Fermented poultry feed can have some hidden benefits for your chicken. In a nutshell, fermentation increases feed mass, and softens feed. Additionally fermentation makes nutrients readily available for digestion.
However, the idea of fermenting chicken feed may best suit backyard poultry farmers. Since you’re dealing with a small amount of food at a time, you can conveniently ferment feed.
Of course, medium to large scale poultry farmers can also ferment their poultry feed. However this would require huge fermentation processing units or silages.
What is fermented poultry feed
The fermentation of animal feed is nothing new. Livestock farmers have been fermenting animal feeds for decades if not centuries, for instance silages have been used for process.
In essence, fermentation consists of a group chemical reactions in which enzymes or other microogarnisms breakdown organic matter into basic compounds. For instance, the anaerobic conversion of sugar to carbon dioxide and alcohol by yeast.
Simply put, fermented poultry feed is normal feed that has undergone the same process as yoghurt or beer. With poultry feed however, the process is much simpler, takes less time, and you can easily do it at home.
How to make fermented poultry feed
Fermenting chicken feed is rather simple. Let’s say that you want to ferment a few kilos of feed and are using a pail or bucket for the purpose. The process would go something like this:
- Put dry feed in a pail / bucket. Max feed amount should not be more than half of whatever container you’re using. You can use a container of any size, depending on the amount of feed you want to ferment. However, the container must be rust proof.
- Add clean water to the pail / bucket so that the water covers the feed by 2 inches or so.
- Stir the mixture thoroughly so that the feed is well soaked in water and none is dry.
- Add water to ensure the feed is at least 2 inches under water.
- Cover the bucket with a lid, but lightly so that excess air can get out. Keep the solution in a place where it will not be knocked over or opened by your chicken. If you’re keeping the mixture in your coop, place a heavy object on the lid so it is not opened or knocked over by your chicken.
- Stir the mixture at least twice a day, and add water to ensure feed remains well covered by water by some 2 inches. Failure to do, will result to feed rot.
- Fermentation should take place in 3 – 4 days. By then, it should give a sweet sour smell and is ready.
- Scoop the amount of fermented feed you want from the pail / bucket to feed to your chicken. You can give fermented feed directly to your chicken or you can mix it with dry feed.
- After every scoop, thoroughly stir the feed in the bucket and ensure it remains under water
- If for whatever reason the feed has started to rot, throw it away. Do not feed it to your chicken
- Properly monitored fermented feed should be usable at most, within a week. For best results use it within 3 – 5 days.
Note that fermenting will work best in room or warm temperature. If you’re in a cold or freezing climate, then you will want to do this indoors. Otherwise, your feed with freeze instead of fermenting.
Furthermore, if for whatever reason you’ve forgotten to stir the feed and cover it with water so that it has started rotting, do not feed it to your chicken. You will need to throw it away.
How to use fermented poultry feed
100% fermented
You can feed your chicken fermented feeds directly. However, if you do so, it is advisable to remove excess water from the feed. This would make it easier for the chicken to eat, as they don’t have to work through excess water to get their fill.
Fermented mixed with normal feed
Alternatively, and as a recommendation, fermented feed are best when mixed with unfermented dried feed. In this case, you do not need to worry about the water content in the fermented feed since it is absorbed by the dried feed.
In order to get the best out of your fermented, you need to figure out the ratio for mixing fermented and normal feed. For instance, you may do a mixture of
- 3 parts fermented and 1 part normal feed, or
- 2 parts fermented and 1 part normal feed
The ratio by which you do the mixture is not necessarily important. You could even start of with a mixture where fermented feed is the lesser portion. However, since you want to get the benefits of fermented feeds, it makes sense to have more of it in the mixture.
Benefits of fermenting poultry feeds
Although fermenting poultry feed is optional, there are some accrued benefits to fermenting poultry feed. These include:
- Increased feed mass
- The fermentation process softens feed
- Fermentation makes nutrients readily available for digestion
- Chicken eat less, due to the increased feed mass, water content and increased nutritional value, chicken eat less
- Improve chicken health and productivity
- Lower cost of feeding chicken
Poultry feed fermentation process
The fermenting process increases feed mass as enzymes breakdown matter into basic compounds. Additionally, water content in the fermented feed also helps increase feed mass.
Since fermented feed has been ‘pre-digested’ by enzymes, it is softer than it would otherwise be. Moreover, this makes nutrients easily available for digestion. As a result, chicken will generally eat less than they would otherwise. All the while having a higher nutrition value intake.
Consequently, from having nutritionally dense feed your chicken will have improved health and productivity. That is, in spite of eating less feed, you can have improved outcomes.
Key takeaways
- Fermented chicken feed has added benefits
- For instance, it increases feed mass and softens feed
- If you’re unsure about feeding your chicken fermenting feed, consult with a certified vet
- Fermenting feed is optional
- The fermentation process is delicate and requires monitoring
- If for whatever reason the fermented feed rots, do not feed it your chicken
- Fermenting poultry feed may be best suited for backyard poultry farmers. Otherwise, it increases the amount of labor required, especially if you’ve got a huge flock.
- Pros and cons of fermented poultry feed