Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[hellbender]

Update on the cooler method of fermenting in the winter months in the outside environment: I no longer smell or see any evidence of fermentation in the feed and this could mean either the culture has died or it is very dormant. I'd say it's just very dormant...we've had steady temps in the teens and 20s here and it doesn't look like it's going to change any time too soon. Since I don't want a dormant culture in the feed and to just feed wet grains, I'll be switching the feed to a large heated bucket this weekend to reactivate those little goodies.

I totally concur. Just feeding the whetted grain would not provide the important probiotic activity.

 

[Kassaundra]

Update on the cooler method of fermenting in the winter months in the outside environment: I no longer smell or see any evidence of fermentation in the feed and this could mean either the culture has died or it is very dormant. I'd say it's just very dormant...we've had steady temps in the teens and 20s here and it doesn't look like it's going to change any time too soon. Since I don't want a dormant culture in the feed and to just feed wet grains, I'll be switching the feed to a large heated bucket this weekend to reactivate those little goodies.

Mine froze more then usual this year too. We have had a week of no sun and below freezing temps so my black buckets did little good w/o sun. Since it isn't even winter officially yet, I am also thinking about my fermenting this year. Our last two winters have been more mild so my outdoor bucket may not work as well this year.

 

[hellbender]

I know you fail to see it and that may be because you are relatively new here...but these kind of things invariably do cause some people to post in protest of the practice. We've had that here in the past and we'd like to avoid it if we possibly can. We often deviate from the thread topic here and no one really cares too much, but usually when we talk about cutting on chickens without anesthesia someone gets their feathers ruffled.

At that point, to preserve the thread from a lock down, we usually suggest that a person start their own thread on the topic if they wish to discuss it further. Sometimes there are already threads devoted to that topic wherein people can discuss it freely because the thread title is clearly labeled as containing content on that practice.

Already said..no more discussion (by me) on the subject!!!

 

[Lacy Blues]

I won't be offended Bee. In fact, I think some of the dubbed birds look really cool. However, with my breeding stock, I'm trying not to use birds that haven't gone through their first big molt, so basically by spring, I'm using 2 year old birds and a lot of things can change by then. I need to see the quality of the combs and earlobes as well as other things about them so I don't really think it would be a good idea in my case.

If I didn't like my Andalusians so very much, I would seriously go for some rose combed dark brown leghorns! Gorgeous birds!

 

[Beekissed]

Good points, Lacy!

Since we are getting temps in the low teens the next couple of nights and I'm going out of town and must leave feed for 2 days for the flock and the rooster pen, I'm going to have to leave out dry food instead. Weird for me as I've not fed dry feed for quite some time...but I have no way of heating the feed for the rooster pen at this time. I could heat the layer flock's feed but since my feed is not at a good ferment right now, I'm just going to do dry for a couple of days.

Another thing to note..the other day I had refilled my feed storage can with a bag of feed that had gotten damp in the corners and then had sit, so I found clumps of molded feed in the mix. Without thinking much about it, I just tossed them out of the bag and carried on. Of course, later I realized the birds had eaten the molded feed clumps....

Then I remembered the same thing happening in the past when I found molded feed for one reason or another, I'd toss it out, only to find that the animals had consumed it by the next day.

So much for feeding moldy feed and the hazards of such. I'm thinking if birds were getting a high volume of the mycotoxins it might cause a problem but these occasional dips into moldy or spoiled foods don't seem to cause much difference.

 

[hellbender]

Good points, Lacy!

Since we are getting temps in the low teens the next couple of nights and I'm going out of town and must leave feed for 2 days for the flock and the rooster pen, I'm going to have to leave out dry food instead. Weird for me as I've not fed dry feed for quite some time...but I have no way of heating the feed for the rooster pen at this time. I could heat the layer flock's feed but since my feed is not at a good ferment right now, I'm just going to do dry for a couple of days.

Another thing to note..the other day I had refilled my feed storage can with a bag of feed that had gotten damp in the corners and then had sit, so I found clumps of molded feed in the mix. Without thinking much about it, I just tossed them out of the bag and carried on. Of course, later I realized the birds had eaten the molded feed clumps....

