anybody raise sprouts to feed the chickens?

[Sunflowergirl]

vmdanielsen, how long does it take before you start seeing some sprouting going on with the plotspike oats? I soaked 1.5. pounds of the plotspike last night and have put it in a 9" x 22" tray today. I did see a couple of seeds without the hulls on with the little tail sprout starting. Also, how long do you do the sprouting before feeding to your flock?
Thank you for your time!
Sunflowergirl

I have used both organic whole oats (meant for feeding livestock) and plotspike(found at TSC). Neither is sprayed with anti fungal nor anti sprout chemicals. Now that it is November, my flock starts getting sprouts and kefir! My flock loves both!!!

 

[vmdanielsen]

vmdanielsen, how long does it take before you start seeing some sprouting going on with the plotspike oats? I soaked 1.5. pounds of the plotspike last night and have put it in a 9" x 22" tray today. I did see a couple of seeds without the hulls on with the little tail sprout starting. Also, how long do you do the sprouting before feeding to your flock?
Thank you for your time!
Sunflowergirl

I sprout mine in a jar. I soak for about 24 hours, drain and leave them in the jar. i do not rinse again. They begin to sprout about 18 hours after that. It does depend how warm my house is however. I feed them in all stages of sprouting, from just being soaked to getting their little green leaves. Seed must stay moist, not dry or soggy to sprout. Be careful that they do not dry out on the tray. Good luck!!

 

[Sunflowergirl]

Thanks! I am seeing a ton sprouting today!!!

I sprout mine in a jar. I soak for about 24 hours, drain and leave them in the jar. i do not rinse again. They begin to sprout about 18 hours after that. It does depend how warm my house is however. I feed them in all stages of sprouting, from just being soaked to getting their little green leaves. Seed must stay moist, not dry or soggy to sprout. Be careful that they do not dry out on the tray. Good luck!!

 

[pigeonguy]

Poultry Rations : Sprouted Oats

Hi Fellowlisters,
Recently, the subject of balanced poultry rations and feeding for egg
production has come up. Allied to that subject is the topic of feeding greens
to poultry , esp. in the wintertime. Sprouted oats have long been a mainstay of
poultrymen in this regard. Here is a list of articles on the subject. I have
tried to anticipate questions and cover all aspects and opinions on the subject.
Please, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.
--
"Productive Poultry husbandry: a complete text dealing with the principles
of..."
Harry Reynolds Lewis - 1913 - 536 pages - Full view
http://tinyurl.com/26cpv5c
Chapter Eleven "Poultry feeds"
Discusses the many grains and vegetables which may be utilized in creating a
proper poultry feed.
Pages 184-203
sprouted oats discussed specifically on pages 189-191:
--------
The Corning Egg Farm book: by Corning himself; being the complete ...
By Gardner Corning - 1912 - 198 pages - Full view
http://tinyurl.com/2692hj6
Pages 82 thru 84.
Intro to the subject of how to grow and feed spouted oats:
Sprouted Oats Best
At The Corning Egg Farm we are strong believers in Sprouted Oats as a green
food, and we now maintain a cement Cellar, with good drainage, which is used for
nothing else. The method of sprouting oats is really very simple, and does not
require the arduous labor which one would imagine from numerous articles written
on the subject.
-------------
The beginner in poultry: the zest and the profit in poultry growing
By Carolyn Syron Valentine
1912 - 450 pages - Full viewÂ
http://tinyurl.com/2cqwuqt
See ages 75 thru 102 for a discussion on juicy feeds and sprouted oats for
poultry.
Page 92 :"Some have assured me that barley is even better, as it tillers more
abundantly; i.e. each seed throws out more stalks, when it lies long enough to
get a real start. The New Jersey Station, after experimenting with sprouted
oats, wheat, and buckwheat, announced that in every case oats produced most
pounds and made most gain."
-----------
Poultry keeping: an elementary treatise dealing with the ...
Harry Reynolds Lewis - 1915 - 365 pages - Full view
http://tinyurl.com/2dszyjc
Page 256:
"Fig. 142.â€"Sprouted oats form one of the best green feeds for poultry. They
make the best growth when sprouted at a depth of one inch, as shown in tray No.
1. When sprouted deeper they mold and do not make as many sprouts."
-----------
ad for growing stand for spouted oats from 1914 "The Poultry Item " magazine
Volume 13 page 33 :

