Have you heard about fermenting chicken layer feed or crumble? You can ferment any of the feed that chickens will eat, and it saves you money!
I first heard about fermenting chicken layer feed on a video. I thought it sounded like a lot of work. But then I started to think about how much money it could save us. I decided that I would try to accomplish it at least once a week. How hard could that be?
So, I tried it once a week for a couple of weeks and you know what? It wasn’t that hard. I just thought that it would take a lot of remembering to stir it, etc. and usually, I forget about things that take several days to work. This particular amount of work was not too bad. So, I decided to tell you all about it, because if I can do it, you can.
For starters you need:
- a mason jar (size depends on the size of your flock) and a lid
- Fresh filtered water
- Any kind of chicken feed (we use organic crumble)
- a spoon to stir it
We have 7 chickens, so I use 3/4 cup of chicken layer feed and then I fill the mason jar with fresh filtered water. Or you can use well water. We have a Berkey water filter. You can get one here. The water filter we have is amazing! It filters out viruses, fluoride, and many more contaminants. If you don’t have a water filtration system that filters out fluoride, you can place an open container on the counter for 24 hours and it will release the toxin.
Stir the mixture. Place the lid on very loosely. It will expand and you don’t want it to explode! Stir every day for 3 days and then I strain out the water in the sink and feed the fermented chicken layer feed to the chickens.
One note is not to let anything metal touch the fermentation process. I had forgotten this instruction, so I had been stirring with a metal spoon previously. I couldn’t get the wooden spoon I had into the mason jar, so I turned it over and used the handle. Genius! It’s funny what our brains come up with when faced with a conundrum. I also have been putting their fermented food in older metal cake pans. From now on I will use a glass pie pan to feed my hens. Plastic is okay, but the more I research plastic, the more scary it becomes.
Last but not least, place this jar in a location that is away from light.
Questions About The Benefits of Fermenting Chicken Layer Feed
What are the benefits of fermenting chicken food you may ask yourself. For one it fills the chicken up more because the feed expands, so you save money. It is healthy for their gut, much like sourdough bread, and in turn is healthier for us. It is easier for them to digest. Chickens will digest the fermented food more thoroughly. Soaking expands the feed and it adds more nutrients. This adds more nutrients to their feed. Testing has shown that they will lay more eggs, and have thicker shells when they are eating fermented food. Probiotics in the feed help with chickens’ immune systems. One last thing, they could possibly have healthier feathers, look healthier, act healthier, and just overall be healthier.
Another question you may ask is “What exactly is fermenting chicken layer feed?”
It is much like making a sourdough starter. You soak the feed, grains, or seed in water until you get the fermenting process to take effect.
How do you know when it’s ready?
By day 3, it should bubble and smell like a yogurty. 24 hours in there will be a few bubbles that will come up to the top.
And in 36 hours even more will be produced and with even the slightest push from a spoon, you will see it bubble. See picture below
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