Sweet smelling fermented feed normal?

[NikAndHerChicks]

Whether you cover or not depends on what type of culture you are trying to grow, so you need to do a little research first. There are two different fermentation processes anaerobic (or airless) which requires an air tight lid or airlock. If you use an air tight lid instead of an airlock, it is important to burp your lid to allow gas to escape preventing an explosion. The second type is an aerobic fermentation, also called "wild fermentation". This process uses an open jar with a cloth cover that allows air in & pulls cultures from the air. Either way you need to make sure that whatever you are fermenting will survive in the environment you are creating. Usually if you are fermenting in an anaeronic environment you would make a salt brine to kill unwanted bacteria first & allow the lacto bacteria to survive. If you are fermenting in an aerobic environment you need to make sure what you are fermenting has enough natural sugar in it to support the lacto bacteria. If these conditions are not met you are just growing unwanted & harmful bacteria (such as bottulism). Fermenting feed is a great way to keep your flock healthy, but if you don't know what you are doing it can quickly become disasterous. FYI, a ferment that is done properly will always have a slightly tangy smell.

ETA: Just reread my post & realized I came across as arrogant . Not my intention! Just trying to help!!

 

[jane s chickens]

Im just speaking from my experiences fermenting wheat and corn. If I had to do all that I would never have fermented anything. I've been fermenting for 3+ years & never had a batch go bad because I check it everyday. Done

 

[JaeG]

Whether you cover or not depends on what type of culture you are trying to grow, so you need to do a little research first. There are two different fermentation processes anaerobic (or airless) which requires an air tight lid or airlock. If you use an air tight lid instead of an airlock, it is important to burp your lid to allow gas to escape preventing an explosion. The second type is an aerobic fermentation, also called "wild fermentation". This process uses an open jar with a cloth cover that allows air in & pulls cultures from the air. Either way you need to make sure that whatever you are fermenting will survive in the environment you are creating. Usually if you are fermenting in an anaeronic environment you would make a salt brine to kill unwanted bacteria first & allow the lacto bacteria to survive. If you are fermenting in an aerobic environment you need to make sure what you are fermenting has enough natural sugar in it to support the lacto bacteria. If these conditions are not met you are just growing unwanted & harmful bacteria (such as bottulism). Fermenting feed is a great way to keep your flock healthy, but if you don't know what you are doing it can quickly become disasterous. FYI, a ferment that is done properly will always have a slightly tangy smell.

ETA: Just reread my post & realized I came across as arrogant . Not my intention! Just trying to help!!

Sounds like you know what you are talking about to me!

 

[AllenK RGV]

Whether you cover or not depends on what type of culture you are trying to grow, so you need to do a little research first. There are two different fermentation processes anaerobic (or airless) which requires an air tight lid or airlock. If you use an air tight lid instead of an airlock, it is important to burp your lid to allow gas to escape preventing an explosion. The second type is an aerobic fermentation, also called "wild fermentation". This process uses an open jar with a cloth cover that allows air in & pulls cultures from the air. Either way you need to make sure that whatever you are fermenting will survive in the environment you are creating. Usually if you are fermenting in an anaeronic environment you would make a salt brine to kill unwanted bacteria first & allow the lacto bacteria to survive. If you are fermenting in an aerobic environment you need to make sure what you are fermenting has enough natural sugar in it to support the lacto bacteria. If these conditions are not met you are just growing unwanted & harmful bacteria (such as bottulism). Fermenting feed is a great way to keep your flock healthy, but if you don't know what you are doing it can quickly become disasterous. FYI, a ferment that is done properly will always have a slightly tangy smell.

ETA: Just reread my post & realized I came across as arrogant . Not my intention! Just trying to help!!

Gee and I was about to award you with the excellent post emoji....

 

[Chelseyb123]

It can. But when i do it for my flock i just do it for 24hr not f
For a couple days. I have done it for a couple days. I saw a blog about it on Pinterest and thought it smelled way to sweet an soury. If you do it over 24hr peroid the effects are the same i believe. At least thats whaf i read on a different site. But it still makes the same amount and effects looks wise as if you did it in 3days. I think its more fresher like that. I also warm mine up for my flock now that its winter an given before bed.

 

[lazy gardener]

What do you mean peanut butter consistency?
Also, I've read an article that recommended an airtight lid.
I'm confused now

Unfortunately, everybody and their brother, sister, aunt and uncle can declare themselves an expert on any topic on the internet, whether they have any real experience or not. I've seen some pretty foolish stuff on the net, posted by "the experts". A lot of it is pure nonsense. Have you looked at Tikki Jane's article in my signature? IMO that's the best written how and why of FF.

 

[Chelseyb123]

https://thefrugalchicken.com/fermented-chicken-feed/ heres one that talks about it.

 

[Peckadoodle]

Sweet smell is OK. I think that the "open to air" method works best for me. When you get started, it takes a few days to actually ferment. As you add grain and water every few days to maintain your supply, the bacteria are ready and waiting, so fermentation does not take long. Doesn't require extra time because I keep a huge jar going. The chickens love it.

 

[NikAndHerChicks]

Sorry, should have said that ferments can smell sweet, as long as they are also tangy smelling (think a sweet wine, or even apple cider vinegar, or hard cider). If something that is supposed to be fermented smells sweet & not tangy then it's not ready yet. When you are fermenting, you are basically growing a colony of bacteria (hopefully the good kind ). Bacteria is a living organism. Living organisms require food. The bacteria you are trying to grow eats sugar. If the ferment is too sweet smelling and has no tang to it, then the colony hasn't grown large enough to eat enough sugar. I agree that in the right conditions a ferment can occur within a very short time. I personally have never had a 24 hour successful ferment (doesn't mean it can't happen... I just haven't been fortunate enough to achieve it! ) The shortest ferment I've ever achieved has been 3 days and that was in summer here in Michigan. The longest was about 12 days and that was early winter. I typically don't ferment in the winter here any more because I don't have a space that is warm enough to store my big glass fermentation crock!

 

[lazy gardener]

During our forever cold snap, I stopped fermenting. I restarted my ferment last week, when the weather warmed up. I started my bucket in the house, and added the rinse water from my barley sprouts. That stuff took off and was tangy, and burping away in the corner within 12 hours!