Duckweed for poultry- Wolffia globosa or arrhiza

[Red Mangrove]

Does anyone know where to source Wolffia globosa or Wolffia arrhiza? They both grow incredibly easy, have tons of nutrients and are fully edible to both chickens and humans. I'd love to experiment with some as chicken feed

The popular duckweed sold in aquarium stores is usually another species by the name of Lemna minor that can give kidney stones through high levels of calcium oxalate. So only the Wolffia family of duckweed seems to be safe

Now the question is, where to source either Wolffia species?

Here's a nice article on the subject. It seems no one knows where to find safe duckweed
https://www.eattheweeds.com/duckweed/

 

[Red Mangrove]

I seem to have found one already, a seller on ebay

 

[Dinoroar]

Does anyone know where to source Wolffia globosa or Wolffia arrhiza? They both grow incredibly easy, have tons of nutrients and are fully edible to both chickens and humans. I'd love to experiment with some as chicken feed
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The popular duckweed sold in aquarium stores is usually another species by the name of Lemna minor that can give kidney stones through high levels of calcium oxalate. So only the Wolffia family of duckweed seems to be safe

Now the question is, where to source either Wolffia species?

Here's a nice article on the subject. It seems no one knows where to find safe duckweed
https://www.eattheweeds.com/duckweed/

I got some from an Etsy seller last fall. I’m trying to build up the amount I have but so far it’s not as prolific as azolla or the larger duckweed. One thing I figured out is that I have to keep the buckets covered with screen or else disturbance from rain water washes the wolfia onto the side of the buckets where it sticks and dries out. I can try and look at my orders and find the seller I bought it from.

Never mind lol I see you found some. Your link just goes to all of eBay though not the actual listing.

 

[Red Mangrove]

I got some from an Etsy seller last fall. I’m trying to build up the amount I have but so far it’s not as prolific as azolla or the larger duckweed.

Azolla is terrifying because it literally forms the neurotoxin BMAA. This touches cells in the central nervous system, misfolds them, and then the zombie cells reproduce more misfolded cells like cancer. Literally causes Alzheimer's at best and prion disease (ie Mad Cow) at worst

So far it seems like Wolffia globosa and arrhiza are the only safe mass-producable aquatic poultry-feed

 

[Dinoroar]

Azolla is terrifying because it literally forms the neurotoxin BMAA. This touches cells in the central nervous system, misfolds them, and then the zombie cells reproduce more misfolded cells like cancer. Literally causes Alzheimer's at best and prion disease (ie Mad Cow) at worst

So far it seems like Wolffia globosa and arrhiza are the only safe mass-producable aquatic poultry-feed

Do you have a reference that is making you so wary? I found the study thaf suggests further research on azolla but doesn’t seem conclusive enough that I’d stop feeding it.

https://www.academia.edu/10074317/Azolla_BMAA_and_Neurodegenerative_Diseases

 

[Steve1084]

Azolla is completely safe and not one study has shown it produces toxic compounds. Yes there was concern for a time before proper testing was available but subsequent studies have completely cleared Azolla and shown it is 100% safe to eat for both humans and animals. There has never been a case of poisoning from Azolla. It is today used at a commercial level in human food production.

 

[Al Gerhart]

I tried the duck weed at our farm in the Philippines. Lessons learned:

Filipinos do not like strange new ideas. Brown gravy, fine. White gravy, deadly poison from white man trying to kill Filipinos. AKA, they won't use the duckweed.

Cashew tree leaves and nuts shells are poisonous and will kill the duck weed. Do not put a pond under a cashew tree.

 

[Steve1084]

https://accp.re-search.se/2014/01/azolla-bmaa-and-neurodegenerative-diseases/

Azolla, BMAA, and Neurodegenerative Diseases


Update, October 2024: New studies published in the paper “Azolla as a Safe Food” have concluded that the cyanotoxin BMAA is not present in Azolla. Analysis have showed that BMAA and its isomers AEG and DAB are absent from Azolla and its cyanobiont Nostoc azollae and that neither Azolla nor Nostoc azollae have the genes to synthesize BMAA. Previous studies have likely misidentified BMAA. The paper concludes that “the Azolla–Nostoc azollae superorganism does not contain BMAA or their isomers DAB and AEG and that Azolla and N. azollae do not synthesize other common cyanotoxins, indicating that Azolla is a nutritious food that can be safely eaten.”

BMAA not present in Azolla