Thanks for not sounding overwhelmingly excited about fermenting feed. Too many TH-camrs are jumping up and down, yelling at the camera, etc to talk about a topic like growing tomatoes or raising chickens. it's fake AF. Anyways. Thanks.
One bucket? Of course! Like sourdough starter, take some out, add some in. I was thinking i had to use up all of one batch before starting the next and was figuring on needing three buckets to cycle through. This is much simpler.
I read that it has its highest nutrient value between 3-4 days. If you have 1 or 2 buckets you rotate you should be able to let it sit long enough to hit that mark in a 3 day cycle pretty easy. Thats what I am debating on doing...
Bro, THANK YOU for being honest about the savings. All these videos with the clickbait title "cut your feed costs in HALF" then say 20-30 percent in the video... because 30 percent of 100 percent is "half".
Oh my gosh, I just gave my girls their very first fermented chicken crumble and they were smacking their chicken lips for it!! I am thinking of giving them a small amount every day as I transition them over to it. Thank you for a great video!
Great video and thanks for the clarity. One small point if I may... People get wrapped around the axle these days about "food grade" containers. Remember as of up to a few generations ago buckets were either made of steel with soldered seams, (lead) or galvanized steel, (zinc & aluminum. Very few people grew three heads. Also, Home Depot, Lowes, Bi-Mart, etc, buckets are food grade, (HDPE plastic same as milk jugs). You'll find those four letters under a small triangle, usually on the bottom of the bucket.
Haha I love the way you put it with the three heads lol. Yea I agree. I didn’t realize Home Depot buckets were food grade until after making this video
Thank you for sharing. I agree with the Welch family, I appreciate you getting to the point.."Just the facts"...fermenting food is SIMPLE ...no need for a 30 min intro.
I just start with 14 layer i am so exicited thank you for showing me how to ferment the feed in my country the feed is so expenisive it 3000 dallor a bag for the layer feed so i am doing the fermenting thank you then just start lay three days ago they are eighteen week old
@@tannerfarmstead we have pigs and chickens but would love to use this for our Cornish crosses as the are decimating food and as are the pigs we currently sprout wheat feed
@@tannerfarmstead this has been a game changer. I have def finitely subscribed we literally have made our feed stretch just since we tried. Do you have a fb
Hello, im a new subscriber hoping to learn as much as I could. Please let me know what kind of electric fence you are using? I'm planning to separate my Buff Orpintons and buckeyes. Yes, each have their rooster. Thank you! Also, (sorry) did you build your own coop on wheels? Thank you.
Would you mind sharing where you get your whole organic scratch grains? I typically feed my birds Tractor Supply All Flock with calcium on the side since I have roosters and I've tried just doing the fermenting for the All Flock but I figured they wouldn't eat it. It was a while back so I can't remember but I am spending SOOOOO much in feed lately that it isn't even funny. I'd love to try this method for my birds. (Also, how much of the fermented feed per chicken would you estimate is needed per day? I ask because I have two roosters in their own area until I can find them a new home, and then I have one flock (9 ladies, 1 male) that are in a coop and run because they can fly over my fence to my neighbors yard, and one flock that free ranges in my backyard so I'd be interested to know the amount per bird so I can plan accordingly. Also, I'm commenting at 2:11 into the video so I apologize if you mention this later on and I forget to edit my comment. You should SOOOO make longer and more videos. 604 subscribers?!?! WAT! You should have a whole lot more if your channel is based on this kind of video. I'm subscribing because I LOVE finding newer TH-camrs and watching their channels grow. 😉
I buy the Dumor Non GMO grains from tractor supply. It comes in a big bag. You can also by the organic layer crumbles which you can ferment along with the whole grains. I do maybes 10-20% whole grains with the crumble feed. Do not ferment pellets. Fermenting will save you a good amount on feed costs. They eat less of it. It will surprise you. Also thanks for the encouragement! Definitely trying to get more subscribers and continue to build it. I’ll start putting out more and longer content
It seems like the water will dissolve lots of nutrients and get more potent reusing. I saw another video where the guy adds dry feed to absorb the nutrient water each feeding. Maybe it'll up the savings more?
