FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[KittieChick]

Well it's day two of my FF experiment. Yesterday's serving froze in the bowl but they did end up picking at it through the course of the day and eating it all up. I served the second batch this morning. It had fermented faster but was not as strongly sour smelling. Three of my six ladies started eating it right away. The others were more interested in the acorn squash I put out. I guess a 50% approval rating isn't too bad for the second day. It's good enough to convince me to set another batch. I do think I'll let this one ferment for more than just overnight though as the last stuff clearly wasn't as fermented as the first. But maybe that's why they ate it better. We'll see how it goes in two days.

My little Tupperware container on the counter seems to be just enough to suit my needs and I feel good knowing that I have one more healthy option for enhancing my little flock's regular diet.

Thanks to all that offered help and encouragement to me in my small scale endeavor.

I did FF last spring/summer with 6 CornishX meat birds. Took them about 2 days to decide they liked it, and meat birds are little eating machines! On the FF, those guys were active and healthy. They dressed out about 5-7 pounds and feed costs were way less than a friend spent on her meaties.

Don't give it up. Even if you don't have to worry about budget, there's something nice knowing that you're helping your birds maximize nutrition in their feed. I have 5 laying hens who just started in December to lay. They get fermented oats right now, with regular food offered every other day or so. Healthy, active, and one of the girls has laid an egg for the past 15 days straight! I crush their egg shells into the daily ration. I have a gallon bucket for my 6 chickens, recently put oats in a 5 gallon bucket and it's probably a bit large.

 

[KittieChick]

So I have oats fermenting in a 5 gallon bucket. It doesn't smell off or bad, it's really sour, though! I think the bacteria may be running out of stuff to eat, as I loaded that bucket up. The chickens aren't so gung-ho, either, with the super strong sour smell.

I'm wondering if just adding a scoop of grain will do the trick to help the FF along. I hate to dump good feed.

 

[Beekissed]

So I have oats fermenting in a 5 gallon bucket. It doesn't smell off or bad, it's really sour, though! I think the bacteria may be running out of stuff to eat, as I loaded that bucket up. The chickens aren't so gung-ho, either, with the super strong sour smell.

I'm wondering if just adding a scoop of grain will do the trick to help the FF along. I hate to dump good feed.

How long has it been sitting in this bucket, fermenting, without additional feed added?

 

[Meeka3]

I ferment the seed, and I also make a wet mash with the crumbles and layer mash, and sometimes I add some fermented water to that, especially for the young chicks. I figure every bit of extra nutrition helps. I have the apple cider vinegar that's infused with garlic and I add that to the water I use in the mash. My chooks love their fermented seed, but they wouldn't eat the fermented layer mash, even though it looks exactly like the ordinary mash I make now --- funny little things, they certainly have minds of their own. My two hens that have had the fermented seed since they were 4 weeks old, are so shiny they look like they've been rubbed with oil.

 

[KittieChick]

How long has it been sitting in this bucket, fermenting, without additional feed added?

Up until today, I think 2 weeks. Today I dumped some of the liquid, added fresh water and actual layer feed to the oats. Then I threw in a small scoop of cracked corn and some fresh oats.

I served some of the original batch, and it has good color, but a strong sour smell. The hens were eating it off the spoon.

I think I grossly miscalculated their daily consumption. They free range every afternoon and actually wake up not starving, but just a little hungry. Strange.

 

[Beekissed]

Up until today, I think 2 weeks. Today I dumped some of the liquid, added fresh water and actual layer feed to the oats. Then I threw in a small scoop of cracked corn and some fresh oats.

I served some of the original batch, and it has good color, but a strong sour smell. The hens were eating it off the spoon.

I think I grossly miscalculated their daily consumption. They free range every afternoon and actually wake up not starving, but just a little hungry. Strange.

I wouldn't worry about it. Mine stays in the bucket for way longer than that at times, especially when I have two buckets going. No way it's using up all the available sugars in the feed in that time. I'd just feed it out and make a smaller batch when you refresh.

 

[KittieChick]

 I wouldn't worry about it.  Mine stays in the bucket for way longer than that at times, especially when I have two buckets going. No way it's using up all the available sugars in the feed in that time.  I'd just feed it out and make a smaller batch when you refresh. 

Okay. Thanks. I noticed this morning, they pecked all the oats out of the gruel. Before I had oats, they knew no better, now I get an accusatory stare.

My chooks are lucky in that they have fescue and crabgrass to eat along with whatever weeds are popping up now. NC isn't a bad place to have chickens.

 

[HugHess]

Hello everyone,

I have been fermenting scratch with b.o.s.s. for about six weeks now
( the gang loves it ) which brings me to my question...
I found a ton of feed in my bottom 'juice' bucket! The tiniest of seeds escaped my 'carefully' drilled holes...lol. Can you allay my worry-wort fear of making my gang sick?
If it smells fermented and has been sitting in acv w/Mother water then I am good, right? TIA

 

[hennible]

If it smells sour and not rancid or rotting, I think you're all good

 

[jbkirk]

does fermented feed work with zero waste feeders as shown here: