Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Beekissed]

I know this information is in here somewhere but its hard to find from my phone. my feed didn't get stirred or used for a couple of days while i was gone, now it smells like alcohol. can i fix it?

It doesn't need fixed...just stir it and use it. I've left mine for 4-5 days before and it was also fine. That smell is just a deeper fermented smell and it actually seems to increase nutrients the further it goes, as I have to feed less and less of the feed as warm temps dictate the fermentation speed.

You won't need to add any yeasts or ACV or anything else...just stir it and feed it and all will be well.

 

[Robert M]

I know this information is in here somewhere but its hard to find from my phone. my feed didn't get stirred or used for a couple of days while i was gone, now it smells like alcohol. can i fix it?

It's SUPPOSED to smell like "alcohol". It's fermenting.

 

[Triple Willow]

I am about to take another Bee tip and move my ff bucket out to the coop. I'm tired of having to haul it all out there 2X/day! But I don't trust them so I'm going to bungee strap it in the corner. I can just imagine the party they'd have with a bucket of spilt ff. lol

Would a Bee tip be a "Bip"? lol

 

[Demosthine]

It's SUPPOSED to smell like "alcohol". It's fermenting.

Actually, fermenting does not always produce alcohol. There are two main types of fermentation: bacterial (lacto-fermentation) and yeast. In bacterial fermentation, which is the goal for fermented feed, beneficial bacteria consume the sugars and produce lactic acid. This acid gives you the sour taste that you experience in foods like yogurt and fermented pickles. In yeast fermentation, alcohol is produced.

For the method we are attempting to use, Lacto-Fermentation (Lactic Acid Bacteria or LABS) you want more of a sourdough smell as opposed to alcohol. I'm currently fermenting several batches of wine, and there is a noticeable difference to them compared to my fermented feed. Both methods involve the production of carbon dioxide, which is heavier than oxygen and slowly forces it out the bucket, protecting the chicken's food from oxidation or spoiling. When you are stirring the feed, it is allowing the carbon dioxide to off-gas and become a healthier environment. It is also spreading the sugars around for the bacteria to have better access to and return to a properly fermented state. When the feed clumps together, it becomes inaccessible.

 

[Demosthine]

I am about to take another Bee tip and move my ff bucket out to the coop. I'm tired of having to haul it all out there 2X/day! But I don't trust them so I'm going to bungee strap it in the corner. I can just imagine the party they'd have with a bucket of spilt ff. lol

Would a Bee tip be a "Bip"? lol

Bips! Now that's something she should add to her book when she's writing it...

 

[Triple Willow]

Folks I have been thinking about how to go about having good quality forage/greens during the winter and of course save on the feed bill. I don't know a whole lot about it but I think SILAGE might be a very good option. It is fermented so it would be really good for the birds. If any of you have the time (and the want to) we might could figure out how to make/store silage in buckets and put it away for winter.

 

[armorfirelady]

I am about to take another Bee tip and move my ff bucket out to the coop. I'm tired of having to haul it all out there 2X/day! But I don't trust them so I'm going to bungee strap it in the corner. I can just imagine the party they'd have with a bucket of spilt ff. lol

Would a Bee tip be a "Bip"? lol

Mine is in the coop as well. I agree making sure its fastened down is needed. I used to have just a piece of wood sitting on the top but the girls figured out how to get it off. Now its sitting on a shelf that holds their nesting boxes and its just the right height that a cover isn't needed since they can't get their heads in it. Doesn't mean they don't try tho

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Willow, I have read a lot of bad reports on silage and how there's a greatly increased risk of disease from it. Not sure that it's the best plan. I'd rather sprout seeds.

Update;
So yesterday I upped the feed intake of my CX's. They chowed down and were doin' great. Today they're being fat and lazy and there was SOOOOO much more poo under the tractor. I am thinking maybe I raised their feed intake too much and they just gobbled it down because that's what they do, and then they just ate too much and are fat and lazy today as a result. They've eaten only a little more than their "normal" amount of food so far today, and are still snacking on grass (at last) even with FF in the pen, but there's more left in the bin, I think I am not going to feed it to them today. I will feed it tomorrow and go for something inbetween the whole lot I fed yesterday and the probably-too-little I have been feeding before this.

I also just got new hay for the rabbits and gave the laying girls about 50lbs of almost year-old hay to play in, in both pen and coop. I'm building up their deep litter in the coop for winter, and their woodchips have decomposed rapidly so far this year and are starting to fade into the dirt!

 

[Triple Willow]

Actually, fermenting does not always produce alcohol.  There are two main types of fermentation: bacterial (lacto-fermentation) and yeast.  In bacterial fermentation, which is the goal for fermented feed, beneficial bacteria consume the sugars and produce lactic acid.  This acid gives you the sour taste that you experience in foods like yogurt and fermented pickles.  In yeast fermentation, alcohol is produced.

For the method we are attempting to use, Lacto-Fermentation (Lactic Acid Bacteria or LABS) you want more of a sourdough smell as opposed to alcohol.  I'm currently fermenting several batches of wine, and there is a noticeable difference to them compared to my fermented feed.  Both methods involve the production of carbon dioxide, which is heavier than oxygen and slowly forces it out the bucket, protecting the chicken's food from oxidation or spoiling.  When you are stirring the feed, it is allowing the carbon dioxide to off-gas and become a healthier environment.  It is also spreading the sugars around for the bacteria to have better access to and return to a properly fermented state.  When the feed clumps together, it becomes inaccessible.

Yep, Bee will be Bipping away soon I hope! LOL

Demosthine, you certainly have a good understanding of fermentation... Ever studied up on silage???

 

[Triple Willow]

Mine is in the coop as well. I agree making sure its fastened down is needed. I used to have just a piece of wood sitting on the top but the girls figured out how to get it off. Now its sitting on a shelf that holds their nesting boxes and its just the right height that a cover isn't needed since they can't get their heads in it. Doesn't mean they don't try tho

I don't trust mine after seeing what they did to the first nest box I put out there. lol They turned it over, rolled it around and dug all the shavings out except maybe two handfuls then spread the shavings all over the coop like they were told to. lol