When my ladies arrive I'll give this a try (when they're bigger). I do this with mushroom grain spawn, and I also spit in the bucket a few times. The mushrooms love it! 😉
Thank you for sharing! Great video! 😁👍👍 I started doing this with lay mash about a week ago & adding about a tsp of molasses to my Mason jars (with the lid cracked, not sealed shut) & stirring once to twice a day. Fermenting about 2-3 days before feeding. From listening to other people's videos. Although, I've heard others say every kind of food, except saying lay mash. I just purchased some wild bird & game feed which is grains, seeds, & corn that I'm excited to ferment today. My question is, does anyone know if lay mash is safe to ferment? It gets bubbly, & with the molasses it gets more bubbly. It smells good the 1st day, kinda fermented the 2nd day, & a bit off (kinda gross) & fermented the 3rd day. It's the same smell every time. It's warm where they are, maybe low to high 70s. I'm thinking about the 1 bucket method, & combining the 2 foods (way easier), but I want to make sure lay mash is ok to ferment. Thank you to anyone with helpful information on this! I've fermented milk kefir, water kefir, yogurt, kombucha, grains & seeds for humans, wine, EMs (efficient microorganisms), & "teas" for growing plants, so I am familiar with fermenting in general. This is a new concept to me, fermenting chicken food, and I love it! It's already saving on feed! I just hope I'm doing the right thing with the lay mash! Thank you in advance to anyone with some good knowledge! And thank you again Tanner for this video! 😁👍
So the way you are doing it, some grain is underfermented and some grain over fermented. Better to use three buckets, each one used in succession, over three days.
Love your videos-I’m learning so much as a first time chicken mama. My question is, how quickly do you need you use up the feed in the bucket? How long is it safe to use? I have 6 babies but I’m trying to learn so I have this perfected before they go in the run. Thank you for your time!
Thank you!! It needs to be used and maintained pretty much daily. You will know if it has gone rancid because it will be very stinky and very very sour
I think they do fine if you use it all after 24h-48h. in summer maybe less. You just have to pre make them in advance. I think you could add raw milk or milk kefir to get an extra boost to it.
@@ale189251 I don't think it's a good idea to give any dairy product to the chickens, as their digestive system doesn't like it... You can mix boiled eggs instead....
How long will it take for that sour smell to come on? How many chickens do you feed this to? And do you use this as their primary source of their feed or does it supplement the grazing they do? Thanks! Love this video!
So, it's similar to making sour mash like they do on Moonshiners!!!! Just don't have a copper still in plain sight Just a little silly humor Thank You for showing me this technique, I'm trying to educate myself on raising chicken for eggs and poultry meat An individual in my city is selling free range eggs for 12 dollars a dozen if you need an egg container he sells them for 14 dollars a dozen Every Saturday people are lined up around the block for his eggs,
YES, THIS! I try to ferment the feed but do end up with mold 😮. The best I've found is to use a 2 or 3 bucket system and use ALL the feed in each bucket at a feeding and make sure to clean the bucket out after using the feed and starting again. NOT as easy as most videos portray. I have to do it inside because I have no water or warm space out at the coop. I hope this helps someone!
Thanks so much! I'm new to chickens this season. I'm gonna try this. I have 🐇🐰🐇 rabbits and I love to make them sprouts. I bet you could ferment all sorts of grains for both chickens and rabbits. Excited to give it a go.
I’m just researching how to do this, so forgive me if this is a dumb question, but how do you know how much to feed them per day? My chicken do free range in the summer, but I always have a free feed feeder accessible to them. And, do you feed them once per day? More often?
You can feed them this as a supplement or as their entire ration. You will have to experiment with the amount per day to see if there is any left over or if they consume it all my midday then you know you need more
Shouldn't the water be unchlorinated? I've read that water with flouride and chlorine kills the fermentation process.....thoughts? If you mentioned the water - I must have missed it
How much do I feed them with this daily? I've been feeding mine twice a day. Right now they can't forage cuz there's a hawk and I need to get a tractor to protect them
Ok...my question is.... I'm only using pellets. My birds don't eat the seeds, they waste it and now I have a flock of feral pigeons that have moved into my coop! So... I'm using a small pellet from a company i get at tractor supply. I put the water in and it turns it to mush.... Just like in your video. My question is.... how much water should i be using? Or does it matter cause I'm just straining it out.... Of course I'm not getting crazy with it... But all the videos I've seen say the water should cover the "feed".... But those people are using grains/seeds.... So they fall to the bottom and you can see that they have a few inches of water covering it. Mine looks different.... cause it stays a slurry.... So, how much water is too much? Thank you for your time! And i appreciate watching a video that i didn't have to fast forward 15 min just to find the answer to what i was looking for! 👍🙏❤️
I wanna do rhis i have a egg producer i bjy 2 bags and 1 bag of scratch i dump it in a 55 barrell but i wanna try fermented feed i have a 16 chickens n im gonna try this my feed is mixed ill fill a bjt and see if i can ferment this
When I start a new batch with fresh water it takes 3-4 days. I have many different breeds of chickens and they all love it around day 3. If you save your water after fermentation you can use it on your next batch and it’ll cut down the fermentation time since the yeast is alive and active
Great video Tanner, my question is. How long does the fermented feed last until it gets moldy? does it last longer if we keep it in an air-tight plastic drums? Or do you recommend just making enough for each feeding session. Thanks again Tanner. Hello from Malaysia 🤝🇲🇾
Thank you so much for the great info! Can you tell me how long you wait until it's done and ready to feed? I did my 1st batch 3 days ago, stirred it 2 times a day and today found mold on it. It's been high 90s outside and I'm wondering if it just didn't get to hot?