SPROUTED OATS;
GOOD AS GRASSHOPPERS FOR GROWING CHICKS
Do you want fully developed fine birds for the shows? Then Feed the Sprouted
Oats.
Do you want quickly grown heavy early roasters? Then Feed the Sprouted Oats.
Do you want quickly matured pullets for winter laying? Then Feed the Sprouted
Oats.
Do you want an abundance of EGGS at all times? Then Feed the Sprouted Oats.
Do you want a cheap feed that is partly predigested, highly vitalizing, very
stimulating? Then Feed the Sprouted Oats.
Do you want an abundant supply of the crisp, snappy, succulent Sprouted Oats?
Then Get a
DOUBLE QUICK GRAIN SPROUTER
Double walled, heat retaining, automatic moisture producing, scientifically
constructed for sprouting any kind of grain with little or no muss or trouble In
an incredibly short time.
Sizes from a few hens to 500. Full information free. CLOSE-TO-NATURE CO., 42
Front St., Colfax, Iowa.
===============
Poultry feeds and feeding
Harry M. Lamon, Alfred R. Lee - 1922 - 247 pages - Full view
http://tinyurl.com/2ewsf3v
Pages 126 thru 127 .
Quote from beginning of section:
"Sprouted Oats. Sprouted oats make a good green feed where other kinds of green
feed are not readily secured as oats can be obtained and sprouted at any season
of the year. Fowls greatly relish oats so treated and will readily eat about one
square inch of sprouted oats' surface daily. Such oats may be fed at any time
after the sprouts are well started, the usual practice being to feed them when
the sprouts are from 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches long. It takes 5 to 7 days to sprout
oats to this length, the number of days depending largely on the temperature of
the place where the oats are sprouted."
------------
California poultry practice: being plain hints for beginners in
Mrs. Susan Swaysgood - 1914 - 157 pages - Full view
http://tinyurl.com/2e3r4hq
excerpt from feeding guidelines, Page 57 :
"If labor is not considered, there is not anything on this green earth that pays
better in eggs than sprouted oats. But it is a chore to furnish a big flock of
hens with enough sprouted oats to count. I have been feeding sprouted oats for
over ten years, so know what I am saying, but as stated, it is a big chore. Oats
to a hen is what oats is to a horse. It is life and vitality.
All horses that are to be depended upon in times of stress are fed on oats,
which gives strength and fleetness to the race horse and they will give strength
and endurance to your hens to keep on laying all the year around.
Two feeds a day of sprouted oats will give you eggs in winter, when nothing else
will. I am speaking now in general, but I am going to tell you how to feed each
breed or rather each class of poultry separately.
There are a great many mistakes made by feeding all alike. It does not pay,
because their needs are not all alike."
------
Poultry houses and fixtures: How to lay out poultry plants ...
Reliable Poultry Journal Publishing Company - 1919 - 110 pages - Full view
http://tinyurl.com/2bkpnrh
How to sprout oats and what equipment to use, illust. and w/ tabke. :
pages 102 thru 103
--------------
Why poultry pays and how to make it pay
Frank L. Platt - 1922 - 124 pages - Full view
http://tinyurl.com/29sxzbp
Beginning excerpt from pages 48 thru 49 :
"Sprouted oats. While one would think that everybody knew all about sprouted
oats, yet it is remarkable how many who have kept poultry for years know
absolutely nothing of this valuable yet very inexpensive green food. Many have
asked me for information. Most all those who have heard of sprouted oats seem to
think they are grown in the ground and nothing but the green tops are fed.
Sprouted oats are nothing but dry, every-day seed oats, soaked in water and kept
watered for some days until the oats sprout. No ground is used whatsoever. And
you feed tops, roots and all."
---------
What & how to feed poultry
Dwight Edward Hale - 1915 - 75 pages - Full view
http://tinyurl.com/2f3utyd
Page 52
short article with plans for the city breeder and larger country breeder.
SPROUTED OATS SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
In reference to the value of sprouted oats, Mr. Harris says: "For the fancier
that live on farms it is no effort to secure green stuff for their flock, but
when it comes to the city fancier, there is a great deal to contend with. I
believe all will agree that hens do not have as satisfactory laying records
where they do not obtain an abundance of green food. If the city-lot fancier
expects the results his fowls should bring, he must try in some way to overcome
this trouble. A sprouting box is, I think, the best and probably the cheapest
way to supply green food."
------------
Poultry Secrets - Gathered, Tested and now Disclosed
Michael K. Boyer ( Poultry Editor , Farm Journal )
- 1909 - 56 pages - Full view
Michael K. Boyer - 1909 - 56 pages - Full view
http://tinyurl.com/2byxxzt
Pages 24 thru 25 .
Beginning excerpt from the article :
"The Secret of Feed at 15 Cents per Bushel
The value of green food for poultry, both as an egg food and a ration for
maintaining a healthful condition, has been known for years, but of late a
method for producing sprouted oats feed has been practiced by a few knowing
poultrymen who have derived considerable profit from the idea. I give the
methods of two men, Mr. J. B. Upson and Mr. Keyser. I cannot emphasize too
strongly the great importance of a thorough understanding of the sprouted oats
method. These experiences are based on facts, not theories: "
In fact, this whole book is a fascinating little treatise. Looks like a lot of
pithy stuff here written in easily readable format.
-------------------
Many thanks to Carrie of Harmony Oaks for the info for this addenda:

