Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Turk Raphael]

I have photos of my fermenting set up in my signature and i wanted to just update them with these photos. I drilled holes all along the top of the coleman cooler. And we keep a spray bottle of Brags ACV, which I spray on all surfaces inside the cooler every day after we feed the birds
This keeps the mold issue down to zero.

Does the 'Mother' not clog the pump's orifice? Just my curiosity...otherwise excellent notion.

 

[MargaretYakoda]

Does the 'Mother' not clog the pump's orifice? Just my curiosity...otherwise excellent notion.

Nope. Of course, most of it stays in the glass bottle. Sometimes if it's a big glob I'll dump it in the cooler. But no, we've not had a clog in the sprayer ever.

Also, a bit of a confession: I buy gallon bottles of ACV at a restaurant supply store, dump the mother in there, and let it grow for a few months. So... what I'm using is begins as Brags, but is much cheaper. And we do use a fair amount of it.

Edited to clarify: There ARE always threads of the mother in the spray bottle.

 

[Turk Raphael]

Nope. Of course, most of it stays in the glass bottle. Sometimes if it's a big glob I'll dump it in the cooler. But no, we've not had a clog in the sprayer ever.

Also, a bit of a confession: I buy gallon bottles of ACV at a restaurant supply store, dump the mother in there, and let it grow for a few months. So... what I'm using is begins as Brags, but is much cheaper. And we do use a fair amount of it.

Edited to clarify: There ARE always threads of the mother in the spray bottle.

It would be foolish to NOT cultivate your own live vinegar. Folks who continue to pay full price for the name brand have more ready cash than we do.

 

[Beer can]

I've had a gallon of hard cider turn, had plenty of mother in it :'( must be easy to make, I wasn't even trying...
Most home brewery catalogs online sell vinegar culture for making your own. They do say keep your vinegar making and your alcohol brewing separate.

 

[Martlet]

I'm going to apologize up front for this question, but this thread is 17,000 comments long and there isn't a Reader's Digest version.

I've read about people fermenting pellets and starter mash for their layers. Can you ferment pellets and starter feed for meat birds? If you DO ferment, how do you feed it? Leave it out all the time and add to, or regular feeding times and measured amounts?

Thanks, and I'll close with an apology for something that's likely already in the thread.

 

[Beekissed]

I'm going to apologize up front for this question, but this thread is 17,000 comments long and there isn't a Reader's Digest version.

I've read about people fermenting pellets and starter mash for their layers. Can you ferment pellets and starter feed for meat birds? If you DO ferment, how do you feed it? Leave it out all the time and add to, or regular feeding times and measured amounts?

Thanks, and I'll close with an apology for something that's likely already in the thread.

No worries! Here's an easier information source that contains most of the FAQ that have happened on this thread: https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

1. Yes, you can.

2. Troughs....if you'll look to the right and top of the thread you'll see a photo gallery of pics that have been posted to this thread and they contain the many different troughs and feeders that people use for feeding the FF.

3. Most feed in meals. As chicks I'll feed two meals a day, then they graduate to one meal a day...but I free ranged my meaties, so if you are doing them in confinement you'll likely want to stick with two meals all the way through.

4. Measured amounts at regular feeding times. Most will say to put out what they can consume in 30-45 min. time but that's not a hard and fast rule, but merely a guide.

 

[Hiltonizer]

I'm going to apologize up front for this question, but this thread is 17,000 comments long and there isn't a Reader's Digest version.

I've read about people fermenting pellets and starter mash for their layers. Can you ferment pellets and starter feed for meat birds? If you DO ferment, how do you feed it? Leave it out all the time and add to, or regular feeding times and measured amounts?

Thanks, and I'll close with an apology for something that's likely already in the thread.

This seems to be the official TL;DR: https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

I read that, made a conscious effort not to overthink it, and went for it. It's working great for my now two week old meat turkeys. I simply watered down the commercial grain (mash or pellets doesnt matter) to an oatmeal consistency. Left if outside a few days, adding water and stirring as needed due to evaporation and behold.... a sourdough smelling concoction. I don't have details logs, but the eye test says i'm using about half the feed I did last year per bird.

I don't think I'll be able to do this all the time just because of it getting so cold here, but it's working great for intra-season birds.

 

[Beekissed]

Many of us do it in cold climates but just move the bucket into a warmer place for the winter.

 

[Martlet]

Thanks, all. Right now they're a week old. I'm just keeping food in there all the time and letting them eat as they'd like. I'd like to move them into a chicken tractor as soon as I feel they no longer need the heat plate. My concern is that it's really hot, even here in NH, during the day.

I may go to the 12 on 12 off feeding schedule, but putting them to bed on an empty stomach seems unnatural for chickens.

My plan WAS to make an 8 x 10 tractor and cover the last 4' top and sides and move it every day or so. I have 25 birds. If they do well in the tractor and get crowded, I may let them pasture. I really don't know. I've only raised layers.

I guess I just have reservations about restricting their feed. Everyone has different advice.

 

[Hiltonizer]

Many of us do it in cold climates but just move the bucket into a warmer place for the winter.

hah.. even the room my wood stove is in gets into the 50's at night... though a solarium sounds like a fun project....