Okay, I'll give a small batch a try. I expect it to be done sometime tomorrow! Thanks for the nice reply!I think if you want to have your pigeons go on a involuntary hunger strike, then try it. I know peeps that give their chickens fermented feed. It needs to be consumed that day, or risk of it spoiling are there. The claim is that the amount of feed used is less than if given dry. (not fermented) .. I still cant figure out how you can create more food by fermenting it??
I know there are peeps on both sides of this debate.
I have only given my chickens dry feed for over 20 years now. All my chickens are pets, and do live long lives. 13 years was my oldest.
My pigeons were quite selective of the seeds they chose to eat first. That means they must have had TASTE PREFERENCES.
If you ferment the mix,,,,, you will have soft seeds or mush, and tasting one flavor.
Most pigeon mix contains whole corn, rather than cracked corn. Pigeon digestive systems do handle these dry hard objects with no problems. Pigeons do not have teeth to break things down first. I'm not sure if their beaks break down the corn, or it ends in their crop, and gizzard.
Try fermenting a small batch of those pigeon seeds and tell us how they like it..
If they don't, then you can always give to your chickens as treats.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
It's not exactly creating more "food"... it's just creating water logged food. Take 2 equal containers of feed and leave one dry and soak the other one in water to capacity and see how much the volume of the wet one expands. All that this accomplishes is soaking the feed with water (which normally occurs in the crop of the birds when they drink water). They are eating that pre-expanded food and filling up their crops with less food than if it was dry. It's just like with modern day deli meats and how they pump them full of water to weigh more at the scales, and in turn people are paying for water weight. Basically what I'm saying is the feed doesn't have to be "fermented" for this to happen... just soaked to it's capacity in water to make the volume of the dry feed expand. I hope that makes senseThe claim is that the amount of feed used is less than if given dry. (not fermented) .. I still cant figure out how you can create more food by fermenting it??
I can see why you think that, but fermenting is more than just soaking food. It opens up the grains to allow out more vitamins and nutrients, and also allows the the eaters to digest the food more thoroughly (so they eat less). It strengthens the gut and the immune system. A full list of all the benefits I know can be found here (though I am sure there are many more I don't know about): Fermenting Chicken Feed: A Straightforward MethodIt's not exactly creating more "food"... it's just creating water logged food. Take 2 equal containers of feed and leave one dry and soak the other one in water to capacity and see how much the volume of the wet one expands. All that this accomplishes is soaking the feed with water (which normally occurs in the crop of the birds when they drink water). They are eating that pre-expanded food and filling up their crops with less food than if it was dry. It's just like with modern day deli meats and how they pump them full of water to weigh more at the scales, and in turn people are paying for water weight. Basically what I'm saying is the feed doesn't have to be "fermented" for this to happen... just soaked to it's capacity in water to make the volume of the dry feed expand. I hope that makes sense
I'm fully aware of what fermenting is, and also peoples theories behind it in feeding animals (which is also why I do not use it with my birds). However I'm not here to debate the use of fermented feeds as everyone is entitled to their own beliefs on it. I was just clarifying for cavemanrich about why people seem to use less feed if the feed is fermented.I can see why you think that, but fermenting is more than just soaking food. It opens up the grains to allow out more vitamins and nutrients, and also allows the the eaters to digest the food more thoroughly (so they eat less). It strengthens the gut and the immune system. A full list of all the benefits I know can be found here (though I am sure there are many more I don't know about): Fermenting Chicken Feed: A Straightforward Method
Yes, I am a ferment nerd
I'm actually just starting an advanced class on Fermentation & Pickling, and hope to learn the "how" of this amazing method!
Understood
Sorry if I upset you, I'm not trying to start an argument.
Haha no worries, I'm definitely not upsetUnderstood
. Was just trying to clarify what I meant. I'm not always the best at explaining my thoughts
Neither am IHaha no worries, I'm definitely not upset
