fermenting feed smell???

[CluckAcres]

hello its my first time fermenting chicken feed. Im using layer feed. My question is.... is it suppose to smell like vomit? Its bubbling so thats a good sign.

 

[pigeonguy]

could be something with the brand of layer feed. It should settle down after a while and smell better. Did you kick start it with UP/ACV?

 

[CluckAcres]

could be something with the brand of layer feed. It should settle down after a while and smell better. Did you kick start it with UP/ACV?

Yes i did. I was told to let it sit for 3 days for the first time to get it started better. Is that true? I mixed it with some dry layer feed and fed it to the chickens today and they went crazy over it.

 

[pigeonguy]

Yes i did. I was told to let it sit for 3 days for the first time to get it started better. Is that true? I mixed it with some dry layer feed and fed it to the chickens today and they went crazy over it.

That's what I did up/acv let go for 3 days started feeding and replacing on a daily basis. don't smell unless stirred. so only when I feed and then not much.
How many chicken you have? I have 28 of them 22 Black copper marans and 6 americauna / EE

 

[CluckAcres]

That's what I did up/acv let go for 3 days started feeding and replacing on a daily basis. don't smell unless stirred. so only when I feed and then not much.
How many chicken you have? I have 28 of them 22 Black copper marans and 6 americauna / EE

I have around 50 chickens of all different breeds. Plus I have some ducks and turkeys as well. I started a new batch of feed today but instead of using layer feed i used cracked corn. The smell is much better today.

 

[jendodd79]

Mine smells yeasty and sweet -

 

[Erica]

Is there a chance rodents might be able to touch the feed you're fermenting? I've noticed with my sprouts that the slightest amount of rodent excreta in the bucket will ruin the whole batch of sprouts, and they'll rot before sprouting (and smell very vomity). I had rats climbing to dip paws into the soaking water, ugh!

Sorry to raise a new issue and it may not be the problem you're seeing.

 

[missnu01]

By day 3 my fermented feed was starting to grow mold...so I tossed it...not sure where I went wrong, but there went that idea.

 

[CluckAcres]

Is there a chance rodents might be able to touch the feed you're fermenting? I've noticed with my sprouts that the slightest amount of rodent excreta in the bucket will ruin the whole batch of sprouts, and they'll rot before sprouting (and smell very vomity). I had rats climbing to dip paws into the soaking water, ugh!

Sorry to raise a new issue and it may not be the problem you're seeing.

Well the tubs were cleaned out with hot soapy water first and rinsed out very well. I have this sitting my my laundry room which is kinda part of my bathroom and no rodents are in the house. Thanks for the awareness tho.

 

[pigeonguy]

I have around 50 chickens of all different breeds. Plus I have some ducks and turkeys as well. I started a new batch of feed today but instead of using layer feed i used cracked corn. The smell is much better today.

Only cracked corn nothing else. Mine is cracked corn oats and poultry base it is mixed at the feed mill down the road but yo could mix it at home if you needed to.
How many times a day do you feed? I do once in the morning. Then if they seemed starved the next morning I feed twice that day. Then they are generally back on track with once a day for a while.

Forgot to ask. What system is yours 1 or 2 bucket? The 2 being where you have 1 with holes drilled in it setting inside of another bucket. I use the 1 bucket system and keep 2 buckets going all the time. 1 of those buckets has been going continuous for 4 or 5 months without ever starting over.