I swear it’s like I’ve found my calling and I’ve run with it…
Lately, all I seem to be doing is fermenting things like: asparagus, lemons, and sauerkraut.
Fermenting is the process of lacto-fermentation. Lacto-fermentation has been around since the dawn of time, as my momma used to say!
To keep it simple…
Fermenting = probiotics.
Fermented chicken feed = probiotics for your chickens.
See. Easy peasy.
So, when 40 bags of chicken food was delivered to my front door, this crazy lady decided to ferment that too. Surprised? Yeah- Beau wasn’t either.
I had read about fermented chicken feed for quite some time, but I just wasn’t sure I wanted to create more work for myself. After all, time is pretty scarce on a farm come Spring time. But, after scouring the internet for days-on-end (okay- one night), Beau and I came up with a simple solution. It takes us an extra 20 minutes a day to make and use the fermented chicken feed, but in this case time is NOT money.
Why? Because spending that 20 minutes actually saves us A LOT of money. It literally cuts our feed costs in HALF. Yep- half. That’s not a typo. Fermented chicken feed not only provides free probiotics, it forces the feed to expand and double in volume. This is turn makes the chickens eat and waste less.
See. It’s a win!
Fermented Chicken Feed
Since we have a large number of chickens we ferment the feed in 5 gallon buckets. We have different stages/types of chickens throughout the year (chicks, meat chickens, egg layers), so we are fermenting 2-3 types of feed at a time.
It is best to ferment the feed for a total of three days, however it can be done with just one overnight soak. The longer the fermentation- the more probiotics.
To ferment one type of chicken feed for three days, you will need:
**please note: if you have a small flock you can simply use a 1/2 gallon mason jar in place of a 5 gallon bucket and strain with cheesecloth each morning**
– 6- Five Gallon Buckets (BPA free): 3 with no holes in the bottom, 3 with drilled holes (see instructions)
– 3 lids
– Chicken Feed
– Water
1. Drill holes in 3 buckets. Beau used 1/8″ and a 1/16″ drill bits. It isn’t an exact science- just drill the holes like the pics below.
Beau later went and drilled more holes where there is a “space” towards the bottom. 😉
Up Close
2. The bucket with the holes (right) will be placed into the bucket with no holes (left). This allows you to pull the bucket up and let the water drain out every morning.
Right now, Beau just pulls it up and “swishes” it with the handle from side-to-side. Eventually he will hang some heavy-duty hooks for us to just hang the buckets on.
3. Fill the bottom bucket (no holes) with a little water.
4. Insert bucket with the holes into the bucket without holes.
5. Add enough chicken feed to one set of buckets that you would use in a day (remember it does double).
For example, our baby chicks usually eat 4-5 scoops a day of “dry” food. We put 2 scoops into each bucket and this gives us our 4-5 scoops! See. Fermented chicken feed is a money saver!
6. Add clean water to the bucket. Make sure the bucket has enough water. The food will expand, so it’s better to have more water than not enough because it will develop mold if there isn’t water covering the top. After fermenting your chicken feed for a few days you will know the exact amount of water to feed ratio that you will need!
How to Use the Fermented Chicken Feed System for a Three Day Ferment
We did it the lazy-man way because we wanted to get started right away! So, the first day the chickens only had overnight soaked food- and that’s ok!
To get the process started: fill all three “sets” (a set being 1 bucket with holes and 1 bucket without) of buckets with the amount of feed for each day and put the lids on them. Label the buckets Day 1, Day 2, Day 3.
The morning of the first day, drain the ‘Day 1’ bucket and take it over to the chickens. Our chickens get feed in the morning and at night. At the end of the night the ‘Day 1’ bucket should be empty.
But, don’t go to bed with the ‘Day 1’ bucket empty! Refill it with water and feed.
Repeat the process the next day using the ‘Day 2’ bucket. Fill the bucket up at the end of the night with water and feed.
On day three use the ‘Day 3’ bucket. Fill with water and food at the end of the day.
Now, on day four you will be using the ‘Day 1″ bucket, which will now have had a three day ferment!
Just rotate the buckets in order! 1, 2, 3. Repeat.
It isn’t an exact science. Just fill the buckets, get into your groove, and you will find a system that works for you.
