FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[Tikkijane]

http://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

Doesn't look like that. Where is this FAQ you speak of? I'm on mobile so I wonder if I need to be on the computer to find it. Thanks.

 

[kmalichky]

I am just getting started with FF and love this thread. Thanks everyone for all the great info!

 

[kpgoldstar]

So my first FF is now 4 days old and i'm going to add a little more food and water, it will be "done" in 12 hours? It's 6 p.m. here now and i feed them around 7 a.m.

Also it's 75 here but at night it dips a bit below 60 or so.. i don't warm the house at night. hoping the feed is fermented sufficiently

Hey all, sorry I am on vacation and just checked in. Reilly I would have chimed in if I was home. You only want to add more food and water if you are down to about 1-2 days feeding. That's the way I do it. Some people add feed and water every day after they feed their flock, too much hassle. I only have 4 laying hens and I make enough FF to last about 4-5 days. I have been feeding out of the same bucket for nearly a year, never washed, never dumped and started over. When I get down to about a day's worth (2 cups or so) I fill my bucket with fresh dry crumbles/pellets and add enough water to make a good slop. I stir and stir to get all the previously fermented goodness incorporated into what I added. By the next morning the whole batch is nicely fermented and ready to feed again. As long as the batch you are adding to is fully fermented you are good to go.

 

[ReillyJ]

Hey all, sorry I am on vacation and just checked in. Reilly I would have chimed in if I was home. You only want to add more food and water if you are down to about 1-2 days feeding. That's the way I do it. Some people add feed and water every day after they feed their flock, too much hassle. I only have 4 laying hens and I make enough FF to last about 4-5 days. I have been feeding out of the same bucket for nearly a year, never washed, never dumped and started over. When I get down to about a day's worth (2 cups or so) I fill my bucket with fresh dry crumbles/pellets and add enough water to make a good slop. I stir and stir to get all the previously fermented goodness incorporated into what I added. By the next morning the whole batch is nicely fermented and ready to feed again. As long as the batch you are adding to is fully fermented you are good to go.

Thanks!!

i *think* it was fermented, today was day 4 and it was very sour smelling although no real bubbles to speak of or white stuff, etc. i stirred it very well every single day so i think it was fermented-certainly had the smell but not hugely overpowering.

Since i'm only doing it out of a plastic Folgers coffee can, needless to say the bucket is small! And i think i had about maybe 3 cups left if that so i did add to it tonight but this time i ground everything so there will be no solid grains/seeds as they'll just pick it out and i mixed it thoroughly with the stuff that was already there so i am HOPING it will be fermented by tomorrow and i added hot (filtered) water this time.

Maybe i should go buy a bigger bucket.

What should i do? I really think the original one i made 4 days ago was fermented, just probably am using too small of a container because it looks like...IF those brats would start eating it, that i would have to add to it every other day.

Luckily the weather's supposed to heat up again, please tell me i'm ok and that my batch will be ok tomorrow. What do i do if i get a larger bucket?

(OOOH i'm finally "Out of the Brooder", LOL!)

 

[ReillyJ]

Hey all, sorry I am on vacation and just checked in. Reilly I would have chimed in if I was home. You only want to add more food and water if you are down to about 1-2 days feeding. That's the way I do it. Some people add feed and water every day after they feed their flock, too much hassle. I only have 4 laying hens and I make enough FF to last about 4-5 days. I have been feeding out of the same bucket for nearly a year, never washed, never dumped and started over. When I get down to about a day's worth (2 cups or so) I fill my bucket with fresh dry crumbles/pellets and add enough water to make a good slop. I stir and stir to get all the previously fermented goodness incorporated into what I added. By the next morning the whole batch is nicely fermented and ready to feed again. As long as the batch you are adding to is fully fermented you are good to go.

ALSO you have 4 hens, like i do... i don't know their ages but have they slowed in laying eggs like mine?
How much feed do each eat a day do you think? Also is it a thick consistency?
They don't mind that?
Mine seem to not like thick wet on their beaks but they're just going to have to get used to it!

Also what feed do you use?
Did they take to it pretty well?
Have you noticed positive health changes and how long before you did?

Thanks again for answering, so appreciated!

 

[kpgoldstar]

Thanks!!

i *think* it was fermented, today was day 4 and it was very sour smelling although no real bubbles to speak of or white stuff, etc. i stirred it very well every single day so i think it was fermented-certainly had the smell but not hugely overpowering.

Since i'm only doing it out of a plastic Folgers coffee can, needless to say the bucket is small! And i think i had about maybe 3 cups left if that so i did add to it tonight but this time i ground everything so there will be no solid grains/seeds as they'll just pick it out and i mixed it thoroughly with the stuff that was already there so i am HOPING it will be fermented by tomorrow and i added hot (filtered) water this time.

