Fermenting feed basics

[bearcreekbees]

I’m very new to this and don’t even have my chickens yet. I want to try fermenting my layer mash. I have heard that they need about 1/4 cup of dry feed per chicken per day. That doesn’t seem like a whole lot but I was wondering how much would it be if I was fermenting it.

Measure it before fermenting. I put each days' ration in a separate jar, then feed the entire contents of one jar each day. The feed, once fermented or soaked, will be the same amount as it is dry- it will just swell up after absorbing water.

I am not sure that 1/4 cup is enough- mine eat way more than that. I ferment just under 1/4 POUND per bird per day but then I add 2.1 cups of meat, organs, and suet on top of that and my birds eat every bit of it (one roo, two layers, two cockerels, and three pullets = 8 birds). Plus, the grit, calcium, minerals, etc. is available free choice and not a part of their ration so I don't count that.