Notes:
*You will find that you will need to adjust how much feed you may need. Just experiment!
** You will want to check the feed once a day to make sure it has enough water in it. When we refill the day’s bucket at the end of the day we usually take a peek into each bucket and sometimes stir if needed.
*** Don’t waste that fermented feed water! We give it to all of the animals on the farm!
I’m telling ya! Fermented chicken feed is the way to go!
Shared On: Clever Chicks, Maple Hill Hop, Home-making Monday’s, Tuesday’s with a Twist
What type of chicken feed do you use? I currently just have layers, but plan to start raising meat chickens soon.
For a long time we had to use commercial feed because it was the only thing available to us. Since moving to Virginia, we have nonGMO feed delivered from Sunrise Farms. http://www.sunrisefarm.net.
We hope to eventually grow our own down the road!
Thanks for this post! I’ve been interested in the health benefits of home fermenting for a while now, but I’ve been pretty timid about it! I think I need to just take the plunge and do it!
I took the plunge and I’m so glad I did!
Can you use layer pellets for fermenting? Every chicken feed fermentation post I’ve read shows a more natural chicken feed than pellets, but no one ever specifies this.
I will update the post! But, yes. You can use laying pellets. 🙂
love love love this post! I had no clue you could do this and when we head back to the U.S. I will be for sure doing the same thing!
Hey Sonya! It is so easy too!
Hey Jen, love this post. I have a couple of questions that I’d like your thoughts on.
First—how many chickens do you have? I have only 5 right now, so I’m thinking that the half-gallon mason jar with some cheesecloth would do the trick for me. At this point, they are getting 1/4lb (about 1/2 cup each) of feed each day, so that should be sufficient space for what they are eating every day, I think.
Also, I have just recently begun mixing my own chicken feed. It includes 5 or 6 different whole grains, and also a little DE, garlic powder, and kelp. Do you think this would work for fermenting? My thinking is that it would probably be fine, and if it were to save me half the cost of formulating my own, that would be a 60% savings on the non-GMO feed I was buying for $1/lb. I add the DE to the feed to keep the bugs out of it, but I’m on the fence about whether or not adding DE is good for warding off worms when it’s on the inside of a chicken. Either way, I feel it can’t hurt to add it, unless it (or the garlic powder or kelp) will be gumming up the ferment. Do you add any powders to your feed at all?
I already grow fodder for my rabbits and chickens, so this wouldn’t be an easy thing for me to do. I’m wondering if I should do it indoors, or if I can do this in our barn. It can get to 100 degrees in there, however, so I’m hoping it wouldn’t mold. I think with those temps, I’d probably need to go with a shorter ferment time.
Anyway, if you have any thoughts on any of that, I’d love to hear them. Thanks for letting me bend your ear, Jen.
Kristi@Stone Family Farmstead
I stopped fermenting my chicken feed due to time factor, but with all the benefits I’ve read so far, I’ll start it and experiment.
I have been fermenting feed for 2 years. I rarely have water over the feed after expansion & have never had mold. Even in my hot humid summers. I use 1 bucket and feed & refill everyday. The leftover gets stirred back into new feed & water. Takes me less then 5 mins a day. Please go to byc and read beekissed & tikk tokk threads on fermented feeds. They have all the science & experience there to back up that you don’t need a layer of water to keep mold free. I cover with a linen towel & rubberband to keep out fruit flies
Thanks for the info! I couldn’t find anywhere else how big the holes should be.
Genius idea, one that I don’t hear nearly enough about! It’s nice to finally see such a thoroughly explained tutorial on it. I may have to give it a try some time. Thank you for sharing!
Jen,
I have 30 hens and give 1/2 cup for each hen once a day. They free range the rest of the day. I am very interested in fermenting the feed but not sure how much to give each hen. Also you feed yours twice a day any reason for that and should I be feeding my hens more? Also do you add anything else beside the feed from Sunrise Farm? I as well use their non GMO laying mash. Also do you feed them everyday with this food? Reading other blogs people say they don’t give it to their hens daily.
This method isn’t working for me because the buckets “seal” and get stuck. I am now only using 3 buckets, all with no holes and it seems to be working fine. Am I the only one who has encountered this problem?