Fermenting chicken feed, Good idea?

[Orpingtons Mom]

P.S. the article above is very very well written, and is correctly backed up by research.

Thanks for starting this thread. I’m starting again tomorrow!!

 

[black_cat]

Ditto. And it isn’t that complicated. Forget the cheese cloth and distilled water. You don’t need it. Throw some feed in a container, cover it with water. And let it sit for about three days.

I’m trying to find an article that got me going... it was great.

FOUND IT!! https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

It was from another thread here on BYC, so I don’t want to take the credit. But it will answer ALL your questions!

I happen to have cheesecloth, so I think I may as well use it...I'll start doing some fermenting tomorrow!

 

[alwaysthere4chickens]

P.S. the article above is very very well written, and is correctly backed up by research.

Thanks for starting this thread. I’m starting again tomorrow!!

Your welcome!

 

[black_cat]

I happen to have cheesecloth, so I think I may as well use it...I'll start doing some fermenting tomorrow!

Oh shoot....just realized that I impulsively used my big jar to make a faux fish tank...(not a real fish, i'd never keep a fish in such a small tank)

I literally did this tonight and entirely forgot about fermenting My brain has taken a vacation.

 

[Orpingtons Mom]

Home Depot has a small white bucket with a lid that will fit in the fridge. $3-4

 

[black_cat]

Home Depot has a small white bucket with a lid that will fit in the fridge. $3-4

I'll see if I can scrounge up another jar from somewhere, but thanks for the suggestion!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have been looking for ways to lower our chicken feed bill and I came across the Idea of fermenting chicken feed. Does anyone use this method? Will chickens get drunk off of it?

Main cost savings that I've seen is reducing waste. Mine waste a bit of feed if everything is fed dry, like 5%, but fermenting is a good way to use up all the feed (so down to maybe 1% waste), and to force them to eat everything in the mix, especially if you're using a whole grain mash like the one in your photo.

No they won't get drunk. You're not making alcohol.

I watched a quick video and it said that you have a jar, feed, and distilled water, cover with cheesecloth, and let sit. How long do you let it sit? How do you know it's ready? How bad does it smell?

Everyone has different ways of making it. Like I don't cover my jar any longer (only need to cover to keep bugs out).

I make it as uncomplicated as possible: I just put water and feed in a jar (ratios vary, I eyeball it... my goal is a thick oatmeal consistency with no extra standing water), stir, and start serving the next day, and serve until I run out. At that point I just add more feed, more water, and repeat the process.

Honestly I can't smell it anymore. It can have a bready or yeasty or even slightly sour smell.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I have four 5 gal buckets. Fill to 2/3 with my crumble, add water from the reservoir to cover 2", stir. Repeat as needed till its actually just under water. Put in barn and wait a few days.

There is always one bucket in the run, and at least one ready to go in the barn. When i have two empties, i make more, since my flock gets about 1/3 of a bucket each day.

 

[AllenK RGV]

I have only read the OP and fermenting feed did nothing for my feed costs it only increased my labor. Don't get me wrong the chicken love it, but do not mind their dry kibble either.

After a season of experimentation I went back to just using a TSC flock feeder system while allowing free ranging of my chicken herd. I doubt you can find a better compost method than chicken s#$t everywhere.

 

[Iheartbirds]

I have been looking for ways to lower our chicken feed bill and I came across the Idea of fermenting chicken feed. Does anyone use this method? Will chickens get drunk off of it? and is this a good idea?

I have 2 spoiled girls and they love it. Feeding fermented and live culture foods (ie yogurt or dry sourdough) regularly is really good for them. For 2 birds, I put about 1/3-1/2 c of pellets in a qt jar and fill the jar with enough water to keep it 3 or 4 inches above the feed. Stir it once a day. By the 3rd day it's ready. I strain about half at a time to give them and that last them a day or 2. They always have access to their dry pellets and eat both. Don't keep the mash past 5 days. When it starts fermenting, you'll see a white rim forming at the top. That's normal and ok. After 5 days that white whatever can start to mold, so of course, toss it. It does seem to stretch their food quite a bit.