Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[griffinkid02]

In regards to the "fermenting" process, is the goal to create a fermentation like you do with beer? where the goal is to transform the carb/sugars? or is it one of creating an acidic environment and encouraging the growth of beneficial bacteria? I have seen where it was recommended to start with yeast in the water, unpasteurized ACV or "mother" from vinegar production. I'm definitely not an expert but from google I can tell that there are at least two different chemical process' going on and am just curious what everyone thinks is going on in there fermentation buckets.

Max

I think it's a little bit of both Max. Or at least that's really what most of us will end up getting. The yeas and "mother" will be growing in the feed and water and be a source of probiotic bacteria, and the by product of the growth og those good bacteria is the breaking down of the sugars in the feed to make more of the nutrients in the feed availible for absorbtion.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

So I've been feeding ff for awhile, and though not strictly measuring, but kinda know how much they normally eat...and noticed, I am feeding alot more of the ff than I did before, and then da, all those chicks are getting bigger, why wouldn't they eat more. Ha ha.

 

[jrsckn]

Update : Day 15 6/13/12 Wed. Week 2 weigh in on my FF experiment

Total feed to date : 34C CC - 33C eaten 60C fermented - 48C eaten

CC weight in oz. : 11.25, 15.5, 12.75, 11.5, 14.0, 14.5, 11.75, 10.75 = 101.75oz. / 8 chicks = 12.719 oz. average

FFC weight oz. : 10.125, 5.625, 8.125, 10.5, 11.0, 10.125, 8.875, 7.25, 10.5, 9.125, 8.875, 9.875, 10.75, 9.75, 8.75, 10.75, 8.375, 7.375 = 165.75 oz. / 18 chicks = 9.208 oz. average

( weight gained since Mon 6/11 CC 2.844oz. FFC 3.872 oz. - they're gaining fast now!)

Weight gain in the last week : FFC 4.9233oz. CC 7.6565oz.

Feed consumed in the past week : FFC 28C CC 23C Reminder: there are 8 CC and 18 FFC, they're eating nearly the same amt!

Average feed consumed CC : 2.875 C/chick FFC : 1.556C/chick

Ounces gained per C feed : CC 2.66oz./C FFC 3.164oz./C

Conclusion: Over the past week the FFC have significantly increased their feed to weight gain ratio becoming much more efficient than the CC gaining 0.5oz more per C fed. Last week, the CC were 2.4876 oz/C and FFC were 2.3582 oz/C. Overall, the FFC are behind in weight but I believe that is only because they didn't eat well for the first couple days. I can't wait for next week's weigh in!

 

[crazychickenwom]

 

[AbbyDog]

BJ, my FF is sitting on my kitchen counter AND my kitchen floor- I have two batches going so I can alternat between them. It's only been 3 weeks but i dare say it's working out pretty well- especially as I know that I only have another 3ish weeks to go with these CX.

 

[unity]

I have been reading this post and interested. Do you find that your CX have a firmer poop since you have been feeding FF? My CX's poops are runny, which is why I think I'll try this. Also, are you using whole (or cracked) grains or pellets?

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Unity-i believe I read in beekissed post that said there is a definat change in firmer formed poops with considerably less smell., and you can do this with mash, pellets, cracked corn, and whole grain, and practically anything..I am using a local scratch of cracked corn oats and barley. The chickens are finally eating the corn along with the oats, and barley and aren't choking on the dry stuff anymore. Can't see much diff in the poop since they free range all day anyway.

 

[AbbyDog]

Yes, I do see a real difference- and i saw it very quickly after I started the FF- even though they were not on 100% FF for a few days as my culture grew. There is still a runny poop here and there, but for the most part the poops are well-formed and I don't notice any particular smell. The FF is very easy to culture- just keep a cover on it to prevent mold on the surface. I have had whitish mold and I just scrape it off- as I do when I have made sourcraut.

 

[jrsckn]

One side note on keeping the ff in the kitchen : it will have more of a possibility for cross contamination of other molds because of other foods and bread kept there. I had a cross contamination of mold in the first batch from 5 day old biscuits and a moldy towel under my dish strainer (which I can thank my daughter for lol). I went back to using the garage and porch as my fermentation areas.

I believe Bee said the white mold is good mold so I stir it back in and no problems so far, I've been using the same liquid for over month.

 

[bj taylor]

how long can the feed sit fermenting before going bad? i have 9 birds so i'm only feeding them 1 1/2 cup twice a day so far. i've already discovered i'm mixing too much & it's going bad pretty quick - it's hot here. i don't have it figured out yet & i worry that i'm feeding them rancid food.
i've started just mixing the feed w/ water rather than letting it ferment because i don't understand the fermentation well enough to discern between healthy & not.