Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Kinmera]

Ok so the trick is to find something that has LIVE active Acidophilus cultures.

If I end up using yogurt --- do I need to mix it up in the water first?

Would RAW milk work?

 

[debbiegt]

ok I'm feeling massively overwhelmed after reading pages here...

My daughter has about 30 cobb (CX crosses) for a 4H market chicken project.  They are hungry little buggers so anything that extends my feed money is huge.

I am very interested in doing the FF, but I have some questions that if they were answered before I missed =(

1.  I do not have access to a source of UP/ACV at this time.   Is there a reason why I cannot use Pasturized ACV?

2.  Could I simply use a sourdough starter as the basis of my FF?  I make my own bread and have LOTS of yeast around the house.

3.  The chicks (born 5.31.14) are eating starter mash.  Will this complicate matters?

 

[debbiegt]

http://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/ sorry that wasn't done correctly Kinmera, try that link it is very helpful

 

[Sabz]

I haven't read the whole 1624 pages, so I am missing a bit of info to start my FF

What type of grains do you put in it?
Corn, BOSS, sunflower,lentils.. any grains? Or some or better than others?

To be sure I understand.. if I am not using any starter culture, it will eventually start doing lacto-fermentation even so, right?

Last question: where do you buy the grains? At the coop or at a human food place? (IE I know a place that has many different grains sold in bulk, but I guess I am going to pay more for human grade food than what is sold at the coop?).

 

[Kinmera]

http://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/ sorry that wasn't done correctly Kinmera, try that link it is very helpful

Ok not that i'm going to stop reading all 1600 pages .... but THIS WAS AMAZINGLY HELPFUL!!!
Thank you!!!

 

[Angelicisi]

These work awesome, are light weight too. Half a PVC pipe and screw a piece of board to each end.

What type of feeding system do you all use to feed the chickens the ff? I know a normal feeder will not work and I do not think a bowl of ff is a good idea. So what do you do?

 

[LindaB220]

I haven't read the whole 1624 pages, so I am missing a bit of info to start my FF

What type of grains do you put in it?
Corn, BOSS, sunflower,lentils.. any grains? Or some or better than others?

To be sure I understand.. if I am not using any starter culture, it will eventually start doing lacto-fermentation even so, right?

Last question: where do you buy the grains? At the coop or at a human food place? (IE I know a place that has many different grains sold in bulk, but I guess I am going to pay more for human grade food than what is sold at the coop?).

Got a feed store nearby? I buy Boss and whole corn as well as scratch. I haven't checked on wheat but they do have crimped oats. Don't get whole. They never soften up. I can buy gamebird 26% protein for $18 and mix it with a lot of other stuff. Don't need much. Protein 18-20%

 

[Kinmera]

I have about 12 of the hanging feeder troughs from when my DH's grandmother raised turkeys -- they are close to 70 years old and made of Stainless Steel.

I'm hoping they will work with the FF.

If not, I'll just go hit every TOPS and WALMART deli department in the area instead of the 1 near my home for empty frosting buckets.

 

[LindaB220]

I have about 12 of the hanging feeder troughs from when my DH's grandmother raised turkeys -- they are close to 70 years old and made of Stainless Steel.

I'm hoping they will work with the FF.

If not, I'll just go hit every TOPS and WALMART deli department in the area instead of the 1 near my home for empty frosting buckets.

Get a rain gutter and cut it in half. Use a cement block on each end Put ea 5' gutter in lower hole for small or upper hole for grown chickens. That gives you two 5' feeders w/ 4 cement block. Cheapest, easiest ever.

 

[Kinmera]

Get a rain gutter and cut it in half. Use a cement block on each end Put ea 5' gutter in lower hole for small or upper hole for grown chickens. That gives you two 5' feeders w/ 4 cement block. Cheapest, easiest ever.

But very complicated to move. My CX's are in a tractor that is moved daily. I hang the troughs on the wire sides.