Yes the heat can be an issue. 24-48hrs it should begin the fermenting process. Is all your feed completed submerged in water? That can help. But also a little mold won’t hurt the chickens. As long as the feed doesn’t smell rancid. You want it to smell nice and sour
@@tannerfarmstead is one method preferable? The way you do it seems kind of like a sourdough starter almost. This method seems a lot nicer in terms of less work, but also worry about wasting the feed if it’s spoils
Hey, thank you for the video, very interested to try, I guess if I had a question I am wondering if it would reduce meat chicken gains over time? Thanks again!
Can you start 3 day old chicks on this? I'll be receiving 12 Brahmas in 2 weeks. I would like to get them going on fermented feed asap. Thank you for all the information you provide. 😄
I leave the grains in the bucket for weeks. The chickens still love them and they are doing great, but how to tell if the process has gone to fare? It smells like a brewery sometimes
You said you just keep adding grain to existing water as you use the feed. Is there a set temperature this mix should be maintained at, or temp it should exceed ? Lastly, how do I know when the fermentation has spoiled, and the feed should not be given to the chickens. Thanks
No set temp but things will happen faster when it’s hot out. You can also do a multi bucket rotation so that you have a new bucket of fermented feed each day. If it’s gone rancid you will know. It will start to just smell bad. Fermented feed should smell sour
Great video I have few questions can we add leaf mold for fermentation. Please also tell it is anaerobic or aerobic fermentation. Can you please answer one more question how much protein or nutritional value of the feed will increase after fermentation Thanks
As long as it doesn’t smell rancid you are good. It should smell sour. The best system is actually using 2-3 buckets that are in rotation. Add to one bucket each day. By the time the third bucket is filled with feed then the first is fermented and ready to feed to the chickens. Then that one is empty and full it the next day. This keeps your buckets cleaner and system easier in my opinion. I need to do a video on it. Hope that makes sense
I just gave my hens their first fermented feed. They aren’t that nuts about it to be honest. I do use a high quality crumble but it turned out so mushy that they only picked at it a bit. I tried putting some sunflower seeds and greens on top to attract them but so far they aren’t thrilled with it. I did put their regular food out as well bc at first they were very confused about seeing a different food set up. Any suggestions? Also is that chicken scratch that you added to the ferment along with the chick starter or a mixed bag of whole grains? Maybe something whole grain like would look more appetizing to them. Any suggestions would help. Thanks 🐓
Hmm interesting. I’ve fermented a crumble before but also the whole grain scratch. I find the whole grain scratch fermented the birds really love and works better for fermenting
Hey! So I’m wondering if I can do this with pellets? I only buy flock raiser bc we feed ducks and chicken together, and most of the time I get pellets bc it makes less of a mess! Thank you :)
Is there a way to ferment feed for a 10k birds on daily basis? One Ton capacity tin made silos were made but stirring the feed is a problem. Second issue is about dispensing. Pouring in buckets and manually filling feeders is cumbersome! What do you suggest?
can the bucket be kept outside near the coop would that be too hot during the summer months? Most people speak of fermenting it inside their house. I was just wondering if this is necessary?
Hey man do you leave the bucket lid on during fermentation? You leave it in bucket till you use all the fermented feed (mixing 1 scoop fermented with 1 scoop feed)? Thanks!
What do you do with the leftovers. I've got 11 free ranging in my English country garden and when I put them to bed there is always some left over in their bowls which I am now throwing away .I know you'll say don't give them so much but I don't want them going hungry. Could this go into the 3 days to go bucket without going manky or am I asking for trouble. Like your videos thanks
Hello! Sorry if you are having to repeat. Did you leave the fermented feed bucket outside in the cold/heat? And the lid was sealed shut during fermentation? I want to do this but don’t want to ruin what I have. Thank you!
Yes we leave the lid off in garage in cold/heat. Unless you live in a really cold climate to where the water would freeze. If that’s the case you can put inside
Keep adding but at some point you will need to restart a batch if it starts to get moldy or stinky. As long as you keep that good sour fermenting smell you should be good to go
Just a heads up: As a current chicken owner, and a former Home Depot associate - the Orange Homer buckets are NOT NOT NOT NOT food safe. HD does offer food grade/bpa free buckets, but the ORANGE ones are NOT. Don't poison your flocks.
