Who Here Does Fermentation Feeding?

[Lavender Mum]

We do 72 hours and the 3 bucket method.

Mine is fermented in 2-3 days. I add one small spoonful of plain yogurt to my mix because it helps speed up the fermentation process.

 

[BastyPutt]

. I add one small spoonful of plain yogurt to my mix because it helps speed up the fermentation process.

Nice

 

[BastyPutt]

I'm wondering if that is because I soaked their feed.

It 100% is.

 

[MrsNorthie]

I do it from the beginning. I find the dry mash ends up in the bottom of the brooder as they like to stand in the feeders. It also gets additional water in them as they tend to be dehydrated from shipping. I stop when they join the flock.

So the moon-shine effect is safe? I was freeeeeeeeeaking out when the food was wet over night, because I was afraid that it would not be good for them.

 

[KodiakChicken1909]

I give them enough of the feed to fill their food bowl in the early am. Later in the morning when I can get them out, I let them free range for a few hours. I feed them again in the afternoon and throw in broccoli too because they love it. I give them a can of sardines 1-2x a week with the afternoon feed. At night, I stopped leaving food out since they turned 6 weeks old. Tomorrow they're 7 weeks and they have been fine with the adjustment. You can tell when there annoyed and still sound hungry. I only do soaked or fermented feed. I do none dry. I might start giving them unsealed sunflower seeds now that they're bigger. I wouldn't put it all out in the am because they most likely will knock it out, unless you have a better feeder than me lol. I need a new one.

I got a frisbee at the Salvation Army for $1.50 and it works the best so far for fermented feed. The bread pan gets knocked over, the bowls get knocked over. But the frisbee is perfect. They step in it sometimes but don’t really kick any out.

 

[Chickin Fairy]

I started my first batch on Sunday evening and smelling and stirring it this morning, it smells like sourdough. Has it had enough Time to ferment for nutritional value? Also, I'm so confused on ratio. Can someone help? I have 5 standard hens in one run and a bantam hen with two chicks in another run. How much should I be giving them (I know I need to give bantam and chicks starter instead of layer)?

 

[HazelandPearl]

Has anyone here noted that their hen stopped laying after fermentation was introduced? We are on a 1 week egg drought. She is healthy and eating can’t seem to find a single thing wrong with her other than she just stopped laying.

 

[BastyPutt]

Has anyone here noted that their hen stopped laying after fermentation was introduced? We are on a 1 week egg drought. She is healthy and eating can’t seem to find a single thing wrong with her other than she just stopped laying.

Yes, this will happen. Your eggs will also have a slightly eggy smell to them for a few cycles as well. But the health benefits for them are enormous and worth it.

We always recommend fermenting whole grains only, and supplementing that with whatever pellet/crumble you are feeding. The whole grains are a far better fermenting medium.

 

[RenaeS]

Yes, this will happen. Your eggs will also have a slightly eggy smell to them for a few cycles as well. But the health benefits for them are enormous and worth it.

We always recommend fermenting whole grains only, and supplementing that with whatever pellet/crumble you are feeding. The whole grains are a far better fermenting medium.

This is an odd question but what do you mean by whole grains only? What do you ferment?

 

[ChixHaven]

I am pretty new to FF and am fermenting Scratch & Peck whole grain layer feed. I am finding that the fermented powdery fines in the feed go uneaten, and therefore I feel like I am wasting a lot of good stuff. Of course, I stir the fermented feed to mix up the grains and the porridge-y stuff from the fines before serving, but my girls are precision peckers and will snatch every last grain kernel from the feed dish and leave all of the porridge-y stuff, which I imagine is all of the fish meal and alfalfa meal and vitamin supplements added to the feed. Is there something I can do to remedy this, to get the girls to eat all of the ferment, or do I just have to accept that I have picky hens?