Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Miss Lydia]

Probably do...some of the Bragg's I've seen just has a little smokey swirl in the middle which you will miss if you aren't looking closely. The mother comes in all consistencies, depending on the way it was developed and what food it currently has to feed on. That sediment in the bottom is just that...but the whole bottle will have yeast spores in it if they advertise it as such. Here's a good way to find out....place some in a plain bottle of ACV, leave the top open to air, place in a dark cupboard and check on it in a week or so.

When you raise it up and look through the liquid after that time, you should see a whitish looking swirly of mother in it.

Okay leave the top off the whole time? I just want to make sure I am reading this right since I want to do this. Thanks.

 

[Pozees]

Do you know what kind of hawks they are? Depending on the size of the hawk, your large fowl will be safe... maybe not the silkies. We have small hawks around here and they don't bother with my chickens at all. However, I keep my bantams in covered runs.

There are some red-tailed hawks about a mile or so away. I hope they don't come calling. Red-tails are very large hawks!

To me they look like they could be Swainson's, but if they are they should be leaving for South America for the winter.

http://www.pbase.com/clinton62/hawks__falcons_vultures

Very helpful pictures

 

[Costa Rica Art]

I have been making FF for a few months now, here in Costa Rica I cannot find raw ACV but I have no problem getting my mash to work. I started off by adding bread yeast and a little sugar into a mix of 50/50 cracked corn and regular layer feed. As I am just feeding a few layer hens, chicks and guineas at this time it is easy with my small system, see post #830 for my system. I am only filling the container about 1/3 full at this time, today I am to pick up 10 or so free new chicks (they are divided up according to how many they have and how many folks are getting them) so I'll be adding a 2nd set of containers (1/2 gallon ice cream containers) with chick starter and fine ground cracked corn. My mash is fermented for 3 days and smells sweet/sour. My system is in our laundry room which is always above 70 degrees. I always have at least 1" of liquid on top of the mash so the grains are well soaked. I pour the mash into my large strainer which allows the liquid (after 3 days the liquid is almost at a creamy stage) to drain into the next container in 15 minutes or so. That liquid has the last of the mash (I rinse the containers every time) added along with enough 50/50 for the next feeding. There are always bubbles coming up in the mash even after 3 days in the container, never any problem keeping the fermenting going. My flock is allowed to free range in our yard so they do not empty the feeder right away but return all day to snack. I have not had one sick chicken, (I also used the deep litter method in my coop) the eggs are awesome, the yokes are bright reddish orange and stand tall. The whites do not run all over the skillet like store bought eggs. I'm just getting started making my own yogurt from raw whole milk (4 liters at a time) that I get from a local farmer, wow, does that ever make awesome yogurt, it comes out real thick and tasty, nothing like store bought yogurt. From the yogurt we also make sour cream which taste so much better than store bought. I have begun to add yogurt to the mash, I am not sure when to add it so at this time I add it to the new batch of mash. I'll see how that works and also watch here to see when others add their yogurt and how it affects the feed. Oh yeah, the new guinea chicks are eating the mash as well as the 3 layer chicks just over a month old (one appears to be a cockerel), I'll see how quick they gain weight and grow, at this time they are doing very good.

 

[galanie]

Regarding letting them eat FF that has been left out. Mine don't always finish all of it in the evening so I decided since the stuff is fermented anyway, I'll give all those millions of probiotics they've been consuming something to do. Yep, just left the junk in the feeder and added a bit of fresh to it the next morning. They get fed twice a day. So that was a month ago and so far everyone is fine. Either I'm lucky or it's safe. Jury is still out I guess on that one but I'm still doing that on those few occasions when they don't finish it all.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Just wanted to share how I'm doing the ferment for a very small flock of 6 chickens.
I didn't feel like it was necessary to do the whole bucket since I have so few. Hope this will be helpful to someone....I tried a couple other ways and this one has worked GREAT for me.

**********************************

-I use a pyrex container - the one used as a truffle bowl which is tall. That container can hold 2 feedings worth of feed for my flock.

-Started with enough feed for 2 days, added water and stirred in about 1-2 Tbsp. ACV. As the feed soaked up the water, I added more in and stirred it up. I keep enough water in it that after the feed completely settles to the bottom, there is at least 1/2" of water sitting on top over the feed level. I set the plastic lid on top of the pyrex loosely - not snapped in place. I keep this on the kitchen counter.

