Fermenting Questions

[Michael Propst]

I just started fermenting feed a couple weeks ago. I do have some question on fermenting. I am using Scratch and Pecks Naturally Free Organic Layers. I am including some pictures below. I have been fermenting for 3 days and stirring daily. So here are my quesitons

1. Mine turns out very soupy. Do you drain off all the liquid and just feed the grain? Or dump the entire thing into the feed bowl?
2. The first couple times I set it out they finished most all of it. For the past couple days they have eaten maybe half or less. (I am only fermenting a cup at a time). Is it safe to keep the uneaten out till it is gone or should I pull it. For safety and not knowing I have been pulling it out and dumping it then giving fresh the next day. Unfortunately this is creating allot of waste.

I know fermented feed is great for the girls but I want to make sure I am doing it right. The fermenting process is pretty simple it is just the feeding I am getting a bit caught up on especially the left overs. Thanks in advance to any replies.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Mine turns out very soupy

Add more feed or less water so that you end up with a thick paste like oatmeal. The birds usually do not like if it's too soupy. It may very how much of each will give you the right consistency depending on which feed you use. So just experiment with ratios and you'll get it down pretty quickly.

If you have extra feed left, add it to your next batch of feed, no need to dump it. That is called back slopping and it get's your ferment going faster so maybe overnight instead of 3 days soak. I used to mix mine in 50# batches and feed out over 5-7 days. But the amount of time it is tasty to the chickens for may vary with your weather. Warmer temps ferment faster, and colder is slower. They won't enjoy it when it gets too sour, so just don't let it go that long. I've NEVER had FF go bad on me. And sometimes a little white fuzz will grow on top... that is SCOBY (symbiotic cultures of yeast and bacteria). Stir it in, it's the good stuff (not mold as sometimes mistaken by newbies)!

Did you already check the info at the link in my signature line? It may answer some questions. It's a good resource for quick info.

I did feed FF ONLY for a couple years. I will say it has some benefit.. but not (in my experience) ALL that is claimed! I recently decided to go back to dry and offer FF sometimes instead of the opposite.

Truth is EVEN dry feed IS formulated to meet the needs of the chickens!

But fermenting was fun.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

The white stuff that grows on top is not a SCOBY, but KAHM YEAST, which is also not harmful and may be stirred back in. It is a common mistake, but one that needs to be rectified.

Definitely use less water for the grains. They don't turn into oatmeal as they are full grains, not pellets or crumbles. I feed out about 1/2C of FF per chicken per day during the summer. It's been upped to 3/4C per chicken per day since it's turned colder. YMMV

Definitely use the leftovers as backslop. I've had a 5 gallon bucket going for my main flock for months and months without having cleaned it out. I get down to whatever is too small of an amount to feed out the next day and then mix the new batch right into the leftovers.

PS. The chickens will eat less of the FF compared to dry feed, as the fermenting process has made the nutrients easier to digest for the chickens, so their bodies don't NEED as much as they do with dry feed.

 

[PirateGirl]

With scratch and peck I was fermenting approximately 3 cups for five hens, maybe a little less, depends the breeds and stage of development and weather, but this might help you figure out amounts

 

[PirateGirl]

3 cups dry that is

 

[Michael Propst]

Thanks for all of the advise and answers. I am thinking one of my issues is I still provide a dry version of their feed and added the fermented as a option. Thanks for clarifying the leftovers. I had misunderstood past articles I read where people state only ferment enough feed for them to eat in a day, I was under the conception that the feed had to be all consumed on that day. I was afraid that after 3-4 days of fermenting the feed would go bad. Thanks again for all of the suggestions, I am still so new at raising chickens and lost one early on due simply to my lack of knowledge so I am trying to make sure I am doing everything right in caring for my girls.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

The white stuff that grows on top is not a SCOBY, but KAHM YEAST, which is also not harmful and may be stirred back in. It is a common mistake, but one that needs to be rectified.

I will look into that... don't like to spread misinformation... Though I recognize it as yeast, didn't realize it somehow isn't part of the SCOBY. Well, anyhow... thanks for the info!

Don't forget though... dry feed DOES meet the needs perfectly well for chickens, that's why it's formulated. Don't be convinced like so many are that if you don't ferment you are somehow providing less than acceptable to your birds as that simply isn't true.

