Fermenting chicken feed is just as good for your chickens as fermented foods are for you. And there's nothing more to making it than adding water to chicken feed and letting it sit. If you can make Cup-a-Soup, I can teach you how to ferment chicken feed.
I love all of my chickens with all of my heart and unconditionally except for Baby, whom I hate. She bites, she chases, she terrorizes. If you have a small flock chances are you love them all too so you want to do what's best for them. But you're busy. So no, you might not be willing to buy all the individual ingredients to make up the right nutrients of chicken feed and mix them yourself.
You MIGHT however be willing to just add a bit of water to your own feed in order to create a nutritious fermented concoction for them. You will even feed it to Baby.
If this is your first foray into raising chickens this post contains all the questions and answers you probably have about keeping chickens for the first time.
Fermenting your chickens’ feed can have huge health benefits for your flock, can lower your feed bill and can even make your chickens lay bigger eggs. Fermenting is also nowhere near as much of a pain as you might think!
So – Health Benefits:
Yes! Fermented chicken feed is actually quite a bit healthier for your chickens than regular ol’ dry feed for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that fermented feed has naturally occurring probiotics. Gone are the days you had to run to the store to grab sip-and-go yogurt drinks for your hens.
Just like with humans, the gastro-intestinal tract is important for a bird’s immune system. Probiotics balance that system and create a barrier against disease and illness. So basically, feeding fermented feed with naturally occurring probiotics is like setting loose an army of microscopic disease fighters inside your chickens… every time you feed them.
The second big health benefit of fermentation is that the fermentation process breaks down the antinutrients that are naturally present in grains. These anitnutrients in grains and seeds act as a protective barrier that can prevent the grains from being fully digested.
Why?? This is a kind of whacked-out, mutant survival mechanism of the plant world. Having these antinutrients will boost the chances that, even if eaten, the grains can still grow once they have made their journey all the way through a critter and are planted in a ball of fertilizer when the animal poops them onto the grass.
Fermenting these grains naturally strips them of antinutrients and helps break down the proteins so that your chickens can get the full nutritional benefits from them.
Lowering your feed bill:
Because your chickens are getting more accessible nutrients from their feed, after a few weeks, they’ll start to eat less of it.
They'll also start to lay bigger eggs with thicker shells and larger yolks. Your hens will also be far less likely to be mortally hurt by diseases and pests carried by the local wild birds.
Fermenting!
OK – so now that you’re ten-kinds of excited about having healthier chickens and lowering your monthly feed costs, you want to know HOW to properly ferment feed because the last thing you need is a yard full of drunk chickens.
There are two kinds of fermentation – Lacto-Fermentation and Alcohol Fermentation. The first kind is the really healthy kind and teh sekund kiind ish jusht rewey… wheeeeeeeeee!
(So please… ferment responsibly)
There is a common misconception you’re likely to run across if you research fermented chicken feed online. Many people use unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (U-ACV) as a fermentation “starter.” U-ACV does have a lot of health benefits for your flock when you put it in their drinking water but for fermented feed… not so much!
Why? In short, the enzymes in U-ACV are PREbiotics and not PRObiotics. They can actually prevent the growth of good probiotics when put into the wet feed. I’m not going into a huge amount of detail (because this post is already going to be way long, but if you’re interested in more information you can see our ridiculously information-packed, long-winded article on the Natural Chicken Keeping blog).
Using vinegar to start the fermentation process can also start an alcohol fermentation. (Not the goal.)
No – if you want to grow your own little army of immunity-boosting PRObiotics, you need to have lacto-fermentation. If you make dill pickles in a crock like I do, it's the same thing.
The good news is for lacto-fermentation you just need water.
If you are the anxious type and really want to get the probiotics marching about the feed sooner, you can add one of these starter cultures:
- 1+ Tbsp. juice from raw lacto-fermented pickles or sauerkraut
- 1+ Tbsp. cultured buttermilk (the cultured stuff will have nice shoes and an expensive haircut)
- Whey from cheese made with a mesophillic culture
- A mesophillic starter culture for cheese-making
- *not whey from yogurt because that type of culture only works at a higher temperature than what you keep your house at.