Oats used to feed horses goats, etc. been treated with a germicide, - sprayed
with a product to prevent germination. This took numerous phone calls and
pressure from my feed dealer to obtain this information. - although that
they had not been labelled as such BTW- the feed was sold under the Farmer's Best
label. When they were asked to sprout, they molded instead.
ordered some oats to "seed" a pasture. They worked fine,and they were
comparibly priced . (Karen: Seed oats not easily available this time of year. I asked
at my local Agway store. They said to see a local farmer who grew seed oats, like
a dairy farm. To offer them $10.00 a bushel if they had extra. Said that price would
be enough above the price the farmer paid to seal the deal.)
Happy Holidays,

Best Regards,
Karen Tewart
Waterford French Marans

According to this you only feed 1 square inch per chicken. so if I have a feeder 2 inches wide by 30 inches long and put the sprouts a half inch deep that would be 30 square inches of feed so that would feed 30 chickens. Just saying for people that are confused on how much to feed.

 

[pigeonguy]

Here are a few pics of my sprouting. I don't have pics of every stage.

1st step pour desired seeds into bulap sack and place that sack in bucket of water for 12-24 hrs (no pic, but it is a 3-5 gall bucket)

2nd step, after the soak place sack long side down on a plastic lid, fold edges of sack and crimp closed, and spread seeds out in the sack helps if you number or color code.

Each day repeat this process until the desired days of sprouting are met. (I sprout for four days so I end up w/ 3-4 sacks stacked on top of each other w/ one in the soaking bucket) Always put the newest one on bottom, by rotation the oldest sprout sack will be on top. loosely cover the pile of sacks so they stay moist I use a second lid.

Under the sacks will look like this starting w/ the 2nd day for oats anyway

They never need rinsing, just pull off the top sack each day and feed it to the chickens. I just turn the sack inside out and leave it out in the pen for a little bit, or until I have time to go get it, they will have picked it clean and the sack is ready for the next batch.

It literally takes seconds to put some water in the bucket in the morning put a few scoops of seed in the sack and set it to soak. Takes a few minutes to place the new sack on the bottom of the stack of sacks. Then there is just taking the top sack out to the girls. Less then 5 minutes a day.

I have tried other materials and the burlap seems to work the best retains enough moisture to continue to sprout w/o repeated rinsing, not too much so as to start molding.

When you pick up the sprouting sacks you will feel the heat they are generating.

I just purchased a couple of yards of burlap fabric and did simple straight seems up the sides, using the fabric fold as the bottom of the sack, if you want to get fancy you can go over the raw edge w/ a zig zag stitch to prevent raveling. 1.5 yards made 4 sacks. You may want yours bigger or smaller I am feeding 23 chickens.

Hope this helps some that are having trouble. There are a lot of ways this is not the only one by far, but I found it works for me w/ little time investment. I'm not always around for repeated rinsing.

So do you just use oats from the feed mill with the hull on or what?

 

[pigeonguy]

So do you just use oats from the feed mill with the hull on or what?

I found the answer is yes after finishing the last pages of the thread tonight. Takes me forever to read. So Yaaaa I'm done

 

[Kassaundra]

So do you just use oats from the feed mill with the hull on or what?

Just normal feed store oats about $10 for 50 lbs, I have used wheat, boss, scratch, wild bird seed too w/ success. Would love to try barley or rye, but have no access to it.

 

[mg15]

Just normal feed store oats about $10 for 50 lbs, I have used wheat, boss, scratch, wild bird seed too w/ success. Would love to try barley or rye, but have no access to it.

I sprouted the buckwheat groats and the girls would not eat them.
So I put them in the oven, low, and just kinda baked them.

Any ideas what to do with 10 pounds of organic buckwheat groats, ?
hmmmm

this is hard, I did not know raising chickens would take over my life,
which is good, but now I am knee deep with all kinds of new things
of which I never knew about....thasss, gooood toooo.

 

[Kassaundra]

I sprouted the buckwheat groats and the girls would not eat them.
So I put them in the oven, low, and just kinda baked them.

Any ideas what to do with 10 pounds of organic buckwheat groats, ?
hmmmm

this is hard, I did not know raising chickens would take over my life,
which is good, but now I am knee deep with all kinds of new things
of which I never knew about....thasss, gooood toooo.

Ferment them, my girls LOVE fermented grains. I have never fed them buckwheat, but they go crazy for any fermented grain I've given them so far.

 

[mg15]

Ferment them, my girls LOVE fermented grains. I have never fed them buckwheat, but they go crazy for any fermented grain I've given them so far.

Really,
lets say 1 cup buckwheat groats to 1/4 cup ACV plus water about 3cups. ????
The buckwheat does not swell up big, just a fraction.

Does that sound right about the ingredient measurements ???
Thanks.