Fermented food for chickens

[leigti]

Hello, I was wondering if any of you people who have chickens feed them fermented food? I am trying but my chickens won't eat it. I keep hearing how they love it so much and gobble it up. But my chickens have obviously not been reading the same things I have
Any ideas on how to get them to eat it? It is the consistency of oatmeal, and I have tried sprinkling goodies on top.

 

[Yvonne G]

Never heard of it. But yuck.

 

[leigti]

Never heard of it. But yuck.

Supposedly they love it. It is a great way for them to get all the nutrition from their feed. They'll eat it dry but they won't eat it wet or fermented.

 

[Tom]

Never heard of this. We feed ours chicken food. They occasionally get some weeds, grass or bugs too. If they are really lucky, I'll toss them a handful of pigeon seed. They really love that!

 

[leigti]

Never heard of this. We feed ours chicken food. They occasionally get some weeds, grass or bugs too. If they are really lucky, I'll toss them a handful of pigeon seed. They really love that!

This process just involves fermenting their food. You can ferment any kind of chicken feed that you usually feed. My need it dry just fine but they won't touch it wet or fermented.

 

[Yvonne G]

What is the object of fermenting it? Does it change the nutritional value?

 

[Yvonne G]

Nevermind...I looked it up on Google:

What the heck is fermented feed and why on earth would you want to give it to chickens?
Fermentation has been used for hundreds of years by many cultures to preserve and enhance foods. If you have ever consumed cheese, yogurt, sourdough bread, wine, beer kimchi or sauerkraut (just to name a few) you have eaten a fermented food.
The fermentation process uses naturally occurring bacteria to partially break down the food, improving its enzyme content and increasing its levels of vitamins B, C and K. It also makes food more digestible, and boosts the "usable" protein level by about 12 percent.
The other benefits to using fermented feed:

• Feed consumption and waste will drop by 1/2 to 3/4 (this will save you money)
• Poultry on a diet of fermented feed are generally healthier and less likely to contract disease
• There is almost zero waste as chickens don't scratch through it, kicking it out of the feeder
• Stools become more solid and many people report less smell in the coop and run!
• Egg yolks of eggs laid by hens on fermented feed will become noticeably larger, and shells will be more solid.

 

[leigti]

Nevermind...I looked it up on Google:

What the heck is fermented feed and why on earth would you want to give it to chickens?
Fermentation has been used for hundreds of years by many cultures to preserve and enhance foods. If you have ever consumed cheese, yogurt, sourdough bread, wine, beer kimchi or sauerkraut (just to name a few) you have eaten a fermented food.
The fermentation process uses naturally occurring bacteria to partially break down the food, improving its enzyme content and increasing its levels of vitamins B, C and K. It also makes food more digestible, and boosts the "usable" protein level by about 12 percent.
The other benefits to using fermented feed:

• Feed consumption and waste will drop by 1/2 to 3/4 (this will save you money)
• Poultry on a diet of fermented feed are generally healthier and less likely to contract disease
• There is almost zero waste as chickens don't scratch through it, kicking it out of the feeder
• Stools become more solid and many people report less smell in the coop and run!
• Egg yolks of eggs laid by hens on fermented feed will become noticeably larger, and shells will be more solid.

Exactly, it sounds like a good idea to me. Now I just have to convince the chickens.

 

[Yvonne G]

I agree it sounds good. Back in the dark ages when I kept chickens, they made such a mess out of their food. I had it in a hanging feeder. You fill up the container and it spills out a little at a time in the little tray. But the chickens would take their beaks and nudge the food out of the tray so they could eat the parts that they like best. They went through a sack of feed at twice the rate they should have.

