Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Demosthine]

The feed doesn't really go bad if you do a little maintenance on it. Stir the batch once or twice a day and feed as much or little as you want. A bittersweet smell is the normal, proper smell. Several have said it smells a bit like sourdough bread. If it starts smelling pungent and nasty, you'll know it's going bad. Add a large glob of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar to help it get back on track.

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

The feed doesn't really go bad if you do a little maintenance on it.  Stir the batch once or twice a day and feed as much or little as you want.  A bittersweet smell is the normal, proper smell.  Several have said it smells a bit like sourdough bread.  If it starts smelling pungent and nasty, you'll know it's going bad.  Add a large glob of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar to help it get back on track.

Thank you for this, Demosthine !! Sounds like I'm right on track !

 

[Brada Puhi]

Aloha, I have a white film forming on the top of the water. Kind of like the ivory soap in a tub when we were kids. Is that stuff okay?

mahalo, Puhi

 

[wlhtx]

Aloha, I have a white film forming on the top of the water.  Kind of like the ivory soap in a tub when we were kids.  Is that stuff okay?

mahalo, Puhi

Yep! That's the good bacteria. Means your ferment is working. Just stir it back and and feed it out.

 

[Zootopia]

Aloha, I have a white film forming on the top of the water.  Kind of like the ivory soap in a tub when we were kids.  Is that stuff okay?

mahalo, Puhi

It is fine, just stir it in use what uou need and feed and water it as needed. I have 2 half barrels going. I use about 1/3 of one a day. I use another 1/3 the next day and fill it back up with feed and water. No need to add a starter since there is still some in the barrel. Then I go to the other barrel and repeat. I stir once or twice a day. I was out of town for 3 days came home, stirred the barrels and fed. It is all good.

 

[Peneliva]

Started my fermented feed 2 days ago and fed what I think is the first of it today!

The adults and chicks went nuts for it! It was so funny they had it all over them. My mix is 2 parts feed (flock raiser) and 1 part scratch grains.

I can't wait to see how my girls end up and how it affects the younger birds growth/feathers.

 

[Brada Puhi]

Thanks

 

[shanmaria1]

...

I'm not going through that much food either and I'm feeding 38 chickens. I use about 50 pounds in a little over a week before I started fermenting and now it's less than that.
[/quote

Well....I don't know if my cornish cross were just pigs or what!? After processing we had a range of 3.5-7.25 lbs. there was only one 3.5 lb bird with therest being about 5.5-6 lbs.....they ate about 600 lbs of feed after I calculated.

 

[Regin]

Wow, that's not very good.

 

[shanmaria1]

I know!! Cost was about 10$ per bird:/....BUT, this was my first time. I ordered 40 more birds and I'm going to try fermenting from the beginning and only feeding twice per day. For awhile I was just filling feeders whenever they were low. OF COURSE they are going to keep eating! OY!