FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[Beekissed]

Ya lol I gathered that...

Bee, I'm wondering where the acetone smell is coming from though? The high protein content?

Now, that I could not tell you as I've never experienced it. Sites on wine making and such state the acetone smell is from a too hot fermentation...the excess proteins/carbs could very well make yours a very "hot" fermentation along with warmer ambient temps. They also say it's just the process of the acetobacter metabolism causing the smell.

Here's another little blurb or two on acetone smells and off flavors...

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[LowerBamaMama]

That leads me to my next question, what temp is good? I've kept the jar inside on my kitchen counter but my heat/air has been out for the last few months and the temps have gotten up to 86F in my house... New HVAC system and temps are a wonderful 76 now (to the tune of $5400

) so I'm thinking that if I start over, I should be good?

 

[LowerBamaMama]

Also, Bee, you are awesome. Best feedback that I feel confident I can take to the bank

 

[Beekissed]

Also, Bee, you are awesome. Best feedback that I feel confident I can take to the bank

Really???? After I critiqued your feed????? That's highly unusual and I'm floored by it....usually I get a pop in the theoretical mouth for even stating the obvious. Thank you! It shows your sincerity in even wanting answers and that's not too common here at times. What a blessing!

I wouldn't toss your feed...too valuable. If it's just a small amount that wouldn't hurt too bad, but if you have a whole bucket, I wouldn't throw it out...I'd just start with a less rich feed and "cut" it. Like a low pro whole grain(barley or oats are good) and cut it by 50% until you get your protein percentages back to a healthy 16-18%. Then I'd save that wild game bird feed or just use a little bit at a time here and there....it's powerful stuff so a little dab will do ya...and I do mean a little. In a 5 gal. bucket full of FF, I'd throw in a handful or two of the stuff~ but not all the time....right before breeding or during the molt...and only for a short period of one or two weeks max, if that.

When it gets that hot out I mix smaller amounts in the bucket so my ferment doesn't get ahead of my feed and it gets too strong...probably what you are experiencing right now. If you are going to keep it indoors you might try a cool, dark place and batching smaller, but more frequent, batches to avoid the increased fermentation due to hot temps.

 

[LowerBamaMama]

I have been using a 3lb plastic folders coffee tub, so not that much to just dump

Dumped it into the woods and the dogs wouldn't even eat it!! This is the dog that eats her own poop and the other that carried around a stinking dead squirrel for a week. I'm glad I tossed it!! Starting over with the 18% Manna Pro feed.

 

[LowerBamaMama]

When it gets that hot out I mix smaller amounts in the bucket so my ferment doesn't get ahead of my feed and it gets too strong...probably what you are experiencing right now.  If you are going to keep it indoors you might try a cool, dark place and batching smaller, but more frequent, batches to avoid the increased fermentation due to hot temps. 

That makes me wonder, how hot is hot? It gets over 100F and and close to 100% humidity here ... You walk outside and you're swimming in a hot miserable mosquito filled soup lol
Also, I'm moving it off the kitchen counter (away from the window!) and making only about half of what I have been making.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Upon request I am starting a thread about using fermentation to improve feed nutritive value and health benefits.

1. Anyone doing it?
2. How long have you been doing it?
3. Your methods?
4. Grains/feeds used in this manner?
5. Your overall review of this method of feeding?

1. I am!

2. For the main flock we used it consistently for a year, had some family issues went back to dry feed and have been fermenting for them again for 1 week.

I bought 50 chicks for caponizing 2 weeks ago and have been feeding them FF from Day 1 exclusively from an Organic, Non GMO, nonmedicated starter from TSC. Since they are being brooded inside an uninsulated shop with concrete floor, we are using deep litter 1/2 earth and 1/2 wood chips/shavings and supplementing with sprouted wheat and even a bit of wheat fodder. The chicks are doing absolutely fabulously with no nasty poo or smells. Haven't had any droopy chicks and didn't even lose one in the first day or two when shipped chicks are typically stressed. All my birds and even the ducks go crazy for the stuff.

3. I started my FF with active cultured plain yogurt and a dash of ACV w/mother in a 5 gallon bucket. I use a large strainer over a wide bowl to strain and stir several times through the day as I work in the kitchen. It's nice and bubbly and smells good.

4. Chick starter described above but I have also added a little wheat and quinoa once in awhile just to see how the chicks would take to it -- they picked it out and loved it.

5. Takes a bit more effort, while it makes a very big difference for my birds in terms of overall health and vigor. One of my older birds hadn't been laying but started regularly after I restarted her on the FF. I really love what it does for the birds and believe it is very cost effective in cutting total amount of feed used. Growing chicks eat a lot of feed and this helps to keep that expense down as much as possible while providing the chicks with plenty of fuel for growth.

