Is fermenting pellets really beneficial?

[JuliaSunshine]

This question is specifically about fermenting pellets the volume of which increases up to 4-5 times once it's soaked.
I can see that the fermentation does good to the feed but I'm just worried that chickens might not be able to eat enough feed because fermented feed makes them too full before they get enough nutrients.
I noticed that my chickens eat feed more often when it's fermented compared to it's dry.
I drain the fermented feed but still, some juice comes out after a bit and the volume is still a lot more than before.
I know people say that chickens eat less feed when it's fermented but I wonder they just can't eat enough of it because they get full quickly eating the feed with so much water absorbed in it.
It's like me having to eat 5 bowls of rice soup which could've been just one bowl of cooked rice. I won't be able to eat all those 5 bowls of soup and would give up eating after 2 or 3 bowls. I wouldn't get enough nutrients if all my meals were like that.
I'm not trying to criticize fermentation. I'm trying to find out what's the best way to feed my chickens and just wondering how feeding fermented pellets works as I can't get whole grain feed easily.

 

[Perris]

you might find the study linked here useful
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-me-research-study-on-fermented-feed.1428955/

 

[saysfaa]

How much water did your chickens drink when you fed dry feed? And how much did they drink when you fed fermented feed?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

This question is specifically about fermenting pellets the volume of which increases up to 4-5 times once it's soaked.
I can see that the fermentation does good to the feed but I'm just worried that chickens might not be able to eat enough feed because fermented feed makes them too full before they get enough nutrients.
I noticed that my chickens eat feed more often when it's fermented compared to it's dry.
I drain the fermented feed but still, some juice comes out after a bit and the volume is still a lot more than before.
I know people say that chickens eat less feed when it's fermented but I wonder they just can't eat enough of it because they get full quickly eating the feed with so much water absorbed in it.
It's like me having to eat 5 bowls of rice soup which could've been just one bowl of cooked rice. I won't be able to eat all those 5 bowls of soup and would give up eating after 2 or 3 bowls. I wouldn't get enough nutrients if all my meals were like that.
I'm not trying to criticize fermentation. I'm trying to find out what's the best way to feed my chickens and just wondering how feeding fermented pellets works as I can't get whole grain feed easily.

Do you want the simple, unsatisfying answer, or the long unsatisfying answer?
Here's the simple one:

"It depends AND its complicated"

and no, your soup analogy doesn't really hold up.

As more practical tidbits for consideration, the feed savings one is supposed to get from fermentation is very similar to the feed savings one gets from feeding pellets. Which at least hints that fermentation isn't the magic that some claim it is. The lack of large scale fermentation of feed for use in commercial operations (who are laser focused on reducing costs) is another hint that maybe fermentation isn't as spectacular as commonly claimed.

 

[JuliaSunshine]

How much water did your chickens drink when you fed dry feed? And how much did they drink when you fed fermented feed?

It's hard to find out as they're free ranging all day and drink from just anywhere like rain water pooled on different objects.

 

[NatJ]

This question is specifically about fermenting pellets the volume of which increases up to 4-5 times once it's soaked.
I can see that the fermentation does good to the feed but I'm just worried that chickens might not be able to eat enough feed because fermented feed makes them too full before they get enough nutrients.

Once the pellets are inside the chicken (where it is moist), they would probably absorb just as much water, and swell up just as big. Every time I butcher a chicken, I find the material being digested is thoroughly moist, not dry.

So I would not expect a problem with feeding the pellets wet and already expanded.

I know people say that chickens eat less feed when it's fermented but I wonder they just can't eat enough of it because they get full quickly eating the feed with so much water absorbed in it.
It's like me having to eat 5 bowls of rice soup which could've been just one bowl of cooked rice. I won't be able to eat all those 5 bowls of soup and would give up eating after 2 or 3 bowls. I wouldn't get enough nutrients if all my meals were like that.

With your example of rice soup, that would make you have a lot more water than you usually do. The fermented feed probably does not contain more water (or not much more) than what the chickens would drink anyway.

Also with your rice soup example, you might get full and stop at one meal, but you would probably be hungry again before the next mealtime, so you might have another bowl of rice soup as a snack. Most people are used to eating their food in just a few meals each day, and not eating much in between. But chickens prefer to munch a bit at a time all day long. So needing to eat more frequently shouldn't bother them.

I would leave a feeder of dry pellets available too, and then the chickens can choose whether to eat some of them. They are definitely smart enough for that.

 

[JuliaSunshine]

Do you want the simple, unsatisfying answer, or the long unsatisfying answer?
Here's the simple one:



and no, your soup analogy doesn't really hold up.

As more practical tidbits for consideration, the feed savings one is supposed to get from fermentation is very similar to the feed savings one gets from feeding pellets. Which at least hints that fermentation isn't the magic that some claim it is. The lack of large scale fermentation of feed for use in commercial operations (who are laser focused on reducing costs) is another hint that maybe fermentation isn't as spectacular as commonly claimed.

I was surprised by how much crumbles and pellets expand once they're soaked and wondered if chickens eating less fermented feed is merely because they just can't eat the same amount of volume or because they can get enough calories and nutrients from eating less feed once fermented.
If commercial operations don't ferment feed that shows fermenting feed doesn't save feed cost.
Still, fermented feed is very likely beneficial for chickens' gut health and immune system.
I was mainly worried that my chickens might not be getting enough nutrients if they eat fermented feed all the time so I'll give them both fermented and dry food and keep observing them.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I was surprised by how much crumbles and pellets expand once they're soaked and wondered if chickens eating less fermented feed is merely because they just can't eat the same amount of volume or because they can get enough calories and nutrients from eating less feed once fermented.
If commercial operations don't ferment feed that shows fermenting feed doesn't save feed cost.
Still, fermented feed is very likely beneficial for chickens' gut health and immune system.
I was mainly worried that my chickens might not be getting enough nutrients if they eat fermented feed all the time so I'll give them both fermented and dry food and keep observing them.

This has been noted as a potential problem for Cornish X, who have trouble enough consuming fast enough to support their unleathy growth rates (particularly of lower quality, less nutrient dense feeds) - they can make use of a LOT of protein, relative to other birds like dedicated layers and dual purpose breeds. But that's a factor of starting with an inferior feed, not an issue of the fermentation process. No amount of fermentation will have significant impact on total protein content.

Its NOT a problem for other breeds, particularly if you keep feed available during their awake hours.

 

[NatJ]

If commercial operations don't ferment feed that shows fermenting feed doesn't save feed cost.

I think it shows that fermented feed does not save on OVERALL costs.

If fermented feed would require different equipment and more time from the employees, it might be too expensive even if fermenting did make a small reduction in the amount of feed needed.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I think it shows that fermented feed does not save on OVERALL costs.

If fermented feed would require different equipment and more time from the employees, it might be too expensive even if fermenting did make a small reduction in the amount of feed needed.

Or if it introduces other risks. Fermenting is a germ brew pot. Its one full of hopefully beneficial germs, yes, but you are still making a bacteria/yeast soup. The cost of that going wrong is something they have to factor in.

Retooling is a one time expense (a significant one, no doubt, but one that can be amortized over a lengthy lifespan).

and dry feed stores longer, while requiring less space. another consideration.

at some point above, I think I mentioned that its complicated?