Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Miss Lydia]

A whole 2 buckets. Not very long, but it worked just like Bee said it would.

So back slop is where I would use the liquid from one of my buckets to get the other one started? or just keep using the same water and adding to it?

 

[Miss Lydia]

If I still have some ff left I will use my heated dog bowl till it is used up. I KNOW my dogs would eat any left overs they love feed. crazy things. Any other wild animal coming along would probably enjoy some too.

 

[colburg]

So back slop is where I would use the liquid from one of my buckets to get the other one started? or just keep using the same water and adding to it?

It's using the liquid from the previous bucket. Since I'm just getting started, I'm testing how long a 5 gal bucket will last me. When I get close to the bottom, I pour the liquid into a 3rd spare bucket, refill the feed bucket, set it back into the original liquid bucket, then pour the liquid over the top of the new feed, top with water. It really jump starts the fermentation. I had a decent layer of mother on the top in only 14 hrs.

I did learn the hard way to not fill with too much feed, even though I thought it was low enough. I opened the shop to a pile of ferment liquid on the floor this morning. Wasn't toooo bad, but would hate to fill with feed to top of bucket and add water. That'll be a BIIG mess.

I have also tried adding as I go, mixing fresh feed with the FF. Can't say for sure which I like best yet.

 

[Missa Chickabee]

So back slop is where I would use the liquid from one of my buckets to get the other one started? or just keep using the same water and adding to it?

My understanding is that we don't rotate buckets. The liquid catcher stays the liquid catcher. Just replace the same amount of feed remove from the feed bucket and add water.

This will just dilute the probio-laden "brew" in the bottom liquid bucket and give and good start to ferment the new stuff ( which got mixed in well with what was left in the feed bucket)

Clear as mud? Bee can correct me if I'm wrong anywhere. Starting mine today. Got my drill ready to make holes if I can ever get myself away from this dang computer. I'm just going to go disappear for awhile and get some work done!!!

 

[Beekissed]

So back slop is where I would use the liquid from one of my buckets to get the other one started? or just keep using the same water and adding to it?

Just keep the same water and add to it. You don't really need to switch it from bucket to bucket if you are using the two bucket system...it will just seep up into the new feed as you add water to it....a small well of fermented fluid is always in the bottom of the bottom bucket and mixes with the new water and feed added as it rises through the mix when you pour in the new water.

 

[Beekissed]

Well, went up to the coop and emptied out the wet,cold mash and put out some dry feed....and that was exactly the problem. Since I don't want to bother with heating their foods, I think a small break from FF won't hurt and they can resume in the spring.

The dog hoovered up the FF on the ground and the chooks went mad for the dry feed, drank water to wash it all down and then settled down to take a nap.

 

[chickachee]

I have a question about UP ACV. I picked up some Heinz UP ACV the other day. It even says on the the bottle "with Mother in it". Bee had stated a while back that there should be some snotty type stuff in it and that is the mother. The store had both the Heinz and the Bragg brand. Both of them looked alike in that they only had a sediment in them at the bottom of the bottle rather than anything snotty. Sorry to keep saying snotty so often.... Do I have "mother-less" vinegar??

Sheila

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a question about UP ACV. I picked up some Heinz UP ACV the other day. It even says on the the bottle "with Mother in it". Bee had stated a while back that there should be some snotty type stuff in it and that is the mother. The store had both the Heinz and the Bragg brand. Both of them looked alike in that they only had a sediment in them at the bottom of the bottle rather than anything snotty. Sorry to keep saying snotty so often.... Do I have "mother-less" vinegar??

Sheila

You can get ACV from Vita Cost their brand with mother for around 2 something, don't remember right off but they are cheaper than anywhere else I have found it. I also buy Bragg from them alot less.

 

[Beekissed]

Probably do...some of the Bragg's I've seen just has a little smokey swirl in the middle which you will miss if you aren't looking closely. The mother comes in all consistencies, depending on the way it was developed and what food it currently has to feed on. That sediment in the bottom is just that...but the whole bottle will have yeast spores in it if they advertise it as such. Here's a good way to find out....place some in a plain bottle of ACV, leave the top open to air, place in a dark cupboard and check on it in a week or so.

When you raise it up and look through the liquid after that time, you should see a whitish looking swirly of mother in it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well, went up to the coop and emptied out the wet,cold mash and put out some dry feed....and that was exactly the problem. Since I don't want to bother with heating their foods, I think a small break from FF won't hurt and they can resume in the spring.

The dog hoovered up the FF on the ground and the chooks went mad for the dry feed, drank water to wash it all down and then settled down to take a nap.

I think since it's going to warm up some in the next couple of days I think I will offer the ff in the early afternoon and see how it is received, Since I just started mine on ff a couple weeks ago I would like for them to at least finish the 2 buckets I have going now. And my lil bantam with the vent gleet needs to keep eating it. Her bottom looked alot better today so I am hoping with the Nu stock and the ff she'll be 100% by the time the snow flies.