Heated container for feeding Fermented Feed in the winter???

Coop de Grass

Crowing
5 Years
Jun 30, 2015
986
642
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South Brunswick, New Jersey
I have heated waterers for my flock, but I am wondering if there is something that I can use that will stop the Fermented Feed from turning into a block of ice. Food and Water is in the run, and the girls won't be outside when I leave for work, so the fermented feed will be out for an hour or so before they wake up.

Has anyone tried using a heated dog bowl? Would the metal base that goes under and unheated waterer work?

Creative suggestions would be welcome!
 
I feed fermented feed, but although I use a heated dog bowl for water, I am reluctant to try for the ff, as they will eat much of it , and what happens to the now empty bowl, not sure if that's OK.
My solution in winter, is to only give a small amt of ff, and then offer dry crumbles to last all day.
 
I feed fermented feed, but although I use a heated dog bowl for water, I am reluctant to try for the ff, as they will eat much of it , and what happens to the now empty bowl, not sure if that's OK.
My solution in winter, is to only give a small amt of ff, and then offer dry crumbles to last all day.
Thanks, @SueT! I noticed that the girls aren't interested in the dry crumbles now that they have the fermented feed. I left the gravity feeders in place, but the crumbles weren't consumed. Perhaps I will give them the fermented feed at the end of the day. :frow
 
what sort of food are you feeding?
At the moment I am feeding a combination of Starter crumbles mixed with oats, red wheat, white wheat, lentils, flaxseed, kelp and some other things that have escaped my mind. I let it ferment in a food safe plastic pail, stirring it several times a day. I've seen a real difference in the amount of food they consume and the consistency of the droppings, which are more concentrated.

I will be switching them to Scratch and Peck layer feed within the next 2 weeks. It is more expensive, but base on the fermentation process using about half as much as unfermented feed, it may work out pretty well. I've found it too expensive to mix my own whole grain blend...
 
Thanks, @SueT! I noticed that the girls aren't interested in the dry crumbles now that they have the fermented feed. I left the gravity feeders in place, but the crumbles weren't consumed. Perhaps I will give them the fermented feed at the end of the day. :frow
How did that work out? I was thinking of feeding ff first in the day, then they would wait around for it all day long... over thinking?
 
I have heated waterers for my flock, but I am wondering if there is something that I can use that will stop the Fermented Feed from turning into a block of ice. Food and Water is in the run, and the girls won't be outside when I leave for work, so the fermented feed will be out for an hour or so before they wake up.

Has anyone tried using a heated dog bowl? Would the metal base that goes under and unheated waterer work?

Creative suggestions would be welcome!
How did you run the fermenting if it is that cold out? I am thinking...not in the house? no?
 
I have a suggestion for your specific needs. The outlet timer. You plug the lamp in for when your away to make folks think someone is home at night. Set it for several hours at night and it goes off "for bedtime".....
Using that gadget for say a 2-3hr cycle in the morning? Would that be too much time for the FF to be eaten?

The good news is that there are several cheap versions and they allow for setting in 15 minute increments. I have the heat lamps set for a given time window depending on. The WX forecast. Make sense? Do I need to post a picture?
 
Maybe you are feeding too much. I just put out a gallon for 86 chickens, gone in 5 minutes, to the grain. They have cornmeal with 10% supplement in the hanging feeders aplenty.
 

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