anybody raise sprouts to feed the chickens?

[lazy gardener]

I doubt pepper seeds will sprout in the cooler temps most of us are sprouting grain seeds, they generally need heated mats to sprout. Also I believe peppers are night shades, just fyi

Thanks, I hadn't considered that. I know that some folks have their chickens demolish their pepper plants in the garden. I'll find an other use for them!!!

 

[Kassaundra]

Thanks, I hadn't considered that. I know that some folks have their chickens demolish their pepper plants in the garden. I'll find an other use for them!!!

There are definitely 2 camps on the pepper / tomato plant issue for feeding to your chickens for sure, both camps are adamant they are right. I know they are night shade plants and some night shades are more poisonous then others. I know my chickens have access to the plants and have never done more then nibble.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Yes, you can put wheat on top of your BOSS seeds. Add water slowly and the BOSS will stay on the bottom.

 

[RichnSteph]

I started two little bins of BOSS tonight. I'm using two of the two foot long feeders that we're not using to set them in. I drilled some small holes for drainage and after having soaked the seeds for two hours I rinsed them off and put them in the bins. I'll rinse them twice a day and see how long it takes for them to actually sprout. Once (if) they are 3-4" tall I'll take them out to the ducks. I'm pretty sure you are all correct in that once sprouted they will sink instead of floating on the surface of the pond. If so I'll simply put them out in the sand at the edge in the hope that they will entice the ducks to actually use the pond for swimming and other aquatic activities instead of drinking out of it and washing in the wash tub that's out there... hmmm maybe I should get rid of the wash tub.... Either way after (again, if) they sprout I'll start sprouting them a couple days apart so that I can feed some every other day or so, might need more bins.... hmmm this could get out of hand, ah but I digress. I'd like to give all the birds something green to munch on through the winter at least. Come spring I'm hoping something native out here will sprout on its own.


RichnSteph

 

[GoodwinFarm]

Two thoughts on this thread which I haven't seen yet: be careful if you have a water softener, the water is not good for house plants and presumably sprouts. I've killed many a house plant before I realized this.
I love it when I find weevils! It's just more protein for the birds!

 

[HighStreetCoop]

So can you put wheat on top of your boss in the same jar to sprout them??

Yes. Though IME, BOSS takes longer to sprout than other stuff, so I don't mix it. After 4-6 days, the chooks go crazy for it.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I soak my BOSS seeds, and everything else for that matter, overnight. I don't know if two hours is long enough or not but you'll find out.

 

[lazy gardener]

Two thoughts on this thread which I haven't seen yet: be careful if you have a water softener, the water is not good for house plants and presumably sprouts. I've killed many a house plant before I realized this.
I love it when I find weevils! It's just more protein for the birds!

Where are you finding weevils? Are they in your grain or feed? If so, that likely means that the feed is old, and therefore not as nutritious. also, if weevils are eating the feed, they are actually removing nutrient from the feed, and over all your flock is not getting the most nutrition they could get from the feed. An other concern is that if you're storing that feed or grain in the house, those little weevils will migrate into your pantry and cause all kinds of havoc with your personal food supply. Very good point on the water softener.

 

[RichnSteph]

I struggled with fodder for some time which was frustrating to someone that believes they have a green thumb.
It was either getting lots of fungus quickly or very slow to sprout.
Finally, a 2 hour soak, thoroughly rinsing dirty water and 2-4 rinses a day, keeping it between 60 and 70F, then voilà.

I soak my BOSS seeds, and everything else for that matter, overnight. I don't know if two hours is long enough or not but you'll find out.

The above is why I'm going to try a two hour soak this time. The last time I tried an overnight soak with mixed grains I ended up with little yield and lots of mold and ick. I figure if I start with a two hour soak and it doesn't work then I'll try a four hour soak the next time around and keep increasing the time limit until it works or I give up.

RichnSteph

 

[lazy gardener]

Kassaundra suggested using just a tiny bit of soap in the soak water. I've been doing that, and haven't had any mold in my sprouts since then. Next time I'm at the dollar store, I plan to buy a bottle of ivory dish soap to avoid all of the "antibacterial" agents in the usual dish soap.