Permanent fermented feed?

[TheDisease21002]

I'm looking at the advantages of fermented feed for chickens and want to switch mine to it permanently. I want to know whether this will be fine for them or not as fermented feed is more acidic than normal feed. Also, can fermented feed be fed to baby chicks or is it bad for them too. If the feed it bad please tell me why.

 

[DobieLover]

I started my chicks out on fermented chick starter from the day they arrived.
When they were 8 weeks old I switched them over to my homemade fermented feed that I had to run through the food processor because it is made of whole grains, seeds and supplements. I gradually processed it less and less until they were eating the whole grains. They are all doing very well on the fermented feed.
In the bitter cold of winter you have to have a plan on how to feed them if you are not home during the day. At these times I feed fermented in the morning and leave a bowl of chick starter crumbles for them to eat during the rest of the day. It works out well.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I use heated dogs bowls to keep my FF from freezing in winter they work great if you have electricity to use. I’ve been feeding FF for close to 7 yrs now I doubt I’d ever go back to reg. feed again. Start all my babies off on it duckling chicks and goslings.

 

[DobieLover]

I use heated dogs bowls to keep my FF from freezing in winter they work great if you have electricity to use. I’ve been feeding FF for close to 7 yrs now I doubt I’d ever go back to reg. feed again. Start all my babies off on it duckling chicks and goslings.

I feed it this. No way to heat it that I've come up with.

But I am using a heated dog bowl for their water. I'm rebuilding my coop this spring and I'll be changing my water system. That will free up the bowl to keep fermented feed in next winter. Thanks for the idea!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Your welcome, I like your feeder. In summer I use those goat feeders from TSC to keep the FF from being slung from here to GA. What we do for our birds !

 

[TheDisease21002]

I started my chicks out on fermented chick starter from the day they arrived.
When they were 8 weeks old I switched then over to my homemade fermented feed that I had to run through the food processor because it is made of whole grains, seeds and supplements. I gradually processed it less and less until they were eating the whole grains. They are all doing very well on the fermented feed.
In the bitter cold of winter you have to have a plan on how to feed them if you are not home during the day. At these times I feed fermented in the morning and leave a bowl of chick starter crumbles for them to eat during the rest of the day. It works out well.

I see, well then I'll hopefully implement fermented feed into my chickens diet soon. Though, does FF actually have an impact on the amount of feces a chicken produces or is that a myth

 

[DobieLover]

I see, well then I'll hopefully implement fermented feed into my chickens diet soon. Though, does FF actually have an impact on the amount of feces a chicken produces or is that a myth

Myth!
It provides better nutrition. I feed less dry weight per bird than what is published. The average feed intake for a layer is 0.25#/bird. I feed an average of 0.18#/bird and that is during winter when forage is non-existent.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I like this info and recipe for making FF I am sure others have their favs too.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ter-easy-fermented-feed-method-w-video.65375/

 

[TheDisease21002]

Myth!
It provides better nutrition. I feed less dry weight per bird than what is published. The average feed intake for a layer is 0.25#/bird. I feed an average of 0.18#/bird and that is during winter when forage is non-existent.

I see then, thank you all for the information. I will hopefully get to providing my chickens fermented feed soon

 

[paneubert]

does FF actually have an impact on the amount of feces a chicken produces or is that a myth

The amount of poop? I imagine it is about the same. Now the smell and the texture/firmness. That has been widely claimed to be both less smelly and firmer when feeding fermented feed. Maybe it is coincidence, but lots of folks will tell you their coop smells way less poopy after they had their birds on fermented for a while.