Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Tivona]

I feed mine the ff in the morning after rinsing out the container I use for the birds. Any left over from the day before gets scraped out and reserved to be put back on top of the fresh ff in the rinsed out container. That way anything that has set out gets eaten first. I might change that in summer to actually throwing the little bit out if I think the temperatures have any chance of it going bad in a dangerous way. For now though temps are cool and the stuff looks and smells okay and I don't get to worried over any of it. After all they like eating from the compost, the dirt, even pecking at their own poop so as long as the ff is fermenting well making acid to prevent botulism and its constantly being replaced with fresh to not allow time for mold it should be safe in my mind.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Ok, I went wrong somewhere. Got up this morning and went to stir the ff. there is a spiderwebing of white mold with what almost look like mushroom tops where the veins connect.

Did I let it get too dry? Thats the only thing I can think of...

 

[texasmomma]

Ok, I went wrong somewhere. Got up this morning and went to stir the ff. there is a spiderwebing of white mold with what almost look like mushroom tops where the veins connect.
Did I let it get too dry? Thats the only thing I can think of...

Do you have a picture?

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Do you have a picture?

I will have to wait until DS is asleep to get a picture. Another two hours or so...

 

[Lacy Blues]

That's been posted before by someone and everybody said it was fine. Looks weird to me but we just stirred it down and let it be.

 

[pichuris]

I was on vacation for couple weeks and came back to this. Is this normal? Its only the liquid part no feed since I decided to just go dry feed while I was gone. Should I start over or can I scrap this off or mix it into the liquid? The brown spot is what my liquid after draining looks like normally. Its the gray mold looking stuff I'm worried about.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's been posted before by someone and everybody said it was fine. Looks weird to me but we just stirred it down and let it be.

Bee s talked about hers getting a film across the top, she just stirred it up. I've had it on mine too but I don't let mine get that soupy anymore.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Wow! I don't know if I would stir THAT down. What I would probably do is get it all scraped off the best that you can and then smell the grain underneath. I have a good sense of smell and can smell mold before anyone else in my house can. After you get it scooped off, I would wipe the sides really well to get rid of any residue... might be easier after you take out a portion for feeding if you deem it safe. Good luck!

 

[maggiemo]

I've also found since I increased the ratio of grains to feed in my FF the girls have consumed more oyster shell.

ME TO!!!!!!
So glad someone said this, why do you think this is? My girls are horking down the oyster shells!

 

[Pozees]

ME TO!!!!!!
So glad someone said this, why do you think this is? My girls are horking down the oyster shells!

I assume it is because the layer mix includes calcium not present in the grains, and they need it. I don't worry, as long as I keep the oyster shell container full.