Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Beekissed]

How do you guys make the feed thicker? The chicks are almost drinking it. But you have to have water covering the feed, right? Am I wrong? I would just sprinkle dry food over it but I think that would take away some of the nutritional value.

Curious as to where you heard that you have to have it covered with water....

 

[cheepcheep riri]

All of the videos on YouTube say to cover the feed an inch with water.

 

[curious chickee]

How do you guys make the feed thicker? The chicks are almost drinking it. But you have to have water covering the feed, right? Am I wrong? I would just sprinkle dry food over it but I think that would take away some of the nutritional value.

My chicks do not like it when it is watered down. Mine is the consistency of oatmeal, no water covering. If gets thick I add water, starts to get soupy add more dry feed.

 

[Flowers of Abba]

All of the videos on YouTube say to cover the feed an inch with water.

I ferment both whole grains and crumbles seperately . Both I place in gallon glass jars and submerge in water to seal and allow for better fermentation BUT I strain I n a colander prior to serving...today I pulled out the ff crumbles and apperantly dd filled more than she should have and when I unscrewed the lid it shot off like champagne. Lol oatmeal is a good description if a good consistency imo.

 

[lazy gardener]

More nutrition in the yolk, more nutrition in the chick! I'd say it would make a difference, though no one will be able to attribute it solely to the FF with all the variables out there.

My last hatch: 23/26 went into lock down. 22/23 hatched, in spite of the eggs being too "wet". All babies running around, and taking flying leaps from brooder cave to the opposite end of the brooder. Hoping to have decent weather to move them outside this week. Chickies are cute, but I HATE having them in the house. My flock has been on FF for over 2 years now.

 

[LadyIsadora]

I have been feeding my 13 Ducks fermented feed for quite some time now. the 12 youngest have had it from day one, along with a smidgen of dry crumbles set out free choice. I have much faith in the science behind fermented feed.

BUT and that is a big but.... for ducks,

I dont think this is as effective as with chickens. Ducks are messy! very messy! Colossally messy. Wet feed is, well, a mess. There is more feed outside their bowls than in it. I wonder, when I clean out their waterers, how much food they are actually getting in their gut. It all seems to be in the trays of waterers and their buckets and the outsides of their food trays
.
I have tried giving it to them in various stages of wet/strained. with negligible differences. It didn't seem to matter if I let it drain for 6 hours or scooped it right out of the soup. they ate it with the same vigor and wasted it with reckless abandon.

I tried doing JUST crumble in some batches (I have two bucket systems and each feed for 2 to 3 days depending on growth spurts, they are still young and growing ;-) and I have tried adding grains & goodies. with the same results
.
I finally gave in last night and gave them all dry flock crumbles. the difference was HUGE! 1/10 of the waste of food.....maybe less.

Im going to try it for a couple of days with just dry crumbles, and see how it goes. You really cant make snap judgments on a one night stand. Then I will add in some of the fermented feed thats going now to at least finish out the bucket that is all ready going.

I would love to hear any suggestions on how I could fix the mess/ waste thing, Its ridiculous

***Note this is my first time with ducks, ALL of my ducks are happy and healthy though I did not receive them that way. One had eye problems, two were week and wobbly two threw up everything they ate. I give them 1 tsp per gallon Bragg ACV in their waterers clear in their bucket and I feed them primarily FF. All have grown healthy and strong. I know I have been doing something right ;-)
I think fermented feed is great for health but how can I fix the waste/ mess

 

[Flowers of Abba]

I have been feeding my 13 Ducks fermented feed for quite some time now.  the 12 youngest have had it from day one, along with a smidgen of dry crumbles set out free choice. I have much faith in the science behind fermented feed.  

        BUT  and that is a big but.... for ducks,

     I dont think this is as effective as with chickens.  Ducks are messy! very messy! Colossally messy.  Wet feed is, well, a mess.  There is more feed outside their bowls than in it.  I wonder, when I clean out their waterers, how much food they are actually getting in their gut.  It all seems to be in the trays of waterers and their buckets and the outsides of their food trays
.
     I have tried giving it to them in various stages of wet/strained. with negligible differences. It didn't seem to matter if I let it drain for 6 hours or scooped it right out of the soup.  they ate it with the same vigor and wasted it with reckless abandon.

     I tried doing JUST crumble in some batches (I have two bucket systems and each feed for 2 to 3 days depending on growth spurts, they are still young and growing ;-)  and I have tried adding grains & goodies.  with the same results
. 
     I finally gave in last night and gave them all dry flock crumbles.  the difference was HUGE! 1/10 of the waste of food.....maybe less.  

     Im going to try it for a couple of days with just dry crumbles, and see how it goes.  You really cant make snap judgments on a one night stand.  Then I will add in some of the fermented feed thats going now to at least finish out the bucket that is all ready going. 

   I would love to hear any suggestions on how I could fix the mess/ waste  thing, Its ridiculous

***Note this is my first time with ducks, ALL of my ducks are happy and healthy though I did not receive them that way. One had eye problems, two were week and wobbly two threw up everything they ate.  I give them 1 tsp per gallon Bragg ACV in their waterers  clear in their bucket and I feed them primarily FF.  All have grown healthy and strong. I know I have been doing something right ;-)
      I think fermented feed is great for health but how can I fix the waste/ mess

What kind of duck?

I have muscovy and they are neater than my chickens! I realize they are not technically duck. Interested to know what you are raising?

 

[LadyIsadora]

I have 1 Pekin; 4 Jumbo Pekin; 4 Rouen and 4 Golden 300. The sets of 4 are 7 weeks old the single pekin is 11 weeks.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Ducks wash their beaks and the feed in it in water as they eat usually. Washing wet feed in water, not gonna end well.

 

[Flowers of Abba]

Ducks wash their beaks and the feed in it in water as they eat usually. Washing wet feed in water, not gonna end well.

ohhhh right. That is funny. Another good reason to strain the feed fairly well.