Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Kassaundra]

Hey girl, love your avatar. I have to chuckle about the shovels. Of course with a 33 gallon trash can I guess you need it. You have about 50+ birds right.? How long before you have to refill the can. I'm going through 2 five gallon buckets in 4 days or so with my 37. No let me rephrase that. My 35 because I sold my first laying pullet today for $15. To the mommy for her 9 yo 4-H girl. She commented on the beauty and health of my birds. As she was the first sale I gave her daughter her own red wire egg holder for 2 dozen eggs. (They sell them on dollartree.com for $1 for a case of $36) I plan on giving them out when my girls really get to laying. Maybe sell a few. The other loss on my birds was my very first home process of a gimpy cockerel.
Kassaundra, I watched your youtube video of sprouting your grains again last night. Getting ready to start my own. I just have not had the opportunity to let me range or to get greenery to them much.

Thanks, the picture was taken today.


Takes about 2-4 weeks (usually 3)

 

[Tikkijane]

I went to a restaurant supply store and bought a huge serving spoon about 2 feet long.  It is perfect for stirring the ff and serving up into the troughs.

Nice!

 

[Tikkijane]

Having trouble with my ff.  Have been giving it to my laying hens since the beginning of Aug (today is 8/25).  I've got the double 5 gal bucket method, and using water with a couple "glugs" of home made kombucha vinegar.  At first the girls loved it, but the last 2 days they've been refusing to eat it at all.  This evening I gave them some dry crumbles and they went right for it.  I have noticed that the ff smells pretty powerful, but there is no mold, just the gray beginnings of a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.  Just like in the stuff on my counter that I drink myself). I moved the ff off of the back deck thinking that the heat was making it too strong to fast. I added some fresh water and feed to the mix. (when my kombucha gets to strong and vinegar-y I usually pour half of it out and replace with new sweet-tea.)  I noticed that the cultured water is not draining into the bottom bucket efficiently.  I'm using layer crumbles and it has gone completely to mush.

Anyone else have these troubles?  I hate to throw away feed. I don't think it's rancid, just over-cultured.  I'm considering giving up on this and just adding a couple tbsps live kombucha vinegar to their water instead.  It's starting to feel like it's more trouble than it's worth.

How long has it been fermenting? Bear in mind that because the cultures continue to increase ast it ferments, it continues to essentiall get more and more dense, which I've noticed means mine eat less. It's not taste; it's density. When I do a short ferment, they plow through it {which meant I needed another cooler to accommodate the new eaters}.

Mine will go crazy for anything different or new, fwiw. {Have you found the non-meatie FF thread? }

 

[Tikkijane]

How long has it been fermenting? Bear in mind that because the cultures continue to increase ast it ferments, it continues to essentiall get more and more dense, which I've noticed means mine eat less. It's not taste; it's density. When I do a short ferment, they plow through it {which meant I needed another cooler to accommodate the new eaters}.

Mine will go crazy for anything different or new, fwiw. {Have you found the non-meatie FF thread? }

I would skip the extra kombucha vinegar, too....

 

[Stacykins]

I just started my fermented feed yesterday and it is already bubbling and smelling like sourdough. Does that mean it is ready to feed? That was fast! I did use Braggs ACV rather than letting microbes from the air colonize the wet mash, did that speed things up?

 

[B J Hopkins]

I'm wondering how long a turkey hen is good for laying/raising young? How long is a male turkey good for breeding?

 

[Stacykins]

I'm wondering how long a turkey hen is good for laying/raising young? How long is a male turkey good for breeding?

Probably it would be best to start a thread with this question in the Turkey section of the website

 

[Latestarter]

I just started my fermented feed yesterday and it is already bubbling and smelling like sourdough. Does that mean it is ready to feed? That was fast! I did use Braggs ACV rather than letting microbes from the air colonize the wet mash, did that speed things up?

It's a matter of quantity combined with temperature and humidity. A small batch will ferment faster than a large batch (IME). You can feed it an hour after you start it if you want to... That being said, using a 5 gallon bucket as a gauge, it takes 3-4 days for the full ferment to happen when starting from scratch. Adding (UP) ACV will speed the process up a little, but it won't knock 3 days off the overall process... maybe 8-12 hours total. It will ferment just fine without adding anything... Just leave it open to the air and let it do its thing. I throw a towel or (old) pillow case over it.

Once you have an established container of FF, you no longer need to add ACV... just remember to leave some of the already fermented feed in the container, add the new grain/pellets/crumble/whatever and water (I use warm water) and give a good stir to mix the old with the new, and it will be ready to go the next morning. Some say the smell is "bad" to them.... I like the smell myself... even after it's been sitting for a week and getting to the bottom/ready to renew.

Hope that helps

 

[chrissyr]

What are your best methods for straining?
I'm pouring through a fine kitchen strainer, but it's time consuming.
Thought about putting a wire mesh in a bucket, but wasn't sure if I'd have rust problems. Or if the bolts attaching it would rust

 

[armorfirelady]

What are your best methods for straining?
I'm pouring through a fine kitchen strainer, but it's time consuming.
Thought about putting a wire mesh in a bucket, but wasn't sure if I'd have rust problems. Or if the bolts attaching it would rust

I found a large plastic strainer with a handle. The holes are larger and it drains everything much faster than something with fine holes