Trying to ferment my chicken food. I’ve been stirring and keeping it covered with water and lid. It’s working and bubbling. Over night I get a white substance on top. I can stir it in. Back the next morning, is this good or bad? I haven’t fed the Chickens yet. Been going for about 5-6 days
Thank you for sharing the video, it's very educational! My question is, how does this save money in the long run? We are going to start doing this, as well as leaving out dry feed. Is the purpose of this to extend the time period between needing to refill the dry feed?
Glad to help! When the feed is fermented the nutrients become more readily available and more nutrients are absorbed when the chicken consumes the feed therefore cutting the feed cost due to them eating less feed.
Thank you for practicing the lost art of brevity. There is no reason for a video on fermenting chicken feed to be 12 minutes long. Well done
I try to be quick and to the point in my videos
@@tannerfarmstead thank u for that, it's greatly appreciated 😊
Totally agree
Agree. Well done! 😊
You get 2 ad breaks when the video is 10 minutes long so double the ad revenue.
Thanks for not sounding overwhelmingly excited about fermenting feed. Too many TH-camrs are jumping up and down, yelling at the camera, etc to talk about a topic like growing tomatoes or raising chickens. it's fake AF. Anyways. Thanks.
Thanks! I try to be as authentic with all my content
One bucket? Of course! Like sourdough starter, take some out, add some in. I was thinking i had to use up all of one batch before starting the next and was figuring on needing three buckets to cycle through. This is much simpler.
So glad I wasn't the only one who thought the same. Thank you for not making me feel like an idiot :)
I read that it has its highest nutrient value between 3-4 days. If you have 1 or 2 buckets you rotate you should be able to let it sit long enough to hit that mark in a 3 day cycle pretty easy. Thats what I am debating on doing...
I wasn't ready for this dude's ASMR voice 😅
Bro, THANK YOU for being honest about the savings. All these videos with the clickbait title "cut your feed costs in HALF" then say 20-30 percent in the video... because 30 percent of 100 percent is "half".
Oh my gosh, I just gave my girls their very first fermented chicken crumble and they were smacking their chicken lips for it!! I am thinking of giving them a small amount every day as I transition them over to it. Thank you for a great video!
That’s awesome!! Glad to help!
Great video and thanks for the clarity. One small point if I may... People get wrapped around the axle these days about "food grade" containers. Remember as of up to a few generations ago buckets were either made of steel with soldered seams, (lead) or galvanized steel, (zinc & aluminum. Very few people grew three heads. Also, Home Depot, Lowes, Bi-Mart, etc, buckets are food grade, (HDPE plastic same as milk jugs). You'll find those four letters under a small triangle, usually on the bottom of the bucket.
Haha I love the way you put it with the three heads lol. Yea I agree. I didn’t realize Home Depot buckets were food grade until after making this video
@@tannerfarmstead Yea, I didn't know it myself until I checked around. Again, great video.
Thanks so much!
Thank you for sharing. I agree with the Welch family, I appreciate you getting to the point.."Just the facts"...fermenting food is SIMPLE ...no need for a 30 min intro.
Thanks for sharing new supporters here sending love...
Great video, short and down to the point. I will use the one bucket method as you have mentioned. Greetings from South America from Ecuador!
I just start with 14 layer i am so exicited thank you for showing me how to ferment the feed in my country the feed is so expenisive it 3000 dallor a bag for the layer feed so i am doing the fermenting thank you then just start lay three days ago they are eighteen week old
So glad I could be helpful!
I love the one scoop in one scoop out method!
Thxs!!
You're welcome!!
@@tannerfarmsteadIs the 1 scoop out 1 scoop in for keeping it going long term? I'm unclear on this.
@@marshacarey9538 Yes
Omg we need this in our life and are going to start this.
Do it!! Let me know how it goes!
@@tannerfarmstead we have pigs and chickens but would love to use this for our Cornish crosses as the are decimating food and as are the pigs we currently sprout wheat feed
That’s awesome
@@tannerfarmstead this has been a game changer. I have def finitely subscribed we literally have made our feed stretch just since we tried. Do you have a fb
Hello, im a new subscriber hoping to learn as much as I could. Please let me know what kind of electric fence you are using? I'm planning to separate my Buff Orpintons and buckeyes. Yes, each have their rooster. Thank you! Also, (sorry) did you build your own coop on wheels? Thank you.
I feed fermented crumbs feed on 24×7 basis . It is cost cutting method on feed .
Hello Mr Tanner I use 1 cup of quick oats and 1 cup of chicken scratch my hens love it and eat it all .
That’s awesome. Thanks for commenting!
