My fermented feed doesn't smell. What did I do wrong?

[proudmommie31]

I'm super new to fermented feed, and I went over every thread I could fine on the topic here and on other sites. I settled on a 1:1 ratio, mixing equal amounts of Purina Flock Raiser and water. The first time I left it 3 days (stirring twice a day) and OH MY WORD. By day 3 and 4 it was so strong I wasn't sure I'd be able to stick with it (not rotten just strong, I have a sensitive sense of smell). But the baby chicks loved it so I just kept feeding it. When there was about 1/2 - 1 cup left in the bowl, I added another two cups of water and 2 cups of feed, stirred and left overnight. Next day it was fluffy, full of gas pockets (for lack of a better word) and had that fermented smell. But now that I've done that cycle 5? 6? times, the smell has really tamed down. When i stir it, I get a whiff of slight smell but nothing like the overwhelming first time around. What am I doing wrong? It looks like its doing what it should, the top layer turns a darker color even, but not fuzzy or moldy and I just stir it back in. Does the lack of strong smell mean I need to start over?????
Thanks!!!!

 

[azygous]

I think you're doing everything right and your sense of smell is just getting tolerant of the FF odor and it's just not registering in your brain as a novelty. When our senses are used to a certain stimulant, they become desensitized. It's a brain thing, not the FF.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

I agree with the other poster.

But maybe your ferment also isn't getting AS strong. You might let it sit another day, or make a little more so that your back slop is more fermented.... especially if you are using chlorinated water.

 

[proudmommie31]

Thank both of you! I can try that. I have well water so chlorine isn't a issue. Also, I walked over to my husband with the big bowl I'm using to ferment right now and said, "hey, uh don't get mad, smell this". And since he is a trusting type of guy he stuck his face in and smelled. And then gagged. Soooooo, it's probably still strong enough. But I"m going to keep going with this batch and start a new one too and run a side by side comparison.

 

[blackdog043]

I've had my current batch going for about 6 months, it doesn't smell real strong, to me. My wife says it smells, haha. As long as it's puffing up, it's working, IMO. Also just an FYI, if you go away for more than a couple days, you can put your fermented in the fridge (covered). This will keep it from fermenting. When you get home, get it out and continue like you were doing. This way you don't have to start a new batch. I do this whenever I go away.

 

[proudmommie31]

Thanks! I was wondering about that. We have a week long vacation in July and i thought I would have to scrap it and start over.

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed with BD re: refrigerating a jar of ferment so you have a ready culture available when you return from vacation. I will also scrape out a bucket, and let the stuff clinging to the side and bottom dry out completely. Then, when I start a new bucket, I believe the dried crusties inoculate the "restart". An other way to kick start a new or weak ferment is to add some scratch grains to the bucket. Evidently, there are a lot of beneficial organisms clinging to the grains. I sometimes drain off some yogurt whey into my ferment bucket.