I started fermenting!!!!!

[jeria]

Lazy Gardener How much feed would you use to start 5 chicks about 5-6 weeks old on FF? My bag of chick starter is about a week away from being empty.

 

[chicks are life]

I started with 3.5 to 4 gallons of feed for 16 hens/teenagers.

I used 4 scoops for 4 hours and 30 minutes I probuly used 8 or more scoops for the day and this is a decent sized strainer.


How long till its bad it was day two today the feed is outside in 97 or so heat?
And can I add more feed to it randomly...ex:

I have 3.3 gallons left could I add say 1 pound more let it ferment over night and then feed and add .5 gallons the next day

Again these are just random measurements.
What I'm getting at is can I add feed ramndomly

 

[ChickNanny13]

I start with 1 cup dry feed for 4, my girls are now 19wks & I'm still making 1-2 cup per day dry feed. I start off feeding a scoop in the mornings, check at lunch & again late afternoon, adding as they need. Yes, I do a daily add, got the time, you'll figure your own routine as you go & how much to scoop.

 

[igorsMistress]

No such thing as a stupid question. The best information can be find in Tikki Jane's article: https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

Fermenting the feed produces probiotics. It breaks down the antinutrients in the grains. It acidifies the gut to make it more resistant to pathogens. Chickens who eat FF have longer villi in their guts. Those villi are the structures that hold the capillaries that absorb the nutrients. More and longer villi = better nutritional absorption. Chicken poo does not stink as much when chickens eat FF. Chicken poo is dryer when they eat FF. They get better nutrition, so they don't eat as much. There is NO waste. Rodents and pest birds can't carry the feed off like they can do with dry feed. Your feed bill will go down. The fermentation process produces Vitamin B-12, greatly increases the amount of Lysine, and Methionine in the feed, making it very nearly a complete protein.

I hope you have your answers to our questions typed out somewhere so you can just copy and paste

 

[hempsteadjb]

I have a question, what do you put the fermented food in to feed the chickens? Possibly a flat pan? i have a hanging feeder for the chick grower and I know that will not work...I'm thinking of trying this method.

 

[FrankHomestead]

I have a question, what do you put the fermented food in to feed the chickens? Possibly a flat pan? i have a hanging feeder for the chick grower and I know that will not work...I'm thinking of trying this method.

Yes, those long rectangular feeders. And I actually had to take the top off because my pullets couldn't get it all with that in the way

 

[jeria]

I start with 1 cup dry feed for 4, my girls are now 19wks & I'm still making 1-2 cup per day dry feed. I start off feeding a scoop in the mornings, check at lunch & again late afternoon, adding as they need. Yes, I do a daily add, got the time, you'll figure your own routine as you go & how much to scoop.

Thanks for the reply. That helps me also figure out a container to use. WOW that's not much to keep them happy as the 5 are going through at least a quart of dry chick crumbles a day often more.

 

[Dayrel]

Thanks for the reply. That helps me also figure out a container to use. WOW that's not much to keep them happy as the 5 are going through at least a quart of dry chick crumbles a day often more.

Yeah, I was wondering about that. I don't think you will see that kind of reduction. My three eat somewhat less fermented than straight dry, but it is more than 2 cups (pre-ferment) per day.

 

[lazy gardener]

Lazy Gardener How much feed would you use to start 5 chicks about 5-6 weeks old on FF? My bag of chick starter is about a week away from being empty.

I would start with an amount equal to 2 days worth of feed. Make your container about 4 times that size. Perhaps a gallon bucket? (plastic) When you've fed out all but a cup or so, refill the bucket with feed and water, and it should be ready to go again the next day.

I hope you have your answers to our questions typed out somewhere so you can just copy and paste

I do have a cut and paste section in my word files, but... the computer needs to be replaced, and those files keep locking up. Yeah, I need to get a FF section up and running. Thanks.

I have a question, what do you put the fermented food in to feed the chickens? Possibly a flat pan? i have a hanging feeder for the chick grower and I know that will not work...I'm thinking of trying this method.

Initially, I used dog food bowls from the $ store. I also like using a chip and dip container. (looks like a sombrero with the middle top punched in) Most recently, I made some gutter feeders. They have end caps made of 2 x 4's, cross pieces across the bottom to keep them level, and a dowel loosely attached about 4" above the top so it will spin and keep them off balance so they don't perch on it, or stand in the feed.

 

[hempsteadjb]

I would start with an amount equal to 2 days worth of feed. Make your container about 4 times that size. Perhaps a gallon bucket? (plastic) When you've fed out all but a cup or so, refill the bucket with feed and water, and it should be ready to go again the next day.



I do have a cut and paste section in my word files, but... the computer needs to be replaced, and those files keep locking up. Yeah, I need to get a FF section up and running. Thanks.



Initially, I used dog food bowls from the $ store. I also like using a chip and dip container. (looks like a sombrero with the middle top punched in) Most recently, I made some gutter feeders. They have end caps made of 2 x 4's, cross pieces across the bottom to keep them level, and a dowel loosely attached about 4" above the top so it will spin and keep them off balance so they don't perch on it, or stand in the feed.

I love the gutter idea! You could actually hang them to the side of the run!!!!