Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Kilsharion]

I didn't really measure, but I hardly ever do when baking/cooking so I feel fairly confident in my measurements. I used maybe a 1/8 cup ACV in a 1.5 gallon container with about 2.5-3 cups of food and enough water to cover & I added a more water to cover around the 8 hr mark. Although my container is clear, I have it in my brooding room (a bathroom that needed some repairs to begin with) in a cabinet, so it's been sitting in 90 + degrees. Other than the temp, the only other thing I could think of is what others have mentioned, and I don't know if you have well or town water. I have well that is (surprisingly) low in contaminants. I honestly don't know if that will effect it or not (I stunk at chem in HS), but if you live in town or the city I would try getting water at the grocery from one of the dispensers that are often outside (I think it's maybe $1 for a gallon, but is probably much less). I hope the yeast works for you, it stinks when feed needs to be wasted, and I hope this helps if the yeast doesn't. I'll cross my toes for ya, since my fingers are crossed for my batch.

Or, give a touch of sugar/molasses when adding the yeast. Sometimes yeast needs a wake up call.

I've used an entire bottle of ACV in my FF along with city water; but, I also added a bit of yeast and some sugar to kick start everything.

I have well, city and rain water here and I've started my FF with all three. The absolute best result was with my rain water. The second best was with well. The one that needed the most fussing was city. YMMV

 

[Phottoman]

I honestly don't know if that will effect it or not (I stunk at chem in HS), but if you live in town or the city I would try getting water at the grocery from one of the dispensers that are often outside (I think it's maybe $1 for a gallon, but is probably much less).

I would HOPE it was less. Here in Northern Arizona (and almost every where I have traveled) it is normally $.25 (thwnty five cents) per gallon from those machines.

We fill all our bottles, 2 - five gallon, and 3 - two gallon bottles every week for just the two of us, and at $.25 per gallon, it costs me $4 per week for sixteen gallons of water. When I have been in WalMart and bought their water, they charge $.24 per gallon, but then added tax, so it actually cost more there than at the other places I have shopped and stopped.

I have never been sick a day in my life, but three years after moving here I was in a hospital with Kidney Stones, some of which were so big, we were trying to pick names for them. OUCH. The doctor and nurses told me that the water here was the reason for my hospitalization. We have been on store bought water ever since.

Skip

 

[kuntrygirl]

Anyone ferment feed for 200+ birds?

Did someone get the rooster special from a hatchery?

No rooster special. That's they number of birds that I have.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Anyone ferment feed for 200+ birds?

Starting tomorrow I will be fermenting for 143 (50 new due tomorrow) chicks, 53 hens and 2 roosters. The baby chicks are getting fermented starter and the big girls and roos are getting fermented grain with free choice dry crumbles. I currently have 2 five gallon grain bucket ferments going and a 5 gallon starter feed with a That's a bowl filled to supplement. We are going to be setting up about 5 more systems for when the meatbirds go outside and start getting fermented grain, too. It keeps me hoppin'!!

Let me know how that turns out. I don't think that I can do it for my birds. I have too many.

 

[Kilsharion]

Let me know how that turns out. I don't think that I can do it for my birds. I have too many.

I don't see why. I think Yinepu has something close to 200 on her place and she uses FF.

As for doing a huge batch - it's just as easy as a small batch. And, talking MASSIVE batch, like a full 50 gallon drum full of FF, you could do without too much trouble, too. Just have to change up your draining process. Using a large bin to ferment in with a tap at the bottom (like used for extracting honey) would work. Just put a filter in to catch the feed so it doesn't all pour right out the tap; and, place a press on top. When ready to use the feed, place a bucket on the ground under the tap. Open the tap. Press the feed. Dump drained feed into the 'barrow to haul out to the masses. Close the tap. Pour liquid back into feed bin. Add appropriate amount of feed and additional water. Let ferment until next feeding.

Certainly more time consuming than just providing regular feed, though.

 

[BirdbyGavin1103]

I would HOPE it was less. Here in Northern Arizona (and almost every where I have traveled) it is normally $.25 (thwnty five cents) per gallon from those machines.

We fill all our bottles, 2 - five gallon, and 3 - two gallon bottles every week for just the two of us, and at $.25 per gallon, it costs me $4 per week for sixteen gallons of water. When I have been in WalMart and bought their water, they charge $.24 per gallon, but then added tax, so it actually cost more there than at the other places I have shopped and stopped.

I have never been sick a day in my life, but three years after moving here I was in a hospital with Kidney Stones, some of which were so big, we were trying to pick names for them. OUCH. The doctor and nurses told me that the water here was the reason for my hospitalization. We have been on store bought water ever since.

Skip

I looked at my local store and you're right about the price. Sorry for the high guess, the only time I've bought from those dispensers was during a flood (we were lucky, all we lost was some food and didn't have power for over a week) and I wasn't really worried about or paying attention to the price at the time.

OUCH, I only had one stone before I had my son and I'd take that back labor any day over stones, and mine was not very big.

 

[Zootopia]

No rooster special. That's they number of birds that I have.

I have about 150 adults and now about 75 chicks 2-7 wks the chicks are all started on fermented starter and we add rolled barley to their mix for the older chicks. I ferment scratch, corn and rolled barley for the adults. I drain it good and add it to their buckets. 6 pellets/2 F grains/1 fish pellet and a cup of Red Rice Bran.

 

[Zootopia]

No rooster special. That's they number of birds that I have.

I have about 150 adults and now about 75 chicks 2-7 wks the chicks are all started on fermented starter and we add rolled barley to their mix for the older chicks. I ferment scratch, corn and rolled barley for the adults. I drain it good and add it to their buckets. 6 pellets/2 F grains/1 fish pellet and a cup of Red Rice Bran
I have a barrel cut in half to start fermenting the mix all together, except for the fish pellets of course.

 

[SunnysMama]

Let me know how that turns out. I don't think that I can do it for my birds. I have too many.

Yeah, feeding 200 birds is no harder than feeding 20. Just a little more time consuming filling feeders at this point but as soon as all the meat birds go outside it will be just as easy as feeding them dry. I think making the fermented feed is the easiest part and the money saved on feed for that many is amazing!!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Let me know how that turns out. I don't think that I can do it for my birds. I have too many.

I don't see why. I think Yinepu has something close to 200 on her place and she uses FF. As for doing a huge batch - it's just as easy as a small batch. And, talking MASSIVE batch, like a full 50 gallon drum full of FF, you could do without too much trouble, too. Just have to change up your draining process. Using a large bin to ferment in with a tap at the bottom (like used for extracting honey) would work. Just put a filter in to catch the feed so it doesn't all pour right out the tap; and, place a press on top. When ready to use the feed, place a bucket on the ground under the tap. Open the tap. Press the feed. Dump drained feed into the 'barrow to haul out to the masses. Close the tap. Pour liquid back into feed bin. Add appropriate amount of feed and additional water. Let ferment until next feeding. Certainly more time consuming than just providing regular feed, though.

Just the sound of that confirms that I can't do it. With a full time job working 40 hours a week Monday - Friday, and rushing home to take care of 300+ animals (still having to feed rabbits, goats and sheep), have an egg/farm business, extra curricular activities, working out, etc, etc, etc, will not allow me time to do FF. :/ I can only wish.