Growing fodder for chickens

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

But you are wanting sprouted seed! Just let it do its thing...and feed it to the chickens!

 

[SebashtionH]

Sorry miss typed, un-sprouted seed

 

[tillyita]

Quote:
You can reuse the soak water a couple of times - if you use it too much the natural growth inhibitor in the seed builds up and stops sprouting in future batches. You can use the soak water as drinking water for your chickens (or other animals). It contains soluble fibre and vitamins. You can also use it for your plants - just avoid using it on other seedlings.

 

[Marylani]

You can reuse the soak water a couple of times - if you use it too much the natural growth inhibitor in the seed builds up and stops sprouting in future batches. You can use the soak water as drinking water for your chickens (or other animals). It contains soluble fibre and vitamins. You can also use it for your plants - just avoid using it on other seedlings.

Cool thanks. I will use it on my garden plants after 1 or 2 days on wheat sprouts.

 

[jamesbwood]

Do we have a "farmers" source of 50 lb bags of wheat seed for sprouting? I don't need certified organic, I don't need food grade, heck, I don't even need processed.

 

[Sidhe13]

You can go visit your local farmer for it. Any wheat or barley will do. Don't buy what they use to sow their crops as it is usually coated in anti-mould chemicals which are super toxic!
A local grain storage may have "screenings" or waste grain which you can use too...

 

[Tmoorie]

Hello everyone! I am a newbie to chicks this year! I have 4 RIR and 3 White Leg horns that are 12 weeks old. I have been reading about fodder and thinking about it for the past month. I started reading this blog and I thought okay I am going to get through the whole thing before I post questions and start my own fodder. After getting through over 700 posts I got impatient and decided I had waited long enough.

Last May 3rd I picked up 7 buckets and went to my feed store to get some barley. When I got there the guy laughed at me when I said I wanted to make fodder!

Apparently to that good ole' boy chickens should just be throw in the yard and fed pellets. He said they will eat anything. Anyhow, they didn't have barley that would germinate so I had to order food grade whole barley. Since I was impatient I bought a bag of Milo seed to try and grow it.

The Milo began to germinate and grow but didn't create the root mat or very many greens. Three days into it I picked up my barley and I started it. I have also added some boss to the mix. So not I am putting 1 cup of barley, 1/2 cup of Milo and a sprinkling of boss into the mix. The barley has been growing for 3 days and the roots are starting to hold the seeds together!

I fed my chickens the tiny Milo sprouts on Sunday and even though they didn't produce very much green the chickens seemed to like them, especially my leg horns.

I am anxious to see how the barley mix will do!

I will try and post some pics of the barley mix.

 

[SebashtionH]

...

ok so I need some help.....I am full time fodder chick....need to change my screen name......I have a little set up in my green house and we are in south louisiana......I have a 10 tray system set up and soak my wheat for 24 hrs and then sprout for 9 days....had to extend because I wasnt getting the height I initially got when I had the heat on in the greenhouse....I also have had limited time to fool with it as we have added a dairy goat to the farm and she is preggo and needs TONS of attention....we also added heritage pullets I hatched 8 baby turkeys and well..........anyway............so the fodder is in my greenhouse and I have what I thought was gnats.....lil flying bugs and when I turned out the last batch of fodder there were itty bitty tiny freaking worms in the bottom of the tray....and since all of my trays have holes....now when I water....all I am doing is passing the worms from one tray to the next.....I bleach the trays each time I turn the fodder out but I dont want to give my animals worms.....and I am not even sure WHAT type of worms these are as they are not attracted to the typical gnat/fruit fly trap with vinegar and a jar.......so I have turned to just giving the fodder to the chickens who are not laying eggs yet my horse and goats are ******!!! any advise would be great.

I do use bleach and a white cloth to clean the trays with after turning it out.....but.....that doesnt seem like its working to stop the worms......please help.....!!!
[/quot

Thanks! This information is very helpful. When you say, fermented, does that mean you added vinegar? Have you ever tried spraying with vinegar instead of peroxide?

I just noticed this in my fodder also.... is there an answer to fix this?
My sprouts smell funny and have little knats and little worms in the bottom.

 

[adkhunter1590]

Glad I came across this. I work at a flour mill so I have access to literally millions and millions of pounds of wheat and corn too! I have a small container of wheat growing at home right now. Should be ready for the chickens in a day or two. I need to create a good system for continually growing the wheat since I can bring home however much I want each day. Corn gets separated from the wheat and gets dumped into carts and eventually tossed out. Me and a few other guys take anything from a few 50 pound bags to pickup truck loads of corn and don't even put a dent in the supply we have here.

 

[CATRYNA]

Glad I came across this. I work at a flour mill so I have access to literally millions and millions of pounds of wheat and corn too! I have a small container of wheat growing at home right now. Should be ready for the chickens in a day or two. I need to create a good system for continually growing the wheat since I can bring home however much I want each day. Corn gets separated from the wheat and gets dumped into carts and eventually tossed out. Me and a few other guys take anything from a few 50 pound bags to pickup truck loads of corn and don't even put a dent in the supply we have here.

Too bad you're not nearby to share your surplus. LOL