Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[hokankai]

Smart move. I don't have any mess. But, I am also only using a 10g bucket. I use an old strainer of mine and scoop it up and let it rest while I get my coffee and try to get quasi coherent. Then dump it in the bowls and tske it out. Nominal amounts of liquid goes with it.

See and when I strain it I have to manually rub it around the screen strainer to get the water out. Maybe I'm working too hard...I make mine look like very thick oatmeal when I serve it. When I let it sit it clogs the screen after a second and doesn't drain, so I have to keep stirring it.

 

[colburg]

See and when I strain it I have to manually rub it around the screen strainer to get the water out. Maybe I'm working too hard...I make mine look like very thick oatmeal when I serve it. When I let it sit it clogs the screen after a second and doesn't drain, so I have to keep stirring it.

You can serve it at any consistency and they'll eat it(trust me, they'll eat it soupy or re-dried). I stopped straining after about 1 day of that nonsense. If there's waaay too much liquid, I just throw in a handful of feed to absorb the water. Only takes 30-60 minutes to see it thicken up.

 

[Mingming]

If I happen to let my FF strain too long and it gets dry, I add a bit of milk. Bee mentioned about calcium probably being good for them, and I agree. Or I add the left over water from green veggies that I cook in a bit of water - they eat it right up!

 

[hokankai]

You can serve it at any consistency and they'll eat it(trust me, they'll eat it soupy or re-dried). I stopped straining after about 1 day of that nonsense. If there's waaay too much liquid, I just throw in a handful of feed to absorb the water. Only takes 30-60 minutes to see it thicken up.

That...is GENIUS. I can't believe I didn't think of that! Hahahaha

 

[Impress]

Just wanted to stop by this thread and say THANK YOU! All my birds are now on the FF and they love it, I tossed some solid pellets out to test them, and they looked at them and went right back to the FF (which I affectionately call their slop.) My trays to start growing fodder should be here soon, and my kit for sprouting alfalfa for my chicks, and I think my birds are all on their way to being much healthier and happier!

 

[Costa Rica Art]

greetings

I normally dont jump in and ask a question in a forum without reading the thread but this is a looooong one.

So I want to try fermented feeding for my chooks. I have 36 chickens imported from the USA into the Philippines.

Apple cider vinegar is not readily availablle but a very yeasty alcohol is made from coconut three sap that turns to vinegar in 24 hrs at room temp.

What are thoughts on whether this would work?

Much appreciation

Oz

I have the same problem in Costa Rica, I use regular non-sweetened yogurt with all the natural probiotics, works like crazy. The batch smells just like good sourdough. Once you have a good mash going then your liquid is the starter for your next mash.

 

[ozexpat]

I have the same problem in Costa Rica, I use regular non-sweetened yogurt with all the natural probiotics, works like crazy. The batch smells just like good sourdough. Once you have a good mash going then your liquid is the starter for your next mash.

Thanks for your help. The closest thing I can get to yogurt would be Yakult. Its very trendy with the rich locals. I am sure that would work.

 

[Bleenie]

Has anyone else noticed a change in weight with their birds since switching to FF? I can really feel a difference when I pick the adult girls up. I mainly have wyandottes and always thought they were lighter than they should be. I picked up one the other day and she feels almost as heavy as my Chihuahua(almost 7lbs) so they have got to be around 5lbs now. It's very apparent they're getting MUCH more from their food than ever before!

I switched to mixing fresh feed everyday. I ferment in the house and I guess it's just too warm in here to backslop, always ends up getting slimy. I have been using 2 scoops and that expands to about 1.5gallons of mash. I'm feeding about 17 birds altogether, teens and adults. There's been about half of that left when they go to roost at night so after tomorrow I am planning to cut back to a single scoop, which i believe is about 3qts.(dry)



Also wanted to add, i lost a girl a few days ago and when i opened her up I noticed there was quite a bit more muscle than the last one I had to do this with. some fat but a very thin layer(quit adding corn). I was giving her shots before she passed and also noticed the breast area was more 'filled out'.

 

[colburg]

Has anyone else noticed a change in weight with their birds since switching to FF? I can really feel a difference when I pick the adult girls up. I mainly have wyandottes and always thought they were lighter than they should be. I picked up one the other day and she feels almost as heavy as my Chihuahua(almost 7lbs) so they have got to be around 5lbs now. It's very apparent they're getting MUCH more from their food than ever before!

I switched to mixing fresh feed everyday. I ferment in the house and I guess it's just too warm in here to backslop, always ends up getting slimy. I have been using 2 scoops and that expands to about 1.5gallons of mash. I'm feeding about 17 birds altogether, teens and adults. There's been about half of that left when they go to roost at night so after tomorrow I am planning to cut back to a single scoop, which i believe is about 3qts.(dry)



Also wanted to add, i lost a girl a few days ago and when i opened her up I noticed there was quite a bit more muscle than the last one I had to do this with. some fat but a very thin layer(quit adding corn). I was giving her shots before she passed and also noticed the breast area was more 'filled out'.

That "slime" is good. Kinda snotty, slimy, Nickelodeon goo looking stuff. It means you've got it goin on.

 

[porcupine73]

Ozexpat, you could try using raw milk from your goats as starters. That should contain some lactobacillius and other bacteria to get the fermentation going. Or the yogurt as mentioned. The sweet coconut drink you mention I am going to guess contains mostly wild yeasts favoring alcohol production, rather than lactic acid bacteria.