FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[bluebirdnanny]

Give only what they can eat before it gets frozen. If I inadvertently give too much I take it indoors. If I can't wait I take it indoors to thaw or add sunflower seeds to it and some other stuff and refreeze in forms.... then hang it just like suit blocks for outdoor birds or the poultry blocks you can find and hang it for busy time snacking in between feedings.

 

[Beekissed]

If been fermenting for 6 months or so and finally found a problem with FF. It freezes into a FFeedcicle at -30C faster than the girls can gobble it down. It gives them something to do all day.

I put the feedsicles inside the coop for them to pick at. Worked out pretty well.

That's cool that they will still work at it and eat it anyway. I put mine on the DL and it seems to keep it warm enough to not freeze before the birds consume it all, even in teens below weather.

 

[hillbillyreefer]

On those days I supplemented with extra dry feed sprinkled in the DL, just to make sure. It didn't seem to bother the girls, just another day in the coop.

 

[lazy gardener]

With this mild winter, I'd doing great with my FF. They get fed early in the morning. By the time I'm home from work in late afternoon, I can collect my unfrozen eggs, their feed bowls are empty, and I toss some scratch and a fist full of cat food into the DL to keep them busy until morning. Was going to make a heated horiz nipple bucket feeder, and use the heated dog bowl for the FF, but, they are doing fine with the status quo, so have not taken on that extra project. I do believe that using leaves in the coop has helped immensely for keeping the coop warmer, cutting the ammonia, and hoping for some composting action.

 

[AuntNomi]

What does DL stand for?

 

[Bridebeliever]

What does DL stand for?

Deep litter

 

[AuntNomi]

Deep litter

Thank you! I will prob forget again so I think I am gonna write that one down, it always stumps me when I see it.

 

[chitownhens]

Anyone doing it?

Yes

How long have you been doing it?

I started about 10 days ago.

Your methods?

I use a soy free layer feed in pellet form. The starter is a special strain I use to ferment my own vegetables and berries. I’m making enough feed to last 1-2 days and then starting again with fresh starter liquid which I always have on hand and pouring filtered water on top from my own tap which is a 5 stage reverse osmosis removing all the chlorine.

Grains/feeds used in this manner?

It’s an organic soy free layer feed in pellet form.

Your overall review of this method of feeding?

The difference in the poop is very noticeable. Much firmer and if it can be compared to the same with a human much healthier looking. I plan on putting together a video of what the hens look like before and after taken over a few months. Some of the older hens were looking a bit ragged and I always notice most of the pellet still in the poop which tells me a good portion of it might not be digested. It’s hard for me to purchase organic soy free crumble without driving at least an hour and a half. So I have opted to soak the pellets and ferment about 30-40% of it to see how they do. If Youtube links are allowed here I will post a link to the video when I’m finished. The hens also have plenty of access to quality food scraps since my wife works in that industry and we get all the free dark leafy green cuttings from the local produce market that we can take.

This is what the pellets looks like after the ferment which takes about 48 hours. It has a slight tang/sour taste. Ideally with ferments you want to keep them submerged with liquid to avoid any molds but this seems to absorb so much that a weight would probably be needed to keep the solids submerged. Instead I’m just using them within 48 hours and they are in a somewhat cooler area. I might have to ferment over 1 day and then refrigerate once the weather becomes warmer to stop/slow the fermentation process.

The consistency and taste is similar to a sourdough bread.

 

[Beekissed]

Would LOVE to have feedback vids on the FF here, so that would be welcomed. You don't have to worry about mold formation if you stir your feed daily, as stirring it disrupts that process. No need to keep it submerged at all. I've been doing this for 3 yrs now and haven't ever had mold formation on my feed, I never keep water over the feed level and sometimes it takes me 2 wks to feed out a bucket of feed.

 

[chitownhens]

Beekissed that's good to know. I'm used to fermenting vegetables and if they are submerged the liquid creates a barrier. I will remember to stir the feed...............thanks.