Then I remembered the same thing happening in the past when I found molded feed for one reason or another, I'd toss it out, only to find that the animals had consumed it by the next day.

So much for feeding moldy feed and the hazards of such. I'm thinking if birds were getting a high volume of the mycotoxins it might cause a problem but these occasional dips into moldy or spoiled foods don't seem to cause much difference.

Right you are bee! My birds are truly free range...They are only fenced, for all practical purposes, out of my yard!

I see them down in the area where we dump the used litter and they are picking through it to dig out crumbs of wasted food, whatever it is, along with bugs etc. They do this even in the hottest times of the year so if a little bacteria was going to kill chickens...I wouldn't have any!!!

 

[hellbender]

Bitterroot..and all interested. This was/is my rabbit shed...not the building but rather the area covered with a metal roof.

From the first post then going down slope is where we hung our cages before and will again. It needs cleaned out but

that can wait til Jason gets home to help. We cover three sides with 10 ml construction plastic and that makes a perfect

shed for Rabbits in the winter and as it is now, it's great for summer weather because a cool breeze always blows

down that hollow. Just use your imagination...lolol

 

[Bitterroot]

I'm jealous! Mine are in the garage, though I have plans to get off my butt and put in outdoor hutches this next year. We had a bear through here within a month of us moving in, so I wanted them in more substantial housing than just tossing my wire cages in the barn and calling it good. I envy those people who don't have many large predators roaming around. MT has definitely been a bit of a culture shock when it comes to raising anything - everything wants to kill or eat it. Even the pasture HAS to be irrigated or there's no forage. Always work needing to be done, but sadly only one me to get it all done. I've got all the lumber and concrete to set my posts, just need to get to it. The wind out here means everything has to be over-engineered. It can really howl through the Bitterroot range 5 miles to my west, when it has the mind to.

Starting my holiday baking today. I'm using eggs from my FF feed gals. Wonder if anyone will notice they're extra tasty this year?

Anyone else doing holiday stuff? Doing anything special for the holidays for your critters?

I love the idea of keeping the FF outside in a cooler. I'll probably give that a try this spring, since I'm going to be raising quite a few chickens and turkeys and am not sure if I can take that much ferment smell in my house on those extra warm days. One bucket is fine, but that amount of FF ...

Thanks for the idea, Bee.

 

[hellbender]

I'm jealous! Mine are in the garage, though I have plans to get off my butt and put in outdoor hutches this next year. We had a bear through here within a month of us moving in, so I wanted them in more substantial housing than just tossing my wire cages in the barn and calling it good. I envy those people who don't have many large predators roaming around. MT has definitely been a bit of a culture shock when it comes to raising anything - everything wants to kill or eat it. Even the pasture HAS to be irrigated or there's no forage. Always work needing to be done, but sadly only one me to get it all done. I've got all the lumber and concrete to set my posts, just need to get to it. The wind out here means everything has to be over-engineered. It can really howl through the Bitterroot range 5 miles to my west, when it has the mind to.

Starting my holiday baking today. I'm using eggs from my FF feed gals. Wonder if anyone will notice they're extra tasty this year?

Anyone else doing holiday stuff? Doing anything special for the holidays for your critters?

I love the idea of keeping the FF outside in a cooler. I'll probably give that a try this spring, since I'm going to be raising quite a few chickens and turkeys and am not sure if I can take that much ferment smell in my house on those extra warm days. One bucket is fine, but that amount of FF ...

Thanks for the idea, Bee.

We have our share of predators too. Black bears, coyotes, coon, mink feral cats and dogs....several others but the Patterdale Terriers either chase them off or kill them.

The rabbits will be protected from my dogs by 4 foot electrified poultry netting. I don't use hutches, per se. I hang each cage from all 4 corners with aircraft cables.

If someone or tow or three would actually try the fermented feed on THEIR rabbits, with good results, I'd certainly test it on a few of my future crosses.

 

[Bitterroot]

I understood how you meant to hang them. I'm just conversing, mentioning my option for caging out here. Occasional high winds and predators make a setup like that a luxury I can't afford.

Your bears must be tame.

We live between the mountain range, and the river the bears go to for fish. On top of what you have, we also have grizzlies, cougar, and a couple others I haven't seen yet out here but know they can pop up to include wolverine.