Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Simeo]

How long is fermented feed good for until it 'goes bad'? Is there a limit?

Would I be able to make a 5 gallon bucket full and keeping it covered, be able to almost indefinitely have a 'base' for the fermented feed but just adding more feed and water as it gets low?

Thank you.

 

[aoxa]

How long is fermented feed good for until it 'goes bad'? Is there a limit?

Would I be able to make a 5 gallon bucket full and keeping it covered, be able to almost indefinitely have a 'base' for the fermented feed but just adding more feed and water as it gets low?

Thank you.

I haven't added feed to my chick FF bucket in a couple weeks. It's not bad yet. I do have to add more feed though.

There is no limit if you keep adding feed. I bet there is a limit if you don't.. as I added too much from the get-go in that bucket, and needed to use up what I already had cooking.

No one's dead, and they absolutely love it. It smells very fermented though.

 

[mlowen]

I tried FF for my dog. He did not/has not thrown up, but he really doesn't love it. I'm going to feed him his regular (minus a cup) and just add what is currently fermented until the bucket is empty. I do keep U-ACV in his water. That way he gets some good pro-biotics in him.

 

[Simeo]

I haven't added feed to my chick FF bucket in a couple weeks. It's not bad yet. I do have to add more feed though.

There is no limit if you keep adding feed. I bet there is a limit if you don't.. as I added too much from the get-go in that bucket, and needed to use up what I already had cooking.

No one's dead, and they absolutely love it. It smells very fermented though.

That's what I was worried about. Thank you! I couldn't see why adding/rotating out the feed would be bad as long as it's continuously refreshing but I needed to ask.

I think I'll start fermenting feed for my full grown layers too. Was thinking about having "that 5-gallon bucket" as the fermenting feed bucket for the girls. Anybody have thoughts on this? Will it stretch the feed with more nutrition like with the chicks?

 

[colburg]

How long is fermented feed good for until it 'goes bad'? Is there a limit?

Would I be able to make a 5 gallon bucket full and keeping it covered, be able to almost indefinitely have a 'base' for the fermented feed but just adding more feed and water as it gets low?

Thank you.

Kassundra has had hers going for over a year. I'm not sure how often she adds food or stirs it up. Though, I am curious. Kassundra?

I've let mine sit for 5 days without touching it. No stirring, adding food..nuttin. And it's been fine.

 

[Kassaundra]

Kassundra has had hers going for over a year. I'm not sure how often she adds food or stirs it up. Though, I am curious. Kassundra?

I've let mine sit for 5 days without touching it. No stirring, adding food..nuttin. And it's been fine.

I add new grains every couple to several weeks, as far as stirring, not often. We ferment the grains in a large trash can (plastic). It get surface stirred every day when we get some out to feed, but deep to the bottom stirring is done by a shovel when we think about it (not often). I only ferment grains though, we tried the feed and while fermenting it was fine we really liked out easy peasy 24/7 automatic pellet food keeper/feeder dump a 50 lb bag every couple of months and your done.

Update on dog fermented food two of the 3 won't touch it (guess if they got hungry enough maybe) the third eats it and has stopped vomitting. I'll just feed the one dog what I have left and then dump the juice in the chickens ferment.



Oh and I almost forgot, our ferment is going on almost 2 years now. Just adding to our original ferment and ours was started w/ grains and water no lab, acv, yogurt, kefir etc.......

 

[Simeo]

Oh and I almost forgot, our ferment is going on almost 2 years now. Just adding to our original ferment and ours was started w/ grains and water no lab, acv, yogurt, kefir etc.......

When you say 'just grains' what grains do you mean? I thought chickens needed more than just grains to get the nutritional balance they require? Are you talking about only meat birds? I'm curious, please expand on the feed.

Thank you for clarifying the length of time for the fermented feed. I feel much better now.

 

[Kassaundra]

When you say 'just grains' what grains do you mean? I thought chickens needed more than just grains to get the nutritional balance they require? Are you talking about only meat birds? I'm curious, please expand on the feed.

Thank you for clarifying the length of time for the fermented feed. I feel much better now.

The post stated I feed dry layer pellets, I supplement w/ fermented and sprouted grains. They have free access to the pellets, but only eat them as a last resort. They also have about 1/3 of an acre to forage on, which I am increasingly actively planting different food stuffs for them to forage. I need to get a more invasive comfrey since they wiped that out this year (suppose to be unkillable, but they really really liked it, as soon as a speck of green poked through the ground it was eaten). I also feed feeder insects and am working on starting a red wiggler bed or two to add to the insect part of thier diets and deal w/ the poo.

No I don't have meaties, just a general laying flock that I eat the culls.


Sorry forgot the what grains part right now oats, wheat,and cracked corn (usually oats and wheat) that is what I can easily and cheaply buy in my area, I intend to keep the cracked corn in the mix during the winter while they need higher calories for heat.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have been feeding FF for about 80 days now, and since I feed about 63 birds, I have to keep several buckets going. I have 1 double bucket system, which is currently being fed (lasts 2 full days,) then 2 other single buckets which are kept pretty wet on top. When the 1st bucket is empty, I just dump the 2nd one into the double bucket to drain off and feed. Then I take a bunch of ferment liquid from the bottom of the double bucket and start a new batch. Only once after 2 months, did I start over because the ferment liquid had a strong chemical smell. It was easy enough to have a whole new batch in 3 days with a dose of ACV. I have found that my indoor temp of 69-70F is just right for fermentation.

 

[colburg]

I have been feeding FF for about 80 days now, and since I feed about 63 birds, I have to keep several buckets going. I have 1 double bucket system, which is currently being fed (lasts 2 full days,) then 2 other single buckets which are kept pretty wet on top. When the 1st bucket is empty, I just dump the 2nd one into the double bucket to drain off and feed. Then I take a bunch of ferment liquid from the bottom of the double bucket and start a new batch. Only once after 2 months, did I start over because the ferment liquid had a strong chemical smell. It was easy enough to have a whole new batch in 3 days with a dose of ACV. I have found that my indoor temp of 69-70F is just right for fermentation.

I like that.

I was thinking of starting a 3rd double bucket, but that'll do just fine using only one bucket. LOVE it.