 

[waretrop]

I have 250 chickens, layers that is. I feed mine all the house scraps. we go as far as giving them potato chips, all the day old bread that the local homeless can't eat. That amounts to 3 large boxes every 2 days or so. I cook corn bread with all kinds of food added to it before cooking. I buy Alice's food by the case and whatever is getting old or the ribs of the leafy things my chickens get. They don't get anything fermented.Reminds me of pig slop. I get well over 100 eggs a day and probably 4 are soft shells or have toe nail holes in them. Not bad batting average.

I don't understand why you would want to feed fermented food except to keep them arm in the winter.

 

[mike taylor]

I treat my animals as family if I wouldn't eat they aren't getting it . I've never heard of that and I have family that farms birds of all types . I personally wouldn't try it . We've always feed chicken feed and keep grit in with them . You can build a small chicken tractor and move it around your yard . This gives them the bugs and greens they need plus it gives them free range without the poop on your porch .

 

[leigti]

I have 250 chickens, layers that is. I feed mine all the house scraps. we go as far as giving them potato chips, all the day old bread that the local homeless can't eat. That amounts to 3 large boxes every 2 days or so. I cook corn bread with all kinds of food added to it before cooking. I buy Alice's food by the case and whatever is getting old or the ribs of the leafy things my chickens get. They don't get anything fermented.Reminds me of pig slop. I get well over 100 eggs a day and probably 4 are soft shells or have toe nail holes in them. Not bad batting average.

I don't understand why you would want to feed fermented food except to keep them arm in the winter.

I want to do it for all the reasons that Yvonne listed above. I have seen great results when I switched my dog and cat over to raw and my tortoise doesn't eat anything processed either except for the TNT powder and it is basically ground up plants. So I thought I would try this with the chickens to help them get the most nutrition out of their food. I am raising them as pets, I do like the eggs, but I'm not interested in making money or eating them.

 

[leigti]

I treat my animals as family if I wouldn't eat they aren't getting it . I've never heard of that and I have family that farms birds of all types . I personally wouldn't try it . We've always feed chicken feed and keep grit in with them . You can build a small chicken tractor and move it around your yard . This gives them the bugs and greens they need plus it gives them free range without the poop on your porch .

They free range in my yard all day. But it won't be long before everything is frozen.

 

[waretrop]

My chickens are excited when I bring out treats. They are not picky. I feed pellets along with house scraps. I don't understand this at all.

 

[leigti]

Never mind. Forget I asked.

 

[Yvonne G]

I know we kind of got off track, but I was interested in seeing what it was, so thank you for asking. Where do you buy it?

 

[leigti]

I know we kind of got off track, but I was interested in seeing what it was, so thank you for asking. Where do you buy it?

You just ferment whatever food you usually feed. There is a good article at tikktok World press. It is a very easy method, only uses one container. Put in food, water, and stir. Cover with a towel and stir daily. After about three days it should start fermenting. Scoop out what you need for your chickens that day then just add more food and water and stir again. Not really hard. It has all the benefits you listed above.
I'm not really surprised people are not very open to it. Had the same responses when I switched my dog and cat to raw. But they are doing great and the vet can't stop raving about how good they look. So it's OK.

 

[mike taylor]

I believe in fresh food for dogs . I use the fermented chicken feed to catch cat fish . I hope you didn't fill I was bad mouthing you. But I just can't understand why this would be good . This sounds like the start of corn moon shine . lol

 

[waretrop]

Bet it would keep them quite warm in the winter. I would have to make a 5 gallon bucket every day. I don't think that would be good for me. Do tell.....what are the bennifits?

 

[leigti]

I believe in fresh food for dogs . I use the fermented chicken feed to catch cat fish . I hope you didn't fill I was bad mouthing you. But I just can't understand why this would be good . This sounds like the start of corn moon shine . lol

Sorry, but it's a different type of fermentation process. Yvonne listed a bunch of the benefits earlier in this thread. Basically less waste, less food cost, better health, better growth. Supposedly they eat less then half of their regular amount.
I just saw my chickens poking at it a few minutes ago. So maybe they are starting to get used to it.