@@tannerfarmstead I only have 6 hens so a 50 lbs bag last 6 weeks now that they get oat with it it last longer.
Would you mind sharing where you get your whole organic scratch grains? I typically feed my birds Tractor Supply All Flock with calcium on the side since I have roosters and I've tried just doing the fermenting for the All Flock but I figured they wouldn't eat it. It was a while back so I can't remember but I am spending SOOOOO much in feed lately that it isn't even funny. I'd love to try this method for my birds. (Also, how much of the fermented feed per chicken would you estimate is needed per day? I ask because I have two roosters in their own area until I can find them a new home, and then I have one flock (9 ladies, 1 male) that are in a coop and run because they can fly over my fence to my neighbors yard, and one flock that free ranges in my backyard so I'd be interested to know the amount per bird so I can plan accordingly.
Also, I'm commenting at 2:11 into the video so I apologize if you mention this later on and I forget to edit my comment. You should SOOOO make longer and more videos. 604 subscribers?!?! WAT! You should have a whole lot more if your channel is based on this kind of video. I'm subscribing because I LOVE finding newer TH-camrs and watching their channels grow. 😉
I buy the Dumor Non GMO grains from tractor supply. It comes in a big bag. You can also by the organic layer crumbles which you can ferment along with the whole grains. I do maybes 10-20% whole grains with the crumble feed. Do not ferment pellets. Fermenting will save you a good amount on feed costs. They eat less of it. It will surprise you. Also thanks for the encouragement! Definitely trying to get more subscribers and continue to build it. I’ll start putting out more and longer content
Makes those eggs more delicious too!
Sure does! Thanks for commenting
It seems like the water will dissolve lots of nutrients and get more potent reusing.
I saw another video where the guy adds dry feed to absorb the nutrient water each feeding.
Maybe it'll up the savings more?
Maybe so I’m not sure on that one
When my ladies arrive I'll give this a try (when they're bigger). I do this with mushroom grain spawn, and I also spit in the bucket a few times. The mushrooms love it! 😉
Your pin and coop is like mine. Found on Justin Rhodes👍
Justin Rhodes is awesome
Great video, just the information I needed. Thanks buddy 🧑🏼🌾🙏🏼
Thanks Ben!! Glad it was helpful to you!!
Love this video! Great information!
Thanks babe!!
Thank you for sharing! Great video! 😁👍👍 I started doing this with lay mash about a week ago & adding about a tsp of molasses to my Mason jars (with the lid cracked, not sealed shut) & stirring once to twice a day. Fermenting about 2-3 days before feeding. From listening to other people's videos. Although, I've heard others say every kind of food, except saying lay mash. I just purchased some wild bird & game feed which is grains, seeds, & corn that I'm excited to ferment today. My question is, does anyone know if lay mash is safe to ferment? It gets bubbly, & with the molasses it gets more bubbly. It smells good the 1st day, kinda fermented the 2nd day, & a bit off (kinda gross) & fermented the 3rd day. It's the same smell every time. It's warm where they are, maybe low to high 70s. I'm thinking about the 1 bucket method, & combining the 2 foods (way easier), but I want to make sure lay mash is ok to ferment. Thank you to anyone with helpful information on this! I've fermented milk kefir, water kefir, yogurt, kombucha, grains & seeds for humans, wine, EMs (efficient microorganisms), & "teas" for growing plants, so I am familiar with fermenting in general. This is a new concept to me, fermenting chicken food, and I love it! It's already saving on feed! I just hope I'm doing the right thing with the lay mash! Thank you in advance to anyone with some good knowledge! And thank you again Tanner for this video! 😁👍
I think a 3 bucket system would improve feed output and reduce costs. How many days is the mash good sitting after 3? Assuming I make too much.
It depends. If you keep adding water and feed to it then it’s fine
So the way you are doing it, some grain is underfermented and some grain over fermented. Better to use three buckets, each one used in succession, over three days.
You said you add more feed to your fermentation. So do you add to a already fermented batch? If so, how do you know the other grains are fermented
Great video
Thanks for the good video and info, NEW SUBSCRIBER HERE after this video!
If you keep adding grain, does the food supply ever go out? How long should one a batch of fermented food last before you change it out with new one?
Love your videos-I’m learning so much as a first time chicken mama. My question is, how quickly do you need you use up the feed in the bucket? How long is it safe to use? I have 6 babies but I’m trying to learn so I have this perfected before they go in the run. Thank you for your time!
Thank you!! It needs to be used and maintained pretty much daily. You will know if it has gone rancid because it will be very stinky and very very sour
I think they do fine if you use it all after 24h-48h. in summer maybe less. You just have to pre make them in advance. I think you could add raw milk or milk kefir to get an extra boost to it.
