Sprouts...sprouts?

[farmerlor]

Please be kind to me, I've lost my mother, my dogs are going in to be put to sleep and now I lost my little Bourbon breeder hen from Kevin Porter. Her name was Prunella. So I'm going to be a little touchier than usual if someone tells me I was stupid when sprouting for my birds.
Anyway, last year I sprouted alfalfa sprouts. Followed the directions to the letter and they came out so good that the kids ate them on sandwiches. Then I present them with a flourish to my beloved turkeys and they look at me like I'm an idiot. They didn't eat one and I know they didn't eat any because they were still there the next day all dried up and sitting on top of the feed in the feed box. So I tried beans. I used black beans and pinto beans and once again followed the directions to the letter. The did sprout but they had an icky mildewy smell to them so I dumped them and that was pretty much it for my foray into the world of sprouts. It's getting to be that time again, their pasture is drying up, they've eaten every bug for five miles and I'd like to try my hand at sprouting again. Can I get some tips and what did I do wrong with the beans or are those two the wrong kinds of beans to use?
Oh, and if anyone knows where I can get a fairly reasonably priced Newfie or other LGD I'd sure appreciate it.

 

[Back2MyRoots]

I like mung bean sprouts, alfalfa sprouts and brocoli sprouts. I sprout in a large flat box with paper towel drenched in warm water with a damp paper towel on top and keep them in my laundry room on the dryer because it stays warm there. Once they start to sprout, I keep them damp with warm sugar water (2 T to 1 quart of warm water) until they hit the size I want. I then eat as I want, or take a handful out to the girls as treaties. I buy my seeds at the end of the season when they are super inexpensive and toss them in the freezer. I always have sprouts going because I like to eat them. The chickens only get them though, when they are near the end of their time and I have more ready to go. I am stingy with the good stuff!

 

[farmerlor]

Oh, thank you for the quick response-so the red, black and pinto beans that I have on hand are not a good choice for sprouting for turks?

 

[ivan3]

We've had no luck with `sprouts'. The turks do make short work of the tops of Mangel beets and Rhubarb.

 

[Back2MyRoots]

not sure since I don't raise turkeys, though my chickens did eat my green bean sprouts when they were coming up this spring.... Maybe try sprouting in a small garden box and when they get going good, just throw the whole thing out there for them..?