Drought has dried up all my grass! What are you feeding?

[Nicole01]

Not sure what to think. I know i had my oats soaking more than one day.

The only grain I soak is alfalfa. I do not soak the others. I rinse 3-4 times daily rinsing well in the coldest water and drain thoroughly.

 

[Going Bhonkers]

I want to try sprouting alfalfa, but I dont know where to find seeds. I havent seen them at the typical places, Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart. Where else should I try looking?

 

[Cottage Rose]

You can get alfalfa seeds for sprouting at health food stores or online.

 

[NCFF]

Hey all ~

i was not sure if someone had listed this sprouting link. I also love his book http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Sprouting.html

 

[Nicole01]

I want to try sprouting alfalfa, but I dont know where to find seeds. I havent seen them at the typical places, Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart. Where else should I try looking?

I bought mine on eBay. A mill would be cheaper. Last winter there was a seller selling them 5 bucks a pound. I bought around 15-20lbs from him and was very pleased. I have quite a bit left.

 

[Nicole01]

...

Nicole thanks for the sprouting info.
I have on and off over the years sprouted seeds for eating.

Most corn won't sprout because its hybrid or GMO.

I tried sprouting some whole oats and it must be heat treated or something because it wouldn't sprout, nor would the milo I tried to sprout
although

Here is my corn

My wheat/oats mixed after 2-3 days

I rinse in very cold water 3-4 times a day draining all the excess water as possible. I do not stack these tiers with the oats/wheat. I lay them as they are. Too much moisture will cause mold.

I do not soak oats/wheat before hand either. I do love sprouting! Different grains require different sprouting ways. The only thing I can not sprout is sunflower seeds. I gave up! I can not even plant them in the house, so I only sprout them outside in the summer if my hens do not dig them up before they start to grow.

 

[kimberly35042]

I believe oats and wheat are cool season crops like annual rye grass. Cold water rinses and house a/c temps probably help germination. In Alabama, the oats i overseed on the front bermuda grow nicely though most of our mild winter and die once it turns hot.

I don't think the GMO factor would affect germination in corn, but the seed would not be true to the parent. Corn needs warm ground temps to sprout. Mine sprouts from spilled scratch grain along with sunflower seeds.

Melons (including the rind) last much longer than sprouts or lettuce of any kind -- at least in my group since they REALLY love their greens. Has anybody ever seen Jenifer K's "carrot crazed geese" video? Very similar reaction to the romaine here - they just lose their minds

 

[Goose and Fig]

I have had corn come up too- especially when it gets caught in between the layers of the greenhouse plastic I use in the winter.

I planted turnips last weekend and the were above soil withing 4 days. Still- I am worried about winter. As soon as my tomatoes are done I will plant more stuff for the birds, but the stuff they really like doesn't exactly store well!

I have to see the carrot video!
We found out ours like them by accident- caught them stealing from the donkeys

 

[Cottage Rose]

I've had spilled oats growing in my dirt floor shed but it didn't sprout when I put it in water.
What the heck???

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I am atempting to sprout some oats for my birds. I have them in a bowl with water, this a.m. I rinsed them off and put them back in the bowl with fresh cold water. Not seeing much difference. They are not smelling very good. I'm thinking they got too hot yesterday, so I moved them in the kitchen by the AC this morning. We shall see. Going to try and sprout some scratch as well. I have a metal tray, going to lay moist paper towls down, sprinkle the scratch over it and then lay another damp towl over the top and see what happens. Suggestions?

I currently have 10 geese, and about 32 ducks (four are Muscovies). My waterfowl free range daily. They have a kiddle pool and several smaller water dishes sitting out in front of my building that I refill a couple times a day so they have fresh drinking water. I try and separate my drakes off and feed them oats and a bit of scratch, then my ducks and geese get layer pullets, whole oats, scratch, and oyster shell mixed together in a bowl that they can munch on during the day. They have eaten all the grass/weeds down in the front of my building, and are working on the tall grass beside their pen. Before, when they were locked up all the water from their pool would flow out of the pen, and hence that is why I have lush grass over there. However, I doubt it will be there long! LOL They also get weed and grass clippings from the garden. They LOVE watermelon. The geese even eat the rind! I usually give my waterfowl Flock Raiser, but I've been out for about two weeks so I haven't been able to get anymore.

We have alfalfa hay on hand usually year round, as we feed it to our Jersey milkcows and horses. The bedding in their pen is alfalfa, they munched on it a bit. By the winter I hope to have mastered sprouting, so I will have lots of different sprouts to give them and also hay..if they'll eat it.

~ Aspen