Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Beekissed]

I have tried the fermented feed the past 3 days and my chickens will not touch it. I will have to chuck it out. Boo

Really?

Seriously?

Wait..wait a minute....so, your chickens haven't touched a bite of any kind of feed for three whole days? Nothing? No treats, no dry feed, nada?

 

[19disbre]

How do you fervent large quantitys of feed? as in 50-100 lbs?

 

[Beekissed]

How do you fervent large quantitys of feed? as in 50-100 lbs?

Trash can or large tote.

 

[Latestarter]

If you use a trash can, make sure it is NOT a galvanized metal one.

 

[curious chickee]

I have tried the fermented feed the past 3 days and my chickens will not touch it. I will have to chuck it out. Boo

Chickens are creatures of habbit, if you leave their old feed choice they will only eat that. You need to remove the dry feed and only use FF. After a couple days you can bring back the dry if you want, but most will ignore it.

 

[Mini Meat]

First off thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences with FF, and Thank you Bee for getting this GIGANTIC ball rolling. I have read the first 150 pgs. and the last 20 or so. I will continue to read as time allows.

That said, what I love about the FF is, that it can be adapted to fit any chicken raising agenda, wether that is lower feed cost, health of birds, non GMO. What ever it is that drives one to depart from the statue quo... FF can be adapted to get the most out of your feed of choice.

I just started my 85 chicks on FF @ 4 days old (they will be 2 weeks on Thursday) so I don't really have any data to report, other than... they are doing well, eating well, and I feel good when I dish it out to them.

My personal agenda is to produce the most nutrient dense meat for my family that I can. I think the FF + Free range (actually rotated pasture but, close enough) will accomplish this.
Most of these birds will be culled for meat for and I realy look forward to having a taste. These are not CX so it's going to be awhile.

Thanks again for all the great info.

 

[chicapee]

Really?    Seriously?   

Wait..wait a minute....so, your chickens haven't touched a bite of any kind of feed for three whole days?  Nothing?  No treats, no dry feed, nada? 

They are only 5 weeks old, and I gave them their regular starter feed when I realized they would rather go on a hunger strike than eat the fermented feed. Maybe it's an aquired taste, maybe I made it incorrectly. When I gave them back their dried food, you could tell that their stomachs thought their throats had been cut. Maybe I will try again in a few weeks and they won't be quite so fussy.

 

[chicapee]

Chickens are creatures of habbit, if you leave their old feed choice they will only eat that. You need to remove the dry feed and only use FF. After a couple days you can bring back the dry if you want, but most will ignore it.

I think that my chickens are too young to remove the dried food for two days, I will probably have to try again when they are bit older. I was hoping that they would take to it for the added nutritional benefits. I would have started them on it from day one,but unfortunately I have only recently heard about fermented feeding. They usually have 24 hr access to their starter food, but I took it away from about 9 am to 5pm for the past 3 days. I gave them the fermented food made as directed from earlier posts. One chick dipped her beak in shook her head and walked away in disgust. I was waiting for them to devour it. It sat there all day attracting flies. At 5pm I threw it away and dished them out a fresh batch the following two days. I have plenty left in the jar, I could keep trying during the day. I am open to suggestions.

 

[curious chickee]

How thick is your FF, mine don't like it soupy they like it more like oatmeal. Try dipping a few more chicks beaks in the feed. The first few of mine shook their head. Then one actually tried it, first day it sat. Next day my began to nibble it. By day three mine started devouring it. I usually feed enough to last a few hours. I feed twice a day since they are young.

 

[Beekissed]

I think that my chickens are too young to remove the dried food for two days, I will probably have to try again when they are bit older. I was hoping that they would take to it for the added nutritional benefits. I would have started them on it from day one,but unfortunately I have only recently heard about fermented feeding. They usually have 24 hr access to their starter food, but I took it away from about 9 am to 5pm for the past 3 days. I gave them the fermented food made as directed from earlier posts. One chick dipped her beak in shook her head and walked away in disgust. I was waiting for them to devour it. It sat there all day attracting flies. At 5pm I threw it away and dished them out a fresh batch the following two days. I have plenty left in the jar, I could keep trying during the day. I am open to suggestions.

I'm thinking, if it's attracting flies, it's not fully fermented but merely wet feed....I've never seen a fly on any of my FF in the past 3 yrs. You did well by throwing that away. If the FF is so soupy that a chick can "dip" her beak in it, it's way too soupy for even adult birds to want to eat it readily...that's like drinking food instead of eating food. I'd suggest making it thicker, dryer.

Your chickens are never too young to remove the dry food for two days....many have done it and it was a complete success in regards to feeding FF. Contrary to what folks may believe, chickens are just not that fragile and just like any other creature, they will get hungry enough to eat whatever food is available eventually...they won't just sit there and starve, wasting away.

Some have had success by sprinkling some dry feed on top of the FF. Feeding FF works for millions of chickens out there all over the world and I can't imagine your chicks are any different.