-When feeding, I spoon out enough feed for 1 feeding. (I use the spoon to drain out the liquid by smashing it against the side of the bowl. This does not totally drain it, but it gets out enough of the water.) Since I use a "dusty mash-type" feed, I'm sure to scoop from the bottom so I get a good mix of what's in the bowl.

-Now...about 1/2 of the feed is still in the pyrex. To that, I add and stir in enough feed for another feeding, and enough water that, when it settles, it has about 1/2" of water over the top of the feed. (I always check back after it soaks in to be sure there is 1/2" over the top...if not, I add more and stir and let it settle again.)

Repeat (But don't lather and rinse...)

Notes:
I only had to put in the ACV one time - at the very beginning. If you keep adding the feed daily, it will make a great ferment and no more will be needed.

I keep the lid setting loosely on the top throughout the process. Never snapped down!

I stir the mix probably 1-2x/day...it's on the kitchen counter so it's very convenient.

Smells: Like pickles.

 

[unkadan]

Bee, after starting to use the FF the last 4 weeks and liking the results to this point I have to ask

why not make your FF in the house this winter,,,feed what they will cleanup and supplement if necessary with regular dry feed?

I'm in a much colder area and don't use any supplemental heat in the coops,,,just warm bodies. My thinking is that taking the FF from a warm basement and giving them a morning feeding along with a refill before dark the birds will have something warm to start and end the day. My dry feed will be at ambient temperature,,,that could be -30º any given day.

This would also keep the benefits (discussed often) going at a steady rate all winter. I'm actually considering using a second heated base in the coop that would be just for the FF pan. There is no free range forage here Dec-March last winter I added sprouts and increased greens with alfalfa meal (expensive this year)

I guess I am at a loss to understand your reasoning even with your explaination,,,,,

I'm feeding out around 8lbs a day to 50 birds right now,,,still feeding out 8 roosters 6 will be getting culled soon

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Regarding letting them eat FF that has been left out. Mine don't always finish all of it in the evening so I decided since the stuff is fermented anyway, I'll give all those millions of probiotics they've been consuming something to do. Yep, just left the junk in the feeder and added a bit of fresh to it the next morning. They get fed twice a day. So that was a month ago and so far everyone is fine. Either I'm lucky or it's safe. Jury is still out I guess on that one but I'm still doing that on those few occasions when they don't finish it all.

I hope this gets the thumbs up because I'm wanting to cut back on the feed costs. If this is a go, it will help. Maybe if it's OK for them to eat pumpkins that have passed through the rigors, this should be alright, too. Hope others put their 2 cents in.

 

[Ashdoes]

I hope this gets the thumbs up because I'm wanting to cut back on the feed costs.  If this is a go, it will help.  Maybe if it's OK for them to eat pumpkins that have passed through the rigors, this should be alright, too.  Hope others put their 2 cents in.

Mine sometimes leave food as well, and I just plop more in the trough the next morning. I add less then usual and they end up cleaning up all of it.
My golden buffs are so shiny I'd swear someone is going out there greasing them up, they're really beautiful right now. All the birds look good, but for some reason those two look fantastic.

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Putting this question here, too...where I'll find it faster than at the OT thread.

OK, BK.....talking FF...... "colander-sized holes" doesn't tell me a dern thing. I have colanders with holes from less than 1/8th inch right up to over 1/4 inch. So....you got a ruler with mm reading? You know...for us OCD-ers.

(I'll be using crumbles with grains. If I can't get crumbles in the future I'm gonna grind farmers's grains down.)

PS If I say 'vental' instead of 'a....l' will I be understood?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Regarding letting them eat FF that has been left out. Mine don't always finish all of it in the evening so I decided since the stuff is fermented anyway, I'll give all those millions of probiotics they've been consuming something to do. Yep, just left the junk in the feeder and added a bit of fresh to it the next morning. They get fed twice a day. So that was a month ago and so far everyone is fine. Either I'm lucky or it's safe. Jury is still out I guess on that one but I'm still doing that on those few occasions when they don't finish it all.

You must not mean left Outside, cause i'm sure I'd be feeding alot of other critters beside my flock if I did,