FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[shortgrass]

The pumpkins are a huge hit!

I started with 3; one outside(25-65 degrees), one in the garage(50 degrees), and one in the house (on the heated floor,65-85 degrees). The one in the house was ready, and actually smelled quite delicious The garage one needs another day, and the one outside got snowed on today lol, so it lagging behind but staying thawed, so 2 more days on it....

They are scared to put their heads in it lol, so I think I'll cut them in half as I "serve" them.

Also, the fresh ones are holding shape quite nicely, and being as the bacteria would be in the shell, if it wouldn't be a good idea to go ahead and reuse them just a couple times to reinocculate with? Haven't decided yet

Definitely works, and they gave it an A+; cleaned up the FF within 10 minutes, and left the pan of dry until it got snowed on Extra bonus, the pumpkin had half as much feed as I normally go through dry in a day; that makes DHs pocketbook happy, too

 

[Beekissed]

How much of the pumpkin did they consume?

 

[aart]

I was wondering the same...my birds go thru a lot less feed on the days they get a pumpkin.

 

[shortgrass]

How much of the pumpkin did they consume? 

I was wondering the same...my birds go thru a lot less feed on the days they get a pumpkin.

Well they got the opening ate up pretty good, but it was too big and fresh for them to really dig into. It's frozen right now, so I'm waiting for it to thaw so I can cut it in half for them.

I got a variety of sizes to try, and they were right out of the field; DH didn't want me lugging a whole ton if pumpkins up to the house, so I'm going to let these sit out and get softer, and maybe go with a smaller one; that big one was too hard and unripe yet

Edit to add, they usually go through about 3 coffee cans of grain... Lol lets just say 5 lbs... I used 1 full can and about a half, so about 3 lbs. No grain left in the pan; they usually leave some oats and so.e alfalfa pellets, wasting them. Very efficient indeed

 

[shodack]

I had to buy a bag of the Tractor Supply brand (Dumor, I think) layer pellets the other day, they were out of the organic one I've been buying and couldn't wait. This stuff just keeps soaking and soaking up more water, and I can't get it to maintain a good consistency! Plus, they are loving it, but eating double of the grainier one I have been feeding... I'm assuming it probably just has a bit less "substance" than the one I've been using?

 

[minpins99]

This forum has been so helpful. I had never heard of it until my 'chicken mentor' mentioned it. I made my first batch of fermented mash ever and the ladies LOVE it. Does the mash have to be refrigerated at some point? I don't want any bad cooties growing in there.

 

[Beekissed]

This forum has been so helpful. I had never heard of it until my 'chicken mentor' mentioned it. I made my first batch of fermented mash ever and the ladies LOVE it. Does the mash have to be refrigerated at some point? I don't want any bad cooties growing in there.

Nope. You just keep that mix going indefinitely...when it starts getting low, add more feed and water and stir well. The next day you have a whole new bucket of feed and you just keep that method going. If stirring it before each day's feeding and replenishing it at least every two weeks in cold weather and every week in warmer months, you should be fine. Good to keep it above 50* to keep the scoby active in the winter months....many people bring it inside for that time. Mine stays on my enclosed back porch where it stays cool but not too cold to ferment.

If you're doing it right, you shouldn't ever grow any cooties in there.

 

[crawford-3546]

This forum has been so helpful.  I had never heard of it until my 'chicken mentor' mentioned it.  I made my first batch of fermented mash ever and the ladies LOVE it.  Does the mash have to be refrigerated at some point?  I don't want any bad cooties growing in there.

Nothing bad to it...let them eat bugs and all. When I open the door to let mine out, they will wait to see if I'm going to feed them first. They LOVE IT!

 

[TNBielefelder]

Nothing bad to it...let them eat bugs and all. When I open the door to let mine out, they will wait to see if I'm going to feed them first. They LOVE IT!

I meant to ask you are you using the 2 bucket system one bucket with holes inside another bucket? Mine love it as well and I was using about half the feed but went on vacation for a week and switched back to dry feed while my neighbor was doing all the feeding and have decided what method I'm going back with. Also what kind of feed are you fermenting? laying pellets?

 

[crawford-3546]

I've been using one bucket and draining the water out of the scoop. Two bucket would eliminate loosing so much of the liquid though. I buy 15% layer feed with grains, oyster and molasses made by the mennonites. So it has none of the bad stuff. The only thing left over is a few pieces of the oyster shell.