Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[armorfirelady]

just a progress for where i am at. tonight i started a new mixture of milled alfalfa and layer mash. the meat birds went after it like gang busters. the laying hens i will have to check in the morning to see if they ate it up. i did try i test run by putting some on the grass. they ate it up. the mixture is a 1 to 3 ratio . the alfalfa is the 1 scoop. will be interesting to see if this helps. all feed is fermented.

Hmmm thats a great idea. I dont know if I can get milled alfalfa from the feed store around me but I am sure going to see if I can find some somewhere. By milled to you mean its cut up into small pieces? Does it come in a bale like shavings do? And did it absorb a lot of the water when you put it in with the fermented feed? Or did you add it to the FF after you took the FF from its bucket and just mix it in before putting in their trough?

I am trying to find a way to get greens for my hens for the winter and this may be the way.
Thanks

 

[Leahs Mom]

To stop the condensation causing the molding issue, I use a 1/8" x 1/8" x 6" wire mesh between the inside part of the lid and inside @2" inside the metal can and all around as an opening of 2" vent. I have never had anything mold in one in over 20 years. Of cource, the cans have to be stored inside a room, barn, shed, etc. or moisture from rain /fog /dew/condensation will get through the mesh and mold will grow.

For some reason I just can't picture this. Do you have a photo?

 

[definit]

I've read through this whole thread and found it really informative and decided to try my hand at this! I tried feeding a mix of corn, some brown rice and layer pellets (my chickens don't seem to care much for their pellets so i went and bought a bag of layer mash and they don't seem to like that much either but that's a whole other story). Unfortunately for me, they don't seem to like it and sort of peck and eat it for a bit before wandering off. Doubt they find much while foraging since their run is pretty much all mud given all the rains lately, and in the evening when I'm home from work, there's still a good amount of untouched food, both dry and fermented.

This picture is the product of a few days worth of not touching the mixture.. it smells pungent but not in that rotten way, and the other day I could have sworn it smelt like alcohol! Do you think I should dump this batch and start over again? Going to try to pick up some grains from the feed store.. I'm just concerned my chickens aren't eating enough, they used to go crazy over me bringing out the feeder in the morning. Of course this was back when they were eating their grower. gah!

 

[binders]

I've read through this whole thread and found it really informative and decided to try my hand at this! I tried feeding a mix of corn, some brown rice and layer pellets (my chickens don't seem to care much for their pellets so i went and bought a bag of layer mash and they don't seem to like that much either but that's a whole other story). Unfortunately for me, they don't seem to like it and sort of peck and eat it for a bit before wandering off. Doubt they find much while foraging since their run is pretty much all mud given all the rains lately, and in the evening when I'm home from work, there's still a good amount of untouched food, both dry and fermented.

This picture is the product of a few days worth of not touching the mixture.. it smells pungent but not in that rotten way, and the other day I could have sworn it smelt like alcohol! Do you think I should dump this batch and start over again? Going to try to pick up some grains from the feed store.. I'm just concerned my chickens aren't eating enough, they used to go crazy over me bringing out the feeder in the morning. Of course this was back when they were eating their grower. gah!

Is that a metal bucket yu are using? If so, that MAY be the problem. I thought I read somewhere about not using ACV with metal bowls. Don't know if it is true or if I remember right.

 

[Beekissed]

Yep...can't really do ACV or pretty much any fermented food in galvanized metal containers. The acidity will leach the metals into the feed as it corrodes the metal...and it will. First hand experience...

 

[griffinkid02]

Yep...can't really do ACV or pretty much any fermented food in galvanized metal containers. The acidity will leach the metals into the feed as it corrodes the metal...and it will. First hand experience...

Heh, heh, heh. Well I use a metal strainer scoop to dip mine out with, you know the kind you buy at walmart for $2, with the two tabs on them for placing over the mouth of a jar? Yeah those. I'm working on my 3rd one since I started fermenting around May. Every so many weeks I go out and the acid has eaten clean through my scoop, lol. I'm not worried about the metal content of the feed as the scoop doesn't SIT in the feed, and snails like FF too apparently. I have a small family of 10 living under my FF table that come out at night to slighter the scoop clean.

Ever noticed how we discover such interesting by-the-by things while trying to keep our chickens happy? Fermented Feed eats metal, Snails LIKE fermented feed. Alfalfa molds incredibly fast, and drinks more water that twice it's weight in regular feed, lol.

*edited for spelling*

 

[jeapa]

Heh, heh, heh. Well I use a metal strainer scoop to dip mine out with, you know the kind you buy at walmart for $2, with the two tabs on them for placing over the mouth of a jar? Yeah those. I'm working on my 3rd one since I started fermenting around May. Every so many weeks I go out and the acid has eaten clean through my scoop, lol. I'm not worried about the metal content of the feed as the scoop doesn't SIT in the feed, and snails like FF too apparently. I have a small family of 10 living under my FF table that come out at night to slighter the scoop clean.

Ever noticed how we discover such interesting by-the-by things while trying to keep our chickens happy? Fermented Feed eats metal, Snails LIKE fermented feed. Alfalfa molds incredibly fast, and drinks more water that twice it's weight in regular feed, lol.

*edited for spelling*

LOL...I laughed out loud at this post..... its true!

 

[jeapa]

After reading through the last few posts on adding alfalfa to the FF, I am wondering how some of you OT supplement green foods in the winter? I haven't been worried about feeding anything green on purpose because I can see my flock chowing down on lots of grass, clover, ect everyday in the yard. I don't really have enough birds to be buying hay, at least that is my thinking?

Just curious what everyone does. I do plan on bringing my Ferment bucket inside to my utlility closet for the winter. I just haven't decided if I need or should add something green to it?

Thanks.

 

[Bossroo]

For some reason I just can't picture this. Do you have a photo?

Make a circle out of the mesh that will fit between the lid and the body of the can ... the mesh should fit snugly from the inside top of the lid ( use 4 small bolts and nuts with washers to secure the mesh to the inside of the lid . Add 4 more bolts onto the can sides at the point that would create about 2" +/- gap in the mesh to sit over the lip of the can to use as spacers

 

[definit]

Quote:
Nope it's a plastic bucket, no metal at all. I usually keep a lid cracked open. Guess I'll just dump this batch and start over.