Fermented Feeds

[jsp28504]

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...

 

[JacqueOCS]

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...

Thank you for sharing how much you feed. I've only been giving them the FF in the morning. They have a self feeder of scratch to nibble on as they like. I'll increase the FF amt and to twice a day once I get off these silly crutches :/

 

[Eggcessive]

I just started reading this thread (I have been reading the FF for meat birds thread though.) Yes you can use a lid on your fermented feed, just keep it slightly ajar to let in some air, or poke holes in the lid. My mix is 24% gamebird feed plus 8% scratch grains mixed half and half. I mix in a 5 gallon bucket 1/3 full, add 2 oz ACV with mother (or leftover ferment liquid), and keep adding water until it is easy to mix. Keep stirring and adding water for 2 days if needed. I take any liquid that is floating after 3-4 days, and put it in my new batch which will ferment quicker. Never through away your liquid--it's your starter. Note that I don't add ACV to new batches unless I don't have ferment liquid left over. The chickens seem to like having the whole grains in it, but mine comes out exactly 16% protein. The perfect temperature for fermenting is 70 degrees which takes 3 days. If you use leftovers to start a new batch, it is less time. Fermented feed will freeze solid, so your bucket needs to be indoors in winter (it also ferments better.)

 

[moomoodiddy]

hey is it ok to add clover or meal worms to ff? and i cant believe i have been wasting acv in my new batches uh

 

[moomoodiddy]

Thank you for sharing how much you feed. I've only been giving them the FF in the morning. They have a self feeder of scratch to nibble on as they like. I'll increase the FF amt and to twice a day once I get off these silly crutches :/

ur welsome and i hope u can get off ur crutches soon i know they r a pain in the butt

 

[moomoodiddy]

the akward moment when u almost mistake the ff for the cake batter......

 

[JacqueOCS]

Ha ha! That round be quite the cake Mine smells like pizza crust dough.

 

[moomoodiddy]

i wondrr if i could abake it and itd be like a cake for chickens!

 

[swirler]

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!

 

[JacqueOCS]

i wondrr if i could abake it and itd be like a cake for chickens!

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