Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Matrix Escapee]

I thought one of the things that Monsanto was doing to the seed they produce was to make it so it will grow this year but you can't collect seed to grow next year because it just won't. Therefore, increasing the farmers' dependence upon them.

This is turn affects the fertility of not only our animals but of ourselves.

That goes for any hybrid plant. Not just ones that are GMO'd on a molecular DNA level.

 

[armorfirelady]

Ok I have a question. I dont see the "bubbles" everyone is talking about unless I stir up the water. I took some pics today of the FF and the water. I add more layer pellets, BOSS, scratch & oatmeal about once a week into the 5 gallon bucket I am using along with water & ACV with mother each time. The FF has a somewhat sweet/sour smell to it thats not unpleasant. The hens clean up their food at every feeding. The only thing I can think of is that the cooler days & nights might be the problem. This last week highs were in the 60s & lows in the 40s. The bucket is in their run i the corner where it sits in the sun for more than half the day. Is it perhaps because its not warm enough to ferment properly? I did get bubbles today when I stirred up the water in the bucket to see how much mush from the layer pellets was in the bottom of the bucket (not much)


The FF in a spoon. Its the consistency of oatmeal


A mixture of layer pellets, scratch, BOSS & oatmeal


the water in the bottom bucket

Thanks for your help/suggestions

 

[Beekissed]

I only get bubbles when I stir also...unless I watch carefully when I add new feed/water to the mix. Then I will see bubbles slowly emerge and pop. When I go back later I find the feed has swollen and soaked in the water and will see little holes all over the top of the mix, like bugs have been boring into it. These are where the gas has escaped...it looks pretty uniform across the whole mix.

I wouldn't be too concerned about getting bubbles or froth...it's not a fizzy, very active type of action like one sees when making the sponge for a batch of bread. It's just a slow kind of cooking thing where you will see the occasional gas bubble emerge. The smell is the best indicator and that soury sweet smell means something good is happening...yeast cultures are feeding on the sugars in the grains.

That smell is when I know a batch has reached a state of fermentation.

 

[Ashdoes]

I'm having an issue with my flock, so have a question about the feeders. I've got 16 week olds, 11 week olds and 9 week olds...the younger ones eat together pretty well, but the older ones do not want them around while they eat. so, do I make two feeders, or one big one and just let them deal with it? I'll be making the PVC feeders. Maybe if I make a U shape they can be away from each other? Dang chickens. I'm hoping at some point they become one flock, hanging out with no issues, so my Cochin Roos can keep an eye on all of them, not just the other Cochins and Silkies.

 

[bruceh]

in my best english accent " BRAVO ON THE ARTICLE ". yep i shouted it.

 

[Beekissed]

That is the way of chickens and the younger just wait their turn in the pecking order at the feeder. They will work it out.

The only time I've ever provided two troughs was when the meaties were being raised with the layer flock....the younger, hungrier and more motivated meaties would swarm the feeder like bees and the older birds couldn't even peck their way into that mass. When I gave the meaties their own feeder and fed them first, the older layers finally could get a beak in edgewise to the feeder.

This I did out of just plain old fair dealings and respect for the older gals...they deserve to get to eat first as they were there first and are higher on the food chain than mere meaties, IMO.

Just put out enough feed that there is some left for the younger birds when the older birds move away....everyone has to learn their place in the flock and then fight for their rights. It's the way of the chicken world and is best left to the chickens, IME.

 

[Ashdoes]

That is the way of chickens and the younger just wait their turn in the pecking order at the feeder.  They will work it out. 

The only time I've ever provided two troughs was when the meaties were being raised with the layer flock....the younger, hungrier and more motivated meaties would swarm the feeder like bees and the older birds couldn't even peck their way into that mass.  When I gave the meaties their own feeder and fed them first, the older layers finally could get a beak in edgewise to the feeder. 

This I did out of just plain old fair dealings and respect for the older gals...they deserve to get to eat first as they were there first and are higher on the food chain than mere meaties, IMO. 

Just put out enough feed that there is some left for the younger birds when the older birds move away....everyone has to learn their place in the flock and then fight for their rights.  It's the way of the chicken world and is best left to the chickens, IME. 

 

That makes sense...I really have to stop treating them like kids. I get upset when the poor little silkies get their heads pecked and shooed from the food. Ok, one trough. Thank you.
~Ashley

 

[galanie]

That is the way of chickens and the younger just wait their turn in the pecking order at the feeder.  They will work it out. 

The only time I've ever provided two troughs was when the meaties were being raised with the layer flock....the younger, hungrier and more motivated meaties would swarm the feeder like bees and the older birds couldn't even peck their way into that mass.  When I gave the meaties their own feeder and fed them first, the older layers finally could get a beak in edgewise to the feeder. 

This I did out of just plain old fair dealings and respect for the older gals...they deserve to get to eat first as they were there first and are higher on the food chain than mere meaties, IMO. 

Just put out enough feed that there is some left for the younger birds when the older birds move away....everyone has to learn their place in the flock and then fight for their rights.  It's the way of the chicken world and is best left to the chickens, IME. 

 

Exactly. I've read over and over to provide more than one feeder so they could all get food but that just doesn't work. I can provide 8 feeders and the younger ones will not be able to get at any of them until the older ones are full and walk away. Because the older ones run them off from whatever feeder they're at. It's just silly. Let them take their turn. Unless you haven't put enough feed out, they'll all get some sooner or later.

That said, I'm back to fermenting, only this time in a smaller, easier to manage way. I'm only using a small 2 gallon container. It's in the washroom and I've 'started' it with kefir whey rather than vinegar. After only 12 hours it's bubbling by itself and has a sweet, nice smell. We'll see if it's still got a pleasant odor after a few days. I scooped some out already and replaced it. It's making a big hit out there even though they've already eaten their dry stuff.

 

[Kassaundra]

Well the bread does ferment well, still not sure how nutritious vs empty calorie it is though. They do love it plain, fermented, or soaked in oil.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Okay...I have a concern that I posted on Bee's website and I'm going to post it here also.


I use fermentation on a regular basis in other venues (pickels, sauerkraut.... I'm also a cheesemaker) Based on my knowledge of lactic fermentation, one thing concerns me that I'm reading out there (BYC, Scratch Cradle) about fermenting feed that I want to mention here for your comment.

Both have stated the use of "bakers yeast" (the kind you use when making bread) as a start for the fermentation. From my understanding, baker's yeast would NOT be suitable for lacto-fermentation.

The process for lacto-fermenting feed is the same as fermenting an item such as pickles or sauerkraut. You can add the ACV, a little whey from cheesemaking, or a lactic culture if you want to encourage it to ferment faster. (You could actually get a recipe for sauerkraut or fermented pickles and use the recipe/method there for fermenting feed.)

The point of fermenting is to create an “acidified” product – thus “lactic fermentation” is an acidification of your feed. Think pickles or sauerkraut. The acid is what preserves the food you are fermenting, allows "good bacteria" (pro-biotics) to proliferate and keeps undesirable bacteria and certain yeasts from growing in the feed.

Baking yeast, however, is a different chemistry with a different result that would not be recommended for items that you are eating raw. (Have you ever picked up a piece of yeast-rising bread dough raw and eaten it? If you do, you won't like the effects!)