Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[NiaAbbott]

Hey everyone!
I have a batch of 19 cx's that are now 7 weeks old, I've been using FF for probably 5 weeks now. I have follow this chart and fed by weight since day one.

I have noticed that they are about a half a week behind in growth, (I know it's not that big of a deal) My question is, should I be feeding them a little more to account for the extra water weight in the FF?

I attribute feeding like this to our lack of health issues, we have only lost one bird, and that was due to crop issues, so I don't want to change too much, but I want to do this again, and like perfection

 

[Latestarter]

Ok cool so the next batch I do I will just make it moist and not wet. I know what you mean about the greyish white layer. Thank you very much this will make it much easier.

To clarify a bit... when you first mix the batch it will be very soupy and wet... not really "covered" with water, but soupy... As the meal absorbs the water and expands, the mix will become less wet, and more moist... if you're starting from scratch, it will take 3-4 days for the ferment to be complete, but since you already have some, start your bucket with some of the existing fermented feed (called "back slopping") and it will ferment over night.

 

[Burns Homestead]

So I have been feeding fermented feed for 5 days now and already notice a huge difference. Thanks to a lady I did a swap with here on BYC letting me know about it. I didn't notice much until today I went out and checked for eggs I had 10 Extra Eggs then normal Yay I was excited the eggs visually bigger then they and more color then pale looking Awesome this is something I will continue doing and reading this forum has helped alot...My kids think I'm crazy lol

 

[simolvsa]

So cover the mixture initially then when it absorbs the water just don't add any more water? When I started a new batch I just reused the water should I have some fermented feed to it aswell? I would like to know how much I should be feeding then because the same layer crumble I am fermenting is available free feed but they nearly touch it. However no matter how much of the fermented feed I put in front of them it still gets eaten. They are 22 week ISA brown not laying yet.

 

[Latestarter]

When I feed the birds out of the FF bucket and have about 1 serving left, I put all the fresh materials/grains/feed that I plan to ferment into the 5 gallon bucket with what's left from before (back slopping). Since my mix is the consistency of thick oatmeal, there isn't really any "water" to speak of... just the "soupy" fermented feed left at the bottom of the bucket. Generally it's about 2-3 inches at the bottom of the bucket. (except tonight when I misjudged and ran both buckets basically out

)

I then add warm water... maybe 3 gallons worth? I've never measured... Once I have a bunch of water in there, I start stirring, digging deep to make sure everything is mixed (I use a 3 foot piece of 2x2 pine left over from coop construction). When the whole thing mixes evenly/equally, without "clumps," then I'm done and start on the next bucket (I have 2 coops and 2 buckets simultaneously). (This is the ONLY time I stir this way... when I'm serving it out, I mix it a little with the scoop by pushing the surface layer down and in and pulling up from below) If it's too thick to stir, or there are "dry" clumps in the mix, then I add more water and stir some more. I've never really put in too much water... by the next morning, the grains have absorbed most of the water and it has thickened but is still pretty moist and smells good (to me and the birds anyway). If you DO make it too "moist," you can always add a little grain or feed and stir it in to thicken it up. If it absorbs more than you expected and is too "dry" clumpy or thick, just add more water (not too much this time!)

I'm feeding Black Australorps, Buff Orps, New Hampshires & White Wyandottes. There are 34 total and they are all 12 weeks old this weekend. I feed them twice a day; in the am and in the very late afternoon. I put enough food in there that they can finish it in about an hour (or 2). If I go back in an hour (or 3) and there's still food, then I know I gave them enough/too much and the next feeding I cut back the amount some. If it's all gone, (and they have been known to peck the trough completely spotless!) then I know next time I should give them a little more. The exact amount your birds need is really guess work as I don't know if they have yard time to eat bugs/grass/weeds/seeds/etc. That will obviously make a difference. Mine do NOT get any other "feed" to go with the FF (They DO get treats once or twice a week). They also have not been free ranged (yet) as I don't have their enclosure(s) finished yet (soon... I promise!

). Anyway, hope this info helps

 

[Latestarter]

Hey everyone!
I have a batch of 19 cx's that are now 7 weeks old, I've been using FF for probably 5 weeks now. I have follow this chart and fed by weight since day one.

I have noticed that they are about a half a week behind in growth, (I know it's not that big of a deal) My question is, should I be feeding them a little more to account for the extra water weight in the FF?

I attribute feeding like this to our lack of health issues, we have only lost one bird, and that was due to crop issues, so I don't want to change too much, but I want to do this again, and like perfection

First, I haven't raised CXs or meaties yet, but from what I've read/gleaned here (BYC) from one of the resident experts (Miss you BeeKissed!) you are actually better off the way you're going. If you slow down their growth just a bit, they are much healthier, more mobile, and better tasting in the end (a few weeks longer than "promised" but well worth the wait). Perhaps some of the other more experienced folks can chime in here?

 

[beverly evans]

So I have been feeding fermented feed for 5 days now and already notice a huge difference. Thanks to a lady I did a swap with here on BYC letting me know about it. I didn't notice much until today I went out and checked for eggs I had 10 Extra Eggs then normal Yay I was excited the eggs visually bigger then they and more color then pale looking Awesome this is something I will continue doing and reading this forum has helped alot...My kids think I'm crazy lol

What do kids know? That's a cute kid with the polish on her head. Cool foto! I don't have those great differences in my hens on ff but have been doing it for 2 years now and can say that there is little waste and the sh** smells very little, at least in the hen house. They are healthy, happy and demanding because they are spoiled rotten, just like grandchildren. Since I don't have grandchildren, my friends call them my "granchicks".

 

[beverly evans]

Quote: I remember Bee and others discussing the fact that if cxs lived too long after reaching butchering weight they had several health issues, due to the weight and their bodies not able to handle it. So your problem will right itself I think.

 

[beverly evans]

Quote: Beekissed, our most knowledgable past contributor to this thread, kept her ff in a cooler in the coop in West Virginia winters and it generates a certain amt. of heat in the fermenting process and mostly did fine. Her cooler was on wheels. Maybe you could get one like that and keep it in the barn or garage or wherever that is inside, then at feeding time just drag it out to the coop. I keep mine in the pen, by the coop in a 5 gal. cooler with the lid closed in this Texas heat. The lid is not latched but is closed and could "burp" if the gas needed to escape. It forms a white layer of "scoby" every nite and I stir it in every morning. It gets really "ripe" and strong but the chickens love it. Most people smell it and think it is bad, but that is how it is supposed to smell and this Texas heat really ferments it fast. I use a Qt. yogurt container for making my ff, which is 3-4 containers of layer feed, one of steamed or rolled oats, one of milo or sorgum whole grain, one of sweet feed for horses, and lastly one container of alfalfa because my dried up yard (drought rules about not watering) has little of the greenery they need. They love it, eat every bit of it but it has one "cosmetic" problem. Their ceacal (sp?) poop drys like black tar on the sidewalk, on tops of the baby coops, on my picnic table, etc. My question is this. Does anyone have a clue which of my ingredients would be to blame? I am both lazy and anal and it p***** me off to have to use the power spray and a scrub brush so often to clean it off. Right now I have 33 chickens so that is a lot of poop!

Only 11 are adults so it is not all that bad and some are bantams.

 

[Turk Raphael]

QUESTION: Is there any disadvantage to using rolled oats over whole oats in FF? My birds don't like/won't eat whole oats for some reason...just leave it lay.

Thanks in advance.