FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[ReillyJ]

Can someone take a look at this pic and tell me if this is mold? it looks like it to me

Been ff since Summer and posted often how my birds were meh about it, well around 3 months ago for some reason they gobble it now--nothing different as far as i know.

I also have mixed feed, i used to feed just Scratch n Peck organic soy/corn free but after some convo's with some on here about doubting the nutritional effect on my birds (and that it takes ENERGY to be good egg producers, ie corn--not wanting to get into a debate about it but i decided to do it) and i decided to keep it but mix in Nutrena Feather Fixer (as two were molting) and they love the food and better yet, i saw great results with it being an addition to the SnP... i ferment both of them together in a bucket and as i was dishing out tonight's ration i saw what looked like white mold

I assume i am FF correctly as really it's so simple and i keep the feed moist like cookie dough but not runny at all and i stir and just now have been topping off every other day as opposed to letting it get down to one serving and then making a bunch. i imagine either way is fine...

 

[Beekissed]

Looks like yeast to me. TikkTok has a link on her site that shows the difference and describes the difference..... https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

 

[ReillyJ]

Thanks, Bee!

So i won't worry, then. I gave it a good stir and i probably need to be more diligent in thorougly stirring it once a day, Oh also i started covering it again when i went for a long time not covering it, i cover the plastic bucket with a glass lid BUT it is vented, i have a plastic spoon in there and the lid rests on that, i am not sure if it's better for the FF if it's partially covered...

i have it in the house in the pantry and the temps here in W. WA are positively Spring-like.

On a much happier note, like i said, when i first started i had major problems with these hens being MEH about it for months and for some reason they did a big turn around and now i'm wondering how i'm going to keep on affording feed (just kidding but they're going through it at a rate of 3 X as fast) i am wondering if it's bc these hens have been through a lot and had stressors and are now really just seemingly like they are very happy.

Plus adding in the new food. I think i need to keep at it about topping it off with fresh water and food daily.

The next BIG HUGE thing that's been bothering me is a feeder.

I put FF in their run (that's where they eat) at night so they have it in the morning, i have it in acrylic bins (one placed inside the other for easy removal) and the bins attached to the run so they cannot knock it over--great system and no more mashed food all over.

However i let them Free Range around noon until dusk and they are used to filling up during the day with FF and they don't go back into the run but i bring it out which is fine with me no problem but i can't figure out an easy way to keep those BRATS from kicking the plastic containers over, i need to figure out something to anchor them to that i can move about.

ALWAYS SOMETHING

 

[Beekissed]

It may seem like they are eating more than they did of the dry, but the feed is very soaked with water, making it swell up and seem like more total volume. If you were to measure that same amount dry it might surprise you how much feed you aren't feeding out. You can even do an experiment and measure out the same number of scoops in a dry feed, then add water and let it fully absorb and swell to capacity, then measure how much more feed volume you have.

You might need a heavier or more stable trough style. I use a simply made wooden trough that's heavier and too stable to tip due to the wide "feet" on the end. They just consist of two long boards and two short, so easy to make. The two long boards are screwed together in a long "V" shape, then the shorter but wider end caps act as feet to keep the trough from being tipped.

Here's a chick sized one...I don't place the wire over it for the adult, larger feeder, but this one shows the style well.



In this pic you can see the end cap/foot is wider than the boards used in the trough so that the feeder is raised up out of the deep litter. No matter how many or how big the chicken, this trough cannot tip.

 

[ReillyJ]

Thanks! i will be excited about building them and keeping feed from being knocked out over my yard and molding!!

Oh i was talking about FF, not dry pellets. I've been feeding FF since the Summer and there are plenty of lament threads from me about how they were less than enthusiastic about their food and for some odd reason they just turned around a few months ago...like i said i'm just wondering if they finally felt less stress..

Got them in May/June, they were rescues from a drug house--they shot the roosters and two of the other hens are missing and i'm assuming they're dog food so i got these 4 hens and i didn't know ANYTHING about raising chickens so they basically roosted in trees while we figured everything out, spent $$ putting up a coop and run, etc. and it seems it takes awhile for chickens to mellow out and not stress and trust...

Then a backwards step when i encased most of the run in plastic to keep out the rain and cold from winter and OMG you'd think it was Satan---they recovered after awhile (LOL) and also went through molt and now they're eating the FF like crazy. Except for the 5 weeks i had them in the coop/run (to acclimate them) they also free range that entire time. Oh i do give them grapes and canteloupe and such.. in small amounts.

They seem happy and content, i hope they are, i'm doing the best i can to make their lives a good one!

 

[jbkirk]

Looks like yeast to me. TikkTok has a link on her site that shows the difference and describes the difference..... https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

So Fermented feed doesn't have to be totally covered with water as long as you stir it every day?
EDIT:And can whey be used?

 

[Audio51]

Quote:
I don't keep mine covered with water. The only time it is covered is when I first add water to the new mix. I fill the bucket to about 1 inch over the surface, but by the time I stir it and is starts to absorb the liquid, the water is no longer covering the surface. I have found it ferments just as well and the girls seem to prefer it that way. I just stir everything well before serving the days ration.

 

[ReillyJ]

I don't keep mine covered with water. The only time it is covered is when I first add water to the new mix. I fill the bucket to about 1 inch over the surface, but by the time I stir it and is starts to absorb the liquid, the water is no longer covering the surface. I have found it ferments just as well and the girls seem to prefer it that way. I just stir everything well before serving the days ration.

Agree with this, when i add water it covers and i mix it well and it turns into probably cookie dough consistency (not dry but moist) and it ferments fine, my girls don't like it sloppy

 

[lazy gardener]

I've been serving up FF for about 18 months. I just ferment what ever crumble or pellets I'm using. Sometimes, I add scratch to it. I rotate 2 containers for current flock of 16 birds. One is a 3 gal. bucket, and the other is a 1 gal ice cream bucket. I feed it out until there's about an inch of FF left. Then I mix up a new batch with warm water. It's perking nicely by the next morning. Sometimes, I stir it. Sometimes, I don't pay much attention to it. I figure that if it's bubbling, it's kind of stirring it's self! My FF is about the consistency of warm cooked oatmeal. Occasionally, it will be pourable, most often, it needs to be spooned out, or if I'm dumping it out, it will hold it's shape for a bit. The benefits: No spilled feed in the litter. When brooding chicks, I found that when they had dry feed, the spilled feed in the litter would get rancid and stink. Spilled feed also attracts rodents and flies. My feed bill is also decreased. When I talk to my friends who use dry feed, I'm astounded by how much they go through in a month. My bird's feathers look awesome. My pullets lay earlier than those of my friends who use dry feed.

 

[azygous]

I have a question about baby chicks and FF. Do you ferment chick starter? Or is the flock raiser I ferment for the rest of the flock adequate for baby chicks?

Also, I vaguely recall reading something about some flock owners "immunizing" their chicks by exposing them to soil that the flock has been into contact with, in lieu of medicated chick starter. At what age should this exposure occur for maximum benefit?

I've ordered six babies out of a May hatch and am thinking ahead.