Amounts for fodder/sprouts

[Pressman]

Here is my counter-top fodder set up. This tray system is about 5x7' and offers more than enough for my flock of 5.
I used a drill to put holes in the trays for draining, and removed the white top of the shelf to give the greens more space to grow up. They youngest seeds start at the bottom after a long soak in an old cottage cheese container and move up each day or so after their daily rinse.
No matter the nutritional value, I like doing this in the winter as a boredom buster for my layers in the winter. Not to mention it's quite fun to watch the grass grow on my kitchen counter while the snow flies outside. I only use wheat and BOSS for now. Sometimes combining the two in one tray. (Although BOSS is much slower to germinate and is often only cracking open by the time I feed out the wheat grass)

I love your system. I am trying to grow BOSS fodder, watched a video where they said growing it in soil gave it more flavor (for my share) so I got my mom's old black garden trays and started them in that. they are growing wonderfully, but today I have mold fuzz on them. Obviously I cannot feed that! Do you have any suggestions as to what went wrong and what I should do differently?

 

[kilby]

I thought I would contribute my understanding of sprouted fodder to this discussion. I have been feeding my 6 hens on sprouted fodder for about 3 months now. They get about 4-5 lbs finish fodder each day, which starts as about 1.5-2 lbs dry grain. I do give them calcium, grit, and a few handfuls of formulated feed each day. My ladies are 6 months old now, so they were still growing when I switched to fodder and they have matured and gained weight fine on fodder. I sprout my fodder for 3 days only, they are still mostly seeds with just tiny shoots emerging.

Here's my understanding of the benefit of using sprouted fodder. A grain seed when it is dry and dormant is meant to be a nutrient STORAGE device, to protect the proteins, carbs, starches, and nutrients for the future plant that will grow from that seed, and so they are stored in long chemical chains and protected from being digested by an animal that might eat them. Once the seed begins to sprout the seed releases enzymes that begin to turn the seed into a nutrient DELIVERY device, allowing the proteins, carbs, starches, and nutrients to be more easily digested by an animal (chicken) that eats it. In this way, although the total protein content does not change, the amount of protein that the chicken should be able to digest goes up.

Grains also contain chemicals called Anti-nutrients, that actively block a body's ability to digest that grain and to absorb the nutrients in that grain. When grain is sprouted it starts to eliminate these Anti-nutrients so that the growing plant can get at the energy in the seed, and if the sprouted grain is eaten the animal can absorb and use the nutrients and energy at a higher rate.

I would love to hear how it goes introducing sprouted fodder to your flock.

Your post is superb. I have sprouted organic wheat berries( whole grain) for my lovebirds for 12 years before I got chickens and continued also for my new hobby. All appreciated it very much and all the internet info on it is good from Humans to pets. Go figur' eh? I soak overnight. Rinse once to three times a day. I have 16 chickens and am hatching 6 more. It takes good air circulation to keep it from going sour and moldy depending on your humidity and temp. The boxed method does not work for me anymore. I use stainless steel sieves. Do you know if sprouted legume is okay for chickens? I have not found that info on this site yet. Oh yeah, if it is not obvious my chickens and pets love it. Organic or not. I pay $20 per 40 pounds for organic feed so this is essential for the lack of grass in the yard now which is quite the industry for fresh fodder in the winter when every farm animal will be needing extra nutrients. I figure it is more nutritious and cheaper bottom line. I worry it would not be complete for a layer. Going back to organic wheat would be better.