@@ale189251 I don't think it's a good idea to give any dairy product to the chickens, as their digestive system doesn't like it... You can mix boiled eggs instead....
@@maishair Maybe you right
How long will it take for that sour smell to come on? How many chickens do you feed this to? And do you use this as their primary source of their feed or does it supplement the grazing they do?
Thanks! Love this video!
So, it's similar to making sour mash like they do on Moonshiners!!!!
Just don't have a copper still in plain sight
Just a little silly humor
Thank You for showing me this technique,
I'm trying to educate myself on raising chicken for eggs and poultry meat
An individual in my city is selling free range eggs for 12 dollars a dozen if you need an egg container he sells them for 14 dollars a dozen
Every Saturday people are lined up around the block for his eggs,
How do you prevent mold from growing on the top of the water in the bucket?
YES, THIS! I try to ferment the feed but do end up with mold 😮. The best I've found is to use a 2 or 3 bucket system and use ALL the feed in each bucket at a feeding and make sure to clean the bucket out after using the feed and starting again. NOT as easy as most videos portray. I have to do it inside because I have no water or warm space out at the coop. I hope this helps someone!
Thanks so much! I'm new to chickens this season. I'm gonna try this. I have 🐇🐰🐇 rabbits and I love to make them sprouts. I bet you could ferment all sorts of grains for both chickens and rabbits. Excited to give it a go.
Happy to help! That’s awesome! Keep us updated on how it goes!
Be careful with the rabbits. Only introduce small amounts at a time.
@@RenegadeSith oh I meant sprouts for rabbits and fermented feed/ grains for chickens
Great information, thank you for sharing
Thank you for commenting! So happy I could help
How long is is good in the bucket once it gets going? How many times a day do you feed them fermented food
Thank you for this video, I'm starting with Mason jars and cheesecloth. They're in the kitchen, keep in the dark or is sun ok please?
I keep mine in the shade and submerged
I’m just researching how to do this, so forgive me if this is a dumb question, but how do you know how much to feed them per day? My chicken do free range in the summer, but I always have a free feed feeder accessible to them. And, do you feed them once per day? More often?
You can feed them this as a supplement or as their entire ration. You will have to experiment with the amount per day to see if there is any left over or if they consume it all my midday then you know you need more
May I ask a question. What is the purpose of scratch grains and do you have to have them?
Great Info! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks bro!
Shouldn't the water be unchlorinated? I've read that water with flouride and chlorine kills the fermentation process.....thoughts? If you mentioned the water - I must have missed it
Can you use a gamma seal lid on the bucket you are using?
I just started fodder. And I just started a small bowl fermented grains try
Nice!!
Where do you store your fermented feed bucket to allow the lid to be loosely fit but not allowing critters to get to it?
I’d suggest the garage or barn
How much do I feed them with this daily? I've been feeding mine twice a day. Right now they can't forage cuz there's a hawk and I need to get a tractor to protect them
Ok...my question is.... I'm only using pellets. My birds don't eat the seeds, they waste it and now I have a flock of feral pigeons that have moved into my coop! So... I'm using a small pellet from a company i get at tractor supply. I put the water in and it turns it to mush.... Just like in your video. My question is.... how much water should i be using? Or does it matter cause I'm just straining it out.... Of course I'm not getting crazy with it... But all the videos I've seen say the water should cover the "feed".... But those people are using grains/seeds.... So they fall to the bottom and you can see that they have a few inches of water covering it. Mine looks different.... cause it stays a slurry.... So, how much water is too much?
Thank you for your time! And i appreciate watching a video that i didn't have to fast forward 15 min just to find the answer to what i was looking for! 👍🙏❤️
I wanna do rhis i have a egg producer i bjy 2 bags and 1 bag of scratch i dump it in a 55 barrell but i wanna try fermented feed i have a 16 chickens n im gonna try this my feed is mixed ill fill a bjt and see if i can ferment this
Can you feed this to baby chicks, thanks?
Yes just use chuck starter feed
You did a great job explaining this. I have baby chicks arriving in 2 weeks. Can I start them off on this method?
You sure can! But make sure to ferment chick starter feed non medicated
Thank you for the information. How much feed per chicken do I feed?
You bet! Just depends. I honestly don’t have a set equation I just feed em
How long is is good in the bucket once it gets going?
How long does it have to ferment before you start giving it to the birds?
When I start a new batch with fresh water it takes 3-4 days. I have many different breeds of chickens and they all love it around day 3. If you save your water after fermentation you can use it on your next batch and it’ll cut down the fermentation time since the yeast is alive and active
24-72 hrs
Great video Tanner, my question is. How long does the fermented feed last until it gets moldy? does it last longer if we keep it in an air-tight plastic drums? Or do you recommend just making enough for each feeding session. Thanks again Tanner. Hello from Malaysia 🤝🇲🇾
I now use a three bucket system for that reasons. Ferment for 72 hrs- feed to the birds and then restart new bucket.
