Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[MeckTheHen]

Thanks Linda, I will try that too. So far the bucket draining is taking ages; maybe need more holes.

I've been fermenting their layer pellets. We don't have many food options in the city; just pellets, mash, and scratch. Maybe I'll pi off and find a co-op further out.

Cheerio

 

[MeckTheHen]

Just read replies a few posts up: I get it! Sounds easier than draining it out (thanks Linda for pointing this out). How do you keep enough 'starter soup' though for the next batch, if it all soaks into the feed?

Is 3/4 cup dry food to ferment enough per hen if I have "heavies" like australorps and orpingtons?

Thanks!

 

[ShinShien]

I may be on my way to killing my chickens, but I hope not. So, I'm gonna prattle-off my story.

I filled a small plastic trashcan with turkey starter, water and Bragg's raw vinegar. It bubbled when I stirred it. It stank...more so as it aged. Anyway, I would strain out what I needed for that day, save the liquid then top-off with more feed and water if needed. This particular batch, which is gone now, was well over a month or so old. It smelled incredibly sour, but the chickens still ate it like it was manna.

Is keeping the same batch over two months risking the chickens' health with...I dunno, bad germs?

 

[pdirt]

I may be on my way to killing my chickens, but I hope not. So, I'm gonna prattle-off my story.

I filled a small plastic trashcan with turkey starter, water and Bragg's raw vinegar. It bubbled when I stirred it. It stank...more so as it aged. Anyway, I would strain out what I needed for that day, save the liquid then top-off with more feed and water if needed. This particular batch, which is gone now, was well over a month or so old. It smelled incredibly sour, but the chickens still ate it like it was manna.

Is keeping the same batch over two months risking the chickens' health with...I dunno, bad germs?

If you ever have any question about whether or not a lacto-ferment has gone bad or not, test the pH. You can get test paper for cheap and it will show you instantly the pH. In general, anything below 4.5 is okay, in my opinion around 3.8 is ideal. I don't think a 100% diet of really acidic (3.3 or lower) fermented feed is ideal, I think it's too acidic. I think they should have some unfermented feed or at least from free-ranging time where they will get some unfermented items. Could you imagine eating a diet of 100% very sour foods?

I use this pH paper: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hydrion-Mic...895637?pt=US_Garden_Tools&hash=item3f3cbc08d5

But since your feed smelling incredibly sour, I would bet money that your pH is plenty low. Smell can tell you a lot, but I found the test paper very helpful at first when I doubted my nose. Above 4.5 and the likelihood of of "bad bacteria" thriving and populating increases and below that it decreases. Most of the studies of FF I have read have used a pH of 4.5. As the pH drops, the chances of "bad bacteria" even existing anymore decreases big time. The acidic nature is not hospitable to the bad bacteria and the lactic acid bacteria also destroy them.

So to answer your question, no, I doubt you've got bad germs in the 2 month old batch, but the nutrition will degrade after a while, especially the proteins, as they get consumed by the good bacteria. You could mix in some sort of protein item into the batch to boost the protein while you use up the batch. Perhaps next time don't make as big of a batch so it get's used more quickly.

 

[pdirt]

Just read replies a few posts up: I get it! Sounds easier than draining it out (thanks Linda for pointing this out). How do you keep enough 'starter soup' though for the next batch, if it all soaks into the feed?

Is 3/4 cup dry food to ferment enough per hen if I have "heavies" like australorps and orpingtons?

Thanks!

As for 'starter soup' it doesn't need to be soupy. You can use the liquid (if you have some) or just a small portion of the batch you've (nearly) finished. In fact, you can empty your bucket (but don't clean it or rinse it out) and the teeny bits of remaining liquid and feed on the sides and bottom of your bucket are enough to start the next batch. You really need very little. This is because the necessary microorganisms are ALREADY on the dry feed and in the air, pretty much everywhere in the world, except perhaps Antarctica. The "starter" simply encourages a leg up on the process going in the direction of fermentation rather than putrefaction.

