Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[LindaB220]

Good advice! I do the same....no stirring after the refreshing due to the thickness of it all.

Glad to know this. I thought I had to keep stirring.

 

[Triple Willow]

Glad to know this. I thought I had to keep stirring.    e

I figure it's kinda like bread - stir it up real good and let it rise!

 

[thedude]

Ok, I have a question on protein % increases from fermentation.

I've read in various posts that fermenting the feed increases the protein percentage by about 12%.

To me, that says if I have a feed that is 16% protein it will become 28% protein after fermenting.

Does that sound about right?

 

[RoseMarie1]

HA! It's like chicken crack!

Today after my meaties ate their feed the feed pan got flipped in the frenzy. This afternoon I found a meatie bird underneath the pan. I guess he had a restful day. LOL

LOL under the pan? that's a hoot!!

 

[Triple Willow]

LOL under the pan? that's a hoot!!

Rose, it happened again today! Dumb birds! lol

 

[ChaoSS]

Ok, I have a question on protein % increases from fermentation.

I've read in various posts that fermenting the feed increases the protein percentage by about 12%.

To me, that says if I have a feed that is 16% protein it will become 28% protein after fermenting. 

Does that sound about right?

No, it should be just under 18 percent. It's going to add 12 percent of the original protein.

 

[LindaB220]

No, it should be just under 18 percent. It's going to add 12 percent of the original protein.

Yea, I'm glad you got to this one first. I had my little calculator out and going at it. Decided to see if anyone had answered it. And you are absolutely correct.

 

[thedude]

so fermenting only adds 1.5%'ish to the protein of the original food?

 

[ChaoSS]

Well, 12 percent of 16 is 1.92, 12% of 20 is 2.4. So it just depends.

 

[LindaB220]

so fermenting only adds 1.5%'ish to the protein of the original food?

Yes but it allows your chickens to absorb more the nutrients that would otherwise end up in the poop. The smell is so much better and by fermenting you save a lot of feed that would be lost. Win Win