My ACTUAL saving from fermenting was 10% not the 30% some claim and then disclose "oh my birds range". Of course I realize all situations will be different... and it's probably even effected by the level of you ferment. I'm not sure it's ACTUALLY fully fermented by 3 days (whole grains ferment slower), so you may or may not be receiving the full benefit. One way to tell the truth of your ferment ripeness is with a PH meter. But when you just start to see the bubbles taking place... that is the start.

Best wishes and good luck!

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Thanks for all of the advise and answers. I am thinking one of my issues is I still provide a dry version of their feed and added the fermented as a option. Thanks for clarifying the leftovers. I had misunderstood past articles I read where people state only ferment enough feed for them to eat in a day, I was under the conception that the feed had to be all consumed on that day. I was afraid that after 3-4 days of fermenting the feed would go bad. Thanks again for all of the suggestions, I am still so new at raising chickens and lost one early on due simply to my lack of knowledge so I am trying to make sure I am doing everything right in caring for my girls.

If you are starting a FRESH BATCH, that new batch needs 3-4 days in a warm environment to become fermented. It should smell like yeasty bread when it's fermenting. You should make a batch big enough to feed your flock for 3-4 days. On day 3 or 4 (even 5 or 6 during the winter), you should be at the point where there's not enough left to feed a full feeding, at which you then start a new batch WITH THE LEFTOVERS..... in which then it will take no more than 24 hours for it to ferment.

Mine is so backslopped that it takes less than half a day for mine to be fully fermented, even though it's cold. I keep my bucket outside, loosely covered, in the direct sun.... so it kind of *cooks* from the sunlight heat.

Good luck... and everyone should give themselves a learning curve. I studied about chickens for a full year before getting my first 8... and was still running to BYC to get answers daily!!!

 

[Smuvers Farm]

I will look into that... don't like to spread misinformation... Though I recognize it as yeast, didn't realize it somehow isn't part of the SCOBY. Well, anyhow... thanks for the info!

Don't forget though... dry feed DOES meet the needs perfectly well for chickens, that's why it's formulated. Don't be convinced like so many are that if you don't ferment you are somehow providing less than acceptable to your birds as that simply isn't true.

My ACTUAL saving from fermenting was 10% not the 30% some claim and then disclose "oh my birds range". Of course I realize all situations will be different... and it's probably even effected by the level of you ferment. I'm not sure it's ACTUALLY fully fermented by 3 days (whole grains ferment slower), so you may or may not be receiving the full benefit. One way to tell the truth of your ferment ripeness is with a PH meter. But when you just start to see the bubbles taking place... that is the start.

Best wishes and good luck!

I am already seeing a benefit of dry feeding... in that you can put out enough food for several days, instead of having to feed daily!!.... lol there are days I wanna sleep in... but NOPE... gotta go slop da chickies!!!

The grains are definitely a PITA to ferment, and the ONLY batch I ever had go bad was from grains. The pellets and crumbles are much easier to ferment, by smell and sight.

 

[AllenK RGV]

If you are starting a FRESH BATCH, that new batch needs 3-4 days in a warm environment to become fermented. It should smell like yeasty bread when it's fermenting. You should make a batch big enough to feed your flock for 3-4 days. On day 3 or 4 (even 5 or 6 during the winter), you should be at the point where there's not enough left to feed a full feeding, at which you then start a new batch WITH THE LEFTOVERS..... in which then it will take no more than 24 hours for it to ferment.

Mine is so backslopped that it takes less than half a day for mine to be fully fermented, even though it's cold. I keep my bucket outside, loosely covered, in the direct sun.... so it kind of *cooks* from the sunlight heat.

Good luck... and everyone should give themselves a learning curve. I studied about chickens for a full year before getting my first 8... and was still running to BYC to get answers daily!!!

Yeasty bread, mine smells like good old fashioned raw sourdough starter and wow on the 4th day it gets a nice sharp smell so I am adjusting how much I make not to ever get to day 4+. I am new to Fermenting as well, all I know is the chicken do eat it. I offer it about every 3-4 hours as they freerange the yard. Mine is sticky thick oatmeal and I use the bottomless fermenting barrel method in a 2.5 gallon bucket(using a gamebird 24% feed). With 8 2-3 pound growing out birds they usually take 1/2 pound per offering.