For those who ferment: how do you handle (human) vacations?

[ChaosMom]

Morning, all, or whatever time it is on this lovely planet where you live!

Our 14 1/2 week pullets are on fermented Kalmbach Chickhouse Reserve, a whole grain/ mash-type feed. We all love it; hardly any waste, and they are thriving. But while trudging through the rain with their bowls of glop over the last week, it occurred to me that this will be less than thrilling to family members who will chicken sit, specifically a 7-year-old grandson and the dad who drives him.

It’s not just the twice a day part; it’s the jars and feed and de-chlorinated water - the fermenting.

So, two options I can think of:

1) Ferment a week’s worth of food and store it in the fridge, or

2) Find a pellet feed as backup plus wade through the hundreds of threads about chicken feeders, ugh.

Or something else?

I have (or will have) a veg garden, and that’s bad enough to schedule around, but at least it’s mostly May to early September. Chickens are year-round!

Any thoughts or experience welcomed!

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi,

I ferment HHR mixed with whole oats and wheat, and for us, it's just once daily. They get Kalmbach's Flock Maker crumbles too, in DIY 5-gallon PVC feeders. (Silkies).

If I go on vacation, they'll just have their crumbles as I have a farmer to lock them in at night and open the coops in the morning, but I couldn't expect her to take care of my ferment. In fact, if we're gone more than a couple of days, I think I'll have to dump it out. We used to do jars, so one jar a day, but with a larger flock, I now do about 2/3 of a 5-gallon bucket.

For you, I think refrigerating it would work though, if it's just for a couple of days.

 

[ChaosMom]

Hi,

I ferment HHR mixed with whole oats and wheat, and for us, it's just once daily. They get Kalmbach's Flock Maker crumbles too, in DIY 5-gallon PVC feeders. (Silkies).

If I go on vacation, they'll just have their crumbles as I have a farmer to lock them in at night and open the coops in the morning, but I couldn't expect her to take care of my ferment. In fact, if we're gone more than a couple of days, I think I'll have to dump it out. We used to do jars, so one jar a day, but with a larger flock, I now do about 2/3 of a 5-gallon bucket.

For you, I think refrigerating it would work though, if it's just for a couple of days.

Thanks! This is very helpful. I guess I’m going to have to figure out the PVC feeders. But it makes sense to have an easy backup.

Did your silkies have any issues switching back and forth, in a “what is this stuff” way?

 

[Debbie292d]

Thanks! This is very helpful. I guess I’m going to have to figure out the PVC feeders. But it makes sense to have an easy backup.

Did your silkies have any issues switching back and forth, in a “what is this stuff” way?

Nope, no trouble at all. They get excited when they see me come out with my bucket and large spoon though!

The PVC ports we bought on Amazon. Here's the ones we got, but there's smaller packs of them for less $$.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I feed both fermented mash and dry pellets, so during vacations I put the ferment in the fridge and the chickens get all pellets (which they're fine with).

If your chicken sitter is willing to dole out ferment, you can make a big batch and keep it in the fridge.

Or it honestly won't kill them to eat the same feed dry, if you don't want to bother switching feeds.

 

[ChaosMom]

I feed both fermented mash and dry pellets, so during vacations I put the ferment in the fridge and the chickens get all pellets (which they're fine with).

If your chicken sitter is willing to dole out ferment, you can make a big batch and keep it in the fridge.

Or it honestly won't kill them to eat the same feed dry, if you don't want to bother switching feeds.

I was also thinking that. I know that many chickens prefer not to eat the tiny pellet in the whole grain feed that contains many of the vitamins and whatnot, but I don’t suppose that skipping them for a week will kill them.

 

[Coffetym]

I have been wondering & considering fermenting. Does anyone know how long the feed will be good covered in water without refrigeration?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have been wondering & considering fermenting. Does anyone know how long the feed will be good covered in water without refrigeration?

Depends on temperatures, the hotter it is the faster it goes. In summer I wouldn't have my ferment sit for more than 48 hrs. unless it's sitting somewhere cool.

Also no reason to cover it in water, you really only need enough water for the feed to absorb. Adding extra means you need to sieve it out before feeding but that means some vitamins and minerals are getting left behind.