Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Lacy Blues]

BK, I am learning from you that I don't have to cling to my OCD ways and "know" everything before jumping in. Having said that....I haven't 'jumped in' quite yet with FF. Not being near town for the things I need to get started can take some of the blame,but perfectionism is a curse and I think I just need to get going on this...with what we have on hand.

Have been reading from the beginning but have a ways to go, so maybe this was already addressed:

Just wondering if there is a warning in the thread against using chlorinated city water (could kill the culture?)

Also wondering if those (BigBoxStore 'H.....er' Buckets (orangy-red) would do or do we need to get some food-grade plastic buckets?

Thnx.

I've read that you can run your bucketful of water and leave it sit outside for a day. Apparently the chlorine evaporates off. It would just take planning if you're concerned about it.

 

[galanie]

I use city water and take no precautions at all. Works fine.

 

[armorfirelady]

I use city water as well and it ferments just fine. Last batch took about 48 hours but it has the sweet/sour smell and cloudy water that shows its fermenting.

What do you think of saving the water with mother from fermenting in a container to add to another container?

I was using a 5 gallon bucket for FF but switched to a smaller bucket so it can be inside for the winter. I hate to toss all that great fementing water I have in the original bucket when I finish up the last of the FF in there. I was thinking I could pour the liquid in a container in the fridge and just *** it to the smaller bucket as I need it? There is layer pellet residue in it so the Mother still has something to keep it growing.

Any thought on that theory?

 

[Beekissed]

It's called backslopping and it's highly recommended to just keep that same fermenting water all the way through....never change it out if you can help it. It is already loaded with the microbes you need and will jumpstart your fermentation much quicker than anything else.

That is why I keep a two bucket system...the reservoir of fermented water is lying in the bottom and just rises throughout the top bucket and the feed therein when water is added to fresh feed. I never completely empty my bucket of FF either but just add new dry feed and water each time and stir it very well into the FF. Just keep it cycling and the fermentation of the newly added feed is so very much quicker and it insures that there is always FF in the mix between new dry feed and FF....enough to give it just overnight before I can feed some the next morning if I wish, even if the new, fresh feed isn't really fully fermented yet.

By that next evening it will have been soaking and fermenting alongside the old fermented feed for 24 hours...enough time for all the new feed to be full into the fermentation process, no matter how cold it is outside, where I keep the mix.

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Thanks all for the replies about the chlorinated water. This is good news. The question was for someone else as I also have well water. Seems like the "good" overcomes the "bad" in with FF in city water.

Can't wait to get going on this.

Snow is falling hard now in Northern MN. The chickens are loving it, it seems.

FF will freeze solid outside this week so I'll be doing this in the basement in my "Booch Barn" (pantry) where I used to ferment Kombuchu tea and where, from now on will be fermenting gallons of AVC.

Got UN/ACV this week at Walmart. YAY.....half the price...so between that savings and splitting it up to culture the "motherless" stuff (I guess we could call it 'orphan AVC' ) that's even more savings.

 

[Beekissed]

Lovin' it...orphan vinegar!

 

[Bulldogma]

I'm just going to chime in and say how thrilled I am with the FF so far! I just started a few days ago, and I'm going through about 1/4 - 1/2 the amount of feed that I was prior to fermenting! So not only are my birds going to be healthier, but I'm going to save a boot-load of money because of this!

Since it's wet, there's no powdery waste at the bottom of the feeder any more.
Since it clumps, the chickens don't dig and throw it all over the ground.
The chickens LOVE it so they don't bother digging through to try to find something better.
Since their little digestive systems are getting more benefit from the feed, they're not eating as much.
And finally... just in these few days, I can SEE that my birds are healthier!

Hooray for FF and hooray for the fantastic info shared in this thread!!!!

And thank you, Bee!

 

[armorfirelady]

It's called backslopping and it's highly recommended to just keep that same fermenting water all the way through....never change it out if you can help it. It is already loaded with the microbes you need and will jumpstart your fermentation much quicker than anything else.

That is why I keep a two bucket system...the reservoir of fermented water is lying in the bottom and just rises throughout the top bucket and the feed therein when water is added to fresh feed. I never completely empty my bucket of FF either but just add new dry feed and water each time and stir it very well into the FF. Just keep it cycling and the fermentation of the newly added feed is so very much quicker and it insures that there is always FF in the mix between new dry feed and FF....enough to give it just overnight before I can feed some the next morning if I wish, even if the new, fresh feed isn't really fully fermented yet.

By that next evening it will have been soaking and fermenting alongside the old fermented feed for 24 hours...enough time for all the new feed to be full into the fermentation process, no matter how cold it is outside, where I keep the mix.

I was afraid I would run out the FF in the 5 gal bucket before the stuff in the smaller bucket was fermented. However it seems that the 5 gal bucket is never ending. But with the cold temps coming this weekend I plan on giving them extra in the morning. But I found a couple more small buckets so I think I will take your advice & start a 2 bucket system using the backslop. Thanks Bee

 

[Maggiesdad]

Fizzleroot!

There's a troll in my fermented feed bucket!

 

[griffinkid02]

Attention: Please do not feed the Trolls.