Fermented Feeds

[moomoodiddy]

Hi all,

I've just started fermenting feed for my eight free-range backyard chooks - Marans, Brahmas, Wyandottes - and now they worship me as their avian messiah. A sprinting Brahma hen is quite a sight to see! (Must get video.)

However - unfortunately, the layer crumble available to me ferments to a vomitous acid stench - not rotten or mouldy, just vomit-acid - and the smell (even out on the verandah) is a bit much. I tried fermenting just cracked corn with the same liquid, and that's sweetish and nice (with a pleasant acidy tinge), even after a few days in warm weather.  I'm wondering about upping the protein of the fermented corn with BOSS. What sort of ratio might be useful, and shall I add other things as well to improve nutritional balance? (Available: grey sunflower seeds, wheat, parrot/pigeon/budgie/canary mix, and whatever's at the supermarket.)

I wouldn't give fermented scratch as their only feed, only as an adjunct. What's the max amount of fermented scratch I could give eight layers in a day to make sure they'd still eat their dry crumble? I'll have oyster shell grit available, of course, and they get a modicum of kitchen scraps as well as whatever snails, weeds, and bugs they can scratch up after this long, dry summer.

Thanks!

i would do a half and half between scratch and layer with a good handfull of seeds perserving sot hey get an extra treat thats good for them

 

[swirler]

Quote: Thanks. That's the first thing I tried - but the vomit smell from the fermented layer is just too strong. I'm looking to do a scratch-only ferment.

 

[Debstar1204]

I only started the fermenting yesterday. And I did exactly the same as you. I also read that YES you replace more dry food into the existing fermenting container to replace what you took out..
I gave my 3 silkies a little bit this afternoon & they loved it. I know it needs to ferment more but I wanted to try it I'm very excited I found this thread and am very grateful to all the wonderful members for their help and advice

 

[TipihlowLadies]

JacqueOCS,

I have been giving my adult coup (15+ birds) about 5 cups twice a day, my 2 quarantine birds get 1 cup twice a day, and my 3.5m/o's get 2.5 cups 1 time a day. My thought process is I don't want excess feed laying around, so far it's working nicely, everyone is gaining weight, and some how my call duck is staying cleaner than the silkies with it. Its sort of strange...

Thanks for giving me an ideal place to start I was not sure about leaving FF out all the time or what.

 

[TipihlowLadies]

I haven't been measuring it out. I just scoop some into the feeder dishes and let them have it. They nibble throughout the day. Probably need to take down the self feeders for now. How much do you feed yours?

I just started FF that's why I asked how much to feed not sure about leaving it out all the time at first or just feed more every time till they leave some or will they become gluttonous.

 

[moomoodiddy]

Thanks. That's the first thing I tried - but the vomit smell from the fermented layer is just too strong. I'm looking to do a scratch-only ferment.

oh ... u could just ferment the scratch with seeds and then have a seperate bowl of dry layer

 

[Kilkenny]

...

im pretty sure boss is just another word for with he mother... hey yall i am also interested in starting ff im just tryin to come up with a mixture to add into it what do yall add in? and is it ok to store ff outside?[/quote

Boss is black oil sunflower seeds. Not related to the vinegar.

 

[jsp28504]

Swirler does your base feed have animal protein? If so, that could be why it smells... Someone on the silkie forum I follow said that was what was causing her mix to smell bad. I use the Purina Flock Raiser, it has plant based protein and my mix smells like bread or pizza dough cooking. I love the way it smells! It may be something you look into.

 

[swirler]

Swirler does your base feed have animal protein? If so, that could be why it smells... Someone on the silkie forum I follow said that was what was causing her mix to smell bad. I use the Purina Flock Raiser, it has plant based protein and my mix smells like bread or pizza dough cooking. I love the way it smells! It may be something you look into.

Ah, that would be a good thing to check! Thanks. Unfortunately it's the only feed available locally though, so switching isn't really an option.

I'm good with an all-scratch ferment, I just want to know that I'm not shorting them on nutrition in the process, because they'll prefer the ferment to their dry feed. So what I'm mostly looking for is what grains & ratio to include in the ferment to get a decent protein/carb balance, and how much to limit that feed so that they'll eat enough of their dry crumble as well.

 

[jsp28504]

Ah, that would be a good thing to check! Thanks. Unfortunately it's the only feed available locally though, so switching isn't really an option.

I'm good with an all-scratch ferment, I just want to know that I'm not shorting them on nutrition in the process, because they'll prefer the ferment to their dry feed. So what I'm mostly looking for is what grains & ratio to include in the ferment to get a decent protein/carb balance, and how much to limit that feed so that they'll eat enough of their dry crumble as well.

Well, the nutrition also depends on what breed(s) you have. I have silkies, so they need high protein, low calcium, egg layers and meat birds have different nutritional needs. I'm ok with my broodie nutrition so hopefully someone who has a breed or breeds similar to yours will chime in. Sorry I can't help more than that, I'm new to the ff thing, but my guys are enjoying it.