Understand you don't NEED to add any of these things. You'll get lacto-fermentation from just using water - these starters just help to speed things up by a few days.
How to Make Fermented Chicken Feed
How to Ferment Chicken Feed
How to ferment feed for your chickens to reduce feed costs and improve hen health.
Materials
- 1 glass, ceramic or plastic crock (size depends on the amount of chickens you have but around 2 gallons should be good for a backyard flock of 4-6)
- Water
- Starter Culture (optional)
Instructions
- Put 2-3 days worth of feed in a container.*
- Cover the feed with water. You should have an inch of water above the level of the feed.
- If you want to use a starter add it now.
- Check on the feed in a few hours. It may have absorbed all of your extra water already. Add more water so that the feed is again covered by 1".
- Cover your container with a dish cloth or something else that allows air to pass through because things are going to get bubbly. You don't want a tight fitting lid that might explode off.
- Stir the mixture up a couple of times a day. This helps to incorporate oxygen and speeds up the fermentation process.
- You can start feeding it to your chickens right away, but it won't become truly fermented until you start to see bubbles in several days.
- Add more water and feed every few times you take some out to maintain your ferment. Doing this you can keep the fermented feed going forever.
Notes
*Chickens eat about ¼ cup of food per day per chicken.
The warmer the environment, the more quickly the feed will ferment.
This CAN be fed to chicks and is in fact very good for them.
Remember to always keep at least 1" of water covering the feed to help protect it from harmful bacteria growth.
Your fermented feed should smell sour. This is normal and in fact, the goal.
Both crumble and whole grain feeds can be fermented. Crumble feed will turn to a sludgy sort of mix. Just scoop it out with a strainer or slotted spoon and let the liquid it drain back into the fermentation container.
Starter Cultures
- 1+ Tbsp. juice from raw lacto-fermented pickles or sauerkraut
- 1+ Tbsp. cultured buttermilk (the cultured stuff will have nice shoes and an expensive haircut)
- Whey from cheese made with a mesophillic culture
- A mesophillic starter culture for cheese-making
- *not whey from yogurt because that type of culture only works at a higher temperature than what you keep your house at.
Recommended Products
I'm an Amazon affiliate some I get a few cents when you buy something I've linked to.
I used to ferment my feed all the time, but I fell out of the habit of it. I'm BACK on the fermenting train now and if you watch my Instagram stories you might just see me slinging this hash to my chickens.
Yep. Even Baby.
I've updated and rewritten this post which was originally published on my site by Leigh Edwards of Natural Chicken Keeping.
→Follow me on Instagram where I often make a fool of myself←
carol
After you add the water to the feed, how do you know when it is considered 'fermented'? How long does it usually take?
Karen
Hi Carol. It doesn't take long to ferment. And you'll know it's fermented because it'll bubble. I'd say 3-5 days depending on the temperature of the room it's in or the temperature outside if that's where you have it. I did some on my counter this week in a bucket and it was fermented in 3 days. ~ karen!
felicia
I feed cracked corn, layena and milo can that be turned into fermented feed?
Susan
I have 8 chicks and they are eating medicated chick food. Can I use it to make fermented seed? They didn't carry any other chick feed at the place I purchased it.
Schylie
Can I store my fermented chicken feed outside, or will it go rancid in the heat? Right now my bucket is inside; it kind of smells and it's hard not to make a mess when I take some feed out.
Leigh
Schylie - you can absolutely keep your fermented feed outside! Heat will cause it to ferment faster, but this should not be a problem as long as you are stirring it regularly. Keep it away from wood piles and other things which could harbor spores as certain spores can get into the feed and start an alcohol ferment. Just be sure to sniff regularly to make sure the feed still smells good. If you have any issues with it going bad, try moving it to a different location.
Cold temperatures aren't as friendly to FF as the feed can freeze (of course) and it will not ferment well at temperatures lower than 40 F or 4.4 C.
Hope that helps!
Schylie
Awesome, thanks so much! That helps a lot.
Kris
Great, simple, and funny. Thank you!
Melissa
How often do you feed them this a day? Once a day? Twice a day? And how much do you suggest per chicken?
