Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[cheepcheep riri]

But would would it hurt the chicks?[@]ChocolateMouse

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I can't say I have heard anyone have ill effects from fermenting feeds with animal products in them, but they did not feed them for long. Everyone I know ended up doing a custom mix, fermenting their grains and beans and plant material and adding animal products like fats, oil, bone/fish/meat meal etc after the fermentation was done, before feeding them. They did this because the fermented animal products smelled horrible. Generally fermented feed has an almost sweet/sour small, like if you poured vinegar over breakfast cereal. Fermented meat products, however, smell awful.

 

[cheepcheep riri]

Thank you! We feed our chickens FF for the first time yesterday, they walked out 2 minutes later with their crops full. They didn't even make a dent in the cup full I gave them and I have 27 chickens! We love fermented feed!! We are seriously gitting the bang for our buck!

 

[cheepcheep riri]

Sorry gitting is getting in my last post. That's not, even a word.

Autocorrect....

 

[LindaB220]

I should clarify that I make a batch of FF to last 2-3 weeks. Mine gets very sour in that time frame, pickle sour. This is why I don't feed a diet of 100% ff. Most folks are turning their FF over with fresh feed every few days, so this wouldn't be an issue.

The way most of the undeveloped countries eat grains is to ferment it. Then cook it. Weston Price foundation has a lot information on fermented foods for people. It people eat it daily I have no qualms about it for my chickens. Mine are incredibly healthy. The five White Plymouth Rocks I bought last month are beginning to really perk up. I'm sure the seller fed them well but more nutrients are absorbed in FF

http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/abcs-of-nutrition/principles-of-healthy-diets-2/

 

[LindaB220]

I have been feeding FF for abut a year and a half now. My chickens love it but, they've never had dry food.

The chickens are vigorously healthy and active. They don't drink very much water since they get water in the food.

I am currently feeding 80 chickens and 3 turkeys 30 lbs. of FF twice daily 20-22% protein, 10 lbs. of grain mash and 2 lbs.soymeal mixed with 18 lbs. of water.

The batches are mixed in 5 gal buckets, I use two buckets full a day and TRY to keep it made at least two days head. Currently using 10 buckets.

The dry stuff gets premeasured (by weight) at 6lbs. into large plastic coffee containers.

I put in a couple of spoonsful of starter from an older batch, dump in a container of feed, then add 18 lbs. of water (about 2 1/4 gal.)

After this works for several hours (all day or overnight) I dump in the other 6 lbs. of feed mix.

Whew!!! My hat's off to you.

 

[MeckTheHen]

Good advice, thanks. I haven't thrown that batch away yet, so instead I'll dilute it and finish it off.

 

[Kassaundra]

On the question of food going bad, which there's been a lot of comment on recently, I'd be interested to know what sort of average temperature conditions your ferments are in.

It's spring here now, so my new FF batches are outside in about 25-30 degrees C temps. (That's what, about 75 to 86 degs F?) By next month, we'll be hitting 97-99 most days.

The heat here certainly makes things ferment quickly; within a couple of hours, even at these lower spring temps, my batches are bubbling furiously.

So I wonder once full summer arrives, if I'll need to move my FF batches inside to where it's cooler; the heat might start spoiling the batches otherwise.

I live in Oklahoma our summers regularly get at or over 100, our winters get below freezing but usually only over nights and warm up through the day and will stay below freezing for up to a couple of weeks at the coldest part of our winter. Mine stays outside year round and has for over 3 years. It is in a black trash barrel I put in the sun in the winter and shade in the summer. It has never gone bad.

 

[MeckTheHen]

Thanks for replying, Kassaundra. It's amazing how things don't go off in this heat! Good to know I can just leave it in the shade.

 

[LindaB220]

I live in Oklahoma our summers regularly get at or over 100, our winters get below freezing but usually only over nights and warm up through the day and will stay below freezing for up to a couple of weeks at the coldest part of our winter. Mine stays outside year round and has for over 3 years. It is in a black trash barrel I put in the sun in the winter and shade in the summer. It has never gone bad.

Sounds like we have the same kind of weather. Zone 8a