I started fermenting!!!!!

[lazy gardener]

Jeria, in your case, I'd put the FF out before leaving for work. When the temp gets to the point where it would be freezing, I'd consider putting it in a heated dog bowl. I hope to get a horiz. nipple waterer set up in my coop with a heater, so that will free up the heated dog bowl for the FF. I have been feeding and watering in the coop during the winter, but may change that up a bit as I will be wintering more birds this year.

Also, sometimes winter brings changes that we don't like! I bear no guilt when the weather gets so cold that the FF freezes within several hours of putting it in the coop. In that case, I simply give them some dry pellets, and see to it that they have plenty of water. (when on FF, they don't drink much water at all, so if on dry pellets, I know their water needs will increase) I bring in the frozen FF, let it thaw, and feed it back to them again the next morning. I also change up my feeding program by waiting until the sun has risen to the point it shines through their door and windows to warm up the coop a bit.

 

[jeria]

Jeria, in your case, I'd put the FF out before leaving for work. When the temp gets to the point where it would be freezing, I'd consider putting it in a heated dog bowl. I hope to get a horiz. nipple waterer set up in my coop with a heater, so that will free up the heated dog bowl for the FF. I have been feeding and watering in the coop during the winter, but may change that up a bit as I will be wintering more birds this year.

Also, sometimes winter brings changes that we don't like! I bear no guilt when the weather gets so cold that the FF freezes within several hours of putting it in the coop. In that case, I simply give them some dry pellets, and see to it that they have plenty of water. (when on FF, they don't drink much water at all, so if on dry pellets, I know their water needs will increase) I bring in the frozen FF, let it thaw, and feed it back to them again the next morning. I also change up my feeding program by waiting until the sun has risen to the point it shines through their door and windows to warm up the coop a bit.

Thanks, I'm going to start another batch of fermented today. I needed to find a different container to ferment it in as the top slopped sides of the gallon jars were collecting some FF and impossible to stir in so it started molding. I switched back to crumbles for a bit. I had a bad cold that quickly turned to bronchitis, what a way to spend a vacay week. Drugs are kicking in so will venture out tp more than a doc appt and pick up a bucket at TSC today as have to go there for more grit today. The girls tip everything over so will have to also mount feeders somehow, for now inside as my planned run completion has not happened this week.

Luckily we usually don't have too many cold spells that stay below freezing all day. I have no power to the backyard and adding it would be a major expense. To use power tools in the back I have to feed extension cords out of my kitchen window. I'm hunting for a battery operated aquarium heater for their water.

 

[lazy gardener]

Good luck finding a battery powered heater. Heaters, as you know suck up the juice. You might consider a deep cycle 12V, with a DC to AC converter. The converters can be bought for $29 or less at Walmart, or any where that automotive supplies are sold.

 

[jeria]

Good luck finding a battery powered heater. Heaters, as you know suck up the juice. You might consider a deep cycle 12V, with a DC to AC converter. The converters can be bought for $29 or less at Walmart, or any where that automotive supplies are sold.

thanks I'll have to take a look. thankfully we don't have a lot of really cold weather. I didn't get the new batch started but did get a new food safe bucket on Friday when I felt up to going out and will get it going today. This bronchitis has stopped me from doing much but the drugs have kicked in so I could do more yesterday. Had to help my DD though get kids to sports events in different locations at the same time yesterday, the boys mostly drove as they have their permits and will take their driving tests in a few weeks.

 

[jeria]

OK so new batch of FF is started I hope I didn't do something I shouldn't have. I found an old expired (2 years) package of beer yeast in a cupboard and dumped it in as well, thought about that at work today. To me yeast is yeast and if not in a certain environment shouldn't cause a problem

 

[lazy gardener]

Not something I'd have done. There are different kinds of yeast. Baking yeast. I doubt that that kind of yeast is used to brew beer. But, I'd not know about that, since I've never brewed beer. Then there's Brewer's yeast which to my knowledge is inactivated, but a very high source of B vitamins. Then... there's the kind of yeast you found. Since it's old, who knows if it's still active or not.

I am of the mind set to keep it simple: Feed, water, time. If I vary from this recipe at all, the very most I'd do would be to add some whey from yogurt, or perhaps some ACV.

 

[Dayrel]

Don't know if it is a problem, but you definitely didn't need it. The tikktok instructions are very easy to follow.

 

[jeria]

Brewer's yeast or nutritional yeast is different. It can feed yeast and make it more active if you use it in bread making but it is not an active yeast. Regular beer or wine yeast is used to begin the fermenting without relying solely on wild yeasts as they used to and still do in certain wines or beer as we doing with the FF. I haven't made beer in about 3 years so the dry yeast has been sitting in a package in the frig or for a long time simply in a cupboard where I found it. MMM it is out there bubbling in about a 50 degree garage at the moment. The cold front is invading from the west. I'm not sealing it with airlock so it should not turn into an alcoholic product.

 

[jeria]

The FF is still bubbling away and the temps in the low 50's in the garage as it was in the 40's today, The bucket is not sitting up close to the house walls but out near the un-insulated door that is not sealed well. May give them a sample tomorrow after work but will start with a small one. It's rather like putting some bread yeast or sourdough in as a starter. I have actually made some pretty good bread with a package of beer or wine yeast when I ran out of regular yeast for bread. Just slower to rise.

 

[jeria]

I just had this yeast hanging around. and I hate to waste things I buy. Fed the girls about 2 cups of FF tonight and they attacked it after about 2 weeks with just crumbles , scratch, and some green goodies. Even Miss Jenny who usually opts for being picked up and cuddled only want the FF tonight, no cuddles. It was funny. About 1/2 was gone in a few minutes. Guess that they like it.