FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[LaylaFlora]

I am back to report how it's going. I started fermenting about a week ago... Fed the flock their first taste of FF yesterday and they absolutely LOVE it!! So far, I just have rotating mason jars on my kitchen counter. Its so neat how it gets all bubbly and carbonated!

I am an avid kombucha maker and this is too easy not to do for the benefit of my chicken's health <3

 

[HighStreetCoop]

I know some folks on here do some long ferments and have healthy birds. But almost everything else that you ferment, like sourdough or kefir has to be refreshed every day or two or refrigerated to keep the good bacteria healthy and growing. What I do is feed down till not much is left and then mix up a new batch which gets an overnight ferment. I usually feed on that for 2 days and then repeat.

I treat mine like a bakery does sourdough starter: you use it every day, you refresh it every day. Fill their feeder, add about an equal amount of dry and water back in, stir and cover.

 

[RichnSteph]

I treat mine like a bakery does sourdough starter: you use it every day, you refresh it every day. Fill their feeder, add about an equal amount of dry and water back in, stir and cover.

Me too!

 

[Buckhowdy]

I just started my first batch. Where should I store it? Its out in the coop partitioned off from the flock for now, but I'm guessing it's to cold out there (there was a very thin crust of ice on the water can this morning). Should I try to convince my wife that we need to keep it in the house where its warmer? Should it be soupy or stiffer like brick mortar? Do you add a little water occasionally?

 

[lazy gardener]

Yes, use what ever charm you have at your disposal to convince your wife that she'll have happier chickens and healthier eggs if the feed ferments in the house where it can stay warm. I have to charm my husband for the same reason. So, my FF has moved out of the kitchen, which makes him happy, and now resides on the floor, in the livingroom, beside the chimney. Of course, If he had his way, there would be no chicken stuff in the house... but... he does enjoy those beautiful eggs... so we compromise! Your ferment won't happen unless it's warm enough for those bacteria and yeasts to grow... kind of like making yeast bread. The bread won't rise if it's not warm enough. Neither will your feed ferment without some heat. I like to keep mine about the consistency of cooked oatmeal. You'll just need to play around with it to get it the consistency you and your girls like. How many birds in your flock?

 

[Buckhowdy]

I have 10 Barred Rocks and 8 RIRs. I recently got a straight run of 12 barred rocks that came with 11 free male packing peanuts (looks like more Barred rocks and RIRs) to keep the 12 warm comfortable. Right now I have way too many but plan on processing some soon. We only need six eggs per day and I need to get below 25 for county code compliance. Chicken math has got the best of me!

 

[hennible]

It does that, doesn't it? I went from 15 to 44 in just a few months.

 

[Beekissed]

I have 10 Barred Rocks and 8 RIRs. I recently got a straight run of 12 barred rocks that came with 11 free male packing peanuts (looks like more Barred rocks and RIRs) to keep the 12 warm comfortable. Right now I have way too many but plan on processing some soon. We only need six eggs per day and I need to get below 25 for county code compliance. Chicken math has got the best of me!

Subtracting will take care of that. I always commit to keeping only what my coop environment and budget will support, so I subtract as often as I add. Folks forget that part of math....

Here's a good visual on the texture that's easy to feed and how to get it....this can be done in a single bucket setup as well by just waiting until you've got just a couple of scoops left in the bottom, add your water first, stir well and then add feed slowly until you get a thick gruel or soup. By the next day you'll have a mortar or even a crumble consistency. Keep it in a spare room or closet in your home where it will stay warmer than the coop but won't cause a big problem with mess or odor...that may help you sneak it past your wife.

 

[hennible]

Lol
I will be subtracting soon

 

[TalkALittle]

Wow! The length of this thread is quite intimidating for a newbie like me. I am giving fermented feed a try on a very small scale and just have a couple of questions. I have 7 birds--6 standard hens and a bantam roo. Most of the posts I read through involve fermenting large quantities. I'd rather start small. How much crumble should I ferment for just one day's feeding? Secondly, should I use kefir or baking yeast? I don't have ACV. How much of it do I add to ferment one day's worth of feed?