How much starter feed will they eat?

[mobius]

@jonesfamily6 I fermented the chick starter feed, a little at a time, in a 2 quart jar on my countertop and fed it daily in that red container as shown. If you are interested in fermenting, do a search for threads on fermented foods or look at lazy gardener's signature line for tikktok link to fermented FAQs. There are amazingly great threads here on fermenting and it is very simple and super healthy especially for chicks as they are growing their little systems. Hope that answers your question!

 

[ChickenMammX4]

My six chix ate exactly one 50# bag by the time they were 18 weeks or point of lay. I fermented it. No waste:

Sounds about right, when we got our 6 chicks we bought a 50# bag of medicated feed. Our son-in-law gave us another 50# bag. That second bag pretty well went to waste as they were laying by the time the first bag was finished. If it had been non-medicated, I would have used it along with oyster shell being available.

 

[debid]

Or the way they throw it everywhere and waste half of it by scratching it under the bedding and pooping on it. 

Isn't that the truth?!

I'm reading up on the fermentation stuff. It's a bit worrisome to me that people seem to not use a starter, though, for the first batch. One site says use ACV and replenish your feed like it's a sourdough starter, another says NOT to use ACV but rather buttermilk or yogurt or a cheese culture and to use it up within 5 days... I just want something with scientific source citation behind it rather than anecdotal evidence. I've made wild-caught sourdough starter and buttermilk so I have some idea of how it should smell but spoiled grains are toxic so I have concerns.

 

[mobius]

Many now think that the ACV is not useful here. Yogurt or buttermilk would be good. But I started the ferment just like you do with sourdough, the wild yeasts in the air start the ferment. Also, as regards the five days, I do what is called backslopping (similar to continuing to use a bit of the sour dough starter to keep things going). I have done sour dough too,without using a starter, love it love it.

My chickens are a year old and have had zero health issues (knock on wood). They are glossy, active, friendly, chatty and good layers. I also ferment alfalfa cubes now so they get greens during the winter.

They have regular dry feed in the coop, just in case I underfeed them....but I refill that four gallon bucket only once every two months or so...

Much of this information is anecdotal though you might find some studies digging through the large fermented feed thread....

oh! and their poo doesn't smell...seriously.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Isn't that the truth?!

I'm reading up on the fermentation stuff. It's a bit worrisome to me that people seem to not use a starter, though, for the first batch. One site says use ACV and replenish your feed like it's a sourdough starter, another says NOT to use ACV but rather buttermilk or yogurt or a cheese culture and to use it up within 5 days... I just want something with scientific source citation behind it rather than anecdotal evidence. I've made wild-caught sourdough starter and buttermilk so I have some idea of how it should smell but spoiled grains are toxic so I have concerns.

I don't use any starter for mine. The first few days of it won't be as "fermented" but it will get there on its own.

I rotate three 1-gallon jars for mine. I can't get comfortable with using just one container because obviously some of it is going to end up staying in there for a very long time. With my jars, after I feed I use warm water to rinse down whatever is left on the sides and bottom and that is the "starter" for the new batch.

You will know if they are spoiled by smell and appearance, once you learn how it should smell and look. Grains are only "toxic" if they are contaminated with a toxin, and fermentation has no contribution to that - they would have been contaminated from the start.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Many now think that the ACV is not useful here. Yogurt or buttermilk would be good. But I started the ferment just like you do with sourdough, the wild yeasts in the air start the ferment. Also, as regards the five days, I do what is called backslopping (similar to continuing to use a bit of the sour dough starter to keep things going). I have done sour dough too,without using a starter, love it love it.

My chickens are a year old and have had zero health issues (knock on wood). They are glossy, active, friendly, chatty and good layers. I also ferment alfalfa cubes now so they get greens during the winter.

They have regular dry feed in the coop, just in case I underfeed them....but I refill that four gallon bucket only once every two months or so...

Much of this information is anecdotal though you might find some studies digging through the large fermented feed thread....

oh! and their poo doesn't smell...seriously.

