Wet feed

[justcallmepenny]

Hi! Had a sudden downpour yesterday & some rain got into my feed. Can I dry it out in the oven on low heat? It's damp, not soaking wet. Finisher crumbles

 

[ShanandGem]

I don't ferment but I do cook for my chickens. Soaked peas and lentils, a piece of fish, a square of frozen spinach and a healthy helping of frozen corn, with three cups of scratch. Put it in a big pot with lots of water and slow cook for about an hour. We call it Lentil Delight, and everyone around here goes crazy for it. I feed it twice a day, and they clean their plates both times! I have 35+ birds from many different sources and they all love it.
They also get a hand mixed dry feed free choice. It's basically scratch with a little soy, pumpkin, sesame, millet and sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast and cod liver oil.

 

[Almost Heaven]

I have to try this sounds like a hen-of-a good time

 

[Pendragonz]

There's a couple of threads on the forum here about it. Essentially what you are doing is taking the chicken feed that you normally feed your birds, and adding water. Take 3-4 days worth of feed and cover it in water. Stir it up and let it sit for 3-4 days. The natural yeast that's on the grains will cause fermentation, which is safe for your birds. What is happening is that by sitting there soaking the antinutrients that are in grains are being broken down, and the nutrients then become more readily available for the birds nutritional needs. By doing this your birds will eat 30 - 50% less feed because they are getting more nutrition out of what they are eating. I raised a batch of meat chickens last fall with good success. This year I am raising a batch of hen chicks that will be my egg producers. I should be having my own eggs by mid October. These chicks are doing great on it. That's it in a nutshell. If you do a search for fermented feed the one thread last I knew I believe had 1700 pages or something like that. Good luck if you decide to pursue it. I know I will keep it up as long as I have chickens. Oh, and another major perk is that it gives the birds probiotics which makes for better intestinal health, and less illness.

 

[Pendragonz]

You can tell by looking at it, the difference between the yeast growing on it and mold. You can tell by the smell also, it should smell like fermenting sour dough, or fermenting veggies. If it smells bad, it is bad. Not to say that it smells great, but not like it is rotting. However, I refuse to sample it. I don't eat my dogs food, nor am I going to eat my chickens food.

 

[Almost Heaven]

Spoiled all my fun here I was going to make a big batch and fix myself a plate

 

[Pendragonz]

  i got a good laugh out of this.. 

by sampling i'm talking about using a small amount at first

like how you do it with paint or carpet cleaner ?. testing it out in a small location first

when you are trying something new.. using samples would be best.

I figured that was what you meant, but had to create a laugh out of it.

 

[BruceAZ]

Spoiled all my fun here I was going to make a big batch and fix myself a plate

i heard of people eating dog foods before so maybe chicken foods will not be as bad ?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

You guys are silly!

Fermented feed is great. I've been doing it for 4 months. I am glad somebody recommended it and even more so that you are willing to try!

I did start with very small batches to um..... sample...

Good luck.

 

[BruceAZ]

Hi! Had a sudden downpour yesterday & some rain got into my feed. Can I dry it out in the oven on low heat? It's damp, not soaking wet. Finisher crumbles

it's probably fine

you can just spread the feed out in a pan and leave it out side in the hot sun..

but oven might be quicker.