Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Toast n Jelly]

Quote:
Thanks for the link...I'd forgotten that site. But it dosen't explain why it happens and if it's a sign of bad things to come. unfortunately, I don't know which one it came from.

 

[aoxa]

Thanks for the link...I'd forgotten that site. But it dosen't explain why it happens and if it's a sign of bad things to come. unfortunately, I don't know which one it came from.

It's called a Lash Egg.

Looking up more info.

 

[Ashdoes]

We had one night that stayed -1 all night, my FF was almost a solid block of ice. I started bringing it back in the house again.

 

[Costa Rica Art]

I wonder if it would ring true for hard water... I have terrible hard water.

Hum, not real sure about how the hard water would affect the fermentation. You just may have to allow the ferment longer time as I would think the process as it goes acidic it would over come the hardness. The hardness is calcium/lime which I think are both beneficial for the chickens, perhaps as the fermentation progresses everything should be OK. My water is a little hard but it doesn't seem to really affect the process. Someone who has done a lot of research and fact gathering on the process of fermentation is Heather of Scratch Cradle see her well researched series on fermentation at http://scratchcradle.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/fermented-feed/. She has it in a 4 part series and covers the process very well in my ex-engineer opinion.

 

[aoxa]

Hum, not real sure about how the hard water would affect the fermentation. You just may have to allow the ferment longer time as I would think the process as it goes acidic it would over come the hardness. The hardness is calcium/lime which I think are both beneficial for the chickens, perhaps as the fermentation progresses everything should be OK. My water is a little hard but it doesn't seem to really affect the process. Someone who has done a lot of research and fact gathering on the process of fermentation is Heather of Scratch Cradle see her well researched series on fermentation at http://scratchcradle.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/fermented-feed/. She has it in a 4 part series and covers the process very well in my ex-engineer opinion.

My water is really, really hard. We have a softener, but it has run out of salt on occasion and smells like sulfur. It's not pleasant - but has been tested and is fine otherwise. We have well water.

 

[3 NH reds]

Ok so far I am fermenting grains because they drain better and I am looking to mix up what the birds eat so its a win win. Yesterday I started to ferment dry dog food. Thinking this could be nuts and waited for my wife to lock me on the funny farm over this experiment. But like she said with one gas power plant and one shedding machine lets try it for a week.

 

[BullChick]

I didn't mean back slopping goes bad. I meant someone said that if the same batch of feed ferments for more than four days, it will no longer be any good. I have no worries over making 2 days worth of feed, adding more feed the next day, mixing the old with the new, etc. It is more that if you go away for a week, the FF that has been sitting there will be no good.

 

[aoxa]

I didn't mean back slopping goes bad. I meant someone said that if the same batch of feed ferments for more than four days, it will no longer be any good. I have no worries over making 2 days worth of feed, adding more feed the next day, mixing the old with the new, etc. It is more that if you go away for a week, the FF that has been sitting there will be no good.

Tell that to my 17 chicks who have been eating the same feed in the same bucket going on 5 weeks now. Never had chicks this big, healthy and feathered out before.

 

[Kassaundra]

I didn't mean back slopping goes bad. I meant someone said that if the same batch of feed ferments for more than four days, it will no longer be any good. I have no worries over making 2 days worth of feed, adding more feed the next day, mixing the old with the new, etc. It is more that if you go away for a week, the FF that has been sitting there will be no good.

I ferment grains in a large trash can, and only add new every 3 ish weeks and have fed out of it for over 1.5 years no dead chickens yet.

 

[Suzierd]

I've been confused all along. Everyone is raving about the FF, but every time I try my flock on FF, they get loose stools, very watery. I've tried the 2 bucket system, and let it drain 30min or more. I've also tried mixing it very dry, but then I'm not sure it's fermenting (no bubbles). No matter what mix I use, it's too wet. After I stop the FF their stools go back to normal again. I've tried the FF 3 times now and have been unsuccessful each time. What am I doing wrong?

You should be seeing the bubbles if its working. Do you use medicated chick starter? That might effect it. I would add some scratch, are you putting in a little ACV with the mother?
I have city water and mine bubbles and smells great. I use flock grower, layer and scratch add a little ground flax and pumpkin seed. When I dish it out in a bowl to feed I add a little dry food to it to get rid of the sloppiness and wild bird seed. They eat it better that way.