds including diuretics. I work very hard to keep odorous things removed. (I'll probably get more slack as time goes on, but we're still in that 'new' house phase.) The house isn't small, but we still notice that odd background odor in places and just find it uncomfortable.

I'm only making up enough for 3-4 days right now.

It may be that I just have to skip the ferment during the hotter part of the summer and pick it back up when it starts to cool off a bit.

I did just talk to the nutritionist at the milling company where we buy our other livestock feed and they just released a new chicken feed. I'm considering picking up a bag of it the next time someone goes on a feed run. I'd like to see the full tag. Perhaps this might be something I use in the summer without fermenting it.

I don't know much about it, but this is what he sent me: "Last Friday we just put a new loose meal type form of chicken feed that is all natural and contains higher fat at 5% coming from flaxseed oil, coconut oil, and soybean oil. This boosts the Omega 3 and 6's. I also have some botanicals for a variety of reasons. It is a 18% protein and is mainly composed of ground corn , flaked corn and expeller soybean meal. It sell for $12.50 per 50 lb bag. Its a unusual form but I had a guy test it from starter chicks to layers all the way. It worked great. Its call All Natural Super Chick...This was my only way to make a feed for all. I cannot make a crumble or an ett like purina. My only option was to try a meal and while it looks weird they love the feed. The flaked corn they peck at it an it breaks into little pieces and of course the ground corn is what it is. It is a very well fortified feed."

 

[LindaB220]

No. Corid is amprolium, which is for cocci.

This shows you what a newbie I am. Or dementia.

 

[LindaB220]

I don't have anywhere to keep it cooler. That's the problem. I've already got it under the big equipment shed in front of a round bale so it gets no direct sun. It's shaded the entire day where it is and it certainly cooler than anywhere else outside. Inside is a big no. The Texas heat may just be too much for it.

Do like Beekissed did. She put hers in a cooler. Kept it in the coop and never had any problem with it. If it gets too hot you could put a frozen coke bottle in there to make it cool again. You'll have to leave it open a tad. It also worked in the fall until the snow started. It's good up to 105 degrees. Mine was in the storeroom until it got too hot and I put it under the shade. I live in La. I know what you're talking about. Lived in Dallas several times.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

LOL, we're probably both just a bit sensitive about odors in this house. We spent a year renovating it and finally got to move in in March. I have seven litter boxes that I try to clean twice a day and numerous puppy pads out for a small dog on meds including diuretics. I work very hard to keep odorous things removed. (I'll probably get more slack as time goes on, but we're still in that 'new' house phase.) The house isn't small, but we still notice that odd background odor in places and just find it uncomfortable.

I'm only making up enough for 3-4 days right now.

It may be that I just have to skip the ferment during the hotter part of the summer and pick it back up when it starts to cool off a bit.

I did just talk to the nutritionist at the milling company where we buy our other livestock feed and they just released a new chicken feed. I'm considering picking up a bag of it the next time someone goes on a feed run. I'd like to see the full tag. Perhaps this might be something I use in the summer without fermenting it.

I don't know much about it, but this is what he sent me: "Last Friday we just put a new loose meal type form of chicken feed that is all natural and contains higher fat at 5% coming from flaxseed oil, coconut oil, and soybean oil. This boosts the Omega 3 and 6's. I also have some botanicals for a variety of reasons. It is a 18% protein and is mainly composed of ground corn , flaked corn and expeller soybean meal. It sell for $12.50 per 50 lb bag. Its a unusual form but I had a guy test it from starter chicks to layers all the way. It worked great. Its call All Natural Super Chick...This was my only way to make a feed for all. I cannot make a crumble or an ett like purina. My only option was to try a meal and while it looks weird they love the feed. The flaked corn they peck at it an it breaks into little pieces and of course the ground corn is what it is. It is a very well fortified feed."

It might even be necessary to make smaller batches.

I quit making FF when it got below 0F during the winter.

Everyone's nose is different but I can't imagine a sauerkraut/sourdough smell being worse than seven litter boxes and numerous puppy pads. At least not for me. But I like sauerkraut and curing meats and foods.

The feed I use is a very coarsely ground organic grower. The fines are all the vitamin, mineral, amino acid supplements. The lightly ground stuff is the grain, legumes and alfalfa.

 

[azygous]

Now that I know my flock is living with a chronic disease, I believe it's more important than ever to make sure they have the highest level of nutrition.

After the initial shock, I got a hold of myself and decided this isn't as bad as some diseases where I might be required by law to cull my entire flock. Some of them show no signs of the disease, while others have definite symptoms. My oldest, Lady Di, is sporting a tumor over her right eye. Now I know what has caused it. However, she seems otherwise to be in good health, and is even laying an occasional egg at age six. In fact, the flock seems mostly happy and healthy. I got one dozen eggs today from the flock of eighteen, ages one year to six years.

It gives me hope that most of the girls will have good lives and will continue to lay eggs like they are now, with only the normal slow-down as they age. It will be interesting to see how long FF can keep them as normal and healthy as they now seem.

No further word from the lab. Tissue samples were sent to other more sophisticated labs for analysis, and I won't hear anything until next week. I'll post here as soon as I do.

Meanwhile, if anyone stumbles onto this thread with ideas and tips on how to deal with this disease in a flock, I would greatly appreciate any input.