Fermenting chicken feed, Good idea?

[Orpingtons Mom]

It's not gravity fed so it's kinda like a big bowl/dish? maybe???

Yes, and they couldn’t just go wading through it. Ok, I think I’ll give it another go!

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

I am thinking of trying this myself. People who do this say it saves wastage of chicken feed. My girls do waste a lot of food.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Yes, I have used it for meat birds for years. I believe it offers some very specific advantages for raising meat birds especially that it doesn't for egg layers. I also ferment chick feed sometimes.

It's fine for egg layers, but doesn't offer the same benefits to effort ratio in my experience, so I don't bother..

Can you explain why?

 

[Orpingtons Mom]

I am thinking of trying this myself. People who do this say it saves wastage of chicken feed. My girls do waste a lot of food.

It does. Saves a lot, IMHO. I think the secret is the right container, and figuring out when to add more dry feed to the mix.

 

[Nigel27]

The fermentation process makes everything easier to digest, also adds probiotics. I sprout a huge bucket of wheat, feeding from it the day after I start it, (before it sprouts) then cover it with water, and continue to feed from it, by the time it starts to get stinky it’s almost all eaten. I start another bucket when the first bucket is half done

 

[black_cat]

I want to try it but I'm a bit nervous...might make another milk jug feeder and offer fermented and dry next to each other and see which they prefer. 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?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I do.

I'm currently mixing two crumbles to make my feed. By adding water and fermenting, I ensure I get a mostly uniform mix.

Is it better nutritionally? I have no idea. Is it cheaper? Again, I have no idea.

How do I feed them? I mounted a pvc or vinyl 5" K-style gutter so the bottom is 6 or 8" off the ground. its maybe 3' long. Scoop the fermented feed up and plop it in the gutter. Keeps waste down to an absolute minimum - apart from what the ducks carry in their mouths to the water bowls, of course.

 

[One Lucky Momma]

If you search the articles here on BYC you’ll find tons of information on fermenting your chicken feed.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Can you explain why?

Sure. Meat birds grow at an exponential rate that makes their musculature outstrip their bones and organs causing frequent body failures, injuries and death.
Fermenting the feed expands its volume without dramatically changing the calorie content, forcing the chickens to eat less, naturally, without feeling starved and they grow slower. Additionally the standard broilers digestive system is less efficient IMO than an egg hen. Anyone thats seen a broiler chicken poo knows it comes out grainy and soupy, almost like it's less digested. The pre digestion that takes place with fermented feed helps mitigate this - the broilers have more solid poos despite their health issues. I've never had a problem with an egg hen eating so much so quickly that it could not digest properly.

The one big overlap fermented feed has for egg layers vs broilers is that its wet consistency helps during times of year when dehydration is more prevalent like summer and winter. My broiler chickens were guzzling gallons of water per day and fermented feed allowed their waterers to stay full longer and they were always well hydrated. My egg hens rarely have dehydration issues.

It does help prevent some waste, especially if you feed crumbles but since I only feed a bit more than what my hens will eat in an hour anyhow, very little is wasted. Because it prevents waste, I do like it for chicks as it tends to keep the brooder cleaner.

I think fermented feed probably offers minimal benefits to egg layers and heritage hens, while for meat birds it's leaps and bounds better than feeding a dry ration and the differences are obvious and huge.

 

[One Lucky Momma]

I want to try it but I'm a bit nervous...might make another milk jug feeder and offer fermented and dry next to each other and see which they prefer. 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?

It doesn’t have to be that complicated. And I think the feeder you’ve made from the plastic jug will work great. I’m going to make one like it. Thanks for the idea!