⠀ Nutritional loss of fermented feeds. Purina rep insight appreciated.

[igorsMistress]

When feed is allowed to ferment there has got to be some overall loss of nutritional value. The process of fermentation consumes energy and what is remaining has got to be less than what the non fermented feed had at the beginning. If that not true than than a perpetual motion machine has been discovered.

What part of our feed dollar is being spent to feed yeasts.

Thought this might turn into an interesting convo, guess not

From what I have read both here and many other websites, chickens consume LESS feed and they are healthier when fed FF. Feeding yeast during fermentation is how the process works.

Have you ever read about fermenting food? There are a ton of studies you can check out and lots of articles you can read that explain what happens as food ferments.

You will always find nay sayers and promoters with their own opinions and reasons. Instead of saying no I won't try it, give it an honest chance to change your mind by trying it out. Or don't, up to you.

 

[centrarchid]

As I see the use of the fermented feeds, it does not negatively impact the ability of the birds to meet their energy requirements as they are more often than not able to consume more than they actually need. Evidence for that is that bird weight tends to be greater than what i think is optimal. I do no like fermented feed concept because it requires more mental effort and is hard to scale up even for my small scale poultry keeping. That being said, so treated feed does appear to be more palatable. It is also less likely to be billed out on the ground where rodents can get at it more easily.

 

[JaeG]

I love my fermented feed and so do my 16 chickens and 37 quail. It certainly saves on the feed bill. I have two containers and they are fed out of one which then gets topped up, then the next day they are fed out of the other, etc, etc to keep it fermented nicely. Easy. It's so much tidier than loose feed as much less is wasted or left lying around under bedding to attract vermin.

I supplement my finches and bourkes parakeets feed with soaked seed for the same reason - using up the antinutrients in the seeds (that preserve and protect them) and unlocking the nutrients that feed a seed as it starts to sprout, ensuring it grows into a successful, healthy plant. My birds flock to the soaked seed when I take it in every morning (they have regular seed available at all times in their feeder).

 

[Finnie]

I supplement my finches and bourkes parakeets feed with soaked seed for the same reason -

You have Bourke's?! I have Bourke's!! (And finches too, and budgies and cockatiels.)

I have been Leary of soaking or sprouting seeds for my caged birds because I read that there is a great chance of it getting moldy if you don't do it right. I read where people have to use bleach or VirkonS to keep the seed safe that way. And then rinse carefully to avoid feeding disinfectant to the birds. Somehow outdoor poultry seems different to me- less in need of coddling. And I guess I didn't really put fermenting feed in the same class as soaking bird seed.

Does feeding the soaked seed to your caged birds help cut down on the seed bill like it is supposed to for chicken feed?

 

[JaeG]

You have Bourke's?! I have Bourke's!! (And finches too, and budgies and cockatiels.)

I have been Leary of soaking or sprouting seeds for my caged birds because I read that there is a great chance of it getting moldy if you don't do it right. I read where people have to use bleach or VirkonS to keep the seed safe that way. And then rinse carefully to avoid feeding disinfectant to the birds. Somehow outdoor poultry seems different to me- less in need of coddling. And I guess I didn't really put fermenting feed in the same class as soaking bird seed.

Does feeding the soaked seed to your caged birds help cut down on the seed bill like it is supposed to for chicken feed?

Hello fellow bird lover! Aren't Bourkes gorgeous?

I soak seed for 4 hours, sometimes overnight if I forget to drain it! I rinse it thoroughly and leave it to drain. I used to dry it off in some paper towels but I've got lazy and as long as it's only a bit damp I put it out in a bowl for them. I'll probably dry it off once it's summer again. The finches are always the first to flock to it. I think it would only go mouldy if you are somewhere very humid. I've left it out for 24 hours and there's been no mould, and no negative affects to my birds despite the fact they are still picking at it before I change it. Mine seem to like it soaked but not quite sprouted.

I wouldn't ferment food for them as they are strictly seed eaters, unlike chickens which are omnivores - I'm assuming that makes a difference digestion-wise.

I have 7 Java finches I have had to hand rear - the first 3 just weren't thriving so I took 2 of them at 10 days old, leaving the parents with 1, thinking they would cope better. After 24 hours I took the other baby because there was such a huge difference between the 2 I'd pulled and the 1 left behind. Next time round we had mice get into our aviary (I witnessed one squeezing through the quarter inch wire). They ate 2 newly hatched Java finches and chewed the toes of the rest. If I'd left them in the aviary the mice would've just come back and finished the job, so I spent many weeks painstakingly feeding them. They are utterly gorgeous creatures and other than millet sprays and greens they only get soaked parakeet seed more out of habit on my part than anything. I do think they eat less than if I was just feeding them dry seeds. Finches sure know how to eat! And poop!

Here's Stumpy who only has one full toe - look at those poor little feet! Stumpy was almost white from blood loss when I brought them inside - I did not think there was any way he was going to make it, but he did.


My aviary birds always have regular budgie seed available, as well as dry egg food, a bowl of hulled oats and hulled sunflower seeds, and dove food (for the ringneck dove that adopted us, though the finches seem to like it more than she does) but the soaked seed is definitely the most popular bowl and if I wasn't changing it everyday out of necessity (so it didn't go bad) it would need changing because they more often than not polish off the lot. They get almost a cup between 8 Society finches, 5 Java finches, 5 Bourkes, and one dove.

 

[Finnie]

Thank you for all the info! I'll have to try soaking some seed for them and see how it goes. Not that I need to add another chore to my animal feeding regimen! It sounds like a brief soaking, not long enough to sprout them, keeps it safe from molding. Fermenting the seeds must be similar to fermenting whole grains for chickens, but I can't imagine what the end product would turn out like. I almost want to experiment with a little bit of it, just to see what it looks like, but not feed it to any birds.

 

[JaeG]

Thank you for all the info! I'll have to try soaking some seed for them and see how it goes. Not that I need to add another chore to my animal feeding regimen! It sounds like a brief soaking, not long enough to sprout them, keeps it safe from molding. Fermenting the seeds must be similar to fermenting whole grains for chickens, but I can't imagine what the end product would turn out like. I almost want to experiment with a little bit of it, just to see what it looks like, but not feed it to any birds.

My chickens love a bit of budgie seed (they get any leftovers) so you could always ferment it and feed it to your chickens.