Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[myhubbycallsmechickeemama]

How old are they, Shadowmane?

 

[shadowmane]

It was a six day old Red Ranger. I don't know that it was the feed, but it could be that it just didn't eat enough. I'm going to try dry feeding them for a couple of days, then re-introduce the fermented feed next week. I'm feeding them non-medicated feed. I might switch to the medicated stuff I have for the layers for a few days just to be safe.

On another note, I just bought a 25# bag of scratch feed. I was wondering what mixing ratio I should use with it and the starter/grower. I want to get them used to it because I intend to mix whole grains with layer pellets once they go on layer feed.

 

[myhubbycallsmechickeemama]

I'm mixing 50/50 with my Flock Raiser and my grain mix.

 

[dirtylittlefly]

When I was fermenting starter, I was doing it in a big tupperware bowl and it was the consistency of paste and I just left it to double overnight. I fed it all the next day and I wasn't worried about it getting moldy in that amount of time. As long as it's not going to be setting for an extended period of time, your paste should be just fine without being submerged..

This is how I've started mine, in a pyrex bowel with a plastic lid. Initially I thought it needed to be submerged, added lots of water, then added more starter. About 6 six cups at the beginning with only 4 chicks to feed. Not wanting to throw it out I'm only adding 1/2 a cup a day and feeding the chick about one cup. Now I'm down to 3 cups but the smell is definitely stronger than before and it has a darker color on top when I stir it twice daily. It took about 2 days before it really got fermented at all, right now it is sweet and sour smelling but not slight. Maybe this is because I've been covering the lid though so I'm hit with gases on opening? The container I'm using is quite large and only about half full so I did not think the lack of airflow would be an issue, the lid does not bulge between stirrings. This morning I transferred to a jar covered with cheesecloth but I'm thinking about tossing it all and starting over at a more manageable size and working it like sourdough. Start with say, 1.5 cups and only replacing what I remove for feeding, leaving a half a cup to get the next batch going. That way I get a good rotation and don't have to start with new ACV everyday. (Working on making some of my own but I'd like to avoid buying more Braggs in the next month or so)

The birds did have me slightly worried this morning. Yesterday I was at work so Tyler fed them dry food (didn't know where I kept the FF), which subsequently got tipped over onto the floor. Messy Chickens. This morning when I fed them they did not go straight for the FF like they did before, instead they were picking at the dry food on the ground. Not sure if this is because the FF has gone too long or if they just like scratching the floor. Working again today, thinking about calling Tyler to switch out the food as I work 12's...

 

[Zootopia]

I do sprinkle alittle dry crumble on the paper once in a while to get them scratching. I'll sprinkle some on the FF to if I think they need encouragement, My chicks are different ages, I have a couple hatching every couple days so the older chicks show the younger chicks. I have 42 (I had to go count) chicks up to 5 wks now that were raised on FF and only lost 2 since hatching so I have had Zero trouble on the feed. 2 out of 44 is about an expected lose, I'd say. The 2 turkeys are growing like weeds too.

 

[bj taylor]

this is great input for me as i have a small flock (9 birds). the five gal is bigger than i need & the smaller solution sounds great. i think i still want something w an inner & an outer container so i can readily re-use the liquid for the next batch.

 

[shadowmane]

Hmm... that reminds me. I have a bowl that has another bowl that sits in it. I think its used for fruit or something. The only thing is, it don't sit down into the other bowl enough. I might have to pull it out and look at it again.

 

[dirtylittlefly]

The first few feedings were a bit too thin so they had to lift their heads a bit to swallow like they do with water. They love it so much I can almost hear the "yumyumyumyumyum" as they swallow it down. Lol.

 

[myhubbycallsmechickeemama]

this is great input for me as i have a small flock (9 birds).  the five gal is bigger than i need & the smaller solution sounds great.  i think i still want something w an inner & an outer container so i can readily re-use the liquid for the next batch.

I was just leaving about a cup of the already fermented feed in the bowl as my starter for the next batch I would add my water to that and stir it really good before I added my dry starter again, exactly the same process as when I feed my sourdough starter. Worked perfectly every single time!!

 

[LazyBee]

Please forgive me if this has been asked before, but whole grains are what we should be using? I've got the crumbles from Southern States and I'm wondering if I can use that until it's gone then switch to the whole grains.

Heavier, healthier meat birds are pretty irresistible, so I must try this!

Thanks