 

[pdirt]

-- We do small weekends away and every once in a while go on a week long vacation. On the weekends away, we just make sure there is enough food and water out and don't have anyone stop by. If we go away for a week, then our neighbor stops by each day to collect eggs and check on the girls. What do most folks that feed FF do when they go away for a couple days or a week? I don't want burden my neighbor or friends with the whole FF thing (especially if they only stop by 1 time a day). Do chickens adapt well to going back/forth between FF and dry feed?

Would love to hear your thoughts and need to know if I got this process correct. Can't wait to try it! Thanks!

Wendy

When we go away long enough to warrant someone come check on them and gather eggs, I just leave enough dry food in their feeders to keep them fed for as long as we are gone. I don't bother them with feeding the birds. If we're gone for more than a week, I would need to ask our friend to fill the feeders.

I don't feed 100% fermented feed like many folks do here. I used to do that, but no longer. I now feed perhaps 15-20% of their diet with fermented feed. The rest is free-ranging and dry feed.

 

[LindaB220]

Thanks Linda, I will try that too. So far the bucket draining is taking ages; maybe need more holes.

I've been fermenting their layer pellets. We don't have many food options in the city; just pellets, mash, and scratch. Maybe I'll pi off and find a co-op further out.

Cheerio

1/3 Scratch and 2/3 mash is just fine. I'd just put it all in the bucket with no holes and add extra feed to make it thicker. I'd just make up a 5 gallon bucket if you have about 10 chickens or so and see how many days it lasts before making new. You don't need liquid in the bottom. Just 2" or so of feed and add water and stir. That's what jump starts the new mix. Then fill until at least 40% full of water and start adding feed. You don't have to ever add anything else. The protein will be a little low with the scratch added so if they can't get out to roam and dig bugs give them a little extra protein several times a week. Boiled eggs if you have extra including the shell or scraps of meat and veggies from dinner. Keep in touch to tell us how it's going.
I've got Swedish Flower Hen eggs in the incubator hatching tomorrow. Hope, hope, hope I have luck this time. I bought so eggs from a guy that was way far from me and didn't wrap well and I only had 2 hatch last time so he replaced them. Better shipping this time I hope. They looked good. We'll see.

 

[LindaB220]

When we go away long enough to warrant someone come check on them and gather eggs, I just leave enough dry food in their feeders to keep them fed for as long as we are gone. I don't bother them with feeding the birds. If we're gone for more than a week, I would need to ask our friend to fill the feeders.

I don't feed 100% fermented feed like many folks do here. I used to do that, but no longer. I now feed perhaps 15-20% of their diet with fermented feed. The rest is free-ranging and dry feed.

My daughter is moving to Portland Oregon soon and I will want to go up to visit her. At least 10 days. Before I thought I couldn't do it because I needed to be here for the feeding time. But I'm going to do like you do and go dry when I'm gone. My other daughter will check on them but is not a fan of chickens and doesn't want to have to actually go in the coop. She is a dog groomer and will shave down a part wolf (if the owner stays close by) but is scared of the chickens.

 

[vpatt]

I tried this today but I forgot about the water being chlorinated......I added Bragg's ACV and it already looks like it is a bit bubbly....so I hope the water is ok.

 

[LindaB220]

I may be on my way to killing my chickens, but I hope not. So, I'm gonna prattle-off my story.

I filled a small plastic trashcan with turkey starter, water and Bragg's raw vinegar. It bubbled when I stirred it. It stank...more so as it aged. Anyway, I would strain out what I needed for that day, save the liquid then top-off with more feed and water if needed. This particular batch, which is gone now, was well over a month or so old. It smelled incredibly sour, but the chickens still ate it like it was manna.

Is keeping the same batch over two months risking the chickens' health with...I dunno, bad germs?

Hi Shin, some people never change out their container. Just keep adding the feed and water. It sounds like you are adding too much water. Turkey starter probably has meat meal in it and that's what makes it stinky. Not spoiled. As long as you continue to add grains it will keep going. Not spoiling. Try to keep it the consistancy of thick oatmeal and keep feeding.