Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[B J Hopkins]

For now, Bruce, I'm still feeding the FF. I've just honed it down to smaller portions so that there won't be much left over to lay there and get cold. The feed out of the bucket is not too bad...it's just any left overnight seems to be a bit chilly for the chooks.

When I get my hay next week I'll be placing my FF bucket in a haybale pocket and hope to see if that will insulate it somewhat...I'll be real surprised if this stuff freezes. I've never seen vinegar freeze and I'm doubting the FF will either.

I found that when I fed the dry, they cleaned it up just as slowly as they did the FF, so I'm thinking they are getting so much out on forage right now that this feed here is just a supplement.

I like the idea of setting the FF bucket in bale of hay! I've not really wanted to bring it into the house to keep from freezing, nor do I like the idea of lugging it down the hill to the chicken houses (2)

 

[Wax Myrtle]

Off topic and I don't know if this is where I should post this, but I started a little experiment.
Hopefully I'm not mistaken, but I think I remember Bee saying something somewhere about giving ACV to her dog.  I wondered if it would do anything for my cat, so I added just a little bit to her water.  She is quite healthy already; very active and has the softest, glossiest short-hair coat of any cat I've ever touched (and I touch a lot of cats volunteering at the animal shelter.)  But holy monkey CRAP her poop stinks!! It's so bad that when she goes in her litter box we can't even go in our bed room, much less the bathroom where the litter box is, for at least 30 minutes.  We feed her Iams because that's the best we can afford, but it does have some corn products in it.  I didn't think I could ferment her food or that she would even eat it if I did, but I wondered if adding some good bacteria would at least help just a little.  At first I put too much and she wouldn't drink it, but I diluted it until she wasn't suspicious anymore.  It's been a week since I smelled any death-catpoops, so maybe something's working!  ....or just a weird coincidence, but I'll take it


Wrenny and the only type of chicken I can keep here lol

Note to self: add ACV to housepet water. We have quite a few housecats, and the stink bombs are...memorable. Wonder if it would help with "Winds of Death" we have with the dog...

 

[Wax Myrtle]

duplicate post. Sorry!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I like the idea of setting the FF bucket in bale of hay! I've not really wanted to bring it into the house to keep from freezing, nor do I like the idea of lugging it down the hill to the chicken houses (2)

I have mine in the house in the downstairs bathroom, with a towel over top, I really haven't noticed any smell but then again I maybe use to it, we're having company coming for the weekend we'll see if they notice.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
Sometimes one has to just take those anecdotal results and run with it. Who cares what the specific science is around it all...no more stink is a great thing!

I had a thought...and it got lonely while rattling around in that big empty space, so I am letting it out here to play with y'all. For those who don't want to have the feed bucket in the house all the time, why not scoop out the next day's feeding into a container and keep only IT in the house where it's warm and feed it the next day. When leaving the coop, scoop out the next day's feeding and take it back in the nice toasty house and repeat the next day.

I think I will use this plan of action as I think my FF bucket won't freeze and it will still ferment, but will have some mighty chilly feed in it. When I was young we had a huge whiskey barrel out in the back yard filled with pickled corn. Now, granted the water had salt in it and it won't freeze like regular water and I'm hoping the same applies to the FF, though it has no salt....but that pickled corn water was so cold that you instantly lost feeling in your fingers when delving into the barrel, but the water never froze. And that was a hard, cold, long winter.

 

[galanie]

Just a note: I put ACV in my cockatiel and parakeet water. Only about a drop or two since the containers are so small but they drink it and are healthy. So dont' be afraid to try it on all animals and pets.

 

[Beekissed]

I use it for sheep, rabbits and cattle...it improves the wool and hair quality, it helps them gain weight, helps overall health and it keeps their rumen balanced and stools nice, firm and shiny. Also gives me more female offspring.

 

[texasmomma]

I'm hoping the same applies to the FF, though it has no salt....but that pickled corn water was so cold that you instantly lost feeling in your fingers when delving into the barrel, but the water never froze.

I've been thinking about this, and your comment made me post a query here. Based on what I have learned about fermenting, I always ferment with salt, no vinegar. I've learned that a *true* ferment is one made with a salt brine. So, I do that for my home ferments. However, I have been doing this acv ferment with the feed. It's ok, though it doesn't smell like pickles to me, I smell the vinegar. I'm wondering if we could use a salt brine for the ferment rather than acv...

Might have to try that myself when I mix up a new bucket.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I use it for sheep, rabbits and cattle...it improves the wool and hair quality, it helps them gain weight, helps overall health and it keeps their rumen balanced and stools nice, firm and shiny. Also gives me more female offspring.

I use it too, a capful in an 8oz canning jar is very good.

 

[Beekissed]

RE: Salt brine for the ferment

Your chickens cannot handle that level of salt on a daily basis. Some sodium in their diet is natural and good but the high brine necessary for fermentation by brining would likely kill them.