Shelia
Hi, the research I've read says to feed 1/4 to 1/2 cup of fermented feed per chicken 1-2 times a day. I feed about 1/4 c. per chicken once a day in the mornings myself. Sometimes I'll do it twice a day. Mine free range during most of the day and I also leave dry feed in my hanging feeder all the time in case something happens and I'm not able to feed them in the mornings.
Shannon Slish
I found this article (and the comments) at the most perfect time! We gave fermentation a go for the first time this week, and thought our attempt was a total failure. There isn't a lot of knowledgable information here in Washington State at our feed stores on Fermentation, in fact, my inquiring calls today consisted of ME educating THEM on the process, and the "why would you do that?" questions. Not helpful. But, after reading this article, and especially reading the questions, comments, and experiences in the "comment section", I ran out and told my hubby NOT to dump our "failure", but to give it to the ladies. They absolutely loved it.
Thank you for a great forum to give us the confidence to push forward and give it a try. I anticipate a very successful Fermentation feeding regimen here with all our flocks.
Grace
Great article and comments from everyone. I heard of fermenting feed before but didn't realize how easy it was. I'm going to try doing it today. Thanks Karen for very informative article.
muhammad dalil
Excuse my silliness but do I just keep adding water and feed as needed each time I pick some ??? And how do I know it's ready to feed my flock ? :)
Leigh
Yes - just keep adding feed and water each time you take some out. :-)
Janet
I love my girls and just acquired a frizzle rooster Spyderman and he's gorgeous. started the fermented feed about 2 months ago now i am dealing with no egg production, they aren't molting, but the girls are super healthy, any ideas? Read you didn't have to have oyster shells when feeding fermented feed but i think this is my problem.
Karen
Hi Janet! This time of year usually results in no eggs this time of year. Actually it's around now that they usually decide to start finally laying again. I'd say to start feeding their shells back to then but you probably have no eggs shells to give them! No matter what kind of feed I'm giving my hens I always have shells (oyster or egg) for them to pick at. ~ karen!
Heidi
How does one ferment in the frigid Iowa climate? In the house? My husband does not seem to think it's a good idea but I'm sure it can't smell worse than everything else that gets tracked into the back porch. Any other zone 5 fermenters?
Catherine
I'm already a fermentation hobbiest, but I never considered this!
Your instructions call for an open aerobic ferment.
Would it actually be done better anaerobically by placing a fermentation lock on the bucket lid, allowing CO2 out?
Or would frequent opening and topping off render that moot?
Angela Searles
So I can do this with my crumbled feed. Do you still feed your flock dry crumbles in addition to the fermented?
Nancy Young
Thanks for the fermenting info. I tried last year growing my own grains and the wonderful little song birds ate everything in two weeks.The organic food is way too expensive for us and I'd like to make my own.We have 75 chicken,20 peacocks 12 guineas 3 geese and am planning on getting 100 more chickens and adding ducks. Where can I order organic grains to mix my own feed?
Leslie
When I ferment our chicken feed, I use about the same amount of water as I do feed. With our feed this produces a nice texture that doesn't need to be strained but stays moist enough in the trough that the birds can clean up any leftovers. It is so simple!
I made great troughs out of PVC pipe that I set up between cement blocks. It really works slick.
henry fieldseth
I use the same ratio when adding feed and water to my mash.
Can you post a picture of your feeding trough?
Leslie
I don't know how to post a photo here, so sorry! Maybe Karen can offer a suggestion? And you should be warned all my photos are pretty crummy ... but they would give an idea about how the troughs work.
Marjorie Oliver
Really enjoyed this article on the fermentation of feed. I knew fermentation of veggies for humans was a great source of probiotics but never thought of doing this for my flock of 18. I have found a source of mail order feed, though expensive even with free shipping, for smaller flocks it is doable and the feed is impressive as I have purchased this feed and the flock loves it. I did start the fermentation process today using a plastic bucket and put my towel over it, they will probably go nuts for it on Tuesday, can't wait. Hope the website is useful to all you chicken lovers. I love the combination of ingredients listed, kelp is include as well as alfalfa and oystershells so that makes life easier. I landed on this site looking for answers to chicken feet problems since one of my hens is limping but did not plan to ferment feet, LOL
http://handhsoyfreenongmofeed.com/
Our Original Old Fashioned Layer – for your layers and breeding birds beginning just before onset of laying and continuing throughout their life. Our unique blend includes non-GMO loose grains plus seeds with tasty protein mini-pellets for your chicken’s maximum enjoyment. Our formula maximizes feed conversion and efficiency while offering a great variety of ingredients to ensure the tastiest of eggs and healthiest of chickens. Contains 19% protein and oyster shells for a complete feed ration.
