Fermenting chicken food

We have been fermenting the feed for our chickens (and pigs.) Our feed mix is made by combining oats, barley and whole peas, which we then added water and allowed to sit (stirring daily) for 3-4 days initially starting with 3 batches. When we fed the first batch, we drained the liquid and reused it to start the next batch. Since it is winter here (Zone 3b in Alaska) giving them all the liquid the whole thing will just freeze solid long before they have eaten it all or drank the liquid.

We have had no kahm's yeast, no mold or anything. Still smells like the normal ferment. Has anyone else done this, reusing the liquid? If so is there a point when we should just start a fresh batch without using the fermenting liquid from previous batches?

Just wondering if it either wears out or gets to strong at some point. Or if there is any reason to not keep reusing it.

Comments

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    @vickeym We did. We did eventually get mold. That is a sure sign to being again. Otherwise, keep on going if all looks & smells good.

    What is kahm's yeast? I've never heard of it before.

  • solarnoon.aspen
    solarnoon.aspen Posts: 219 ✭✭✭

    I've also been fermenting my chicken food for a few years. Especially in the summer, mold builds up and I have to clean the fermenting buckets more often. But most of the time, I leave all the fluid from the last batch and just add my new dry mix and extra water to get the new batch going. I also use the three bucket system.

    It's hard to know if the benefits that people say really happen. However, I know that people who buy my extra eggs prefer them to other organic eggs they've had. I do more than just ferment, but I believe my girls are pretty happy with it.

  • vickeym
    vickeym Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thank you both. That is what we thought too, but had not reused the liquid this long in previous ferments. I know using ferments helped heal my husbands digestive issues. He was gluten intolerant for many years. With ferments, avoiding gluten and later adding some essential oil and herbal meds after several years he is now able to enjoy pretty much anything he wants. So the ferments must have some good things in there.