Fermenting feed basics

[TexasBlues]

Right now I feed my 16 week marans chick crumble and they also forage during the day. Another thing is I will toss whole grain pigeon mix and corn in the yard for them. I'm wanting to not waste as much "dust" from the crumble and also make sure these young birds are getting the best nutrition that I can provide.

My question is how do I get started with fermenting their food?

Do I need to add anything like apple cider vinegar or yogurt or any kind of microbial inoculation like EM-1?

I also grow organic indian flour and dent corn, so I have a surplus of that as well. Do I sprout the corn first to get the full nutritional value? They like eating the whole dry kernels, but when I soaked them for 3 days, the chickens wouldn't eat them.

Do I calculate the food needed daily and prepare it several days in advance?

 

[Perris]

I describe how I do it here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...eat-tears-a-calculator-or-deep-pockets.78655/
the fermenting procedure starts after the section on foraging.

 

[TexasBlues]

I describe how I do it here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...eat-tears-a-calculator-or-deep-pockets.78655/
the fermenting procedure starts after the section on foraging.

Thanks for the write-up. A lot of good info.

I've never fermented before. I don't have kilner brand jars but I do have some swing top jars. do I just keep the lid loose during the process?

Do the grains start to germinate during the process?

I think you said you have 4 jars in winter. Does that mean the grains soak for four days total before serving?

What's the math on figuring how much dry weight each chicken eats daily?

 

[Penpal]

I think the highest nutritional corn is Hopi Blue. You ought to be able to grow it in your area.

 

[Perris]

do I just keep the lid loose during the process?

yes

Do the grains start to germinate during the process?

no

you said you have 4 jars in winter. Does that mean the grains soak for four days total before serving?

no; one+ jar per meal, so two+ per day, and each jar ferments for 24 hrs or thereabouts

What's the math on figuring how much dry weight each chicken eats daily?

I don't weigh anything. I did when I started but it always needs adjustment - there are loads of variables with individual birds, and with the environment - and you can eyeball it once you have some experience. Each chicken eats different amounts and has different preferences at different times, depending on their individual condition and metabolism. The average figure for a large fowl is about 110-125g per day; some eat more, some less, some like a,b,c, some like x,y,z. If your forage is good, they will be able to find any micronutrients missing from your fermented feed for themselves.
Edited to add, so if the flock has eaten every scrap of food from the bowls at tea, I put out some more. That's why the figure is x+ for the number of jars used per meal. I adjust how much they get to match their needs, rather than according to some abstract one-size-fits-all-all-the-time formula.

 

[TexasBlues]

I think the highest nutritional corn is Hopi Blue. You ought to be able to grow it in your area.

yes my friend you are correct. I took 3 types of Hopi corn (blue, pink, turquoise) and crossed them with Oaxacan green over several years and now its a rainbow of colors.

 

[TexasBlues]

yes my friend you are correct. I took 3 types of Hopi corn (blue, pink, turquoise) and crossed them with Oaxacan green over several years and now its a rainbow of colors.

 

[MaryW2K]

Right now I feed my 16 week marans chick crumble and they also forage during the day. Another thing is I will toss whole grain pigeon mix and corn in the yard for them. I'm wanting to not waste as much "dust" from the crumble and also make sure these young birds are getting the best nutrition that I can provide.

My question is how do I get started with fermenting their food?

Do I need to add anything like apple cider vinegar or yogurt or any kind of microbial inoculation like EM-1?

I also grow organic indian flour and dent corn, so I have a surplus of that as well. Do I sprout the corn first to get the full nutritional value? They like eating the whole dry kernels, but when I soaked them for 3 days, the chickens wouldn't eat them.

Do I calculate the food needed daily and prepare it several days in advance?

Hello. I ferment my chicken feed just like this. Here is a printable page of instructions by Grubby farms. Hope this helps.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1...Chicken_Feed_Guide-Updated_1.pdf?v=1680190420

 

[TexasBlues]

Hello. I ferment my chicken feed just like this. Here is a printable page of instructions by Grubby farms. Hope this helps.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1...Chicken_Feed_Guide-Updated_1.pdf?v=1680190420

That’s good! Thanks

 

[Cwilke]

I’m very new to this and don’t even have my chickens yet. I want to try fermenting my layer mash. I have heard that they need about 1/4 cup of dry feed per chicken per day. That doesn’t seem like a whole lot but I was wondering how much would it be if I was fermenting it.