How do I use spent grain as a supplement?

[uffdaa]

Hi everyone. A neighbor whose husband brews his own beer just gave me a garbage bag full of spent grain from his brewing process. It's been sitting for 2 days, and I immediately put it into the refrigerator, because I have absolutely no idea what to do with it. I've been researching and lots of sites say to add enzymes to it in order to feed it to the hens, but nowhere can I find specific enzyme to grain ratios to use, nor can I locate information that tells me what these enzymes are or where to obtain them. Any help here would be great! Basically I have 3 questions.
1. Can I even use the spent grain as it's been sitting for 2 days, and if so, is refrigerating it the way to store it?
2. Where can I get the enzymes I'm supposed to add?
3. How much enzyme per cup/pound/?? of grain do I mix in?

Again, any help is appreciated!

Thanks!

Uffdaa

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I don't know if the process is the same everywhere. I just took the grains and fed it right from the buckets I got them from, I I add anything to them

 

[Percheron chick]

Just feed it.
Sounds like way more than you can use before it spoils. Take some old plastic containers or bags. Fill and freeze. Pull out a container as a nice cold treat to cool them down in the blistering heat.

 

[Alagirl]

Hi everyone. A neighbor whose husband brews his own beer just gave me a garbage bag full of spent grain from his brewing process. It's been sitting for 2 days, and I immediately put it into the refrigerator, because I have absolutely no idea what to do with it. I've been researching and lots of sites say to add enzymes to it in order to feed it to the hens, but nowhere can I find specific enzyme to grain ratios to use, nor can I locate information that tells me what these enzymes are or where to obtain them. Any help here would be great! Basically I have 3 questions.
1. Can I even use the spent grain as it's been sitting for 2 days, and if so, is refrigerating it the way to store it?
2. Where can I get the enzymes I'm supposed to add?
3. How much enzyme per cup/pound/?? of grain do I mix in?

Again, any help is appreciated!

Thanks!

Uffdaa

how many chickens do you have and how big is the bucket?
How hot is it where you are?

I have only 5 baby hens, so I would probably freeze the majority in quart bags for future use.
I am still a beginner at this point but I don't see that as more than a treat: The brewing process has removed most of the starch from the grains, and presumably most other content, like vitamins as well. It is mostly fiber at this point, slightly sweet tasting.
You can bake bread from the grains, I heard horse folks like to use them to make treats for insuline-resistant horses as well.

For my setup, I would probably just use it as a mash treat in the evening, toss a few worms in there, some veggies, and put a bowl full out.

Unless you are expecting a bucket every week.....

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Anytime you add anything to a formulated feed you will disrupt the nutritional profile.

 

[uffdaa]

how many chickens do you have and how big is the bucket?
How hot is it where you are?

I have only 5 baby hens, so I would probably freeze the majority in quart bags for future use.
I am still a beginner at this point but I don't see that as more than a treat: The brewing process has removed most of the starch from the grains, and presumably most other content, like vitamins as well. It is mostly fiber at this point, slightly sweet tasting.
You can bake bread from the grains, I heard horse folks like to use them to make treats for insuline-resistant horses as well.

For my setup, I would probably just use it as a mash treat in the evening, toss a few worms in there, some veggies, and put a bowl full out.

Unless you are expecting a bucket every week.....

My hens are 2 years old. We live in central iowa so sometimes hot in summer but not horrible.

I’d say about ⅔ of a 5 gallon bucket. The grain does not smell bad or even like it is fermenting yet, but I’m unsure as I’ve never used it before. No idea what enzymes to use or even if I should just throw it out since it is 3 days old

 

[uffdaa]

Anytime you add anything to a formulated feed you will disrupt the nutritional profile.

Wasn’t planning to mix in with feed. Just wanted to use as a treat. Could you give more information?

 

[uffdaa]

I don't know if the process is the same everywhere. I just took the grains and fed it right from the buckets I got them from, I I add anything to them

Did it seem to adversely affect your hens? Mine are layers so I don’t want to offset their laying.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Spent Brewers Grains vary tremendously - what is left over after making a barley wine differs markedly from an Imperial Stout, an English Brown, or the swill described in polite company as an American-style Pilsner. That means you can't know what its nutritional values might be, or what enzymes (beyond those already developed as part fo the brew process of raising the grains in a pot of water to particular critical temperatures and holding them there for some period) might be present or needed. Malted barley brings some of its own, but the roasting process can damage some.

If you plan to offer as a treat, spread it thin and dry it thoroughly. Otherwise, the same processes that created the wort all primed for fermentation make the spent grains a ready medium for colonization by all sorts of potentially undesirables. Then break of small amounts of the dried cake and toss to your birds - less than 10% of feed weight, by volume. Spent grains **SHOULD** by higher in protein, lower in carbs than their unprocessed raw material components. But how much? W/o testing, no way to know. Or even guess intelligently.

 

[raingarden]

Our son just walks through the property broadcasting it. The chickens and tweety birds flock to it but the excitement wanes when they realize what it is. However, by the end of the day you can not find remnants. If nothing else, it is avian entertainment.