anybody raise sprouts to feed the chickens?

[nhdeb]

Should the pullets be a certain age before you feed sprouts? I bought a bag of race horse oats from Agway, will those sprout? This has probably been answered before, sorry if it's a duplicate

 

[Lacy Blues]

I can't speak for the brand but I've tried sprouting race horse oats and I get about 30% sprouts. Kassaundra has wonderful luck sprouting oats though. So maybe its just me.

As far as the chick's ages, I would make sure they have chick grit before giving them anything like that and maybe two weeks old... but that's just me. Chicks generally start foraging with their mothers if they are broody raised, when they are 3-4 days old and they likely find some sprouts in their adventures.

 

[Kassaundra]

Sprout bags are the bomb for oats, at least that is the only difference I see in my success w/ oat when so many others have problems.

Never sprouted seeds covered in oil, my big concern would be if they put oil on them are the also heat treated, if heat treated they will not sprout, but if they don't just ferment them, you will be your chicken's hero either way.

I brood on ground or if in a brooder box always have garden dirt / sand mixture so my chicks get sprouts way early (days old) but grit is ness. before any none soft food (bagged chick food or scrambled eggs or the like)

 

[Lacy Blues]

I've tried the sprout bags Kassaundra, just like you taught me, and I just don't get that many sprouts for the effort. 30% and the rest of them just sit in there and do nothing except hasten to spoil.

 

[nhdeb]

as soon as I get my new pullets, I will try sprouting the oats and let you know how it goes. I have shallow plastic trays that seafood came in at a restaurant, drilled holes in the bottom for drainage. Did some BOSS last year, but the hens weren't too excited

 

[Lacy Blues]

Give the hens time to get acquainted with the new food (sprouts). Keep giving it to them and it won't take long til they go wild over those BOSS sprouts.

 

[Kassaundra]

I have been playing w/ adding more seed types to my sprouting. In the past when I have included boss I have a mold problem. I have figured out a way to outsmart the mold. When I soak my seeds in the bags I put a drop of Dawn dish soap and swish it around a bit. I do the second rinse like usual so all the soap is removed (and there isn't much to start w/ anyway) I have got the seeds including boss to 5 days now w/o any mold. ( I don't have mold issues at all if I only sprout oat, wheat, and barley)

 

[Lacy Blues]

Thank you for that tip Kass. I will try it. I can usually get my BOSS to several days without mold but once the roots start making something of a mat, they do get a bit moldy sometimes.

 

[Kassaundra]

A few sprouting pics



1 cup of seeds makes this many sprouts, plus the ones still stuck to the bags (behind the measuring cup) for a chicken treat



Seeds + water + 4 days = sprouts



The preggers girl in her cool den enjoying her sprouts. (in this pic the outside temps were 100 even)







They all LOVE sprouts, it is their favorite hands down




I know these are rabbits, but the chickens still get to pick the sprouting sacs clean

 

[Lacy Blues]

Little bunny buns! What a joy! Thanks for sharing those pics Kassaundra!