?s re. fermenting feed

[bridgettesd]

Hi all,

We have survived the 1st two weeks and have lost two of 17 but all others seem super healthy. I have a few questions for those who ferment feed.

What are the similarities and differences btw using yogurt vs. apple cider vinegar with mother culture in the mash?

What is the cupful of dark fine mash in the bottom of the bucket? Can that be fed to the chicks?

How often to dump all, clean bucket and refill with new starter (I am using yogurt now)?

Anyone have recipes for making your own organic chicken starter feed with the intention to ferment it?

Thanks much. We are lovin' the chicks!

Bridgette

 

[bridgettesd]

I did a little sleuthing and came up with this article. Lots of great info. I know Bubbies at whole foods makes sauerkraut with live culture. We have some in the fridge! Also, Walmart sells the 2 gallon hocking jar for $10. Off to ferment!

http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2013/03/making-fermented-feed-part-3-of-3.html

 

[yinepu]

In all honest, you're better off going to this thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds

there is some info in that blog which has been proven wrong in the meat bird fermented feed thread (namely the issue with alcohol)

In the meat bird thread (especially towards the current end) are a lot of people discussing feeding chicks FF.. layer chicks as well as meaties.
Kilsharion (a member here) can also help you out with any questions regarding using yeast as a starter (she has tested fermented feed for alcohol and found that it is NOT a concern unlike that blog) Kilsharion is also a home brewer, so she has a background in fermenting that I don't have; however she is more than happy to share the scientific side of what she knows

as for feeding the dark mash in the bottom of the bucket.. you can feed that to the chicks.. most people stir it into the next batch of feed to help with the fermentation of that next batch.
Most of the people who are fermenting feed don't throw away the culture and start with a new one... (I don't toss mine either). So it's a continuing cycle. You can change over to a clean bucket whenever you want.. but I would use the same culture and not make a new one from scratch since there's no reason to. Think of it like sourdough bread starter.. some families are using starters that are hundreds of years old.. passed down through the generations.. they wouldn't dream of throwing it out.. so they just keep feeding it with fresh flour and water so they can eventually pass it down to their children and grandchildren.

 

[Kilsharion]

What are the similarities and differences btw using yogurt vs. apple cider vinegar with mother culture in the mash?

Similarities: both are part of the fermentation regime many use
Differences: the bacteria in yogurt is what is stimulating the fermentation whereas in ACV, the mother (which is a form of yeast), is stimulating the fermentation. Both are perfectly viable options for fermentation of chicken feed. You can also start a fermentation of chicken feed with just water, or water and yeast. I've tried all and some have used sourdough mother for theirs. I don't have a sourdough mother, though I've been meaning to start one (or nag my dad to bring me some of his). So, I've not tried/tested the sourdough starter method, though many rave about how well it works. I wouldn't see why it wouldn't since it's water, baker's yeast and some flour. Essentially the same thing you get when you start with water and yeast and mash (feed type). You can also use both yogurt and ACV simultaneously for fermenting your feed.

What is the cupful of dark fine mash in the bottom of the bucket? It's just sediment. You should be stirring your feed a few times a day to incorporate that back into your fermentation. You are also wanting to mix the mother (the "slime" that accumulates on top of your feed if you are leaving an inch of water above it) back into your feed as well. The stirring also incorporates fresh air into the mix which assists the bacteria and yeast in doing their job. Namely, breaking down the sugars from the carbohydrates and converting them as well as increasing protein levels of the feed, creating baby probiotic goodness, and more. You're cultivating a few colonies in your fermentation bucket and that's what you're seeing when you stir the feed.

Can that be fed to the chicks? Absolutely. Everything in the feed bucket can (and should) be fed to your flock - from day one to the zero hour.

How often to dump all, clean bucket and refill with new starter (I am using yogurt now)? You should only ever start a new feed when/if your current feed gets an infestation that causes it to go "off". The ways you can tell are varied depending on how you are fermenting. However, if you are already fermenting, then you know what is right for your mix. For me, with an inch hooch over the top of my feed, I keep an eye on it. If the colour of the hooch ever gets flat out orange or yellow, I know there's been an infestation of bacterium that I do not want present. At that point, I dump my FF, sanitize the buckets and start over. I've only had to do it once; and, the reason I had to runs on four legs and is lucky to still be alive...(one of my dogs)

Anyone have recipes for making your own organic chicken starter feed with the intention to ferment it? I have a couple of ones I'm experimenting with - but, until I have my final conclusions I do not feel good about sharing them. Once I settle on a single option, I will have it sent off for analysis and then post the results along with the recipe. There are a few on here that mix in their own things; and, several toss in bits and pieces of left overs, garden clippings, etc. The variations are as widespread as the people fermenting. Just keep an eye to the total level of crude protein (not the FDA's regulation of our daily percentage, but the actual percentage of protein overall in each ingredient and then do your math).

As Yinepu said - there's a very, very informative thread (she posted the link) that goes over all of this as well as posting specific information on problems people have had getting a good start going, concerns, suggestions, variation, etc.

 

[bridgettesd]

Thanks so much for all the wonderful information. The chickens are thriving on the fermented feed. I think I will forego the bucket within a bucket and just use a kitchen strainer to scoop out. That way I can keep it all mixed up without the sediment going into the lower bucket.

Thanks again!

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