Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Sabz]

Alright, I got this going It smells really good, like a brewery or bread before we cook it. I don't think it is fermented yet, it has been only 24 hours, but it is already bubbling!! I already started to give it to the chicks

I had a question though. Since some of you are feeding exclusively FF, I wanted to try that also. See the difference it makes versus the feed from the store.

But, how do I know that I put the correct grains in the mix and that it has the proper nutritional value for the chicks? Stupid thing is, I don't even know the names of everything I put in there LOL. A while ago I bought many different grains from a bulk shop. I used it to make germinated seeds for my parrot, but everything was in plastic bags and I didn't think about writing down the name of the seed.

Here is what it looked like before I added the water, BOSS and the chicken scratch from the feed store (so basically this is the extra stuff that I don't know the names):



I think I have barley, millet, grean peas, small red beans. I don't know what are the long ones that look like rice. Wheat perhaps?
Then I added BOSS and the mix from the feed store (smashed corn, wheat, oat.. etc).

Does that look complete enough?

 

[ezicash]

I have tried 4 times 4 days in a row to give them the FF and they start eating it then walk away. I did everything by direction and i can not believe I have to throw away 5 gallons of FF. is this normal?

 

[mommacassey]

My chicks jump on their FF like it's the best thing ever, but they rarely eat more than a few bites before wandering off. I leave it for a while and before long it's gone--it's more like they are grazing on it than like it's their favorite food--but I typically have to give them 2 feedings a day with it. Just takes them a little time, I guess, and if they have other options, they might ignore something new. I've got a couple young chickens I started feeding FF to when they were around 14 weeks old, and they have done the same thing--love the first few bites, peck at it off and on for a while, and finish it before I get home from work.

 

[Shellz]

Some chickens graze more than others, I think. Leave it out all day & see if you don't notice a difference by day's end.

Mine liked it almost too much at first! I was beginning to wonder how I was saving money. :/ After a week + of being on it, they seem to be tapering off now.

 

[ezicash]

I was told not to leave it lout more then 30 min so i end up throwing it away since in 30 mins hardly any was touched? Now I am confused. Is it safe to leave out all day?

 

[JJSS89]

The feed is safe to be left out. The 30 mins is to establish a "feed time"

Fermented feed has good bacteria that will protect it from souring/molding for quite a while.

 

[ezicash]

OK, I put a couple of big spoonful in a dish with some dry food around the edge and placed it in their run. OMG they ate most of it. Thanks for saving me from throwing it out.

 

[JJSS89]

They learned how to eat...again.

Yeah I'm glad that you saved it. They'll come around and soon wont want anything except ferment.

 

[Shellz]

OK, I put a couple of big spoonful in a dish with some dry food around the edge and placed it in their run.  OMG they ate most of it.  Thanks for saving me from throwing it out.

Fantastic! I forgot about that little trick. I was worried my birds wouldn't accept it at first, so I added some dry on top. Works great!

They learned how to eat...again.

Yeah I'm glad that you saved it.  They'll come around and soon wont want anything except ferment.

I agree!

 

[Sabz]

I've learned what NOT to do with FF!!

My bucket was sitting on the floor (floating wood..). I put a little blanket over the bucket to stop the dogs from drinking the water. Major error!!!

There wasn't enough tension in the blanket. It started to touch the top of the water. The blanket absorbed all the water.. I came home to a 3 square foot or "less attractive" floating wood flooring lol.

Can we keep that outside in the summer? I guess not, I thought the heat would make it turn bad.