Fermenting Feed.

[centralcaligirl]

So to elaborate on my specific feed scenario...

I’m using straight cracked corn.

All you're feeding them is corn?

 

[centralcaligirl]

Wetting also doesn't give it the same tackiness as fermenting, so all the "stuff" doesn't clump together nicely Or else yes, maybe I would find wetting to be enough. But it's almost easier to simply make a batch of fermented feed for a couple of days, and then just keep it going, than to make individual bowls of wet-but-not-sticky feed each day.

Yes the consistency and texture is much better when fermented.

 

[WNYfarmfresh]

All you're feeding them is corn?

I Feed fermented corn mixed with a supplement.
I offer free choice: Fresh Cut grass, malted barley, SPG , fodder, table scraps, and whatever they can find on the property.

I get plump meat birds with this formula. My layers and geese approve as well.
I

 

[centralcaligirl]

Well, what I'm feeding is different, but I also ferment for 24 hours. Either a whole grain layer feed (Scratch and Peck) or a layer crumble (Modesto Milling), whichever is fresher at the feed store when I go. I feed it out in the morning, hold back a small amount as a starter, and then mix up the next batch for the following morning. They also free range, have access to the compost pile, etc.

Perhaps others will weigh in on why they ferment longer. There are other factors besides time, including amount of starter vs. dry feed, room temperature, and how processed the grain already is. Cracked corn is already a partially processed product, as are crumbles and pellets, so I would assume it would ferment faster than a whole grain feed. The whole grain feed I use has whole grains of wheat and barley that could surely be allowed to ferment longer if I wanted. However it also includes fish meal which truly can't be fermented more than 24 hours without developing a powerful smell that would bowl over even the toughest among us

A lot of people ferment using a method more like bread, where they have a small amount of starter and then ferment a fairly thick product without excess moisture or draining involved.

 

[rangelia]

How long are you fermenting, and why?

I’m a brewer by trade. Scientifically, all you need is 24hrs. I soak/ferment for 24hrs then drain water into a separate bucket and add my supplement to the fermented grain then feed. 1/2 cup of drainage to my next bucket of dry grain and top with water just until the grain is covered.
All we are trying to do here is activate yeast and enzyme action. Any longer than 24 and the activated yeast and enzymes begin to deplete the nutritional value of the feed and produce alcohol.

I can’t make sense of what you guys are doing. Please explain.

This is the craziest thing I have ever heard. Im not a brewer by trade per-say but I have spent many of hours squeezing corn . My go to is sweet feed. makes a nice little "rumskey" wonder if next time I do a mash I could pull out a bucket full of sweetfeed a day after I mash in and use that??? can chickens eat sweet feed ?

 

[yakitori]

Has anyone used sourdough starter to ferment their feed? Part of the Dumor crumbles ingredients is wheat and other grains. So, I presumed it would ferment just fine. So, inspired by this thread, i gave it a go last night. I mixed up a fairly dry batch, after one night it smells just like starter. My birds seems to like it a lot more than the dry stuff. i was wondering whether I can do this long term as I always have sourdough starter on hand...Hoping someone can share their experience.

 

[centralcaligirl]

Has anyone used sourdough starter to ferment their feed? Part of the Dumor crumbles ingredients is wheat and other grains. So, I presumed it would ferment just fine. So, inspired by this thread, i gave it a go last night. I mixed up a fairly dry batch, after one night it smells just like starter. My birds seems to like it a lot more than the dry stuff. i was wondering whether I can do this long term as I always have sourdough starter on hand...Hoping someone can share their experience.

I have never tried that, but below is an exhaustive thread (started in 2012) about fermented feed and many, many people have contributed to it over the years. It has 900+ pages of posts but I think if you read through it you will probably find someone who tried it. I learned a lot from this thread when I first started experimenting with it myself.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fermented-feeds-anyone-using-them.645057/

 

[yakitori]

I have never tried that, but below is an exhaustive thread (started in 2012) about fermented feed and many, many people have contributed to it over the years. It has 900+ pages of posts but I think if you read through it you will probably find someone who tried it. I learned a lot from this thread when I first started experimenting with it myself.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fermented-feeds-anyone-using-them.645057/

Thanks!
I just did a search of the thread ... and nothing
But I bookmarked it since there seems to be a lot of useful information!

 

[RebeccaRN]

I started fermenting scratch grains. You start with chemical free water, cover your grain a few inches above the grain leave for 3 days, stir it daily, drain and feed. It makes the nutrients in the grain more bioavailable and helps gut health like a probiotic.

 

[RebeccaRN]

Its Lacto-fermentation like in yogurt, kimchi and kombucha. It boosts intestinal health by forming a natural barrier to acid-sensitive bacteria like E coli and salmonella. Since the fermented feed is more effectively digested they eat less and thus reduces the feed costs.