FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[JaeG]

I'm all about fermentation, for humans and animals!! Thank you! This is a great article!!
We will get our first chicks in 3 weeks. At what age can we start feeding fermented feed?

Right from the start you can give it to them. Just make sure it's not too cold when it is fed. If you are using a heat lamp you can put it near the heat to keep it warmer.

 

[Molpet]

I'm all about fermentation, for humans and animals!! Thank you! This is a great article!!
We will get our first chicks in 3 weeks. At what age can we start feeding fermented feed?

I start at day one, but I make it stiff. They tend to get it all over themselves

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'm all about fermentation, for humans and animals!! Thank you! This is a great article!!
We will get our first chicks in 3 weeks. At what age can we start feeding fermented feed?

You can offer it right at the start but they may/may not go for it, so I would only offer small amounts of first, and don't be discouraged if they just play with it or ignore it at first. Usually takes mine a couple of weeks before they decide they want to eat it.

 

[TexasLisa]

I always sprinkle a little dry food on top to entice the chicks.

 

[Kimi BK]

I started on day 3 because it takes 3 days to ferment and I hadn't prepared ahead of time. I only offered fermented (took away their dried food), and they ate it right away. After that I put their "bottomless" dry feed out again, along with fermented feed (my guess at their 1/2-to-full ration fermented). They always have finished their fermented feed.

Now that they are outside and the wet feed will freeze if not eaten timely (they are 13 weeks old), I've been putting out 1/2 ration of fermented in the morning, and they always have their bottomless dry feed available as well. The fermented is always eaten in a few hours.

 

[Molpet]

I have been leaving extra ff in a 2 gallon bucket in the yard. The center stays unfrozen for quite a while.

 

[Happy hen lover]

I ferment their feed in water for 2-3 days then give them half every day. So I always have 3 quart jugs sometimes add garlic but shake them daily and cover loosely . My hens eat it all. Nice way to give warm palatable feed in winter. I started cause I had some pellets they hated about a month ago and decided it might be a way they would eat the feed. I think they eat less dry feed this way.

 

[parvani]

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. Anyone doing it?

Yes, we sometimes give our birds fermented feed. How often depends on whether I can devote a corner of the kitchen to it, and whether I remember to make a new batch each night. We don't let it ferment longer than 24 hours.


2. How long have you been doing it?

We've had chickens less than a year. I started giving them fermented feed about six months ago.

3. Your methods?

I fill a sterile 5 gallon bucket about 1/2 full with warm water. I add 1/2 teaspoon of Rooster Booster probiotics to it and stir to dissolve it.

Then I add organic crumble slowly, so it doesn't clump up, until the mixture seems to thicken. I cover it with a damp sterile cloth so the carbon dioxide can vent, and I check it an hour or so later to see if I need to add any more water or crumble.

It ferments overnight, getting fluffy and rich with probiotic organisms.

The next day I stir it up to release the air bubbles before dishing it out to my chickens, who gobble it up as fast as they can.


4. Grains/feeds used in this manner?

PAYBACK organic layer and hatch-to-hen crumbles. It would work with whole grains too, but they might need an extra day to ferment, and I don't have room for that.


5. Your overall review of this method of feeding?

My birds LOVE it.

It's a bit of a hassle for me, with extra space required and more dishes to wash. Also, I use it to supplement dry feed, not replace it.

But the birds love it so much that I'm planning to resume giving them fermented feed daily as soon as my Spring cleaning is done and my kitchen is organized with a dedicated space for the bucket

 

[Kraut]

1. Anyone doing it?

Yes, we sometimes give our birds fermented feed. How often depends on whether I can devote a corner of the kitchen to it, and whether I remember to make a new batch each night. We don't let it ferment longer than 24 hours.

All that is doing is soaking the feed. 24 hours is not long enough. The first stage of fermentation lasts 3-5 days, but gets going around 48 hours

 

[Molpet]

Study on ff. Link to study pdf in reply to a comment.