FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[Beekissed]

I do. I never feed free choice, no matter the season. I give them what they can clean up well by later on that day and then no more. Just as we don't need to eat corn to stay warm, the chickens don't need to have corn added to their diet to "stay warm". Any creature that has adequate nutrition through cold weather will have the ability to stay warm, be they fed corn or not. And, I don't know about y'all but my layer feed is primarily corn based, so corn is already in the diet...why add more?

 

[redsix]

Depends on your scratch mix.
The one I get from local mill has "8-10%" protein according to miller,
and that is just an estimated value as tho they use a recipe,
components vary and are not evaluated for nutritive content anyway.

Regardless, any digestion will 'create heat' and all my birds seem to fill their crops before roosting, I'm guessing that's instinctual.

Someone on here said that corn causes their crops to heat up. Of course, they were talking about feeding them corn in the summer which could contribute to them becoming overheated.

 

[lazy gardener]

Quote: It goes back to the fact that a calorie is a calorie. If you watch your birds as they interact with their natural range in the summer, you'll note that their diet at that time consists mainly of greens and animal protein. Not a lot of natural grains available at that time. Chickens are opportunistic. They will eat what is readily available. They will often fill up on corn if it is placed in front of them. Many reports of feeders that barely get touched in the summer b/c the birds are so busy on free range bounty. Is corn good or bad for chickens in hot weather? I can't say. But, I will say that extra visceral fat from the consumption of too many calories of any source is a bad thing.

 

[FlyWheel]

I have a question, I've heard you aren't supposed to feed raw potato skins to chickens (don't remember if cooked is ok), but can raw skins be mixed in with the fermenting feed? Would the fermenting process make them safe?

P.S. I only ferment two days, as I don't have enough crocks.

 

[Beekissed]

I have a question, I've heard you aren't supposed to feed raw potato skins to chickens (don't remember if cooked is ok), but can raw skins be mixed in with the fermenting feed? Would the fermenting process make them safe?

P.S. I only ferment two days, as I don't have enough crocks.

I don't know...the only way one would find out would be to try it. It's one of the few things my flock doesn't gobble up immediately, so I take it they don't or won't eat potato skins....to me that's a sign to not force the issue.

If it were me, I'd not ferment the potato skins as the possible benefit in nutrients would not outweigh the possibility that the potato skins are not what they should be ingesting.

 

[aart]

I have a question, I've heard you aren't supposed to feed raw potato skins to chickens (don't remember if cooked is ok), but can raw skins be mixed in with the fermenting feed? Would the fermenting process make them safe?

P.S. I only ferment two days, as I don't have enough crocks.

That may come from the fact that potatoes with green skins contain the toxin solanine, just like leaves of the nightshade family.
How much it would take to kill a chicken is beyond me.

 

[redsix]

I don't know...the only way one would find out would be to try it. It's one of the few things my flock doesn't gobble up immediately, so I take it they don't or won't eat potato skins....to me that's a sign to not force the issue.

If it were me, I'd not ferment the potato skins as the possible benefit in nutrients would not outweigh the possibility that the potato skins are not what they should be ingesting.

Potato skins have toxins in them. I don't see a benefit in feeding them.

 

[mobius]

IF cooking potato skins removes the toxins, why not cook them first?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

That may come from the fact that potatoes with green skins contain the toxin solanine, just like leaves of the nightshade family.
How much it would take to kill a chicken is beyond me.

I agree.... It's GREEN skins that cannot be fed out. My birds do fine on potato skins. I wouldn't add to my ferment. Why chance it and they love scratching through stuff. Everything I put out is split by 40 birds though, not 3.... And whatever they don't like stays for the compost. All birds are individuals and some are pickier than others.

Someone on here said that corn causes their crops to heat up. Of course, they were talking about feeding them corn in the summer which could contribute to them becoming overheated.

Someone said means nothing to me... I like to see evidence. However I do agree a calorie is a calorie. And carbs burn up faster than fat or protein... indicating you may be supplying early energy if your going that route (corn), but then there would be nothing left to burn through the longer winter nights...

Sorry for starting it again guys!

I just feel the need to help if someone is misinformed. In fact it was me spreading that rumor to at first. Now I feel the need to debunk it just so people aren't feeding (crappy) scratch with no actual benefit to health, heat, or pocket book. Their must be different kinds of scratch, I've never bought it. Maybe some are better.... And I do feel that it's overall nutrition that matters. Agreed, visceral fat is not good... I've got my share of it, though!

To be clear... it's FEATHERS that keep chickens warm. And it takes protein to make feathers because they are 90% protein. Look towards the bottom of this link starting around the word ultimate...

https://en.wikivet.net/Feather_-_Anatomy_&_Physiology

 

[Leigti]

And around and around and around the discussion goes.  A calorie is a calorie is a calorie: [COLOR=0000FF] Definition of a calorie:  The amount of  heat needed to raise the temperature of 1,000 grams of water by one degree Celsius. This unit is used as a measure of the energy released by [COLOR=222222]food[/COLOR] as it is digested by the human body.[/COLOR] [COLOR=FF0000] [/COLOR][COLOR=222222]I would suggest that if your base food has extra protein in it, feeding some scratch is fine.  But, if it does not have extra protein, avoid the scratch or corn b/c that will bring their total protein down even further.  As for corn "heating the body" or any other such idea, I did a google search and found no supporting evidence when this topic came up several weeks ago.  In my personal experience, when I have a big meal on board, my extremities tend to get cold.  Any one else have that experience?  Yes, birds need more calories in the winter to generate that heat.  Yes, it makes sense to feed them before going to perch... maybe.  Do their extremities get cold after a big meal???  My suggestion:  Take care of your bird's over all nutrition.  No one food is going to be a magic bullet to keep them warm.  A calorie is a calorie.  But, if they take in more calories than they need, it will be stored as fat, which can result in future laying problems.  And, no, I do not limit my bird's feed in the winter.  [/COLOR]

I do take care of my birds overall nutrition. Thank you very much. And the food are use is a grower feed so it has extra protein in it. Scratches a treat that I give in the evenings during the winter. Just glad to know that experts like you were out there.