Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[mithious]

One more question, is there a difference in using yeast vs vinegar? If so, what and which is better, or do you all prefer? Thanks again and sorry for so many questions!!!

 

[Arielle]

I've been reading through this thread, although only got to page 35 so far. I have a huge waste of feed issue, so that is why I am looking into this FF process.

I also need to feed an animal protein, and live in an area so remote, we have only ONE feed store, that supplies a few smaller ones, so all the same feed. NONE is animal based protein.

My question is, can I use meat, like hamburger, for the animal protein. I doubt I can add it to the fermenting process, can I? But could I add some at the same time I feed the FF?

I tried some wet feed, with the chicks and they gobbled it up, so I doubt I would have a problem with the FF feed.

Do I need to cook any meat I would feed them? Right now, the older flock is supervised free ranging, as we have no cover yet up here, for them to hide in, if the need arises. So they are getting some bug protein. But the chicks are still in the brooders.

Anyone have any suggestions on the meat protein? I looked for bone meal, but there is no food grade. We really are out in nowhere land here.

The chicks are all Standard breeds.

Thanks in advance for any info!

Glad you found the thread!!

 

[Bethel3330]

One more question, is there a difference in using yeast vs vinegar? If so, what and which is better, or do you all prefer? Thanks again and sorry for so many questions!!!

The way I understand it, yeast produce alcohol which we don't want, but which is consumed by the lactobacillus anyway, which we do want. The lactobacillus is present in the air but more so in acv which is why it's used. Hth and I have that right.

 

[mithious]

The way I understand it, yeast produce alcohol which we don't want, but which is consumed by the lactobacillus anyway, which we do want. The lactobacillus is present in the air but more so in acv which is why it's used. Hth and I have that right.

So my chickens are a bit tipsy now?

No seriously I got that the lactobacillus consumes the alcohol. When I go into town I will pick up some vinegar, until then, all I have is yeast.

I NEED to make some feeders though and so would really appreciate how often you all clean out yours? ( I'm betting everyone is different, but an average would be great )That will decide me, on how I want to make and set them up for easy cleaning, if it needs to be done after every feeding. I am still carrying water, winter hit before we could run it into the coops. This summer it will be in, at some point but will still need to set something up, that is fairly easy to wash out. General idea is fine. Many ideas is fine!

I don't want to get a build up of bad bacteria from not washing things when needed and so far, have not found anything, in as far as I have gotten on this subject.

It's just me, so need to keep the work load "workable" for me.

This carrying out things to put the feed in, then carrying them back to clean, is very time consuming. By the way, the year olds, have not touched the feeder at all, since I put out the FF. I Know because I had put one of those "plastic"? black tubs under their feeder, to try to catch some of the feed they threw everywhere, and it is empty. They are almost finished with what I put out also. Just went out to put the water in the fount for the morning and shut them up for the night. They are some VERY happy chickens

and NO feed loss. I will check them again in a bit to make sure everyone is full.

Me too Arielle!!! I was getting very frustrated with the feed loss and $$$ loss too. ( I would bet they wasted near HALF of what I bought. after what I found, as I am slowly cleaning out the grow out coop ) Oh, last night, I had fed the 2+ week old chicks some FF, they actually slept most of the night, for the first time. They did get up a few times, but that was me disturbing them, I bet they would've slept all night, had I not had to get up.

The 4 week olds, no longer need a heat lamp, so they already sleep all night. Plus they have already eaten two of the containers of the FF.

I can't wait to get everyone into their respective coops! Still too cold at night here, days some too but it will be soon for the Dominique's. They are fully feathered and the weather should be improving soon??? I hope? Plus they are escaping when I open up their brooder for chores.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[topdycke]

I have seen two different methods for fermenting, several containers rotated out and a new one started each day you feed, and one kept going all the time, much like sourdough starter. What is everyone's favorite? If you use the second method, at what point do you clean it out and start a new batch? I can't seem to find that out, other than when it smells ''too sour''. Thanks

I just started feeding fermented starter. The six chicks have been having regular chicks behaving badly parties and pulling the feed out of a pvc tube feeder ...which I will say was an improvement on the store bought feeder... but I digress. I feed twice a day and put out enough ff that they will have cleaned the container when I next pick it up or I don't put as much out. They also get some kitchen scraps. Today it was cantaloupe rinds and seeds and pear cores.

After reading through the notes and how to start the feed and what it smelled like, it reminded me of an Amish Friendship bread thing that I received once a long long time ago. You got a batch of starter and added to it and took part and used it and added more to the mix and gave some to a friend. It was a perpetual thing. As long as you used up some and added some and stirred and gave a bit to someone , the mix kept 'alive'. Bee...perhaps we need Amish friendship fermented feed swaps so people aren't afraid how to get going?

