Today’s post is about chicken feed, but you can ferment pig feed pretty much the same way. Ruminants, well, I am of the belief that ruminants shouldn’t really be eating grains, but yes I give a little on the milkstand; not enough to make it worth it to ferment. If you are curious about fermenting food for goats or other ruminants you’ll have to look elsewhere. I read a fabulous homesteading book recently, “The Nourishing Homestead” and he is also of the belief that ruminants should not be given grain; both his goats and cows are kept away from it after he lost a cow from an unfortunate grain incident.
First of all, why ferment?
Benefits include:
*Cheaper feed bill
*Added vitamins like B and thiamine
*Provides probiotics
*Strengthens eggshells
*Increases egg production
*Hardier chickens (builds immune systems)
I always meant to ferment my feed the first round of chickens but I never ended up doing it, either because I was overwhelmed with everything else on the farm or because I was overwhelmed by the information about how to do it online; one article would say “don’t put a lid on it” and another would say, “you absolutely must have a tight lid on it” or “ferment it four days no matter the temperature outside” and another article, “it will ferment quicker in warm temperatures” or yet another, “add nothing but water” vs “make sure to have a starter such as apple cider vinegar, sauerkraut liquid, etc.”
How can there be such varying information?? You can see why it felt a little bit daunting. But here I am, almost two years after buying our first chickens, back to it.
I started last week.
First, I took an old and washed plastic kitty litter tub (unscented!) and put the amount of feed my three chickens eat in a day in there. I covered it with water and then some (articles say 1-2″ above the grain line, but I found that the grain expands quickly and so I started with more water than that). I also put a splash of ACV in there. Oh, and by the way, I’m currently feeding New Country Organics soy-free and corn-free chicken feed. I’m very particular about not having soy in my food chain–I do not want eggs that have soy traces in them, and yes it does go right into the eggs. I left the fermenting grain outside on the covered porch where it’s 65 at night and up to 90 during the day right now. The first day it did great. I stirred it 3 times a day like I’d read to do. With a twig because you’re not supposed to use metal and we apparently don’t have wooden spoons. It fizzed. It bubbled. It smelled fermenty. Second day it was going well. I felt good about it so I started another batch (you’re supposed to do four batches so you have one available to the chickens each day and rotate them, always making a new one after you use one and putting that one at the end of the line). That batch I put into an old glass pickle jar since 3 chickens really don’t eat that much feed to warrant large buckets. Left that outside too. The third day I went over to stir my first batch and it had molded. 🙁 Boo. Mold is bad. Mold means you gotta toss it out and start again. Why did it mold? It had enough water. I stirred it 3 times a day. Was it because it’s too hot here to leave it over 48 hours? The wonderful lady I got our pigs from ferments her feed in Texas outside and leaves it 4 days, but she does live in an area that’s less humid. Was it that I chose to cover it with cloth instead of a tight sealing lid? More articles than not told me to do that (or to set a lid on top without tightening it). Was it the apple cider vinegar? Was it just one of those things that happens sometimes?
I got scared and ended up feeding my 2nd batch on Day 2. Today I fed my 3rd batch which again was on Day 2. I started a new batch today but I’ve decided to try different methods–this time I’ve put it in the house which is between 68-72 degrees. I also did not put ACV in this batch (or anything else besides the grain and water). We’ll see if I can get it to 4 days. Supposedly there are different stages of fermentation and 4 days in gets you ALL the benefits. I want to keep trying! I’m sure I’ll provide updates as I figure out what works and what doesn’t.
I’m also going to start fermenting the pig feed and I’ll try various methods (again, the pig breeder told me she does 4 days outside in a shady spot, lids on TIGHT, stirring 2-3 times a day, no ACV or other starter).
In general I prefer to make my own grain mixes and not use mixes with added “chemicals” or synthetic vitamins which is something ALL pre-made mixes have in them. Our bodies as well as an animal’s cannot utilize synthetic vitamins the same way and I don’t think they’re a great thing to feed. I also know I can be a perfectionist and become overwhelmed by everything on the farm and so I’m willing to buy the pre-made organic chicken feed for now (maybe especially because I don’t eat eggs anyway!).
The pig feed I’m preparing is 2 parts oats, 2 parts barley, 1 part BOSS (black oil sunflower seed), and 1 part split field peas. This also happens to be what I feed my goats on the milkstand. I get all of these from New Country Organics and when we’re not stuck in quarantine we can special order it and grab it from a feed store just over an hour away, but for now we’re paying shipping (ouch!) from the company’s website. I just don’t have any better options as I’m not willing to feed GMO feed and I do prefer to buy organic. Even our BOSS is non-spray which is something you will rarely come across: the only places I know with any are a) Azure Standards, but usually they’re sold out, and b) Hugelland Feed in Fredricksburg, TX.
So yes, I’m particular and yes, I want my food to be as clean as possible and of course I want my animals to be as healthy as possible, too.
Once I master fermenting grains I plan to also start fodder for the goats, chickens, and maybe pigs. I already bought trays for it! Stay tuned…