When can chicks be fed whole grains?

[GreenLove]

What age can whole grains be fed to chicks? I have access to (organic) hard red winter wheat, hulled sunflower seeds, barley, spelt, oat groats, whole oats, millet, kamut, cracked corn and sesame seeds. Mine are a little over 5 weeks old. I have already given them live meal worms at 3 1/2 weeks old and they loved them and seemed to do fine with them. They have had grit available since 2 weeks old. I plan to keep them on their organic chick starter crumbles but wanted to give them some whole grains also. I was also wondering about fermented whole grains, and at what age can you feed them?

 

[Kikiriki]

The only thing I would worry about with whole grains is that the extra fiber takes away gullet space and uses more calories to digest.

Fermenting won't change that much. Have you considered sprouting the wheat in trays?

 

[GreenLove]

Have you considered sprouting the wheat in trays?

No, I haven't considered that, good idea! How do you do that? What age are they allowed to consume the sprouted wheat?

 

[Kikiriki]

Good video

 

[GreenLove]

Thanks, that was a good video. So, they can have them at this age then?

 

[Kikiriki]

I like the way this guy did it using cement blocks on a patio paver! Nice for smaller flocks, and I think the blocks probably help with hot days in the summer by keeping the seeds from cooking in plastic.

 

[GreenLove]

That's an interesting way to do it!

 

[Kikiriki]

Oh, yes... I saw a study with 2 week olds, and they can have them.

 

[GreenLove]

Great! Would you happen to have a link to that, I would love to read it.

 

[Kikiriki]

Well, I guess I am just going to post one thought at a time, here...

Fermenting is also good...doing both would be awesome, but just be careful with both systems to watch for mold and fungal growth. With the sprouting, the rinsing and airflow is important; and with the fermenting, air exclusion is important. Bad smells are a good clue that something is wrong.

I know baking soda in very small quantity is used to inhibit bad growths, so I wonder if anyone has experimented in adding a pinch to their soaking water for sprouting seeds...