The What, How and Why of Fermenting Chicken Feed
The What, How and Why of Fermenting Chicken Feed
This is the second step to my other blog after mixing chicken feed, a process called fermenting chicken feed. A person does not HAVE to ferment their chicken feed. However, fermenting can have many benefits. In this blog, I hope to show you what, how and why I choose to ferment some of our chicken feed.
What is Fermenting Chicken Feed?
Fermenting chicken feed is simply soaking the seeds in water for 1-4 days. Like human food, fermenting require soaking in order to release nutrients that normally stay dormant in foods such as nuts and seeds.
How Do I Ferment Chicken Feed?
After I have mixed the seeds for the month for my chickens, I find 3 containers. I prefer glass jars. The container you use will depend on the number of chickens or the amount of feed you’d like to give your chickens in a day.
1st Day: I fill a jar half full with seed and fill the jar to about an inch from the top and secure with a lid for that jar.
2nd Day: Fill the second jar the same way.
3rd Day: The third jar starts out the same way. Check on the second jar to make sure there is still enough water covering the seeds so that mold doesn’t start to form. Your “Day 1” jar may be ready for your chickens! You might see a little bubbling starting to happen. That’s good! The mixture should smell sweet-ish, but not racid.
You’ll often see a fizzing action after the second day.
Go ahead and drain the jar and feed your chickens. You may decide to do a 4-day rotation and that’s fine too. You may decide to “sprout” those seeds at that point as well. Sprouting would mean to set up another station to have the seeds drain and sprout tails by rinsing them everyday (another blog). Alternatively you can grow microgreens. There are a lot of ideas to help release the nutrients of the seeds for your chickens, but all these steps take a little time. For this blog, I will just focus on the ferment part.
Why Do I Ferment Chicken Feed?
Just like in human food, fermenting helps to make the food more digestible. In addition, the body can absorb the nutrients. For some of the seeds, soaking will help them to become more “live”. Just as with my nut or seed milk recipe, soaking the seeds for the chickens will help make their feed more nutritious. Additionally, the feed that is soaked will expand. This could help the chickens feel more satisfied and eat less. Combine soaking/fermenting with a little bit of free-ranging and you may find you can save a little money.
Let me say most of all, well-fed chickens produce the healthiest eggs!
Should I Ferment All of the Chicken Feed?
Sure, you could ferment as much as you want. I would ferment all of my feed in buckets if I lived in a warmer climate. Instead, I only ferment about half of their feed and the rest I keep dry and put into feeders in the coop. The reason I do not ferment all of the feed is mainly because I do not want it to freeze right away in the winter. This way, the chickens will have options if they want to feed throughout the day. Even though the dry food may not be as “live”, the food is a good quality mix that resembles what is in nature.
If you have a way to keep the fermented food from freezing, then by all means, feel free to soak all of it! The chickens will benefit from it. In the summer I may ferment more of their feed since I do not need to be so concerned about the weather. Keep in mind the soaked food will also be helpful in winter for chickens. So really, it is helpful to find a way to keep the feed from freezing if you decide to ferment.
Shopping List for all things chicken related
These are some resources that we are using:
Where to keep the chicks when you first get them!
Cashton Farm Supply for feed and more
Grow from seed any plants to feed the chickens!
A great resource for leaning about chickens and all other aspects of homestead living!
Heated water bucket for norther winters!
Growing resources
Great website for other recipe mixes
Here is a great place to order seeds.
Strainer Lids for jars (Sprouting)
Another option for straining (Sprouting)
Trays for growing Microgreens with Domes
A Kit if you would rather have everything together
Good resource for explaining and growing sprouts versus microgreens
Another great resource for information
Best site for buying seeds: High Mowing Seeds- Microgreens
Other Equipment you might like:
Gardening gloves (these are awesome)
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By reading this website, you agree that the information on this website is for educational purposes only and is not meant to treat, diagnose, or cure illnesses or diseases. This website does not replace medical or veterinary advice by a licensed veterinarian. LifeintheGreen.House is not a licensed vet.
A fun video to watch:
This is the second step to my other blog after mixing your own chicken feed. A person does not HAVE to ferment their chicken feed. However, fermenting can have many benefits.