Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[aoxa]

Sorry, I fell behind on my reading, so I'm late replying...
Yes, I am pulling my buckets apart, every day, lol. I am one of those that make feeding FF a little harder than it needs to be...

But I have my reasons for doing so...

2 reasons: Draining before feeding, and what I consider to be exaggerated/more effective back slopping. I know the holes in the buckets allow the FF water from the bottom to seep in and soak into the feeds, but I want to be 100% sure that all the beneficials are well dispersed thru my FF mix and are being well fed 24/7 so that the bad bacteria never get a foot hold. After draining and scooping out the FF I need to feed I'll set the FF bucket with the remaining feed left in it into a 3rd clean bucket with 4-5 inches of fresh water in the bottom of it, then I add fresh dry feeds to my FF bucket, and pour the soupy FF liquid over it, rinse the sediment out of the bottom, add that in too, top off if needed, stir it well and let it ferment 48 hrs before feeding from it. I have 2 2-bucket systems going (2nd system was started with FF liquid from the first system) and I use this drain/feed/exaggerated back slop 3-bucket method for both, alternating which system I feed from each day, so they both get a 48 hour ferment/soak.

More work than is really needed? Yes probably, but it works for me/my situation (and my birds). In my mind... there is method to my madness, I swear! I've been doing this 3-bucket method since the 3rd week in October, with the remnants of my original mix of FF liquid still working it's magic. (I consider that FF liquid as liquid gold, lol). My mix has never gone bad or funky in any way, no mold has started in the buckets and my birds are healthy and lovin' their FF

If you want to put in the extra time and effort, there is nothing wrong with that in my opinion Peeps. As long as you know there IS an easier way if you decide to try it in the future.

I myself do more work than necessary in many aspects of life. Probably would be less work not doing FF at all, but I'm not going to get into that.

Though thinking about it more, I would do more work (at my job) to pay for difference in feed savings if I didn't do FF and continued to feed dry.. I save a good 100 pounds of feed a week doing the FF. That's $30 a week savings. Not going to say how much time I would have to work to provide that extra cost, but you get the point.

 

[PeepsCA]

Aoxa... I started my 2nd 2-bucket system with liquid from my first set up (no ACV), and it fermented quick. Not sure how big your chick starter ferment system is but if you have extra liquid to spare in the bottom bucket then maybe adding a cup or 2 of that to each of your new 5 gallon bucket systems will get things going better/quicker than adding more ACV (plus the FF liquid is free).

 

[WRVgirl]

Man, this feed just keeps getting better and better!

I'm on my 3rd batch and I feel like I'm gettin better at making a good consistency! My first batch was mush, second was dry, and this one is perfect (goldilocks of FF, anyone?)

The chickens are absolutely mad for this stuff, tripping over themselves to get out of the coop for breakfast in the morning, they get right under my feet and swarm me like a pack of fluffy velociraptors!

I feed twice a day, we subscribe to the do bowl method, I bought all of these expensive feeders and waterers and realized the big dog bowls were so much more convenient to clean, I can just throw them in the dishwasher when they're dirty.

I feed at night too. They are getting used to their new shed/coop so if I fill the feed bowl at night they all come running into the shed, where before I had to chase them and manually insert them one by one.

So so happy with the ff turn out. They are eating well, and I just bought 2 more buckets so I can do strictly chick starter! We've got 3 dozen eggs due around Christmas. I can't wait to see how the babies do with the ff!

 

[Suzierd]

Hi again Bee!  We have chatted a bit before on here, before the new format took effect.  It just took me time to get back in and get used to finding my way around here again.  

If you look at the very bottom you will see a choice to choose mobile or desktop, just choose desktop to go back to the old way.

 

[aoxa]

If you look at the very bottom you will see a choice to choose mobile or desktop, just choose desktop to go back to the old way.

Isn't desktop the new way?

You can change your posting to BB coding like the old way, instead of the rich text.

Go to My Profile at the top. You'll see: Edit account details. Preferred Editor Type: Rich Text Editor or BB Code.

 

[Reurra]

I read earlier about botulism. What can i do to prevent this from developing in the mix?

How warm is too warm? How cold is too cold?

Is fermented food the only way to go for feed with this breed of bird?

I have a small house, can making a bucket of this stuff cause a smelly house?

I have a coop for them, I dont have a tractor. Ive read that keeping a tractor is better since the breed can be pretty smelly. Is this true?

Sorry I have lots of questions! Im pretty excited to try this out! I think Ill be starting in late May when its warm enough to put the chicks outside. Until then, Im reading what I can, and trying to learn. Ive slaughtered 2 birds already, so Ive got general practice haha.

 

[cutechick2010]

Feels good, huh? I like it because it's like thumbing one's nose to the agribiz corporations that produce that poison food. I like to say in my mind~"I can do it better than you and it won't harm my family, so there!".

Yeah..I often have conversations in my head. What of it?

I like that too! I wish more people would/could raise their own so we could do away with factory farming, but I know it won't happen.

Oh, you have those little conversations (Shhh, hang on, I'm talking to someone!) in your head too?

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

If you look at the very bottom you will see a choice to choose mobile or desktop, just choose desktop to go back to the old way.

Thanks. Prob too late now, as I have somewhat gotten used to the new format. I used to do that with everything else, but eventually, the sites completely do away with the old formats.

 

[jeapa]

Mine are pretty aromatic after 24 hours. I have had my buckets going for @ 6 weeks. I added Braggs to start and splashed extra in the first few weeks but haven't added any lately. I think its a matter of getting good cultures started and then letting them do their job. I also stir twice a day to bring the good stuff to the top. I have also noticed when I feed if I clean the bucket there is a nice layer of greyish white on the bottom of my top bucket. It looks the same as the film that developes on the top when the water is absorbed.

I think you are right. Mine smells pretty sourish after only 24 hours, but I have had the same cultures going since I started way back in July- Aug.I think temperature plays a role in how fast it ferments also.

 

[AlivianAcres]

Opinions...best meat bird? Friers or Cornish x? I am getting into quail for meat too....anyone ferment feed for them?