anybody raise sprouts to feed the chickens?

[Kassaundra]

So Kassaundra, you feed 3 day old sprouts?

No I soak for 1 day, grow for 4, but Gary (my husband) had already taken the day 4 sack out to feed the girls when I asked him to help me w/ the video.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Kassaundra..... Thanks for that video! That really helps visualize how you do it.

I don't use the bags but I love to see all the innovative ways folks do sprouts and keep them all filed in my mind just in case my circumstances change and I need other ways!

I did a little article on Bulldogma's blog about my VERY SIMPLE sprouting method last week and I really like the simplicity of it. The disclaimer - I only have 6 birds at this time!!!

I won't repeat it here unless someone wants me to post the photos here...let me know. But here's a link in case anyone wants to take a look.

http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2012/12/easy-ways-to-sprout-seeds-for-your.html

 

[Kassaundra]

Kassaundra..... Thanks for that video! That really helps visualize how you do it.

I don't use the bags but I love to see all the innovative ways folks do sprouts and keep them all filed in my mind just in case my circumstances change and I need other ways!

I did a little article on Bulldogma's blog about my VERY SIMPLE sprouting method last week and I really like the simplicity of it. The disclaimer - I only have 6 birds at this time!!!

I won't repeat it here unless someone wants me to post the photos here...let me know. But here's a link in case anyone wants to take a look.

http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2012/12/easy-ways-to-sprout-seeds-for-your.html

Very informative and well written article.

 

[Sunflowergirl]

Leahs Mom, you did a wonderful job on background information and showcasing the sprouts vs. fodder! You even linked Kassundra!!! Thanks to both of you for your posts!!!

I agree with you on the sprouts being the best for the chickens. I like to feed my sprouts on day 3 and 4. And, like you, I think a fodder mat, say maybe once a week in the winter would be good for the chickens. I let my sprouts grow out to about 7 days. I think they do miss the green grass! I did notice that when my chickens had access to green forage in the free range, they were not as gung ho about the fodder mats as they were about the sprouts. However, I notice now, with NO GREENS to forage, they are quite gung ho over the fodder mat!

Kassaundra..... Thanks for that video! That really helps visualize how you do it.

I don't use the bags but I love to see all the innovative ways folks do sprouts and keep them all filed in my mind just in case my circumstances change and I need other ways!

I did a little article on Bulldogma's blog about my VERY SIMPLE sprouting method last week and I really like the simplicity of it. The disclaimer - I only have 6 birds at this time!!!

I won't repeat it here unless someone wants me to post the photos here...let me know. But here's a link in case anyone wants to take a look.

http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2012/12/easy-ways-to-sprout-seeds-for-your.html

 

[Roxannemc]

There are some threads on sprouting fodder for chickens.zVery easy no diirt hydroponic.3 inches tall in one weekzBest they say is barley but next wheatCant find barley til Aug here so i use wheat with BOSS and some lintel beans i had in my kitchen.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

...
I won't repeat it here unless someone wants me to post the photos here...let me know. But here's a link in case anyone wants to take a look.

http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2012/12/easy-ways-to-sprout-seeds-for-your.html

Leahs Mom, you did a wonderful job on background information and showcasing the sprouts vs. fodder! You even linked Kassundra!!! Thanks to both of you for your posts!!!

I agree with you on the sprouts being the best for the chickens. I like to feed my sprouts on day 3 and 4. And, like you, I think a fodder mat, say maybe once a week in the winter would be good for the chickens. I let my sprouts grow out to about 7 days. I think they do miss the green grass! I did notice that when my chickens had access to green forage in the free range, they were not as gung ho about the fodder mats as they were about the sprouts. However, I notice now, with NO GREENS to forage, they are quite gung ho over the fodder mat!

x2! Awesome job!

I'm still researching how much "tweaking" I want to do to the "grain" portion of my flock's food, so I'm definitely growing fodder to replace pasture. Sometimes I do give the birds a treat of sprouts instead of scratch grains, and they do seem to like them. And I STILL need to figure out how to make Fermented Feed work for my situation ...

 

[smallfarmnorth]

how do you sprout?

 

[missnu01]

I've been sprouting for myself and my family for years. This is my first winter with chickens, and I've just started sprouting for them as well. I have a couple of the sprouters in this link:
http://www.sprouthouse.com/Tray_Sprouters_s/2.htm&Click=6102 but I've used most of the methods people have talked about on this thread and they all work fine as well. Several times a week I give the hens a pie tin full of homemade yogurt with a little ACV mixed in, the sprouts get layered on top. They absolutely love it! As for the family, our favorite is sprouted arugula - soooo good in salads. Someone mentioned that the cost per pound of seed is kind of high, and I have to agree, but the seed does go a long way. I only have a dozen birds though, I guess if you're feeding a large flock it could get expensive.

Just remember that most seeds if left long enough will grow into plants that will then make thousands of seeds...so one small pot under a light can give you all the seeds you want. Take one of these sprouted sunflower seeds and grow a sunflower...that one sunflower will give you at least a couple hundred seeds...Makes things way way way cheaper...especially when all you want are the seeds...Lettuce is a super easy one, and sunflowers are super easy to grow as well. So buy a starter pack of seeds and then no more ever again. I buy seeds once....and it's not hard at all.

 

[missnu01]

how do you sprout?

You take a seed and sprout it, and then eat it. Dried beans and whole grains are just the plants seed...so if you wet that seed and get it warm it will start to grow...which makes it more beneficial to eat than the dried seed would have been.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Ok, I haven't posted on here in a while and this thread is two pages down! Time to bring it back up to the top of my page!