Mash, Pellets or Crumbles? Poll!

[jedgell]

I stopped feeding crumbles for a while because I had a buff hen that would shovel them out of the feeder and they would get wasted. So I changed to pellets. She did the same with that, but the other hens would clean up the pellets better than the crumbles. She is gone now, and I have gone back to crumbles with no problems. I like the crumbles to mix flax seed better than the pellets because it stays more uniformly mixed. With the pellets, the flax tends to work it's way to the bottom of the feeder. If I end up with another feed shoveler, I'll have to go back to pellets.

 

[Junibutt]

Fill a 5 gallon bucket with 3 gallons or so of feed.
Add water and mix until a slurry is formed.
Put in a few splashes of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. A 1/4 cup should do if you're picky about it.
Keep at room temperature.
Wait about 17-24 hours.
Serve as needed.

It's not being cooked, so exact measurements aren't necessary.
The only way you can go wrong with it is if you neglect it by not adding water and feed every few days.
No apple cider vinegar is needed after you start the first batch.
You can keep the same batch going for several years.


Fermented Feed can be made with any sort of feed or grain.
It'll last up to 5 days, providing it has enough water.
Only the 3 ingredients are necessary (4 if you consider the airborne bacteria that causes the fermentation.)
So why over-complicate things?

Great recipe. If I can't find unpasteurized vinegar, can I use yogurt instead?

 

[crazyaboutchickens]

Fill a 5 gallon bucket with 3 gallons or so of feed.

Add water and mix until a slurry is formed.

Put in a few splashes of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. A 1/4 cup should do if you're picky about it.

Keep at room temperature.

Wait about 17-24 hours.

Serve as needed.


It's not being cooked, so exact measurements aren't necessary.

The only way you can go wrong with it is if you neglect it by not adding water and feed every few days.

No apple cider vinegar is needed after you start the first batch.

You can keep the same batch going for several years.



Fermented Feed can be made with any sort of feed or grain.

It'll last up to 5 days, providing it has enough water.

Only the 3 ingredients are necessary (4 if you consider the airborne bacteria that causes the fermentation.)

So why over-complicate things?

Great recipe. If I can't find unpasteurized vinegar, can I use yogurt instead?

It should be okay, so long as the bacteria is in fact alive.
I've never tried it with yoghurt before, so don't take my word for it.
On the other hand, I have had fermented feed smell like yoghurt for a short period of time.
Expect the smells to change, though.

 

[member 142084]

Bragg is a good vinegar affordable too. Raw, organic, tastey

You can order a gallon from their site directly.

 

[member 142084]

My favorite feed..

http://www.modestomilling.com/poultry.html

 

[Katt66]

It should be okay, so long as the bacteria is in fact alive.
I've never tried it with yoghurt before, so don't take my word for it.

On the other hand, I have had fermented feed smell like yoghurt for a short period of time.
Expect the smells to change, though.

I don't even add anything to start the fermentation process. Just fill a jar half full of feed. Add water to about an inch over the feed and keep an eye on it. When it soaks up the water, add more till it stays an inch over the feed. Then let it sit overnight. Next day I fill the chickens' food bowl leaving a little fermented feed in the bottom of the jar. Add another scoop of feed. Bring it back inside, add water again and let it sit on the counter till the next day. Within 2 days of starting the feed it was fermenting all on it's own. It's been living happily on my kitchen counter for weeks now.

It's really not hard at all to start, maintain, or use.

 

[Ashdoes]

Great recipe. If I can't find unpasteurized vinegar, can I use yogurt instead?

Instead of yogurt, use buttermilk...the best one would be from the health stores, they carry the unpasteurized with cultures. This will give you more of the natural enzymes that you want, and the whole reason the FF is so good for the birds. If you go over to the natural chicken thread, they can explain and direct you on measurements.

 

[orange tomato]

I like the idea of the pellets, but my chickens don't like them, so I went back to crumbles.
To save on waste from the really fine crumbles, I sometimes mix the fine crumble with a little water and peas. Then there is no waste, but it causes me more work because I then have to completely clean their bowls the next day before putting fresh dry crumbles in again, otherwise it mildews and can kill your chickens, like unattended mash will.
I have found best just to use crumbles and throw out the crumble dust. I have bantams and some full size Cinnamon. Good question!

 

[member 142084]

My chickens didn't like pellets either, but they got used to them and now they love them.

 

[MaddiesMum]

I haven't tried pellets, however I prefer crumbles over mash.