 

[MargaretYakoda]

I NEED to make some feeders though and so would really appreciate how often you all clean out yours?

Confession time: Never. We never wash the FF dishes. We've also never washed out the FF cooler.

We started out last fall with some FF in an old camp cooler. I put in feed, water, ACV, and some yogurt cultures. Every so often we put in more water and feed. Maybe a glop of ACV if we put in more water than usual. Sometimes we scrape down the sides. We plop the FF into old pyrex dishes or and old dog dish. Occasionally if there's chicken poop in a dish we hose it out. That's it.

Now that I'm writing this out, it's occurring to me that the reason we'd wash would be to get rid of bad germs on the dishes, but if we've got good FF set up then the majority of the germs colonizing on the dishes would be the same good germs.

 

[maryhysong]

Confession time: Never. We never wash the FF dishes. We've also never washed out the FF cooler.

We started out last fall with some FF in an old camp cooler. I put in feed, water, ACV, and some yogurt cultures. Every so often we put in more water and feed. Maybe a glop of ACV if we put in more water than usual. Sometimes we scrape down the sides. We plop the FF into old pyrex dishes or and old dog dish. Occasionally if there's chicken poop in a dish we hose it out. That's it.

Now that I'm writing this out, it's occurring to me that the reason we'd wash would be to get rid of bad germs on the dishes, but if we've got good FF set up then the majority of the germs colonizing on the dishes would be the same good germs.

I don't wash mine either. Sometimes with chicks if they don't finish it all it dries up hard and little chicks have a hard time eating it; in that case I just add some water to the dish to soften it up and feed less until they are cleaning it right up.

Have never washed the bucket in over a year either. I do use metal buckets for carrying feed out to the coop so those do get rinsed out daily but I do it as part of making up the next batch.

I use various things, but my fav is to screw pieces of plastic gutter to the side of the chicken house.

 

[Bethel3330]

After reading through the notes and how to start the feed and what it smelled like, it reminded me of an Amish Friendship bread thing that I received once a long long time ago.  You got a batch of starter and added to it and took part and used it and added more to the mix and gave some to a friend.  It was a perpetual thing.  As long as you used up some and added some and stirred and gave a bit to someone , the mix kept 'alive'.  Bee...perhaps we need Amish friendship fermented feed swaps so people aren't afraid how to get going?   

I forgot all about that! We had those go around a few times at work about ten years ago

 

[RoseMarie1]

Someone posted this recipe on our states fb page and I am wondering if this is all the chickens would need in vitamins and such? Except for calcium of course.

Also have another question....I have upped my protein amount in my feed to help get some feathers on my RIR girls and don't think it's helping one bit. So the only conclusion I can come up with now is they are pulling and eating the feathers. I saw one tonight after the roo mated her and pulled out a feather her or one of the others got the feather and ate it. That's the first time I have actually seen that in awhile so now I am thinking that is what's going on because their feathers just aren't growing back in. They're getting blistered from the sun now. I have applied castor oil until I am blue in the face.

Someone said Dollar general sells some fermicidal spray stuff that is nasty tasting so am thinking about getting some of that and spraying on their feathers and backs. Any other ideas to break this nasty habit? Also thinking it might be the roo but there is 15 hens and 1 roo. Thought about separating him from them for awhile to see IF that would help them grow back on?????? am at wits end here.

ALSO have no clue where to find some of these ingredients below since I have asked and asked at the feed stores I go to for different kinds of grains. Don't know WHY they wont carry this stuff. ???? The last few things I can find except on the kelp. ??

HOMEMADE CHICKEN FEED




12 cups organic feeder oats .34 lb.
8 cups organic soft white wheat .38 lb.
8 cups organic hard red wheat .26 lb.
6 cups organic corn .42 lb.
4 cups organic lentils .54 lb.
4 cups organic split peas .47 lb.
2 cups organic flaxseed 1.68 lb.
1 cup sesame seeds 2.27 lb.
3/4 cup kelp granuals 3.25 lb.
2 tlb. olive oil, coconut oil or molasses

 

[Triple Willow]

I use yogurt, buttermilk or a big blop of other ff to start a new batch of ff. You don't have to use anything but that just makes it ferment faster. I think ...about the middle of last summer I might have washed my feeders. On the water, check out using a 5 gallon bucket and poultry nipples (a DIY project). I haven't done that yet but I am fixing to. It will make for clean water and less refills.