Beekissed, thank you for your contributions to those of us serious about doing the best we can naturally for our birds. I have learned so much from you over the last several years and without your early posts had no idea such a thing as FF existed. I thank you and our birds thank you!

 

[Beekissed]

I have been using a 3lb plastic folders coffee tub, so not that much to just dump

Dumped it into the woods and the dogs wouldn't even eat it!! This is the dog that eats her own poop and the other that carried around a stinking dead squirrel for a week. I'm glad I tossed it!! Starting over with the 18% Manna Pro feed.

That's pretty bad, then, if the dog won't even eat it. That stinky squirrel thing sounds just like my dog...nothing is too nasty for him to consume.

That makes me wonder, how hot is hot? It gets over 100F and and close to 100% humidity here ... You walk outside and you're swimming in a hot miserable mosquito filled soup lol
Also, I'm moving it off the kitchen counter (away from the window!) and making only about half of what I have been making.

That's pretty hot! Most folks who live where you live are keeping their FF in a basement or some such place that's cool...sort of like us folks who live in colder climates bring ours in for the winter to keep it from freezing.

1. I am!

2. For the main flock we used it consistently for a year, had some family issues went back to dry feed and have been fermenting for them again for 1 week.

I bought 50 chicks for caponizing 2 weeks ago and have been feeding them FF from Day 1 exclusively from an Organic, Non GMO, nonmedicated starter from TSC. Since they are being brooded inside an uninsulated shop with concrete floor, we are using deep litter 1/2 earth and 1/2 wood chips/shavings and supplementing with sprouted wheat and even a bit of wheat fodder. The chicks are doing absolutely fabulously with no nasty poo or smells. Haven't had any droopy chicks and didn't even lose one in the first day or two when shipped chicks are typically stressed. All my birds and even the ducks go crazy for the stuff.

3. I started my FF with active cultured plain yogurt and a dash of ACV w/mother in a 5 gallon bucket. I use a large strainer over a wide bowl to strain and stir several times through the day as I work in the kitchen. It's nice and bubbly and smells good.

4. Chick starter described above but I have also added a little wheat and quinoa once in awhile just to see how the chicks would take to it -- they picked it out and loved it.

5. Takes a bit more effort, while it makes a very big difference for my birds in terms of overall health and vigor. One of my older birds hadn't been laying but started regularly after I restarted her on the FF. I really love what it does for the birds and believe it is very cost effective in cutting total amount of feed used. Growing chicks eat a lot of feed and this helps to keep that expense down as much as possible while providing the chicks with plenty of fuel for growth.

Beekissed, thank you for your contributions to those of us serious about doing the best we can naturally for our birds. I have learned so much from you over the last several years and without your early posts had no idea such a thing as FF existed. I thank you and our birds thank you!

Great feedback and I'm so pleased to hear how well your flock is doing on the FF! Isn't it wonderful to have meaties that don't smell bad? Even when you process them you'll find their innards don't smell bad like they normally would...and the meat tastes sweeter as well.

Thank you for the compliments, they just make my day....sometimes it feels like one is talking to the wall and no one is listening and then comes along some wonderful folks like the ones on this thread today and it all seems worth it. If even one person is helped along with this info and are pleased with the results, it feels wonderful for having written it...when many are helped, it's like a gift!

 

[EnnisLakeFarm]

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I am thinking that it is probably not the high protein in the feed. I ferment 30% game bird feed for my quail with no strange smells. I can't tell the difference in smell between the pail for the chickens of plain old layer rations, and the one for the quail (just went and took a test sniff to be sure).

 

[EnnisLakeFarm]

Upon request I am starting a thread about using fermentation to improve feed nutritive value and health benefits.

1. Anyone doing it?
2. How long have you been doing it?
3. Your methods?
4. Grains/feeds used in this manner?
5. Your overall review of this method of feeding?

1. Yep
2. about a year.
3. Water and commercial feed in a plastic bucket. When it starts getting low (after about 5-6 days) I add more feed and water.
4. I have two buckets going. 1. Purina layer ration for the chickens 2. Game bird Growth and plumage (30% protein) for the quail.
5. Takes a bit more work than free feeding but not a huge issue with my chicken flock of 10 and 5 quail pens. I love that I can brood the chicks in the house and they don't stink at all! I also like that they don't eat as much (the chickens - my quail have never had dry food) on FF as they do when they are free fed. (I have never tested that officially though, I suppose it is possible that I am feeding less in their "meals" then what they would eat given the choice.) When I first started, egg production jumped noticeably.