anybody raise sprouts to feed the chickens?

[HeritageHens]

Quote:
It's the "What & how to feed poultry" Google book. Page 59. Use this search for charcoal.

I've heard such great things about biochar but I'm really sensitive to wood smoke as it triggers asthma attacks.

My neighbor has a wood stove. When we have an inversion where the smoke is kept low to the ground, I am miserable. However, I do take their wood ash for making a dust bath for the chickens (mixed with sand, dirt, and a tiny bit of food grade DE). One of these days, I want to see if I can make soap with the lye from the wood ash!

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That's a great price! I get the organic for $14.00 and non-organic for $11.80 at Concentrates but maybe I'll call Buxton Feed/mill in Banks, Oregon to see if it's cheaper. Thanks for the idea! Because I'm "into" food storage/preparedness, I have lots of whole grains such as wheat, rye, triticale, buckwheat, kamut, and flax but I didn't have any whole oats - only rolled. I will try other sprouts if this experiment is a success!

 

[litl red hen]

Quote:
OK--to Whole Foods I will go!! I am also curious about the mung beans. I started my lentils yesterday and this evening I have many sprout starts. I am wayyyy excited. This is fun!!

Only some will appreciate such excitement, lol.

 

[litl red hen]

Quote:
It's the "What & how to feed poultry" Google book. Page 59. Use this search for charcoal.

I've heard such great things about biochar but I'm really sensitive to wood smoke as it triggers asthma attacks.

My neighbor has a wood stove. When we have an inversion where the smoke is kept low to the ground, I am miserable. However, I do take their wood ash for making a dust bath for the chickens (mixed with sand, dirt, and a tiny bit of food grade DE). One of these days, I want to see if I can make soap with the lye from the wood ash!

Quote:
That's a great price! I get the organic for $14.00 and non-organic for $11.80 at Concentrates but maybe I'll call Buxton Feed/mill in Banks, Oregon to see if it's cheaper. Thanks for the idea! Because I'm "into" food storage/preparedness, I have lots of whole grains such as wheat, rye, triticale, buckwheat, kamut, and flax but I didn't have any whole oats - only rolled. I will try other sprouts if this experiment is a success!

Would pellet stove ash be good mixed in with the sand for dusting? What is the premise behind using the ash? Inquiring mind here wants to know, lol.

 

[tassiedevil]

I use 2 X 20 litre/ 5 gallon buckets, one with holes for draining drilled into the bottom. I soak half a bucket of whole barley grain (from stock feed suppliers) in lukewarm water overnight. Then pour into the bucket with holes to drain. Rinse daily (sometimes with the hose if feeling lazy) by pouring back into bucket with no holes and covering with water, drain by pouring into one with holes. Within a few days the grain has sprouted . Feed out desired amount at any point after sprouting, continue to rinse daily. The more roots the more they love it. The beauty of barley it will sprout at low temps. The food value (protein and energy)is supposed to increase 20 fold at the point of germination!

 

[HeritageHens]

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I just read it here. My chickens go nuts for the light composition when I add the ash.

Boy did I get this off-topic!

Back to the regularily scheduled broadcasting....

 

[Delmar]

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Me too! I went to the feed mill and picked up a 50 lb bag of oats for $7.50 The lady at the counter had no idea whether they would be good for spouting or not, but I figure even if they are not, soaked oats will be OK to feed to chickens.

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
Me too! I went to the feed mill and picked up a 50 lb bag of oats for $7.50 The lady at the counter had no idea whether they would be good for spouting or not, but I figure even if they are not, soaked oats will be OK to feed to chickens.

Yes, that is exactly what I've been sprouting they sprout wonderfully and the girls can't get enough.

 

[vmdanielsen]

OK, I went to the feed store and bought 50#s of organic whole oats. Anybody else crazy enough to pay $20 a bag?? Or am I totally nuts?

 

[Delmar]

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I would rather pay $7.50 than $20, but somebody suggested earlier in the thread that the oats you buy at the feed mill might be treated to keep them from germinating, so I will get back to you on whether they do well for me.

 

[vmdanielsen]

Quote:
I would rather pay $7.50 than $20, but somebody suggested earlier in the thread that the oats you buy at the feed mill might be treated to keep them from germinating, so I will get back to you on whether they do well for me.

Delmar, being organic these should sprout........I hope....maybe I shouldn't leave them with my other feed. It gets cold out there. Going to bring some in now....