Mashheads!

[NNYchick]

I give crumble that has been moistened with water everyday and have for 2 years with no issues. It started first to keep them from wasting the crumble and fines too and I just kept doing it. I do have feeders with dry pellets for through the day and use this as a morning treat. Just make sure you are only doing small enough amount that the eat it up quickly and you don't have moisten feed sitting around in the heat that can go bad through the day.

 

[Cryss]

I give crumble that has been moistened with water everyday and have for 2 years with no issues. It started first to keep them from wasting the crumble and fines too and I just kept doing it. I do have feeders with dry pellets for through the day and use this as a morning treat. Just make sure you are only doing small enough amount that the eat it up quickly and you don't have moisten feed sitting around in the heat that can go bad through the day.

But if it goes bad in the heat isn't that fermented ?

 

[HopeSprings]

I give crumble that has been moistened with water everyday and have for 2 years with no issues. It started first to keep them from wasting the crumble and fines too and I just kept doing it. I do have feeders with dry pellets for through the day and use this as a morning treat. Just make sure you are only doing small enough amount that the eat it up quickly and you don't have moisten feed sitting around in the heat that can go bad through the day.

I’ve been feeding mash after dinner and only what they’ll eat up right away. I’m hoping that when I start free-ranging them, they’ll come running for their mash so I won’t have to go looking for them!

 

[NNYchick]

But if it goes bad in the heat isn't that fermented ?

NO, a lot of bad bacteria can over come wet mash such as mold and botulism. Fermented feed is kept in a clean container loosely covered and the feed must be kept covered with water and stirred to prevent the growth of bad bacteria and mold.

 

[paneubert]

I have a giant feeder of dry feed available 24/7/365. For wet, I tend to use a 2 day cycle. I will give them a rubber feed pan full of wet mash mixed with soaked alfalfa every second morning before I head out to work. It is almost never empty when I get home, so I dump it out on a cinder block and the ladies act like it is brand new and usually eat the rest by the time they decide to go to bed. The next day is no wet feed and they are forced to eat the dry...or starve for the day. I figure this way they are not trained to only eat wet, and if I decide to stop or put more days into the cycle, they won't care as much.

 

[paneubert]

Of course after I said that earlier today, I came home to an empty bowl and felt bad for them. So I am making another for tomorrow. Haha. So sometimes they get 2 days in a row I guess.

 

[ZooAtHome]

NO, a lot of bad bacteria can over come wet mash such as mold and botulism.

Botulism is an anaerobic bacteria and can only grow when there is no oxygen present. It cannot grow in an open feeding dish. Mold and other bacteria, sure, but not botulism.

 

[paneubert]

Botulism is an anaerobic bacteria and can only grow when there is no oxygen present. It cannot grow in an open feeding dish. Mold and other bacteria, sure, but not botulism.

I used to be firmly in the same camp as you, but then someone educated me to the fact that another common source of botulism is actually roadkill! Believe it or not. You can find a ton of references online where veterinarians warn people not to allow their dogs/cats to eat roadkill due to the risk of botulism. Now.....why is roadkill a risk? I wonder if it is due to the animal no longer circulating oxygenated blood, creating a low oxygen environment that botulism favors? But then why specifically roadkill and not ANY source of animal protein? Mystery!