anybody raise sprouts to feed the chickens?

[Kassaundra]

I just came across sprouting for chickens a couple of weeks ago on this forum. I have been doing it for a week now and the girls love it!!!! I had been feeding them oats for a while, but they have not been eating them, so I tried sprouting them, you would think they were candy!!!! They don't leave any uneaten now. I am going to expand to different grains for them too. My sprouting is two 3 gal buckets and 4 burlap sacks, marked 1-4. I put the oats in the bag and soak over night, then remove the bag placing it in the second bucket and it stays damp w/o any added work for the 3 days of sprouting, every day I use the top bag and place the new bag in the bottom of the bucket.

 

[noodleroo]

Quote:
OK, I found it (recipe for dehydrated sprouts with seasoning). Its from the book Sproutman's Kitchen Garden Cookbook by Steve Meyerowitz. It is called 'Party Sprouts' or 'Dried Lentils'.
2 cups Lentil Sprouts
2 TBSP Onion Powder
1 tsp Garlic Powder
3 TBSP Tamari Sauce (its kinda like raw soy sauce) you could use soy sauce-its not as healthy, though
pinch of cayenne pepper

Soak 1/2 cup of lentils for 8-10 hours and sprout for 5 days rinsing twice each day. Place the matured sprouts in a bowl toss with the onion, garlic powder and tamari. Mix the spices in thoroughly. If necessary, make a separate batch with the cayenne pepper. Let them marinate a day (24 hrs.) in the refrigerator then spread the sprouts out loosely onto a solid dehydrator sheet and dry at 125 F for approximately 6 to 8 hours. If you don't have a dehydrator, just spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 250 F until brittle and crispy, usually about 1 hour.

You can use fresh herbs instead of dried ones; dice and blend 1-2 garlic cloves and 1/2 a small onion in the blender with the tamari. You may need to add a few TBLS of water to help the blender churn. Marinate 24 hrs outside the refrigerator or 48 hours inside the refrigerator before dehydrating. The dried sprouts have a crunchy texture. Once perfectly dry, store them in a sealed jar or ziplock bag. They can last for months with no refrigeration, IF KEPT PERFECTLY DRY.

 

[joebryant]

If anyone knows of and can make a list of lots of seeds that are safe for and can be sprouted for chickens, will you please list them.
Also, if anyone knows of any that are not safe for and should not be sprouted for chickens, will you please list them.

 

[jomoncon]

I'm so glad you posted the recipe, cause the chickies don't like sprouts!! I gave them a handful this morning and they all came running, took a bite & promptly spit them out. 20 minutes later, the sprouts were still sitting on the floor of the run.

So I guess all these delicious sprouts are all mine!

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
I poured some kefir over mine, and they wolfed everything down. If you don't have kefir, try yogurt or buttermilk. That way, they're getting lots of probiotics, especially with the kefir.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

The first time I give chicks or young chickens sprouts they often think I've just served up something dangerous instead of delicious, too.

Try feeding the sprouts along with something they really like and are used to eating. You can mix them together or sprinkle one on top of the other. That's usually the quickest way to get them to try something new. Once they start eating sprouts, they usually love them, especially in winter when the grazing isn't there for them.

You can sprout any of the seeds or grains that are safe to be eaten. What I mean is that if it's safe to feed the seed or grain to the chickens, it's safe to use it for sprouting. Beans that should not be fed raw to chickens, should be fully sprouted. All other seeds could safely be fed from the time the root tip shows until they have leaves greening up. The nutritional differences between sprouts of different ages is a more involved topic. There can also be changes in texture and flavor.

Toxic seeds would be seeds that are treated with something toxic, like a fungicide or a species where the seeds are naturally toxic. These would be seeds that are only used for planting. If you stick to seeds that are from species that are traditionally used for food, that are of food or sprouting quality, you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[pookiegoldman]

Okay, I think you all have convinced me to sprout for my darlings. Now up to raid the pantry for dried beans.... Incidentally, my little girl picked up a whole bag of acorns last week. We put them away and forgot about them. Last night night I found them all sprouted up in the plastic bag. Are acorns safe for chickens?? I don't have oak trees near my run, so I don't know if they eat them...

 

[Lotsapaints]

Quote:
My turkeys love them n the wild turkeys eat them so my turkeys just beg for them

 

[Delmar]

Quote:
Split peas will not sprout.. They are split..

However they are very good for the chickens! cooked or raw.

Beans of all sort should not be fed raw.. They must be cooked.....OR I am 99% positive that sprouting does away with the anti nutrients found in raw beans.
(Just sprout them real well, like in the cool picture posted.)

Sprouts are yummmy...

ON

Since the time I started this process I have read somewhere, that most beans as well as most bean sprouts should be cooked before you eat them. Pinto beans were listed among the bean sprouts that humans should not eat without cooking. I think I am going to stick with sprouting grains that I know are already safe for the chickens to eat, and not count on the sprouting process to remove toxins. I will certainly sprout corn and wheat, because they are grown in abundance where I live.

Side note
Does anybody know when you buy bean sprouts at the store, what kind of beans those are sprouted from?

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
Split peas will not sprout.. They are split..

However they are very good for the chickens! cooked or raw.

Beans of all sort should not be fed raw.. They must be cooked.....OR I am 99% positive that sprouting does away with the anti nutrients found in raw beans.
(Just sprout them real well, like in the cool picture posted.)

Sprouts are yummmy...

ON

Since the time I started this process I have read somewhere, that most beans as well as most bean sprouts should be cooked before you eat them. Pinto beans were listed among the bean sprouts that humans should not eat without cooking. I think I am going to stick with sprouting grains that I know are already safe for the chickens to eat, and not count on the sprouting process to remove toxins. I will certainly sprout corn and wheat, because they are grown in abundance where I live.

Side note
Does anybody know when you buy bean sprouts at the store, what kind of beans those are sprouted from?

The thick ones that you cook in chinese are mung bean, the thin ones you put on a salad are alfalfa. Those are the most common anyway.