I started my FF with about a teaspoon of yeast in some warm water. I waited till the yeast was showing bubbles then put that in my plastic bucket. I added some water (if you are on city water make sure you allow it to dechlorinate before adding it to the yeast mixture) and then some grain. I added some sugar so the yeast would have something that would allow it to multiply fast. I added some fine ground chicken feed (I cannot get crumbles near my home) and more water. To get things happening faster I put my containers on top of my fridge where it is nice and warm. After getting things fermenting quickly you can put the containers anywhere as it will always ferment just slower the cooler it gets. I'm still experimenting with how long to ferment where I put my containers and how much fermentation the flock likes. I got real lucky in that the container (plastic trash cans) hold way more than my flock needs plus I have a large strainer that fits snugly in the top of the container. I can pour the 2/3s contents of one container into the strainer and allow it to drain while I do other things. After I transfer the FF from the strainer I stir what was left in the first container then add that to what drained from the strainer. I rinse the first container dumping that into the new batch and add the same amount of feed and water. I check the new batch after a few hours to make sure there is water standing on top and add water if necessary. There are always bubbles indicating that the mash is still fermenting in the oldest batch I have which is now going on 72 hours. That batch will be fed in the morning to see how the chickens like it aged that long. I will then let another batch age 96 hours to see if they like it better or less. It seems like the guinea hens like it anyway as long as it is moist, maybe they like the fermentation results, the stronger the better!