Maybe i should go buy a bigger bucket.

What should i do? I really think the original one i made 4 days ago was fermented, just probably am using too small of a container because it looks like...IF those brats would start eating it, that i would have to add to it every other day.

Luckily the weather's supposed to heat up again, please tell me i'm ok and that my batch will be ok tomorrow. What do i do if i get a larger bucket?

(OOOH i'm finally "Out of the Brooder", LOL!)

First of all, make sure you take all other feed away when you transition to FF. I started mine as 2 week old chicks, but it is still the same. Once you start FF, that is the only way you feed other than treats, in my opinion. In your temps it should just smell sour, like sourdough bread. You will only see bubbles if you stop stirring it for about 12 hours.

If you choose to go into a larger bucket just put your fermented feed in, add like 4 cups of feed, equal or more amount of water and stir.

 

[ReillyJ]

First of all, make sure you take all other feed away when you transition to FF. I started mine as 2 week old chicks, but it is still the same. Once you start FF, that is the only way you feed other than treats, in my opinion. In your temps it should just smell sour, like sourdough bread. You will only see bubbles if you stop stirring it for about 12 hours.

If you choose to go into a larger bucket just put your fermented feed in, add like 4 cups of feed, equal or more amount of water and stir.

OKAY, will do.

ONLY feed they have been getting for a month is the organic Scratch n Peck moistened which they like well enough but i was concerned that they weren't getting all the fines which compelled me to FF, so it's the same, only fermented. I also give Meal Worms and some fruits and BOSS but i will be prudent on all of those. I was also concerned about a drop in egg production on SnP feed so i wanted to ferment to see if that changed things.

 

[kpgoldstar]

ALSO you have 4 hens, like i do... i don't know their ages but have they slowed in laying eggs like mine?
How much feed do each eat a day do you think? Also is it a thick consistency?
They don't mind that?
Mine seem to not like thick wet on their beaks but they're just going to have to get used to it!

Also what feed do you use?
Did they take to it pretty well?
Have you noticed positive health changes and how long before you did?

Thanks again for answering, so appreciated!

I raised my 4 from chicks and they just started laying mid February. I am in AZ so it gets brutally hot and my hens definitely slowed down laying.

The general rule with FF is 1/2 cup per hen per day. I would say I stick with that pretty good. I feed them their main meal in the morning then they get a smaller snack in the afternoon when I get home from work and let them out to free range. I keep mine fairly dry, like really thick oatmeal. It is thick enough that it is not like wet on their beaks, they can pick it up in clumps. To each his own as far as consistency, some people even drain before feeding. I did that in the very beginning but kept it drier and drier the longer I went through the process.

I use something from Star Milling, just a basic layer crumble. I live on a desert island (figuratively) with no agriculture and am actually in city zoning that doesn't allow chickens. This was the only feed I could get but a TSC just opened about 15 miles away, obviously a loss leader store.

I found out about FF about a week after I got my chicks. I am a first time adult chicken owner. The first benefits ever noticed were more solid/less stinky poops. Even at a month old I could tell the difference. After that, I wouldn't know because it is all they've ever had. I live where it can be well over 115 consistently and lows in the 90's. I contribute FF to my hens making it through the summer due to their better health that FF offers.

I wouldn't grind the seeds if I were you. Let them pick those out, then eat the FF. I do the same with BOSS, add it to the fermented feed and my girls always pick those out first!

 

[ReillyJ]

Well this is day 2, i usually go out around 7 a.m. or before and fill their bowls, day 2 of FF and then i go out at 10 and check on them and it doesn't look like they ate much or any

Mixed some meal worms thoroughly in and they ate those and probably some of the FF along with it but wow what a waste--i suppose i can let it sit there in the heat today, IDK what to do, obviously if this keeps persisting then i will have to go back to just moistening the Scratch n Peck to bind the fines to the seeds, etc. and HOPE they are getting enough of the fines to satisfy their nutritional needs..they seem to be okay with feeding that way--been doing it for about a month but their egg production had dropped (still getting eggs) which is why i wanted to FF (among all the obvious reasons!) but like everyone has said there could be numerous perfectly ok reasons for egg drop.

Anyone else have problems with acceptability? I should just keep waiting this out? It's obviously ok to keep it in their bowls in 75 degree weather all day? I'd hate to keep putting back and re-serving the same feed or throwing it out, what a waste! Really wanted to improve the health of my girls as much as i could

 

[subhanalah]

They won't starve themselves. Persist, don't be so easy to give up on it.

I'm pretty sure they are picking up on your anxiety about the food not working which translates to them as "this food is bad".