Organic Acadian sea kelp
Organic Fertrell Poultry Nutri-Balancer
wheat
oats
North Atlantic fish protein
millet
alfalfa
animal protein
flax
barley
oyster shells
black oil sunflower seed
grain sorgum
diatomaceous earth
Kimberley
We've been doing this for almost a year. We also add some alfalfa pellets to the feed/water. Talk about some orange and delicious eggs! The girls didn't take to it right away, but after a week or so they loved it.
Kristin Ferguson
I went out and tried this immediately. What kind of feed was I supposed to use? I just used the pellets I normally feed the hens (it's one of the kinds that has extra Omega-3) and I had an almost-empty jar of fresh-fermented (from Trader Joe's) sauerkraut in my fridge, so I poured in a little of the juice. The chickens seem to like it a lot, but it definitely turned to absolute mush. All the chicken feed I can get here in Los Angeles is either crumbles or pellets. None of it is whole grains, except scratch, which I've been warned again and again is not healthful for them. One final question: What would happen if you added a bit of sourdough starter to the feed instead of sauerkraut juice?
Leigh
Yes - pellets and crumbles do turn to mush, but it's still got great nutritional benefits. I use a strainer - I put the feed in the strainer and go do something else for about 5 minutes and when I come back it is ready to feed. If you're short on time, put some dry in the bottom of the feeder and then put the soupy feed on top - by the time you serve it up, the dry pellets will have absorbed much of the "soup" and it's good to go!
henry fieldseth
Sourdough starter would be a good culture to try. But you don't need to add any starter at all! I used sauerkraut the first time and was pleased with the results. I also tried tempeh. But my best ferment started as just chicken feed and water.
henry fieldseth
I have been fermenting the chicken feed just over three months. Have not noticed an increase in laying nor a real change in egg quality. But it still seems like a good idea. Not sure how it will do once winter is here, but the ferment has "worked" through the cool fall weather here in Minnesota. May have to build an insulated closet.....
Leigh
Henry - it is also molting season, and this can have a big impact on egg production until the girls are done. Hopefully you'll see some improvement soon. =)
Yes - you will need to keep your fermenting bucket in a warm room - it needs to be above 45 F or 8 C to properly ferment.
henry fieldseth
The mash kept bubbling when the temperatures got into the mid-twenties. It was freezing when the temps got below twenty, but didn't freeze solid and break the four-gallon jars! There seems to be some natural anti-freeze. I would even guess the early stages of fermentation actually generate a bit of heat.
As cold settled in I tried wrapping them in blankets with a jug of hot water for the night.
The temperatures kept falling and are staying low all day so I reclaimed an old cedar chest deemed unusable due the strong moth ball odor (who would put mothballs in a cedar chest?). Or nighttime temps have been near zeroF, the cedar chest is working great.
The three big jars of mash are kept warm enough to be active through the cold nights by 4.5 gallons of hot tapwater and wool blankets over the whole thing before closing the chest.
But I am getting tired of schlepping jugs of hot water twice a day....
Erin
Thanks Leigh for the well written and very timely post.
I've been wondering about changing up the feed for our 30 chickens with winter on the horizon. I was worried about nutrition once the fresh grass is a distant memory. And even though I kind of like "the random grains sprouting around the yard" in a plant geek kind of way, the waste is really starting to get to me. Our favourite feed supplier is a 50 min. drive so getting the most bang out of a bag of feed is key. We are trying this out this weekend! I'm off to check out your blog.
Thanks Karen for inviting Leigh to guest post. Much appreciated.
Leigh
So glad you liked the post, Erin! Keep track of your feed usage so you can see how it changes in one month's time. :-)