Stephoney
Songster
- Apr 7, 2021
- 106
- 180
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I feel like I’ve read a couple thousand threads and blogposts about fermenting feed lately looking for an answer to something that seems pretty simple.
Background
I started soaking grains this summer to help keep my ladies hydrated during the warm weather. I feed them Natural Farm Feed and Scratch & Peck Layer- one scoop each twice per day. I filled the bins up with water, dumped the feed in and let them soak all day (or night). In the morning, I drained them in a strainer and rinsed them with the hose before adding protein and greens if I had any left from the dinner the night before. This worked really well. Even my reluctant older hens enjoyed the soaked grains. I tried not rinsing them several times (just draining them) to see if they might like them better. No dice. Turns out they didn’t like the residue left on the grains. I’m not sure how to describe it, but it was just a little viscous and slightly gluey. I didn’t worry about it too much and kept rinsing them all summer. My girls free range and have access to dry grains as well, all day long.
Now, I’m back to work (teacher librarian) and figured out that keeping a rotation of fermented grains on my counter would help me continue to feed wet grains to my girls. I have to be at work by 6:40 and it’s just not enough time to mess around in the yard, rinsing them like I have been before heading off to work. I have 3 glass jars on my counter working in a rotation. I’ve followed the same system (drain, rinse, plate) with the fermented feed, except in my kitchen sink instead. They ferment for essentially three days before they are fed to the girls. Same as before, the hens really like them. My question is (sorry for the long explanation!)…
When I rinse the grains, am I rinsing all the probiotic goodness down the drain?
I know that soaking them helps to remove the phytic acid and make them more digestible, however, I want them to get the full benefits of fermenting, if possible. Does the probiotic just sit on top of the grains or does it penetrate into the feed? What do you all think? Anyone ferment their grains that might know an answer?
Background
I started soaking grains this summer to help keep my ladies hydrated during the warm weather. I feed them Natural Farm Feed and Scratch & Peck Layer- one scoop each twice per day. I filled the bins up with water, dumped the feed in and let them soak all day (or night). In the morning, I drained them in a strainer and rinsed them with the hose before adding protein and greens if I had any left from the dinner the night before. This worked really well. Even my reluctant older hens enjoyed the soaked grains. I tried not rinsing them several times (just draining them) to see if they might like them better. No dice. Turns out they didn’t like the residue left on the grains. I’m not sure how to describe it, but it was just a little viscous and slightly gluey. I didn’t worry about it too much and kept rinsing them all summer. My girls free range and have access to dry grains as well, all day long.
Now, I’m back to work (teacher librarian) and figured out that keeping a rotation of fermented grains on my counter would help me continue to feed wet grains to my girls. I have to be at work by 6:40 and it’s just not enough time to mess around in the yard, rinsing them like I have been before heading off to work. I have 3 glass jars on my counter working in a rotation. I’ve followed the same system (drain, rinse, plate) with the fermented feed, except in my kitchen sink instead. They ferment for essentially three days before they are fed to the girls. Same as before, the hens really like them. My question is (sorry for the long explanation!)…
When I rinse the grains, am I rinsing all the probiotic goodness down the drain?
I know that soaking them helps to remove the phytic acid and make them more digestible, however, I want them to get the full benefits of fermenting, if possible. Does the probiotic just sit on top of the grains or does it penetrate into the feed? What do you all think? Anyone ferment their grains that might know an answer?