Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Hiltonizer]

Anyone have a well compiled guide of the info validated in this thread? Started to read through it before realizing it will take me a month of sundays...

I'm also wondering if anyone has advise on implementing this on scale larger than a small meat flock, as we'll be raising 100+ Giant White Turkeys this year in addition to our broilers.

 

[Molpet]

Anyone have a well compiled guide of the info validated in this thread? Started to read through it before realizing it will take me a month of sundays...

I'm also wondering if anyone has advise on implementing this on scale larger than a small meat flock, as we'll be raising 100+ Giant White Turkeys this year in addition to our broilers.

quick guide https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

 

[Molpet]

I'm picturing the FF to be thick and won't "flow" out the bottom of the bucket like the dry stuff will. Almost like spent grains in a mash (for any of you brewers out there). Will the bucket feeder even work? I guess I will try it out and see this spring...

people did not have luck w/a bucket feeder https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/931194/fermented-feed-feeder/180
most people ended up with a trough some put a top to keep the birds out https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/fuss-free-fermented-feed-feeder

 

[Latestarter]

The problem with meaties is (from what I've been led to believe) they will eat themselves to death if you let them. There is documented evidence to the contrary in this thread, but if you ladle it out, they will typically eat all of it. My FF is about the thickness of thick oatmeal. It will NOT flow out holes cut in the bottom of a bucket. I take it by the scoop and "slop" it into a 4" PVC pipe with end caps, cut in 1/2, mounted to 4x4 support legs to keep it from tipping.



I don't have meaties... some are bigger pigs than others, but none of mine will eat themselves to death, so I can load up the trough and it will give them enough food for 2 days in a pinch. Typically I load it every morning and as you can see in the pic, there's generally some residue left by the next morning. I just re-load right on top of it, enough for ONE day, not two.

If you wanted to get real mechanical, I would guess you could make a trough like feeder with a mechanical top that would open and close at specific times to allow them to feed for say 15 minutes then close and reopen for another 15 minutes 12 hours later or at 12 hour intervals, then load it up with several days worth.

 

[Beekissed]

Anyone have a well compiled guide of the info validated in this thread? Started to read through it before realizing it will take me a month of sundays...

I'm also wondering if anyone has advise on implementing this on scale larger than a small meat flock, as we'll be raising 100+ Giant White Turkeys this year in addition to our broilers.

Kassaundra has a big flock and ferments her feed in a big ol' trash can all year round...stirs it and dishes it out with a shovel.

I'm thinking a person could do that a little easier with some HUGE totes instead and keep rotating them to keep up with the feed demands. If doing your meat birds in warmer months, it will ferment overnight enough to feed out the next day if you leave a bit of the previous batch in the container when you add more feed and water. That's called backslopping and it's very effective.

 

[sonofabish1]

people did not have luck w/a bucket feeder https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/931194/fermented-feed-feeder/180
most people ended up with a trough some put a top to keep the birds out https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/fuss-free-fermented-feed-feeder

That what I was expecting to hear. Looks like I'll finally be putting my gutter that's been laying around to use! Thanks!

Quote:

My first go-around with meaties I didn't pay much attention to the 12 on 12 off feeding schedule and I had..."issues". I'm a firm believer that you CAN over feed and they CAN eat themselves to death.

Quote:

Though I could probably come up with something that fancy it's overkill (good idea though). I will probably just limit the amount of feed I put in daily.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Beekissed

Kassaundra has a big flock and ferments her feed in a big ol' trash can all year round...stirs it and dishes it out with a shovel.

I'm thinking a person could do that a little easier with some HUGE totes instead and keep rotating them to keep up with the feed demands. If doing your meat birds in warmer months, it will ferment overnight enough to feed out the next day if you leave a bit of the previous batch in the container when you add more feed and water. That's called backslopping and it's very effective.

Regarding the backslopping...how long can the remains of the previous batch sit before fermenting more feed? Will it go bad?

 

[Latestarter]

As for backslopping...how long it will last/be good depends on how long the remainder in the bucket has already been fermenting... A 5 gallon bucket, 3/4 full, at ~70-80 degrees, kept moist, will stay just fine for ~ 2-3 weeks. By the end of that time it needs more grains added as the ones already there are done... no more "food" for the bacteria to feed on. If you only had a small amount left in the bucket, I don't think it would last as long, primarily due to it drying out.

 

[Beekissed]

As for backslopping...how long it will last/be good depends on how long the remainder in the bucket has already been fermenting... A 5 gallon bucket, 3/4 full, at ~70-80 degrees, kept moist, will stay just fine for ~ 2-3 weeks. By the end of that time it needs more grains added as the ones already there are done... no more "food" for the bacteria to feed on. If you only had a small amount left in the bucket, I don't think it would last as long, primarily due to it drying out.

I agree...well stated.

 

[Amandakae]

Hi, I am wondering if you all use store bought feed to use for ff, or do you make your own? I have had 25 layers for a year now and will be doing 50 meatiest for the 1st time in about 2 weeks! I would like to feed them organic feed, but it is shockingly expensive! I have tried looking through byc but haven't found a ff recipe for meaties... Of course it is QUITE possible that I have just missed it due to the masses of info to sort through! I have just been eating it up!!! I'm so excited to try out all of my new knowledge on my birds!

 

[Beekissed]

Hi, I am wondering if you all use store bought feed to use for ff, or do you make your own? I have had 25 layers for a year now and will be doing 50 meatiest for the 1st time in about 2 weeks! I would like to feed them organic feed, but it is shockingly expensive! I have tried looking through byc but haven't found a ff recipe for meaties... Of course it is QUITE possible that I have just missed it due to the masses of info to sort through! I have just been eating it up!!! I'm so excited to try out all of my new knowledge on my birds!

I just use layer mash from my local feed mill for my layer flock. When I was doing meaties, I just mixed it 50/50 with layer and a few whole grains. If you've got some good free range forage and start the meaties out on that by the 2nd or 3rd week, it can cut your feed bill a lot. Especially if you let them forage all day, then feed them a big ol' evening meal to top them off.