FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[Beekissed]

I've found that I usually wind up feeding the same amount/measure of FF that I did when I fed dry, so half cup per bird is the usual ration unless it's during high foraging months here.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Yay, page 777!

Happy fermenting folks!

 

[FlyWheel]

That's pretty much what I'm doing now, the same amount of dry, add water and 'brew'. I figured how much a couple of years ago by slowly increasing the amount of dry feed I poured into their feeding trough until I saw some left over by the end of the day, then divided that amount by the number of chickens. Now however they're eating all the fermented mix at once (voraciously!), in fact they manage to finish it all off within a half hour after giving it to them (I feed them in the morning) rather than pecking at it at leisure during the day like they did when I gave it to them dry.

 

[aart]

I've found that I usually wind up feeding the same amount/measure of FF that I did when I fed dry, so half cup per bird is the usual ration unless it's during high foraging months here.

Half a cup dry or half a cup fermented?
Am assuming dry volume increases with water content.

 

[mobius]

Maybe a new question here folks about fermenting...@Aozora posted this thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1150222/milk-fed-poultry#post_18000189

about feeding goats milk to chickens.

I make my own yogurt from local cow's milk, which is non-homogenized.

Could we ferment chicken feed with milk? Or yogurt? Or add a little of that to the ferment? Along with water? Or use whey?

Any thoughts? (Sounds like a potentially exciting prospect to me).

 

[Beekissed]

I don't see where it would hurt...folks have been feeding such things to pigs and chickens since time began and sometimes that was the ONLY thing they fed them other than what they could find for themselves. The Bresse chickens in France are finished on buttermilk before butchering for market.

 

[mobius]

Great Beekissed! Yay! I was wondering what these kinds of milk products might add to the ferment...I think it would be all good too! I make kefir as well and my little dogs get a bit of that now and then, it is all probiotics and pre-biotics.

These products like yogurt and kefir, of course, sit out in a warm spot to ferment themselves...(my secret is a microwave over-the stove light left on and I put the jar in the microwave overnight) if we add already fermented products (to a point) to our FF it might be a wonderful way to pump a little more protein and beneficials to our birds!

I know people feed yogurt separately to their birds for sure, and I am thinking just top off the FF a bit with these possible ingredients and stir them in, along with the water...

Yep, more of that great re-emerging farm wisdom of yore, gotta love it!

 

[lazy gardener]

Quote: I have figured that my birds eat approximately 1/2 cup of dry ber bird per day. 4 qt dry mixed with water = 2 days feed for 16 birds.

Maybe a new question here folks about fermenting...@Aozora posted this thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1150222/milk-fed-poultry#post_18000189

about feeding goats milk to chickens.

I make my own yogurt from local cow's milk, which is non-homogenized.

Could we ferment chicken feed with milk? Or yogurt? Or add a little of that to the ferment? Along with water? Or use whey?

Any thoughts? (Sounds like a potentially exciting prospect to me).

When ever I have whey standing on top of my yogurt, it gets dumped into the FF bucket.

 

[Leigti]

Sometimes I will put butter milk in it.

 

[dcba flock]

I use plain yogurt in my FF w/ canned pumpkin sometimes and other seed/ oatmeal, herbs etc. not significant amounts for a 3 gallon bucket about a cup total added to mostly the feed I feed based on what they finish throughout the day up it the next day if it's empty before bedtime etc. they also have free choice dry feed. I have given them yogurt separate before and they seem to be a mess w/ it getting it all over themselves that's why I started mixing it in. I have used leftover garlic butter added to their serving dish mixed in w/ the FF not in the bucket.