I hadn't thought of that. Good idea!

Do you ferment it with the grains or separately?

 

[mobius]

I hadn't thought of that. Good idea!

Do you ferment it with the grains or separately?

For no good reason I ferment it (alfalfa cubes I assume you are referencing) separately, in another jar on the counter, lol. Or maybe because I like both 2 quart jars to be able to be filled up...and yes it is GREAT food for them since they can't forage all winter and I haven't gotten around to doing a full sprouted fodder arrangement for them...I feed them a little less alfalfa than their regular feed but it is high in protein and other goodies...and they love it...long winters here...just got another 3 inches of snow...and more to come this weekend...so the alfalfa is a reliable, consistent and easy source of greens...yolks are quite orange!

Oh and $10 for a 40 pound bag that doesn't go bad must lower feed bills, you can't beat it...

 

[lazy gardener]

Quote: Have you read this article? It has the most information you are likely to find about FF as well as lots of how to. https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

Feed, water, air. It doesn't get any simpler than that. You're not going to find a lot of studies, simply because most studies are funded by folks that stand to make a profit from the study results. The only people who profit from using FF are the ones actually using it. Feed companies do not profit from it b/c the customers end up using less feed. Years ago it was recommended to start your first batch using raw ACV with mother. Your culture might grow faster by using some whey from buttermilk, yogurt or something similar, but it's simply not required. There is plenty of culture material in the air, and that will seed your FF. The best advice I can give you is this: Just try it. If you don't like it, stop using it.

 

[debid]

Have you read this article?  It has the most information you are likely to find about FF as well as lots of how to.  https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

Feed, water, air.  It doesn't get any simpler than that.  You're not going to find a lot of studies, simply because most studies are funded by folks that stand to make a profit from the study results.  The only people who profit from using FF are the ones actually using it.  Feed companies do not profit from it b/c the customers end up using less feed.  Years ago it was recommended to start your first batch using raw ACV with mother.  Your culture might grow faster by using some whey from buttermilk, yogurt or something similar, but it's simply not required.  There is plenty of culture material in the air, and that will seed your FF.  The best advice I can give you is this:  Just try it.  If you don't like it, stop using it.  

With air captured, I'm just as likely to get alcohol-producing yeast and mold spores as I am the lacto bacteria, aren't I?

The sourdough starter I made used a spoonful of live culture yogurt to provide some lacto bacteria. That was supposed to help prevent the "wrong" kind of bacteria from populating while the yeast established. And if it turned pink, that was spoilage and you were to discard and start over because the bad bacteria had established before the yeast. Success was the gloop staying the same color and bubbling. I had no trouble with this but I was also making yeast bread with a hint of alcohol, not fermented grain.

I'm just having trouble wrapping my head around the idea of a predictable outcome when the population is left to chance. Do we have a microbiologist on the board?

 

[ChickNanny13]

For no good reason I ferment it (alfalfa cubes I assume you are referencing) separately, in another jar on the counter, lol. Or maybe because I like both 2 quart jars to be able to be filled up...and yes it is GREAT food for them since they can't forage all winter and I haven't gotten around to doing a full sprouted fodder arrangement for them...I feed them a little less alfalfa than their regular feed but it is high in protein and other goodies...and they love it...long winters here...just got another 3 inches of snow...and more to come this weekend...so the alfalfa is a reliable, consistent and easy source of greens...yolks are quite orange!

Oh and $10 for a 40 pound bag that doesn't go bad must lower feed bills, you can't beat it...

I ferment from day one Chick Starter then Flock Raiser (oyster shells on the side) for my layers. No grain mills here

but I've been curious as to fermenting alfalfa cubes that I've seen in the stores. Assuming it's done the same as with the feed - water, ACV & cubes submerged? My girls don't free range & wanting to get them some greens. I toss veggies & kitchen stuff in for them but love the smell of alfalfa

Thought of tossing cubes in for them to peck at but fermenting has its benefits