I started fermenting!!!!!

[Dayrel]

Not sure what you mean by "funky". It definitely shouldn't smell like poop, but should have a lightly sour smell, like sourdough bread.

 

[lazy gardener]

I do not cover mine with water. I've not had issue with my chickens if I switch from one brand of feed to an other, one formulation to an other or if I even switch back and forth from FF to dry. Have you read Tikki Jane's article? The web address is at the bottom of my signature.

 

[lazy gardener]

Different folks have different sensitivity of their sense of smell. FF that smells fine to me will make my GS gag.

 

[FrankHomestead]

Is it still good if it smells kinda funky? It kind of has a poopy smell, I wonder if it is because of the secondary water or the FF gas? I have been making sure that the top is covered with water and set the lid on the bucket. They still eat the FF, I am increasing the amount everyday since a friend told me that they have had issues with their chickens if they suddenly switch their feed. Have you heard of this?

I know what you mean. Smelling like poop is normal. Fermentation breaks down the food somewhat, it basically starts the digestion process for the birds. Poop is food waste: broken down food, mostly. Exactly what my compost smells like too in the beginning stages. That would not worry me. What worries me is when it smells rotten or decaying. That's when I throw it out, and it's only happened once, when it was not fully submerged.

 

[jeria]

I'm having an awful time with fruit flies swarming it. I even now have it covered with old towels to try to stop them and it's not working. I have the dang critters all over my house. They are driving me nuts. I'm tempted to use it up and quit but still trying to find a solution.

My girls are liking it, though. I need to figure out a good amount to feed this weekend since I'm off work and will be home much of it. I know I'm giving them too much with how much is left in the bowls. I have these nasty bowls to clean out this weekend.

 

[lazy gardener]

When you get your amount figured out, you will not need to clean those dishes. I only have to wash mine out if they've been particularly aggressive kicking litter into the troughs/bowls, or if someone drops a poo in the dish.

Where are you fermenting? In the house? Are you also bringing tomatoes or other produce into hour house? Got Bananas, apples or any thing that would attract fruit flies? If you are fermenting in the house, and have any fruit or other attractants present, you can get a persistent infestation of fruit flies. I have found when this happens that if all fruit is removed or covered, the flies may still persist. This is because IMO, they will continue to breed where ever there is moisture: The sink trap being the prime target. If you close off your sink trap, and leave an inch or so of soapy water/bleach water in the sink 24/7, you will have the buggers under control within a week. This time of year is particularly difficult b/c of gardeners bringing in their harvest to process.

Keep in mind the life cycle of the fruit fly. You have to be vigilant to control the adults (vacuum works wonders), remove attractants, and remove their breeding grounds. You have to control the population through at least one complete breeding cycle.

Fruit flies undergo three stages of development before emerging as adults: egg, larva and pupa. ... The egg and larval stages span approximately eight days, while the pupal stage lasts six days. The adult fruit fly lives for several weeks. Twenty-four hours after a female fruit fly lays her eggs, larvae hatch.

 

[Kellycbf]

I think fermented feed has a strong smell. I hate the smell, but I have a super sniffer, so I am much more sensitive to it. To me, it smells like it should, fermented feed. I ferment in the garage.

I love feeding fermented food for all the reasons listed previously.

 

[jeria]

When you get your amount figured out, you will not need to clean those dishes. I only have to wash mine out if they've been particularly aggressive kicking litter into the troughs/bowls, or if someone drops a poo in the dish.

Where are you fermenting? In the house? Are you also bringing tomatoes or other produce into hour house? Got Bananas, apples or any thing that would attract fruit flies?

Yesterday not much left in the bowl, just a coating on the bottom and litter. Haven't been out there yet this morning as I gave them a second small bowl late in the day and a bunch of greens.

Fermenting in the house at the moment. May move it to the garage but have to find a space for it, having it in the kitchen reminds me to stir it fairly often. Fruit flies are in the garage also as I set a smoothie glass down on a shelf and it was covered in a few minutes, ugg. One car garage that also doubles as a shop and storage space that is pretty packed at the moment. Onions, garlic, potatoes, yams, bananas are in baskets as they do not do well in the frig and should have air circulation and occasionally tomatoes (mine have not done well this year). As soon as the bananas are ripe they are moved to the frig.

I've had a fruit fly issue since the freezer died behind the brooder box and didn't notice until I moved them outside Labor Day weekend. Loaded with the pesky critters. They may just still be hanging around.

 

[6PeckinChickens]

@FrankHomestead - Thank you! I thought my FF was going bad! I'm new at this, so I need to gain confidence!

 

[6PeckinChickens]

I'm having an awful time with fruit flies swarming it. I even now have it covered with old towels to try to stop them and it's not working. I have the dang critters all over my house. They are driving me nuts. I'm tempted to use it up and quit but still trying to find a solution.

My girls are liking it, though. I need to figure out a good amount to feed this weekend since I'm off work and will be home much of it. I know I'm giving them too much with how much is left in the bowls. I have these nasty bowls to clean out this weekend.

Have you tried the fruit fly traps they sell at Lowes/Home Depot? They are little plastic apples that you put nectar in and set it out and it traps the flies. When it dries up you are supposed to throw it out, but I add a little more water to it and it continues to work! We had problems with those little buggars when I grew black berries.