You should add that into your video @@tannerfarmstead
So the chicken get a nice buzz :D, also how long before you notice the fermentation?
48-72 hrs
Thank you so much for the great info! Can you tell me how long you wait until it's done and ready to feed? I did my 1st batch 3 days ago, stirred it 2 times a day and today found mold on it. It's been high 90s outside and I'm wondering if it just didn't get to hot?
Yes the heat can be an issue. 24-48hrs it should begin the fermenting process. Is all your feed completed submerged in water? That can help. But also a little mold won’t hurt the chickens. As long as the feed doesn’t smell rancid. You want it to smell nice and sour
I forget home much fermented you feed per bird and thanks for the video
Glad to help. Honestly I don’t measure I just give them as much as they want kind of like a all you can eat buffet
Awesome. Thank you for this
Thank you for commenting! Happy I could help!
Thanks 🎉
Hi, how often do I need to change out the water? I noticed that you reuse the water. How long can I reuse the water? Thank you!
Just keep adding water as you add and use feed. You can also do a bucket rotation so you have one bucket every day fresh
@@tannerfarmstead is one method preferable? The way you do it seems kind of like a sourdough starter almost. This method seems a lot nicer in terms of less work, but also worry about wasting the feed if it’s spoils
They are cheaper usually.
Hey, thank you for the video, very interested to try, I guess if I had a question I am wondering if it would reduce meat chicken gains over time? Thanks again!
I’m not sure on that! I don’t see why it reduce their gains
Can you start 3 day old chicks on this? I'll be receiving 12 Brahmas in 2 weeks. I would like to get them going on fermented feed asap.
Thank you for all the information you provide. 😄
Yes you can
I leave the grains in the bucket for weeks. The chickens still love them and they are doing great, but how to tell if the process has gone to fare? It smells like a brewery sometimes
That’s a good smell. As long as it doesn’t smell like trash or something rotting you are good
i add DE and grit to dry feed now, should i add that to the feed i intend to ferment?????????????
You said you just keep adding grain to existing water as you use the feed. Is there a set temperature this mix should be maintained at, or temp it should exceed ? Lastly, how do I know when the fermentation has spoiled, and the feed should not be given to the chickens. Thanks
No set temp but things will happen faster when it’s hot out. You can also do a multi bucket rotation so that you have a new bucket of fermented feed each day. If it’s gone rancid you will know. It will start to just smell bad. Fermented feed should smell sour
Great video. How long can I keep it in this bucket. Would go bad, does it to be refrigerated?
If you don’t use it eventually go bad but if you keep adding grain and water to it it should stay good for a while. No need to refrigerate
Great video I have few questions can we add leaf mold for fermentation. Please also tell it is anaerobic or aerobic fermentation. Can you please answer one more question how much protein or nutritional value of the feed will increase after fermentation
Thanks
Hi- How long is too long to use the same bucket? Is it a continual process or do you switch to a new starter bucket every few weeks?
Thank you!
As long as it doesn’t smell rancid you are good. It should smell sour. The best system is actually using 2-3 buckets that are in rotation. Add to one bucket each day. By the time the third bucket is filled with feed then the first is fermented and ready to feed to the chickens. Then that one is empty and full it the next day. This keeps your buckets cleaner and system easier in my opinion. I need to do a video on it. Hope that makes sense
How long is it good for?
I just gave my hens their first fermented feed. They aren’t that nuts about it to be honest. I do use a high quality crumble but it turned out so mushy that they only picked at it a bit. I tried putting some sunflower seeds and greens on top to attract them but so far they aren’t thrilled with it. I did put their regular food out as well bc at first they were very confused about seeing a different food set up. Any suggestions? Also is that chicken scratch that you added to the ferment along with the chick starter or a mixed bag of whole grains? Maybe something whole grain like would look more appetizing to them. Any suggestions would help. Thanks 🐓
Hmm interesting. I’ve fermented a crumble before but also the whole grain scratch. I find the whole grain scratch fermented the birds really love and works better for fermenting
Do you keep bucket in shade and cool place? Also is ok to feed grain in the summer time? I'm in Dallas Texas. Thank you
Yes definitely keep in the shade! You should be good regardless of time of year to give them fermented grain
Hey! So I’m wondering if I can do this with pellets? I only buy flock raiser bc we feed ducks and chicken together, and most of the time I get pellets bc it makes less of a mess! Thank you :)
I’d recommend not using pellets for it. Use a mash/crumble or a scratch feed
Is there a way to ferment feed for a 10k birds on daily basis?
