Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

Just started ff and it is worth it just to save on feed waste. I am using the 2 bucket method butwanted to know -without going through 630something of pages how everyone feeds this stuff. I have been putting it in a metal feeder with a flip style gaurd over it. Its not ideal and with my chicks growing fast, I have to refill every 4 hours and feed dry food at night. I am building my coop now and wanted to build a ideal feeder, can I see your examples?

 

[armorfirelady]

Metal will react with the ff unless its coated. Some people use PVC pipe, wallpaper thoughts, etc. I use drywall troughs myself for 8 hens

 

[Mon27]

Just wanted to share my fledgling experience with this. I have a batch of week old chicks and despite excellent feed and water additives they were getting slipped tendons. I started researching and came across ff. I took a large quart mason jar and filled 1/4 full of the starter and attached lid. From what I have read the process is anaerobic and does not need air flow. I have no A.C. in my home so in about 30 hours it was bubbling and smelling perfectly pickly! I did not use any acv at all as I thought it was only to balance a batch that seemed off. The chicks love it. They get free choice dry and I fill two small jar lids ( like pasta sauce) with the ff 2x daily. They eat it up and prefer it to the dry. The small portions allow them to eat it in about 13 mins and not have it everywhere. I dint know if they are healthier for it but they love it and its super easy. I cant help but think the acv is unnecessary and may make it less palatable to them. I only feed a third of my total mixture( or less) a day and just replace what feed and liquid I have removed. Pretty cool thing. Now to try it with my layer pellets! I am not going to try it with scratch as they get such a tiny amount every day it seems like the least reasonable thing to ferment. I intend to always have their free choice dry available.

 

[Beekissed]

Many people don't use the vinegar to jump start and they all end up with the exact same mix in the end...pickly smelling. Whether you add vinegar or not, if it is exposed to the air it will draw wild vinegar bacilli from the air anyway. Something that has fermented usually taste pretty much the same...sour...like vinegar.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Our birds free range all day and their pen is across the pasture from our house, so we usually ride our four-wheeler over to them at feeding time. They now associate the sound of the motor with food. It always reminds me of Jurassic Park when they start chasing us back to the pen. Seriously, like a herd of velociraptors chasing after dinner.

LOL that's too funny. I got a visual of that. I bet that is a hoot!

 

[BirdbyGavin1103]

Just started ff and it is worth it just to save on feed waste. I am using the 2 bucket method butwanted to know -without going through 630something of pages how everyone feeds this stuff. I have been putting it in a metal feeder with a flip style gaurd over it. Its not ideal and with my chicks growing fast, I have to refill every 4 hours and feed dry food at night. I am building my coop now and wanted to build a ideal feeder, can I see your examples?

I built a frame and put a piece of vinyl gutter into it with end caps on. It works for the FF and dry feed, I don't have any pics though sorry. The only problem with my setup is I have one or two that like to roost on the edge of the frame. So you can guess what needs to be done before feeding time....

 

[Triple Willow]

I've got a question for you guys. Other than calcium is there a reason that hens need layer feed?

 

[Beekissed]

Not that I know of...many people just feed an all flock mix and offer oyster shell free choice.

 

[Triple Willow]

Not that I know of...many people just feed an all flock mix and offer oyster shell free choice. 

Thank you Bee, for that quick answer. I'm glad I caught you on here. I have 20 week olds that just started laying and some 6-8 week olds and I'd like to feed them the same thing if possible - just to keep feeding/fermenting simple. I figure I can top dress if one needs something extra. This morning we tried out the pullet's eggs for the first time. The egg shells were really firm, firmer than most store bought eggs. Up until now they have only been on starter/grower with a little scratch mixed in and recently I have added a little flax seeds.

 

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

Does oyster shell affect the taste of the eggs and are there any calcium supplement alternatives? Would bone meal work?