Fermented Chicken Feed for Better Flock Health
Fermenting chicken feed is an easy and much healthier for your flock. The fermented whole grains provide good gut health, require less feed per serving, and is a way to extend the nutrients of the grains. Not to mention, fermented grains can also be fed to waterfowl, guineas, turkeys, and quail. When organic chicken feed is fermented, especially whole grains, there is no healthier option to offer.
A Farm Girl in the Making participates in multiple affiliate programs. She also participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program linked to Amazon.com and other affiliated sites. This allows us to make a small amount of money on goods you purchase at no extra charge. For that, we thank you!
A Quick Rundown on Fermentation
What makes fermentation excellent for poultry? When fermented feed is consumed, it provides natural probiotics to the body, packed full of good bacteria and yeast. Lacto-fermented foods and feed can be consumed by all living creatures, including dogs, cats, and even ruminants.
Livestock feed ferments when allowed to soak in water for some time, typically within three days. Temperature plays an essential factor in how quickly and safely food ferments. Fermentation occurs between the range of 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything over can cause the item to spoil, whereas anything under can cause the grains to ferment slower and potentially spoil.
A fermented feed can be done any time of year. During winter, a secondary heat source may be needed for homes that maintain a steady temperature below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. LED Christmas lights or a heating pad for starting seeds are excellent options for providing heat without overheating the fermenting vessel.
Lactic acid bacteria begin forming on the second day of the fermentation process. The beneficial bacteria consume the sugars in the grain and multiply. The lactic acid makes the environment unsuitable for harmful bacteria to thrive. What remains in the fermented chicken feed are beneficial microbes.
The Benefits of Fermented Chicken Feed
Feeding fermented feed daily to poultry, fowl, or waterfowl is an excellent way to provide a natural probiotic option to your flock. Unlike natural options, a synthetic probiotic should not be offered daily.
By providing fermented feed to chickens and other healthy poultry, good things can happen:
- Increase in egg weight, providing thicker shells
- Boost intestinal health, forming a natural barrier to pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella
- Lower feed consumption, digesting and absorbing fermented feed more effectively
- Providing and preserving vitamins and minerals in fermented whole grains; B vitamins such as folic acid, riboflavin, thiamin, and niacin.
Humane husbandry allows individuals to want more for the animals in their care. Something as simple as fermenting chicken feed leads to a better egg and a healthier hen. This is a win for both the chicken keeper and the flock.
Two Additional Benefits of Fermenting Chicken Feed
If the above information has not convinced you to begin fermenting the feed, what will?
Fermented feed will fill birds more than a dry pellet or crumble, especially when feeding whole grains. With the feed decrease comes a decrease in the overall feed bill.
Consuming fermented feed allows the chicken to absorb most of the feed. Remember, the more feed absorbed, the less the chicken poops. Another win!
In addition to what has been mentioned, organic chicken feed that is locally resourced from family farms is indeed the best option of feed available.
How to Ferment Chicken Feed
Are you ready? Let’s begin!
Ingredients
The following steps to fermenting chicken feed are extremely easy. Before beginning the process gather the necessary material.
- Fermenting Vessels – Three food-grade buckets (2 or 5 gallons) work best for larger flocks. For smaller urban flocks, 3 Mason glass jars can be used. This allows for multiple batches of fermented grains to be in progress at all times.
- Whole Grain Feed – Whole grain feed is an overall healthier option for fermenting or feeding dry, and my preferred is Scratch and Peck Feeds.
- Feed Container – Chicken feeder troughs are the best option for fermented feeds. In addition to the needed supplies, select the best location to store fermenting vessels.
Storing fermenting vessels away from direct sunlight and drafty spots is essential. Doing so ensures the fermenting temperature does not fluctuate up and down but remains consistent.
Instructions
A chicken will consume around 1/4 of a cup of feed per day. That said, once the feed is fermented, chickens often will consume less than that amount daily. Also, keep in mind chickens will continue to eat all day if offered.
- Begin by fermenting 1/4 cup per bird. Discard any fermented feed at the end of the day, and reduce the amount by 1/4 cup.
- Do not allow fermented chicken feed to go past three days. The ferment can become too sour, turning unappealing for many poultry.
- By day three, the fermented chicken feed will take on a yeasty, slightly sour scent. Again, no mold should be present in the fermenting vessel.
Printable Recipe – Fermented Chicken Feed
A printable recipe card is available for your convenience!
Fermented Chicken Feed
Fermented chicken feed is easy to make for your flock. The whole grains used provide a natural probiotic option with beneficial good bacteria. Not to mention, fermented feed provides a filling healthy diet and is an overall better feed option.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Whole Grain Feed,, per chicken
- Water
Instructions
DAY ONE
- In the fermenting vessel add appropriate amount whole grain feed.
- Add water, making sure feed is completely submerged by 3 inches.
- Gently mix the feed with water taking, making sure to mix the bottom of the fermenting vessel.
- Add more water if necessary, keeping grains cover by 3 inches of water at all times.
- Though not necessary, fermenting vessels can be covered using breathable cotton dishtowels. A coffee filter can be used as a cover when mason jars are used. Fermenting covers can be secured to the vessel with twine or large rubber bands.
DAY TWO
- Using a second fermenting vessel, repeat steps from Day One
DAY THREE
- Using a third fermenting vessel, repeat steps from Day One
FEEDING
- On day 4 feed from Day One's fermenting vessel.
- Begin another ferment following instructions from Day One.
REPEAT
- The next day, feed using Day Two's vessel. Start a new ferment.
