Fermenting feed

[Leigti]

How do you get this done? I have 19.5 pounds of feed I need to give to my chickens how many water? Thanks.

jubahn

Do you feed that much daily? I start by putting three or four days worth of food in a bucket, then I put the same amount of water in there and stir it. When there is about a days worth or less left I just add more food and water and then keep it going.
If you do feed 19 pounds of feed per day to your chickens, you can still do it you just need a really big bucket. Or a large plastic bin. Nothing metal.

 

[KHBaker]

How do you get this done? I have 19.5 pounds of feed I need to give to my chickens how many water? Thanks.

jubahn

Since I only have a few chickens, I did a few cups of feed and mixed it with equal parts water and a splash of apple cider vinegar. While I used a large tupperware container, I'm sure that you could find a five gallon bucket at Home Depot or a restaurant supply store that would let you mix that volume of food. Maybe measure out 6-8 cups of food to try and then mix with equal parts water to see how it goes? I hope this helps!

 

[lazy gardener]

I have had some dead chicken and they just die, no sick, I have been testing water for ph and its ok, I think one of the issues is when it rains they drink water that accumulates in some places instead that on the waterer, could this be something?

Thanks for your help!

jubahn

Chickens will drink out of any puddle they find. Unless your soil is contaminated.

How do you get this done? I have 19.5 pounds of feed I need to give to my chickens how many water? Thanks.

jubahn

How many birds are you feeding? When I had a flock of varying ages last spring (up to 50 birds), I found it easiest to ferment in 5 gallon buckets. At that time, I was rotating 3 buckets. Each bucket would hold about 2.5 gallons of dry feed. I added the right amount of water to yield a finished product that was about the consistency of mashed potato. Every time I emptied a bucket, I would hold back about 1 cup of FF in the bottom. Add more feed, more water, stir, and it was ready to feed out the next day. When you are just getting started, beware! The fermentation process causes the feed to swell... A LOT! Start with 1/3 of a bucket of feed until you are familiar with the process. I transported my buckets in a wheelbarrow. Some folks set up their ferment stations right beside their coops. I prefer to do mine in the garage during the summer, for better temp control, and to prevent issues with attracting the wrong kind of wild life attention.

 

[BrindleFinch]

Hi everyone! I am so glad I've been spending so much time on this site - I never would have known about half the "niche," health stuff for chickens! This all makes so much sense - after all, whenever I see birds eating grains in the wild, they very likely are fermented (ducks and geese eating corn out of fields that have been sitting for some time, for example!).

The article says that chicks can have fermented feed right off the bat, from day one. Would anyone happen to have a recommendation on how much feed to start fermenting for 4 standard and 1 bantam chick?

I see that the water is 1:1, I just need to know how much feed would be appropriate to have in each batch? Are there any different protocols for feeding to chicks (aka do I still need to have dry food available at all times for them, do I need to split the feed up into lots of little feedings a day, etc)? Thank you for any answers!

 

[Foster's Freehold]

Hey BrindleFinch, FF is the best lol. For just 6 chicks I'd start with a quart size mason jar. Add enough water so that it is thick mashed potato consistency. If it tightens up as it absorbs the water, mix in a bit more water.

I used one of those little red feeders that has the plastic jar that screws in for the first few weeks. That way, they generally always have food available, they can't mess it up as bad, and they don't get it all over them as much. I hate when chicks or bigs for that matter, toss feed out of the feeder so I always go for the neatest way to feed.

If you don't have one of those, you can put a piece of hardware cloth over a shallow pie pan. If you get the half inch, they can get to the food but not flick it out or get it all over them. They will foul it with poo though.

 

[lazy gardener]

Excellent suggestions above. I start out with a plop of it on a piece of cardboard or paper plate, or other such shallow container. If they've been eating dry crumble, you can sprinkle some dry on top of it to help them over the "OOOOHHHHH THIS IS NEW. THIS IS DIFFERENT. THIS IS SCARY. DON'T TOUCH IT!!!" adjustment period. If you have been giving them scrambled eggs, you can also drop their scrambled eggs on top of the FF.

My routine: Day one, I have the brooder set up with paper towel covering the shavings. I sprinkle dry crumble on paper towel, put some directly in front of their MHP, and may even sprinkle some inside the entrance of the MHP. I also have water set up very close to the MHP. AND a standard mason jar w/base feeder full of crumble.

Day 2, when chicks are eating well and using the feeder well, I remove the paper towel, move water and feed back away from the MHP.

Any time after that, when they are eating and drinking well, I introduce a clump of sod, scrambled egg, and fermented feed.

As soon as they are eating the FF well, I stop offering dry feed.

ALL my chicks get Poultry Nutri Drench in the water daily for the first week, then with decreasing frequency the second week. I usually give it to them 2 x per week for the first month or two. I use sugar in the water on day 1.

 

[LindseyC]

I am wanting to try fermenting feed for my 8 chicks ranging in ages of 1 week old to 2 1/2 weeks old. Would this be safe even for the littlest ones? Also, we are feeding Purina Medicated chick starter. Can you ferment with medicated feed?

 

[Leigti]

I am wanting to try fermenting feed for my 8 chicks ranging in ages of 1 week old to 2 1/2 weeks old. Would this be safe even for the littlest ones? Also, we are feeding Purina Medicated chick starter. Can you ferment with medicated feed?

Yes it is safe. And you conferment any chicken feed.

 

[lazy gardener]

Yes it is safe. And you conferment any chicken feed.

Agreed. When you use FF for chicks, be sure it is not soupy, and never give it in a container which could be dangerous if they ended up doing a face plant in it!!! Chicks are messy, and love to play in their food. So keep that in mind when you introduce it. I start my chicks out with a small dollop on a paper plate or piece of cardboard, and sprinkle a bit of dry on top.