question about soured oats

[cottagechick]

I hear all the time about soured outs...why oats specifically...why not wheat or alfalfa...or something else? Is it the cost or something about the oats that works better than anything else?

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Oats is a good all round grain and is quick to go "sour" or ferment.
Wheat takes longer and is getting hard to find in some places on also cost more than Oats.
I have done other grains but found that oats in best.

As for alfalfa, as in the seed? If so I don't know anyone that feed alfalfa seed.


Chris

 

[cottagechick]

Lol...I was just throwing things out of the top of my head and those were the ones that came to mind...I was just wondering why oats....not about any other grains in particular... Thanks for the info.

 

[Kassaundra]

I also have "soured or fermented" some other grains including corn and wheat. The chickens seem to really like all of them, I regularly use oat, but will mix it up w/ some other grains wheat is another one they go for as well (or maybe even better ) then the oats. I have stayed away from rye b/c of the mold that naturally exists on them it is dangerous (to humans anyway) I have never researched if it is dangerous for chickens (fowl) so I may be avoiding it for no good reason? Anyway I use what ever grain strikes my fancy or is cheapest at the feed store when I go.

 

[kota1369]

Quote:
How do you sour yours and what is the purpose?
I have recently gotten into Milk Kefir grains and have read that chickens love the product. I started giving them the kefir curds and or whey and they love it!
I read that it is a good probiotic for them also and I have recently soaked oats in the whey. They like that almost as much as the curds. My brain said it makes sense to give it to them. So, is this what you all are talking about when it comes down to soured or fermented oats? And is it for the probiatics that you do this?

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
How do you sour yours and what is the purpose?
I have recently gotten into Milk Kefir grains and have read that chickens love the product. I started giving them the kefir curds and or whey and they love it!
I read that it is a good probiotic for them also and I have recently soaked oats in the whey. They like that almost as much as the curds. My brain said it makes sense to give it to them. So, is this what you all are talking about when it comes down to soured or fermented oats? And is it for the probiatics that you do this?

Yes and increased digestabilty and nutrient absorption.

I don't use milk whey, just soak the grains in water and they ferment on thier own. They stink, that is normal but the girls love it stink and all.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
When I ferment grain I just add a few cans of oats (or grain) in a bucket and add *apple juice* to cover the oats about a inch or so and topping off with apple juice as needed.
After 3 or 4 days it should be "ripe" then I drain and top there feed with it... (You will know when it is ready by it's smell. When it ready it will have a sour smell)

Note:
* Apple Juice* Raw or Organic is best but you could use just plane water.
I like apple juice better than plain water because apple juice will add vitamin C and help with the fermenting process.

I like to also add a Vitamin mix like Rooster Booster Poultry Cell to the fermenting mix at the rate of 1 to 3 cc per bird per day.

Rooster Booster adds:
Copper
Cobalt
Magnesium
Manganese
Zinc
Selenium
Vitamin A
Vitamin D-3
Vitamin E
Vitamin B-12
Menadione (Vitamin K-3)
Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2)
Pyridoxine (Vitamin B-6)
Folic Acid
d-Panthothenic Acid
Niacinamide
Thiamine (Vitamin B-1)
Alanine
Arginine
Aspartic Acid
Cystine
Glutamic Acid
Glycine
Histidine
Isoleucine
Lysine
Methionine
Phenyla Lanine
Proline
Serine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Tyrosine
Valine

Chris

 

[giggleboxfarm]

Quote:
Mine are getting probably 5 gallons of kefir a month right now and they do love it. Of course they come running at whatever I put out, but they gobble the kefir up quick.

 

[kota1369]

Quote:
Mine are getting probably 5 gallons of kefir a month right now and they do love it. Of course they come running at whatever I put out, but they gobble the kefir up quick.

That they do! My ladies go crazy for the Kefir curds.
Thanks for the info. Always learn something around here.