- Continue to process each day.
Notes
Upon the completion of the fermentation process the grains will have a yeasty, lightly sour smell resembling sourdough bread. This scent indicates the grains are ready to be fed to the flock.
Do not provide feed which contains mold. Mold is fuzzy and can appear black, white, even pink.
At times scum may appear floating on top of the liquid. Scum should not be confuse with mold. Unlike mold, scum is not fuzzy in appearance but is off white or cream in color. Scum can be removed using a rubber spatula and discarded.
Discard any remaining feed at the end of the day.
Remaining feed indicates that to much fermented feed is being offered. Decrease the amount of grains being fermented by 1/4 cup until no fermented feed is present at the end of the day.
Equipment
2 gallon food grade bucket
Wooden Spoon
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Keep in mind organic chicken feed in the form of whole grains can be consumed dry, soaked, or fermented. However, fermented whole grains are the most beneficial way to feed poultry.
Other Poultry Articles:
- Selecting the Best Chicken Breeds for Children
- A Respiratory Condition called Mycoplasma Gallisepticum
- Immune Boosting Herbs for Poultry
- Raising Turkeys on the Homestead
- Setting up a Chick Brooder -Bedding, Feed, and Heat Source
- Raising Ducklings – Brooder, Feed, and Heat Source
- Raising Ducks for Eggs | Top 13 Duck Breeds
- How to Make your Own Chicken Feed
- Prevent Coccidiosis in a Chick Brooder
- Naturally Treating Bumblefoot in Poultry
Not Quite Ready to Provide Fermented Grains as a Feed?
The process of fermenting is often intimidating, especially for newbies. Soaking whole grains for 24 hours is also beneficial and a healthier way to feed.
- Soaked grains plump up, allowing poultry to become fuller on a smaller amount of feed and aid in hydration.
- It improves the digestibility of whole grains by reducing the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors found in grains.
The process of soaking feed for 24 hours is beneficial using whole grains. Pellet feed turns to mush, containing no beneficial, healthy qualities.
Still not convinced? A good whole grain layer feed, such as Scratch and Peck Feeds, can be fed raw, and a healthier option to providing pellet feed.
Additionally, organic chicken feed, which is locally sourced, is as good as poultry feed comes.
Can’t wait to try this!
Let me know what you think!
I have just started fermenting the last few months and chickens love it. However they love it on the dry side and don’t seem interested if liquid is present so I run a fine line between creating mold and having it perfect that morning. Do you strain liquid off or is all your liquid absorbed by feeding day or does your flock eat it soupy? I believe I am currently only putting about 1 to 1 1/2 inches above feed line.
Straining the liquid makes it easier for the birds to consume the feed. The extra liquid can be added to the waterer or given to other livestock to consume!
We drain it in a colander or large stainless steel mesh strainer (as for tea, but larger)a couple of minutes or longer before feeding. They don’t like soupy meals. I don’t re-use the water because once in a while it ended up smelling “really off” and I threw out the batch. I add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with the “mother” to the quart jar. I shake the bottle of vinegar beforehand to distribute the mother. We use Scratch and Peck organic feed and our hens give incredible eggs with very thick shells. I give them treats as well later in the day such as squash or peaches that I froze for them the summer prior. Sometimes I add a little warm Trader Joe’s organic oatmeal to the peaches to soak up the water from when I heat the peaches to unfreeze them. My five hens have been averaging at least 4 eggs a day all winter and it has been down to 9 degrees at times. We live north of St. George, Utah at 4600 feet. We leave a heat lamp on for them. There might have been more eggs but one hen went broody for quite a while.
Thanks for the very clear directions on fermenting Scratch and Peck food for my 4 chickens. Now I understand that I was making and giving them too much feed. (they weren’t finishing it and I just left it. It turns into grain popsicles these days!)
But I have a few more questions…..I have been treating the mason jar that I ferment in like a sourdough starter and just adding new dry grain to the ‘dirty’ jar. Bingo, the fermentation is very very quick (I think?) and I can give them more grain the next day and the day after and then repeat the whole process. At the end of the week I do a deep clean of the jar in a very hot dishwasher. Is that process/practice OK? or not a very good idea……..??? I also often use any whey I have from thickening my yogurt as the liquid in the process. It seems to speed up the fermentation even more. I’m sure I read someplace that the added protein was just a plus for the chickens.
Hi there! You can use a little of the fermented water (starter) to jump start a new ferment, though not the entire amount of the liquid. This can cause new the new ferement to be off in flavor for the flock. Because the fermentation process only takes 3 days, I don’t suggest using starter liquid and possibly waste a container of grains. Sterilizing vessels is absolutely fine, just make sure it is completely cooled to room temperature for beginning the fermenation cycle again. Whey is fine to give poultry, and pigs especially love it, though again, there is really no need to speed up the process. Fermenation of the grains begins on day 2, and fully fermented grains is completed on day 3.
Hiya Ann! When starting out on fermented grains for 4w old chicks, I expect we won’t need 1/4 per chick… yet. Should we still start with that amount and wait until they are full grown to adjust the amount?
Hello there! 1/4 of a cup is what an adult chicken would consume. I would suggest waiting until they are over 6 weeks of age to ferment whole grains. Young chicks need to consume feed on demand to ensure proper nutrition for growth.
Hi Ann,
My chickens have been pecking and foraging all summer. Started buying the usual for winter. (layer feed) I’m excited to try this fermenting grain for them and see the results. We just hit negative digits today here in Alaska.