Reconstituting crumble

[The Tiny Homestead]

I haven't seen any posts on reconstituting crumble. My thought was to take the fine stuff, add a little water to make a thick paste, press it out onto a cookie sheet and put in an oven just warm enough to dry it. Any reasons not to?

 

[azygous]

It seems that would work okay, but why go to all the trouble?

If your flock has become disinterested in their dry crumbles, why not consider fermenting them? It produces a sweet and tangy flavor and a nice cooked oatmeal consistency that most chickens take to.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I simply mix with water to make a cooked oatmeal consistency and serve that day.

My birds will stop eating the scratch I just tossed to eat their mash. I do this mash every morning since I have a cross beak bird in my flock and she actually requires food this way.

 

[The Tiny Homestead]

It seems that would work okay, but why go to all the trouble?

If your flock has become disinterested in their dry crumbles, why not consider fermenting them? It produces a sweet and tangy flavor and a nice cooked oatmeal consistency that most chickens take to.

 

[The Tiny Homestead]

They love it, but I talking about the stuff that is kind of crushed, so they choose the bigger bits. How do you ferment, and how long does it last? I only have 4 birds.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I wouldn't even bother fermenting it. I save all the powder from my feed, mix in enough water to make a thick paste, and dole it out in bowls. The girls love it and eat it like it's a treat, and it takes your feed waste down to close to 0.

 

[21hens-incharge]

They love it, but I talking about the stuff that is kind of crushed, so they choose the bigger bits. How do you ferment, and how long does it last? I only have 4 birds.

I don't ferment it.

I mix enough that they will be able to eat it within the day. For 4 birds it won't be much each day 1/2 cup total with the water added so maybe start with 1/3rd cup of the feed add enough water to cover the feed and stir. After 5 minutes or so it will have absorbed all it can. Give it a stir and serve. It should be the consistency of cooked oatmeal. If to thick add a bit more water.

In winter to much served will freeze. In summer it can sour.

 

[3KillerBs]

I wouldn't bother.

Like so many others, I use the fines at the bottom of the feeder to make wet mash on the day that I decide to clean it out.

 

[The Tiny Homestead]

Thanks for the replies. This site is so helpful. I already had some in the oven, so I'll see what happens with it, but nice to know I can just wet and serve.

 

[Acre4Me]

Same here: mix with water, serve! Often I throw a bit of scratch on top as a treat.

In summer, I’ll take pellets, soak in water for a bit, stir, then press in ice cubes so it is cold mash and the ice cubes melt and keep it cold.