Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[ChocolateMouse]

Hey y'all i just got in 56 cornish x today from Hoover Hatchery. They sent 57 but one didn't make it. I have regular feed in the brooder right now but want to switch to fermented feed. I know how to make the fermented feed all I need to know if how much should I give them. I want to be as safe as I can about this. Thanks so much for y'all help and God bless everyone.

I think a good rule of thumb is to feed the same amount of DRY feed as a starter point. So mix like 4 days of dry feed to ferment, then feed out 1/4 a day. I would not go above your normal dry matter amount because the FF has more nutrients and is like twice the size because of water content.

Personally I free fed til week 3 then fed what theyd eat in 20 minutes, 2Xs a day for my CX.

 

[Beekissed]

I have seen two different methods for fermenting, several containers rotated out and a new one started each day you feed, and one kept going all the time, much like sourdough starter. What is everyone's favorite? If you use the second method, at what point do you clean it out and start a new batch? I can't seem to find that out, other than when it smells ''too sour''. Thanks

I never "clean it out and start a new batch"....that would waste all my fine, strong cultures I've been feeding for the past few years. It's never "too sour" for the birds to eat it, so I don't think it's too sour either...just smells like pickled corn to me.

I'd never start over unless for some odd reason my mix were to die, which it won't if it's fed on occasion, so I'll not be making a new batch unless it's with the old scoby. Some old sourdoughs~mountain men~kept the same sourdough mix for 50 years, doling out some of it to other folks who needed a start, but they never gave up their old sourdough mix until they died. If you have something that good you don't start all over with something different.

 

[Bethel3330]

I never "clean it out and start a new batch"....that would waste all my fine, strong cultures I've been feeding for the past few years.  It's never "too sour" for the birds to eat it, so I don't think it's too sour either...just smells like pickled corn to me. 

I'd never start over unless for some odd reason my mix were to die, which it won't if it's fed on occasion, so I'll not be making a new batch unless it's with the old scoby.  Some old sourdoughs~mountain men~kept the same sourdough mix for 50 years, doling out some of it to other folks who needed a start, but they never gave up their old sourdough mix until they died.  If you have something that good you don't start all over with something different. 

I thought that might be the case but some blogs were messing me up. Thanks!

 

[Beekissed]

I thought that might be the case but some blogs were messing me up. Thanks!

They have a way of doing that...one in particular.

 

[Bethel3330]

They have a way of doing that...one in particular. 

i bet. Thanks for your feedback. Your posts in several threads have been a big help to me.

 

[mithious]

I've been reading through this thread, although only got to page 35 so far. I have a huge waste of feed issue, so that is why I am looking into this FF process.

I also need to feed an animal protein, and live in an area so remote, we have only ONE feed store, that supplies a few smaller ones, so all the same feed. NONE is animal based protein.

My question is, can I use meat, like hamburger, for the animal protein. I doubt I can add it to the fermenting process, can I? But could I add some at the same time I feed the FF?

I tried some wet feed, with the chicks and they gobbled it up, so I doubt I would have a problem with the FF feed.

Do I need to cook any meat I would feed them? Right now, the older flock is supervised free ranging, as we have no cover yet up here, for them to hide in, if the need arises. So they are getting some bug protein. But the chicks are still in the brooders.

Anyone have any suggestions on the meat protein? I looked for bone meal, but there is no food grade. We really are out in nowhere land here.

The chicks are all Standard breeds.

Thanks in advance for any info!

 

[armorfirelady]

Welcome!!

I feed ground hamburger, fish, turkey, chicken........I have not found a meat they don't like. Some is cooked but I do give them raw meat also. I wouldn't add it to the ferment. I give it to them separately.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

You could try farming crickets and/or meal worms and/or earthworms. All pretty easy and healthy for your chickens! You can absolutely feed meat. I would cook it if it came from an unereliable source (like, the grocery! XD I would only feed meat from my own animals, personally.) but otherwise chickens are opportunistic omnivores and will eat anything they can get their grubby little beaks on!

 

[mithious]

You could try farming crickets and/or meal worms and/or earthworms. All pretty easy and healthy for your chickens! You can absolutely feed meat. I would cook it if it came from an unereliable source (like, the grocery! XD I would only feed meat from my own animals, personally.) but otherwise chickens are opportunistic omnivores and will eat anything they can get their grubby little beaks on!

I wish I could, but my chickens have wayyy more living space than I do and our winters are such that I would have to only do it seasonally. I am looking for an immediate solution for the chicks!

Armorfirelady,

Thanks!!! I have some ground beef, lean, in the freezer, will get that out and see what they think of it. Will be looking for a local beef dealer that doesn't use antibiotics and growth hormones also. Maybe we can make a trade? Next spring.

Took the plunge with the chicks and started some FF for the year old layers and cock. Used activated yeast as had no vinegar. Worked great AND fast and they LOVED it. 2+ weeks olds and 4+ weeks olds.

Going to feed the year olds, soon as it bubbles. See what they think of it. So far am pleased with the results of NO loss of feed.

How often do you all clean the feeders you made?

Thanks for the responses and all of you for all your wonderful information!

 

[mithious]

Just fed the year olds and they are out there gobbling it down as I write

I don't have anything set up, so just doing it in bucket and large plastic container. I did make it a bit soupy, so added some extra feed to make it a bit more like Beekissed showed.

Is that ok? Until I figure out how to do this?

Wasn't sure how much the year olds would eat, so have a little extra to go back out with, in a smaller bucket, incase they clean it all up.

The chicks are eating ONLY the FF. I left a bit of dry feed, as they hadn't quite finished it all, and thought, well, will see which one they like better. Only a few of the New Hampshire's are picking at the dry, but still going back to the FF.

Everyone, young and older, seem to prefer the FF over the dry. So at the very least, I will save of feed, as they don't waste this FF at all. Hoping to see some other results too!

Couple questions;

1. How long before you all saw any kind of improvement in your birds?

2. I know I asked this already, really need to know, how often you clean out those long feeders you all made. Every time you feed? Once a day, a week????? As I have to make some now and want to make them easy to clean out.

Thanks for any responses!