Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[SunnysMama]

I'm not sure I personally would use alcohol to ferment with. Do you happen to have a sourdough starter or know someone that has one as that works perfectly!?! You actually don't have to use anything to get it started because you can leave the lid off of it for awhile and start capturing wild yeast (works especially well in the kitchen where you do your baking).

 

[ozexpat]

I'm not sure I personally would use alcohol to ferment with. Do you happen to have a sourdough starter or know someone that has one as that works perfectly!?! You actually don't have to use anything to get it started because you can leave the lid off of it for awhile and start capturing wild yeast (works especially well in the kitchen where you do your baking).

My understanding is all vinegar made from over-fermenting alcohol. As sugar ferments its converted to alcohol, but when alcohol is fermented further with air, the alcohol is catylitically oxidized by the zymase in yeast and becomes the carboxylic acid acetic acid (the chemical name for vinegar). The source for the vinegar gives it the flavor.

The sap from a coconut tree’s heart is very sweet. It produces a fermented alcohol in a matter of hours, but I would be using it after the alcohol has been converted to acetic acid.

I guess I what I am asking is - is there a secret in non-pasteurized ACV or is it just the fact that this version of non-pasteurized vinegar is available at a retail level?

 

[SunnysMama]

Try it in a small batch of feed and see how it does. I'm sure it would work!!

 

[bakingintherain]

You could also use a scoop of yogurt with live enzymes if you have that around you

 

[Kilsharion]

I guess I what I am asking is - is there a secret in non-pasteurized ACV or is it just the fact that this version of non-pasteurized vinegar is available at a retail level?

The 'secret' is the mother that's in it. It kick starts the fermentation. It's also know as "SCOBY" (acronym for Symbiotic Community Of Bacteria and Yeasts).

 

[hokankai]

Hey you guys, I'm two weeks into my ferment (2 bucket system) and I have mold growing on the sides of the bucket where the slop has slashed or dripped. How do I prevent this and should I start over and deep clean the buckets? Also are your guys' systems as messy as mine? I feel like There is a mess all over the floor around the buckets!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Sounds normal and proper. Do you have pictures?

The only way to prevent the mess is to not have so much in the buckets as it swells and then overflows all over the place! Yuk! Or you can get a mud pan at walmart (around $5) or something of that nature to catch the overflow.

 

[hokankai]

It's not really over flowing, it's more just splatters from when I strain it. It's a huge mess!

My phone died as I tried to take a pic, but it looks like slop dripping down the sides of the bucket, on the floor...and fuzzy penicillium mold growing on the slop on the insides of the bucket above the ferment.

I think I'm going to finish off this batch and then deep clean the buckets. I don't like that mold being so close to the food.

 

[Kilsharion]

It's not really over flowing, it's. ore just splatters from when I strain it. It's a huge mess! 

My phone died as I tried to take a pic, but it looks like slop dripping down the sides of the bucket, on the floor...and fuzzy penicillium mold growing on the slop on the insides of the bucket above the ferment.

I think I'm going to finish off this batch and then deep clean the buckets. I don't like that mold being so close to the food.

Smart move. I don't have any mess. But, I am also only using a 10g bucket. I use an old strainer of mine and scoop it up and let it rest while I get my coffee and try to get quasi coherent. Then dump it in the bowls and tske it out. Nominal amounts of liquid goes with it.

 

[colburg]

It's usually about 70F in here, is that too warm for backslopping?

No, my FF is kept in my shop where it reaches whatever the outside temp is. Easily had some days over 100 as I was starting my FF. Nights didn't get below 80 and everything was fine.

What am I doing wrong? The following is a picture after 3 days. I haven't gotten any bubbles, no expansion, no smell, nothing. I added about 1/4 cup of ACV to about 6 big scoops of feed and filled with water.

Are you fermenting only grains? They won't expand very much. If you have pellets or crumbles in there, then there will be expansion even without the ACV as the feed just soaks up the liquid. 3 days wasn't long enough for mine to get started. It took about 7 to get that good smell and a few small bubbles. Just keep it stirred once a day and have patience. I'm sure it'll get going soon.