I have had the same results both from wheat and rye, I've had a bad
starter that I gave up on with rye and wheat, I've had good starters
from both and each individually, including white flour, (wheat).

I agree that you are better off with a batter, use as little as you
can handle so as not to waste flour. (The method Will describes does
work but the batter method is easier and quicker, after a few days
your enthusiasm will wane and you might be busy, you’ll want something
quick you don’t have to think about) add water to the batter at feed
time, about equal parts batter to water, then mix well, tip all but a
small bit away and feed that small bit with enough flour to make
another batter. There really is no need to measure anything (I know
Sam didn’t say there was but it you could get that impression) That
works well not to waste flour. It could take 1 to 2 weeks to get the
starter how it should be to bake with. I just made one it's taken 10
days to get the starter so that I feel it's normal.

You’ll read so many times, ‘… It sure does smell sour, yay!’ In my
experience that ‘sour’ is more like the smell of PVA rather than an
vinegar, I don’t use a starter til that’s gone.

So, Will is right too, trust your nose not the bubbles.

Good luck.

Jim


On 6 Aug, 04:17, Samantha Hill - remove TRASH to reply
> wrote:
> Thanks. *You learn something new every day.
>
...