Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[MonsterClucker]

Honestly, I never really see it bubbling like soda pop or anything. Just when I take the lid off a few big bubbles will pop on the surface. But on the lid there is always that condensation so there has to be fermenting going on right?

I also add Braggs every week. I was thinking about starting a fresh bucket and seeing what happens.

 

[MonsterClucker]

Or should I add some yeast to it?

 

[Beekissed]

Maybe just let it soak/cook longer until you get some really good cultures growing in your bottom bucket? Are you re-using your fermented fluids? If not, I would...back-slopping is recommended for a quicker, better ferment of the grains.

 

[MonsterClucker]

Yep I'm definitely backslopping. I haven't changed the water since I started it about a month or less ago.

Ok ill let it soak longer and see what happens. What do you think about the yeast? Couldn't hurt?

 

[Beekissed]

Probably not!

 

[thunderbolt&marjorie]

YW!

Do your birds free range? If so, you could try feeding in the evenings instead. If not, then put out enough feed that you still see some residue in the feeder when you come home each evening.

This is what I do with my free rangers in the winter....in the winter I feed in the mornings so they have a good feed and have a little to pick at all day, as the forage is slim pickins in the winter months here. By evening, there shouldn't be enough left in the feeder for a meal but enough to tell you that they haven't been scraping the feeder all day in desperate attempts to eat.

In the warmer months I feed in the evenings. That way, any bird that didn't forage enough during the day will still get a bellyful before bedtime. This encourages foraging...a hungry bird is a great forager.

No worries, you'll get a feel for it as time goes along and will get to know your bird's feeding habits.

My adult layers free range, but these meaties and 5 replacement layers are only at 4 weeks, and aren't (they get to go out in a 25x25 pen) Hubby isn't sure he wants them to free range as they might be hawk buffet! I would love them to free range as it would be less mess and wear and tear on pen.
I am feeding a smaller 'dinner' to them. Just with 30 growing birds, it seems to change daily.

I have been giving my adults a scoop or two for giggles, but they eat so much free ranging.

 

[Christie Rhae]

They loved it!! I have a bunch of different pens. All the laying hens devoured their fermented feed before I could get everyone else fed. Might give them a little more tomorrow. lol. Chicks of all ages loved it. One pen of cockerels turned their nose up at first but it was all gone by the end of the day.
My bucket does get actual bubbles. Before I stir I look closely and will see a pop...............pop.............................pop. But only if there is so much water that it is very soupy. I added more scoops after taking some out this morning and then added water and stirred and stirred. Hopefully that works. I have about 100 birds and might have to move up to something bigger than 5 gallon buckets or maybe have two off them cookin at all times. I cannot free range my birds. Too many dang neighbor dogs and I don't have a fence around my garden. One day I would love to fence in our whole property but for now I have to bring the free range to them. lol

 

[Christie Rhae]

Oh... forgot.. I ordered some seed sprouter gizmos the other day and bought a big bag of wheat. I am thinking of sprouting grains and BOSS for my mob. I used to have a pair of blue fronted amazons and sprouted all kinds of stuff for them. They loved it. I think my chickens will too.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I have two 5 gal buckets and two 3 gal buckets going all the time. I use all of the 3 gal and about 2/3 of the 5 gal at each feeding. I'm getting tired of doing them so pretty soon I need to get a couple 20 gal buckets and let them ferment for like 3 days at a time. I think I can handle doing it every few days instead of after each feeding. I have so many other things I need to do too.

 

[EricaD]

Hi all! Still catching up on this thread, but I beg of you, to spare me having to read every detailed post, I'd like to try FF but just stocked up on organic layer pellets, not crumbles/mash. I plan to also mix in Scratch and Peck organic soy/corn free layer feed (made up of peas, wheat, barley, fish meal, oyster shell, kelp, etc.) into the pellets and eventually completely switch over to Scratch and Peck.

Can I ferment pellets? I assume so, but wanted to make sure! I assume it'll just go to mush, similar to mash/crumbles?