One Ton capacity tin made silos were made but stirring the feed is a problem.
Second issue is about dispensing. Pouring in buckets and manually filling feeders is cumbersome!
What do you suggest?
Oh gosh, I’m sure there is definitely a way to do it for 10,000 birds but it would need to be an advanced system
I have a chicken with sour crop. Will fermented feed help her crop to eventually go back to normal?
I’m not sure on that one
What amount of dry feed per bird do you ferment? Mine have started eating a lot and laying less this summer.
I give them as much as they want. I don’t measure it out to be honest
It's a dunder pit. Haha
Just going through a video or 2 before finally starting a bucket.
How long can the same water remain in one bucket as you keep adding feed before you replace it?
Depends on time of year! You can make fresh new batches with new buckets and just have a constant rotation
Do you cover the feed / water mix with a solid lid? Or are there air holes?
I don’t use a lid but you definitely can
I didn't notice you say anything about the lid. Do you cover it? Is it airtight?
In an above comment I read to no seal it but to cover it 😉
My chicken just don’t like fermented feed. Besides it’s 27 degrees. Too cold to have water outside
can the bucket be kept outside near the coop would that be too hot during the summer months? Most people speak of fermenting it inside their house. I was just wondering if this is necessary?
If will be too hot in the summer. I’d put it in a shaded spot
how do you keep your chickens from flying over the electric fence in the background?
Clip wings when they become adults and no issues after that
The Home Depot buckets are food grade
Hey man do you leave the bucket lid on during fermentation? You leave it in bucket till you use all the fermented feed (mixing 1 scoop fermented with 1 scoop feed)? Thanks!
You can leave lid on or off. Yea just keep adding feed to the fermented bucket or do a multi rotation with 3 buckets
@@tannerfarmstead Thanks!
What do you do with the leftovers. I've got 11 free ranging in my English country garden and when I put them to bed there is always some left over in their bowls which I am now throwing away .I know you'll say don't give them so much but I don't want them going hungry. Could this go into the 3 days to go bucket without going manky or am I asking for trouble. Like your videos thanks
I just leave the leftover in their feed pan or on the ground and they will eventually eat it as long as it doesn’t go rancid
But if you are draining the liquid from the fermented feed it should dry out
@@tannerfarmstead that's OK. They will still eat it and it will still have the benefits.
What kind of equipment to you use to record your video? Im more curious about the microphone lol
Cell phone and a MOVO mic
Hello! Sorry if you are having to repeat. Did you leave the fermented feed bucket outside in the cold/heat? And the lid was sealed shut during fermentation? I want to do this but don’t want to ruin what I have. Thank you!
Yes we leave the lid off in garage in cold/heat. Unless you live in a really cold climate to where the water would freeze. If that’s the case you can put inside
@@tannerfarmstead thank you!
You said a week you have had your mix. Do you just keep adding grain or does it eventually need to be dump cleaned and restarted?
Keep adding but at some point you will need to restart a batch if it starts to get moldy or stinky. As long as you keep that good sour fermenting smell you should be good to go
How much feed per adult laying hen?
Can a plastic coffee can with a lid work, will it work with layer feed.
Yea give it a try!!
Just a heads up: As a current chicken owner, and a former Home Depot associate - the Orange Homer buckets are NOT NOT NOT NOT food safe. HD does offer food grade/bpa free buckets, but the ORANGE ones are NOT. Don't poison your flocks.
I swore he clearly stated this multiple times during the video
Trying to ferment my chicken food. I’ve been stirring and keeping it covered with water and lid. It’s working and bubbling. Over night I get a white substance on top. I can stir it in. Back the next morning, is this good or bad? I haven’t fed the Chickens yet. Been going for about 5-6 days
As long as it’s not mold you are good to go
Thank you for sharing the video, it's very educational! My question is, how does this save money in the long run? We are going to start doing this, as well as leaving out dry feed. Is the purpose of this to extend the time period between needing to refill the dry feed?
Glad to help! When the feed is fermented the nutrients become more readily available and more nutrients are absorbed when the chicken consumes the feed therefore cutting the feed cost due to them eating less feed.
Thanks so far sharing.
Glad to help!
Can you do this with just the crumbles without the whole grain?
Yes you sure can
Is the grains corn free
It is not
How much and how many times a day do you feed them the fermented feed?
I have a flock of 11 birds how much do you think I should be feeding them a day and how many times?
can hens lay eggs with this?
Dont they fly over the fence?
Can you use the fermented water after draining for the next grain to be formented
Yes! I just add fresh water to the fermented water as needed to keep enough water in the bucket