Hey all, new here.
I need some help with fermenting an alternative chicken feed. I'm assisting my mother in raising her pair of hens(ameraucana and black australorp) on a different diet in hopes of raising eggs my mother can eat. My mother suffers from extreme inflammation, and eggs are off the menu only due to what the hens are fed. We are hoping that by her keeping chickens fed similarly to her diet, she can have eggs again. We've found an organic vitamin/mineral supplement for the hens, as well as them getting oyster shells, veggie scraps and freeze dried mealworms as a treat.
We are working with millet and sorghum (organic, human grade). Sorghum has rather thick hulls, and rather than having to cook it every day, we'd like to ferment the feed. Unfortunately, all attempts at this (using well water) result in a concoction that smells nauseating. I know the usual rule with fermented foods (I also brew jun kombucha and have made sourdough) is if the smell turns your stomach, something is wrong and you should toss it.
So far, I've not been willing to give any attempts to the birds they smell so bad. Ideas on how to get the ferment started correctly?
Food is being fermented in an open glass jar on the kitchen countertop, house about 68*F.
Thanks for any input.
I need some help with fermenting an alternative chicken feed. I'm assisting my mother in raising her pair of hens(ameraucana and black australorp) on a different diet in hopes of raising eggs my mother can eat. My mother suffers from extreme inflammation, and eggs are off the menu only due to what the hens are fed. We are hoping that by her keeping chickens fed similarly to her diet, she can have eggs again. We've found an organic vitamin/mineral supplement for the hens, as well as them getting oyster shells, veggie scraps and freeze dried mealworms as a treat.
We are working with millet and sorghum (organic, human grade). Sorghum has rather thick hulls, and rather than having to cook it every day, we'd like to ferment the feed. Unfortunately, all attempts at this (using well water) result in a concoction that smells nauseating. I know the usual rule with fermented foods (I also brew jun kombucha and have made sourdough) is if the smell turns your stomach, something is wrong and you should toss it.
So far, I've not been willing to give any attempts to the birds they smell so bad. Ideas on how to get the ferment started correctly?
Food is being fermented in an open glass jar on the kitchen countertop, house about 68*F.
Thanks for any input.
