Fermented Feeds

[tymimo]

Well the churning and bubbling sounds fine, it's just the smell that doesn't. I looked up the Layena and the website says no animal protein and no fats so there goes my theory about the fish meal. I guess try again. If you get that same smell again maybe it's just the feed and you could try and give your chickens a little bit and see how they react? From what everyone says here on BYC, chickens have a pretty good sense of what's good and bad for them so if they eat it and they seem fine maybe it's ok? Good luck

 

[peacefulbean]

Ah, I'm glad I came across the mention of fish in this thread. We just got our chickens (pullets) 3 days ago, and since we (the humans) do a lot of fermented food for ourselves, it just seemed natural to ferment our chickens' food too. So I got some going in a gallon jar this morning with a tiny bit of brine from some curtido to get it going. It's bubbling already.

I do plan on mixing my own feed soon, but just to get started we bought an organic soy-free layer feed. I'll have to go look at the bag in the morning to see if there's fish in it.

One of my cats was determined to jump on the counter today. He even jumped from the kitchen table, launching himself off my shoulder, to get on the counter. I couldn't figure out what he was after. Until I came in from outside and saw the jar two inches from the edge of the counter with the fabric lid pushed in. I had no idea what would be in that feed that would interest him so much. But now I'm wondering if it is, in fact, fish. I moved the jar to a safer place.

 

[tymimo]

I know this seems an odd time to be asking this but what do people do in the winter? Right now I ferment my feed outside since the daytime/nighttime temps are in the ideal range for LABs. Once the temps drop down below 60 and approach freezing at night I'm wondering what I should do. Due to the smell I don't think the bucket will be allowed to be brought inside the house. I could put it in an out building but there the temp would still be in the mid-50s but at least not freezing at night. Should I ferment a larger mass of feed so that the feed sits in the bucket longer? For example ferment 10 cups of feed and only scoop out and add 2 cups a day so that the feed sits in there longer on average.

 

[moomoodiddy]

this is a problem i am havkng i will probably only do ff in fall and spring

 

[sarahsunshine]

Why not keep it in the chicken coop with the chickens, with the lidnot tight, but solid enough that they won't get in. You could drill some holes near the top, on the sides, for aeration. This would act as thermal mass to maintain temperature in the coop, and keep it handy.

 

[tymimo]

Not a bad idea but not practical for my coop. The coop is raised up off the ground and not one I walk into. The floor is only about 4x4 so the use would take up space and get pooped upon. I know DLM is supposed to raise the temp inside the coop but even then I doubt it would be the ideal temp for LAB, which is 65-75 degrees.

 

[moomoodiddy]

and it gets too hot or cold in uninsulated coops

 

[Joanmcm]

Mine has been in the house but is getting kicked out tomorrow. I wonder if you can put it in jars (or containers) with lids and refridgerate like you can sauerkraut and pickles. Just wait until a batch is 'done' and put it in jars. It will not ferment anymore but will be available to use.

 

[moomoodiddy]

refridgerating is kinda a good idea

 

[lupieloo]

Mine sits out back near the chickens and they come running when they hear the lid pop, its smells gross to me but they love it, and they dive right in, I use a 5 gallon bucket and a wire scoop on a handle,( I guess like you would use in a deep fryer) and drain it and dump in in the pans. I use a mix of 50 pounds of oats, 50 pounds of cracked corn and 50 pounds of layer pellets, they are growing like weeds on it, and I am very happy with the set up.