Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[tallgrass]

Check this out. Fish like FF also. I am confused that they keep it too long for Chickens. Am i right?

http://www.whiskerkitty.com/Chumming.html

 

[MonsterClucker]

Ok  Beekissed or anyone else, I have a question...  We recently got some 5 gallon buckets (Yay!), so I have been able to keep a whole day's worth of feed (and more) in one bucket.   With our laying hens, I give them two feedings of FF each day, once in the morning and one in the late afternoon/evening.  I was under the impression that it was best if the FF was allowed to soak/ferment for at least 24 hours.  But if I wait until the evening to put more food in for the next day, then it will only be a bit over 12 hrs before the next morning feeding.  Likewise, if I were to add food after I take some out for each feeding, then some of the food would not have soaked as long by the next feeding.  Is this ok, or should I have two buckets and rotate them, filling one at the end of the day, and using the second one (which has already been soaking for a whole day) for the next day's feedings, while the first bucket is soaking?  Even if I were to have enough for two days in one bucket, if I wait until it gets down to the bottom before re-filling with fresh food and water, then the next day's food won't be as fermented.  Am I over thinking this?   How do you all work this out?

From what I understand, there really isn't a time limit on how long to ferment. I guess it wouldn't hurt to have rotating buckets. But you should be dine with just one.

I just "top off" the feed and water in between feedings. I feel like its good enough basically.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I'll try it if you will!

Ok, I added about a tablespoon of chopped garlic to a 5 gal bucket of my chick's feed. They'll get it this morning. I think to evenly distribute it, I need to add it to the water with the ACV before stirring into the feed to ferment. We'll see how they like it.

Ok Beekissed or anyone else, I have a question... We recently got some 5 gallon buckets (Yay!), so I have been able to keep a whole day's worth of feed (and more) in one bucket. With our laying hens, I give them two feedings of FF each day, once in the morning and one in the late afternoon/evening. I was under the impression that it was best if the FF was allowed to soak/ferment for at least 24 hours. But if I wait until the evening to put more food in for the next day, then it will only be a bit over 12 hrs before the next morning feeding. Likewise, if I were to add food after I take some out for each feeding, then some of the food would not have soaked as long by the next feeding. Is this ok, or should I have two buckets and rotate them, filling one at the end of the day, and using the second one (which has already been soaking for a whole day) for the next day's feedings, while the first bucket is soaking? Even if I were to have enough for two days in one bucket, if I wait until it gets down to the bottom before re-filling with fresh food and water, then the next day's food won't be as fermented. Am I over thinking this? How do you all work this out?

I have two 5 gal buckets going. In the morning, I feed out most of it and refill. In the meantime, I already have the other bucket fermenting for the night feeding. So, I refill my buckets after each feeding and it has a chance to ferment for 24 hours.

 

[Island Roo]

Quote:
You could add more food each time you feed - that would give a mix of wet mash and fermented food each time. Many folks have success with this.

Mine does not have obvious signs of fermentation within 12 hours so I prefer to use multiple buckets. That ensures it all ferments for 36 to 72 hours. I just rotate which bucket to use and if I loose track, its easy to tell which one is ready by the smell and bubbles.

 

[Jeanette56]

Ok, I added about a tablespoon of chopped garlic to a 5 gal bucket of my chick's feed. They'll get it this morning. I think to evenly distribute it, I need to add it to the water with the ACV before stirring into the feed to ferment. We'll see how they like it.

I'll set my Garlic Mash up today and will start feeding it Monday. I think this is a great idea and I'm anxious to see how it will go over for both of us. I'm planning on picking up some organic Blackstrap Molasses to add a few extra minerals too. I made a note to myself to get the Molasses but now I don't remember where I read it (grrr). If I find the reference again I will post it.

I have two 5 gal buckets going. In the morning, I feed out most of it and refill. In the meantime, I already have the other bucket fermenting for the night feeding. So, I refill my buckets after each feeding and it has a chance to ferment for 24 hours.

I like this idea too. I've enough birds that this is what I need to do. Guess I'd better get out there and wash up a couple of buckets! Lacy Blues do you cover your buckets and do you keep them in your coop/s?

 

[Lacy Blues]

I like this idea too. I've enough birds that this is what I need to do. Guess I'd better get out there and wash up a couple of buckets! Lacy Blues do you cover your buckets and do you keep them in your coop/s?

Yes I do and no I don't.

I cover them... I have some pieces of wire shelving that I place over the buckets and then I put dish towels over those. I have them in my house because if I left 5 gal buckets in my coop, my girls would be in them! When I get my feed barn built, it will be kept in there in a 20 gal bucket.

I WAS just doing the ff with my chick starter and my chicks liked it so much, I've started doing it with my lay pellets. I don't get it as wet though because it practically turns to slime as they are ground so finely. Since I've started feeding the ff to my layer flock, I've seen an increase in production! They're all getting ready to molt too so I'll see how they feather out again and make note as to how quickly it gets done! Once all my lay pellets are gone, I'm going to just feed chick starter to everyone and provide oyster shell for the girls. Should make my life a little less complex!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Another important note (to me) is that at their night feeding they are actually eating more than they have ever eaten. They like the fermented feed so much better than the dry pellets. Used to be... they would only pick out their very favorite things so I was feeding less and less so they would eat the pellets. Now, they can't pick and choose, I'm feeding more and they eat it all! I am very pleased with this method, even though they're eating more because I'm sure it's healthier for them than just eating enough to satisfy the need and then go to perch. I'm really hoping that the new feathers will be high quality feathers and nothing resembling brittle.

 

[Island Roo]

Quote: How much of an increase?

 

[Lacy Blues]

How much of an increase?

Not much yet. I have 16 hens in one pen. I've only been feeding them the ff for not quite a full week. I was normally getting 6 or 7 eggs daily out of them (pretty bad, but its been hot for quite a while here) and the last couple days I've gotten between 9 and 12. So, it's really early yet, but they're eating better and I am hoping the increase will be a permanent benefit. Then they'll be molting and all that will go away. Hopefully my young pullets will be laying before terribly long.

 

[Zootopia]

My feed bill has gone down, I never really tracked it but since the girl at the mill noticed the difference, it must be pretty good. I have noticed that I have a batch of Juv that don't like the Milo in their FF.They get a mix of egual parts scratch grains, flock raiser and Game bird starter. There are a bunch of guineas and a couple of turkeys in the batch. That whole pen is pretty entertaining. I have tried leaving it and not feeding them again but they end up with the Milo all over the ground and starving (or so they think) I just dump it out for the Free rangers now, they don't leave a crumb.