Fermented Chicken Feed: Chicken Probiotics

FEEDING FERMENTED CHICKEN FEED GIVES YOUR CHICKENS (AND DUCKS) A HEALTH BOOST AND SAVES YOU MONEY. IT’S LIKE PROBIOTICS FOR YOUR CHICKENS!

Over the past several years I have been learning more and more about the health benefits of eating a diet rich in fermented foods.  Fermentation is not a new concept but has been practiced for centuries to both preserve and enhance foods. Sourdough breads, wine, beer, kimchi, sauerkraut, cheese and yogurt are fermented foods you may have eaten. 

Fermentation simply uses natural bacteria present on the food to begin to break down the food before you eat it.  Because these foods are easier to digest and improve our overall health we get more nutrients from them.  And, they are  high in natural enzymes and vitamins B, C & K. Also the proteins are more usable.  Basically, it is like taking probiotics….only better!

Bottom line, these foods keep our guts healthy.  And that is the main reason our family eats them. We now make and enjoy einkorn sourdough bread, sauerkraut, and many kinds of yogurt on a regular basis.  These foods give us more “bang for our buck” because they fill us up with wholesome nutrients and we feel full quicker, thus eating less.

Why fermented chicken feed

It wasn’t until last winter when we were ordering our newest chicks that I came across information on fermented chicken feed.  I’m not sure why I never thought of this before, but it makes total sense.  Probiotics for my chickens and ducks!  Resulting in healthy birds and more nutrient dense eggs.

While a chicken is uniquely formed to eat and digest seeds and grains they naturally benefit from eating wet and sprouting seeds and grains they find on the ground. Ducks naturally love to eat seeds and grains found in the water.

And so we began feeding soaked feed to our newest batch of chicks in the spring. They thrived!  And we had no health issues, no mortalities, none.  They loved their feed. 

We also began feeding our laying flocks fermented chicken feed, including our ducks, since they eat the same feed. First thing we noticed was our birds LOVED it, scraping up every bit from the pan. 

When we fed dry feed on the ground (to encourage scratching) in our pasture much of the feed was wasted.  As a result, we had higher feed costs per chicken.  Also, consumption went down when feeding fermented chicken feed, saving us additional money. 

Benefits to feeding fermented chicken feed

• Consumption drops by as much as 50%, resulting in lower feed costs
• Poultry are generally healthier with higher disease resistance to bacteria such as Salmonella
  
• Egg yolks are larger
• Zero waste.  No feed lost on the ground or spilled from feed pan.
• Shells will be harder due to better absorption of minerals.  There is nothing worse than finding fragile broken eggs in the nest boxes.
• Chicken stools become more solid and reportedly smell less.  Because our chickens roam a pasture we have never had a smell issue so I cannot attest to this.  If you are raising backyard chickens this might be important!
• Soaking breaks down phytic acid.  Grains and seeds are hard to digest because they are high in phytic acid, considered an anti-nutrient for good reason.  It protects seeds from getting rancid.  But when phytic acid is consumed it not only does not break down well, it robs the body of other nutrients in the process. See more on this in my post about Soaking Nuts and Seeds
  
• Usable protein.  Proteins in grains are often hard to break down and use in the body, but soaking allows better use of proteins.
• Increases growth rate of chickens.  As a result, broiler chickens will grow faster and healthier, saving you money.
  

Weston A. Price Foundation has done extensive research into the benefits of soaking seeds, grains and nuts if you want to read further on this topic.   The article Living with Phytic Acid and Be Kind to Your Grains…And Your Grains Will be Kind to You both have excellent information.

Supplies needed to make fermented chicken feed

• Three containers with lids marked “1”, “2” and “3”.  They need to be large enough for your daily chicken ration plus water.  Generally, the dry feed should only take up 1/3 of the container because it will expand greatly when soaked.
• We use 3 gallon food grade buckets that we got from a local bakery because we are feeding 25 laying chickens and 14 laying ducks.  If your flock is smaller, just use smaller containers.
  
• A stir stick/spoon
• Large ladle or scoop
• Feed pan/s
• Small bowls to reserve liquid in
  
• Dry poultry feed – a cracked grain mix works best.  We feed an all natural mix.
  

How to make fermented chicken feed

1.  Mark 3 containers with a “1”, “2”, and “3”. 
   
2. To begin fill each container with one day’s ration of feed.
3. Cover with water by several inches, stir and place lid loosely to allow for off gassing during fermentation. 
   
4. Check often the first day as it will soak up water quickly.  Add water if if needed to keep grains covered.
5. On day one of feeding, the feed in bucket 1 will only have soaked for one day, but that is fine.  After feeding bucket 1 refill the bucket as before with feed and water.  Stir and cover. Check buckets 2 and 3 to be sure feed is under the water, add and stir as necessary.
   
6. On day two feed bucket 2.  This bucket will be more fermented than the first bucket and will probably be a bit bubbly.  After feeding, refill as before. Check buckets 1 and 3.
   
7. On day three feed bucket 3.  This bucket has now soaked three days and will be good and fermented.  But before feeding this bucket draw off a cup of fermented liquid and reserve.  Using this fermented liquid, along with fresh water, when you refill your bucket will jump start the fermentation process.  
8.  From now on, always feed the oldest bucket, reserving some liquid to jump start the newest batch of fermented chicken feed.
   

Tips for success

• Use glass jars, plastic food grade buckets or ceramic crocks with a sealed surface to soak grains.  It is not recommended to use metal or galvanized buckets or bowls for fermenting.
• Stir buckets daily.
• Keep plenty of water over feed while soaking so that mold does not form.
• Keep buckets in moderate temperature.  Too cold and the ferment will slow or stop.  Too hot and it can go rancid or kill it. We have not had trouble outside in our hot summers as long as we keep it in the shade.  In winter we keep in our enclosed back porch/mud room on a heated concrete floor at around 60 degrees. But, if you are only feeding a few hens you can keep it in the kitchen.
  
• Wash buckets every couple weeks to discourage mold.
• Watch that you are feeding the right amount.  All the feed should be gone in 20 to 30 minutes.  Adjust as necessary.
  
• Occasionally offer whole sprouted grains to your flock on the ground to encourage them to keep scratching for bugs and goodies in the soil.
  

More about chickens?

Did you enjoy this article about fermented chicken feed?  Do you want to hear more about our farm chickens?  Leave a comment below and let me know.  Thanks for stopping by the farm.

Supplies we use

8 qt black rubber feed pan.  We use two this size for our chickens and one for our ducks.  These pans are almost indestructible. We have had these for 15 or 20 years.

4 qt black rubber feed pan.  Good size for small flock.

Large feed bucket. 

54 oz feed scoop  (like one in photo above), and 24oz feed scoop.  We’ve had our scoop like this for years and use it daily on the farm.  We use smaller 24oz size in the house for scooping grains and rice that we buy in bulk.

1 gallon glass jars.  We use these jars (shown in pictures above) for many things in our farmhouse.  Granola, sauerkraut, dry grains, even ribbon! They are also great for filling with goodies like cocoa or cookies and giving as gifts. They would be great for fermenting chicken feed if you had a smaller flock than ours.

For your Chickens board on Pinterest

Related Posts

Soaking Nuts & Seeds