How to Use up Sour Milk for Hen Food

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: September 16, 2021 References Approved

Sour milk is milk that has begun to acidify, causing it to thicken up and coagulate. It is not the same as spoiled milk, which should not be consumed by people or animals. If you have chickens or hens, sour milk is a great treat and a fantastic source of protein to add to their food. By using only safe sour milk, and finding the right ways to feed it to your chickens, you can use up sour milk for hen food.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making Sour Milk

1
Combine vinegar or lemon juice with pasteurized milk. Pasteurized milk is almost always too processed in order for it to turn sour on its own, and is more likely to spoil instead. To make sour milk, measure out 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vinegar, lemon juice, or another similar acid and pour it into a small bowl or glass. Add enough milk to make it up to 1 cup (250 ml).^{[1]
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- Spoiled milk is milk that has begun to rot or has turned due to it being left out in the sun or going past its expiration date. This will often harbor harmful bacteria, and should not be consumed by yourself or your hens.
2
Leave the milk to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir together the acid and milk until they are thoroughly combined, then leave the milk mixture to sit out at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. The milk should begin to thicken up and coagulate until it reaches the consistency of buttermilk.^{[2]
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- The acid in the vinegar or lemon juice will begin to curdle the milk, which is what causes it to thicken up.
- You can also leave the milk to sour in the refrigerator. Leave it to sit for 30 minutes in the fridge until it thickens up slightly.
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3
Wait for raw milk to sour in the refrigerator. Raw milk is milk that comes straight from a dairy cow, meaning it is fresh, unpasteurized, and unhomogenized. Store your raw milk in the refrigerator for around 1 week, using it the same way you’d use pasteurized milk. After 1 week, your milk will begin to sour and thicken up.^{[3]
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- The process of raw milk souring naturally is known as the milk “clabbering” as the curds and whey separate. Clabbered milk, or clabber, can be used for baking and is great for chickens, dogs, and hens.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Feeding Hens or Chickens

1
Give chicks and hens sour milk to help them grow and make eggs. Milk contains high levels of the vitamin riboflavin, which is used to improve the quality of the eggs hatched by your hens. Pour a small amount of sour milk into a dish for your hens or chicks to help the chicks grow and give you better eggs.^{[4]
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- Riboflavin, or B12, helps break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats and convert them to energy used to help your chicks grow and the hens lay eggs.^{[5]
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2
Mix sour milk into the hen feed as an occasional protein supplement. Sour milk is high in protein, which will help your chickens to grow and may even help to fatten them up. Mix around 1 part of sour milk into 2 parts of your chosen hen feed once or twice a week to give your hens some extra protein.^{[6]
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- Some chickens that are sold as meat are advertised as being milk-fed. Check your local guidelines to see if you’re giving your chickens enough milk to qualify for this label.^{[7]
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3
Make sour milk cheese to treat your hens. Sour milk can be easily turned into paneer, a traditional Indian cheese that makes a great treat for your hens. Heat the milk to around 175 °F (79 °C) until the curds and whey separate, before straining it through a cheesecloth. Let it cool and wrap it in the cheesecloth to shape it, squeezing out excess moisture as you do.^{[8]
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- Break off a few pieces of cheese and scatter them in your chicken coop or pen. Your hens will find them and eat them over the course of an hour or two.^{[9]
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Community Q&A

Question

We have commercial quantities of sour milk . How can we use your suggested solidifying method?

Amy Harrison

Top Answerer

Leave them out in the sun for a couple of days until solid/crumbly.
Question

Can I feed my chickens homemade Mexican queso?

Amy Harrison

Top Answerer

It depends what it consists of, but chickens love to eat table scraps, so it's most likely suitable. Anything they don't like, they just won't eat.
Question

Can I do this with pasteurized milk that has gone bad?

Community Answer

Yes, it should have the same outcome.

Warnings

Raw milk that has soured, or milk that you have soured intentionally, are both safe to consume. Milk that has spoiled or gone off is not safe and should be thrown away immediately.

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