Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[LindaB220]

Just curious if anyone else's skin burns when you get the ferment juice on it? Sometimes I scoop out w/ a colander instead of a shovel and when I do my hands will go under the water level, it causes my hands to have a burning feeling and they get red (no sore or blisters). I have a wheat allergy so am not sure if it is the ferment or the wheat, wondering if anyone else has this reaction.

That's interesting. I keep mine dryer so I don't have that problem. But it could be your allergies. Plastic Gloves?

 

[mommacassey]

Just curious if anyone else's skin burns when you get the ferment juice on it? Sometimes I scoop out w/ a colander instead of a shovel and when I do my hands will go under the water level, it causes my hands to have a burning feeling and they get red (no sore or blisters). I have a wheat allergy so am not sure if it is the ferment or the wheat, wondering if anyone else has this reaction.

I wonder if it isn't a combination of your allergy and the strength of your feed. I've only been fermenting for about a month, but you're certainly the first to mention this, that I've seen.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Do you get the same reaction to Vinegar? Once in a while, I will get a burning sensation and a really light rash on my arms when I use vinegar to clean and it gets on my skin for a prolonged time.
I wouldn't rule out the allergy either, be careful with that.

 

[Kassaundra]

Do you get the same reaction to Vinegar? Once in a while, I will get a burning sensation and a really light rash on my arms when I use vinegar to clean and it gets on my skin for a prolonged time.
I wouldn't rule out the allergy either, be careful with that.

I'll have to try putting vinegar on my hands and see if it happens.

 

[mithious]

Hi, been a while, been sooo busy haven't been able to be on here lately.

I have a question or so for ya'll...since it has gotten very warm, I have noticed that my ferment is turning to alcohol very quickly. I didn't use a starter for mine and all was great until the weather go so hot.

I use just the crumbles/layer which seems to not turn as fast and pellets/layer that turns MUCH faster and has an almost dark brown color to it.

I have been mixing the two trying to use up the pellets and adding more of the crumbles than pellets.

I also notice it is getting very hot, literally hot.

I also have some of the younger group that is having more watery poop, which could be heat related and due to them drinking more water on top of the water in the feed.

I have one Dominique that has a very pale comb and wattles but is eating and drinking and acting normal.

Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong? Is the feed going bad on me?

I leave enough for one feed in the bucket to make the next days feed, but can only make one day at a time now or it turn to very strong alcohol.

I also noticed some of them are not eating as much and I have one injured pullet in the house that I nursed back to health, she got her eye pecked I think? or injured somehow but is recovering slowly and she was eating the same food and just stopped eating it yesterday. It could be the heat, as I don't really feel like eating when it's this hot, but just want to make sure I am not giving them bad feed and making them sick????? or in this two's case, sicker.

When it was cold, I used hot tap water, but am using cold water now, as it doesn't seem to turn as quick with the cold.

Hope that is enough info, and not too much info for some help????

Just checking as I just started this, this spring. They were doing just fine until the heat...BUT...there is a difference in the way the feed looks and smells also now.

Thanks all!

 

[mithious]

Sorry forgot to add, I have treated all with corid and wormed them, cleaned out coops and checked for lice/mites. So that shouldn't be an issue now...and all had perfect poop until the heat.

 

[RachelJG]

Just curious if anyone else's skin burns when you get the ferment juice on it?  Sometimes I scoop out w/ a colander instead of a shovel and when I do my hands will go under the water level, it causes my hands to have a burning feeling and they get red (no sore or blisters).  I have a wheat allergy so am not sure if it is the ferment or the wheat, wondering if anyone else has this reaction.

Yes. Always went away quickly though, and I figured it was bc of the acid getting in my perpetual assortment of blisters and abrasions and hang nails and scratched bug bites.

 

[Kassaundra]

I live in OK, much hotter then NH, and mine is outside all the time, it gets hot in the summer, and freezes in the winter (just for a day or two at a time and not solid all the way through) for 3 years and has never had a problem. I do grains though not pellets or crumbles and keep mine very liquid (2 ish inches of water on top)



Sorry I thought I quoted @mithious post

 

[Lavmoon]

@mithious

I thought you are supposed to use non chlorinated water maybe that is the issue? I use grower crumbles, BOSS and alphalpha pellets in mine here in Georgia. It is very hot here my FF is outside in the shade but I haven't had any issues yet...

 

[Kassaundra]

I use water straight from the hose, when you do 30 gallons at a time dechlorinating the water isn't possible and have never had issues.

tried putting the vinegar on my hands it was just like water, no problems no burning, so I bet it is the wheat.