Grain types

[Canuck88]

Hi everyone!

I’ve been trying to learn more about fermenting and sprouting grains for my chickens.

What is the best type(s) of grain for
A) fermenting
B) sprouting

Add on question: what is a good alternative to layer feed. As far as I can tell, I don’t have access to an “all flock” type feed. The feed store staff just give me a blank stare and then recommend layer pellets for my flock. I currently have a (new) rooster and a cockerel as well as my hens/pullets.

 

[featheredplanets]

Chick crumb or grower. Just provide oyster shell for calcium, the hens will take what they need, roosters won’t touch it.

I can’t answer the other questions but there are articles on BYC. There’s a featured article at the moment on a cheap fodder system.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

So for fermenting most things will ferment well, even unmedicated crumbles and pellets so kind of whatever you want for that.

For sprouting, here's my experience!
Loose large-size seeds with a stronger outer shell like peas, beans or sunflower seeds take longer to sprout but produce a much cleaner sprout overall. They don't bind together as much as other fodder and they're easier to remove from fodder containers. They grow less mold and they're more nutritious from the get-go. Chickens love them at all growth stages.
Smaller seeds like red or white wheat, millet, or oats tend to mat together much more quickly which in my experience causes a lot more mold growth. They sprout faster but then they end up having that growth inhibit clean airflow and they mold easier so they need to be fed out VERY fast as *sprouts* and not at all as *fodder*. The grass ends up being a lot less appealing for my chickens than the chunky leaves of the bigger non-grass-type seeds and they tend to eat the seeds and roots while leaving a surprising amount of grass behind as waste.
Mixing the two sizes/types tends to result in barely sprouting big seeds with overgrown matted and starting to mold small seeds.

Everyone will have their own two cents on what works best for them but this is how it panned out for me.

 

[Fluffyflufffluff]

Hi everyone!

I’ve been trying to learn more about fermenting and sprouting grains for my chickens.

What is the best type(s) of grain for
A) fermenting
B) sprouting

Add on question: what is a good alternative to layer feed. As far as I can tell, I don’t have access to an “all flock” type feed. The feed store staff just give me a blank stare and then recommend layer pellets for my flock. I currently have a (new) rooster and a cockerel as well as my hens/pullets.

if you're serious on raising those chicks, I highly recommend Prairie's Choice Non-GMO Backyard Chicken Feed. or Small Pet Select Chicken layer feed (MyTop Pick)

 

[Canuck88]

Chick crumb or grower. Just provide oyster shell for calcium, the hens will take what they need, roosters won’t touch it.

I can’t answer the other questions but there are articles on BYC. There’s a featured article at the moment on a cheap fodder system.

Thank you. I have used grower before but I find they waste it so much more than the pellets..

So for fermenting most things will ferment well, even unmedicated crumbles and pellets so kind of whatever you want for that.

For sprouting, here's my experience!
Loose large-size seeds with a stronger outer shell like peas, beans or sunflower seeds take longer to sprout but produce a much cleaner sprout overall. They don't bind together as much as other fodder and they're easier to remove from fodder containers. They grow less mold and they're more nutritious from the get-go. Chickens love them at all growth stages.
Smaller seeds like red or white wheat, millet, or oats tend to mat together much more quickly which in my experience causes a lot more mold growth. They sprout faster but then they end up having that growth inhibit clean airflow and they mold easier so they need to be fed out VERY fast as *sprouts* and not at all as *fodder*. The grass ends up being a lot less appealing for my chickens than the chunky leaves of the bigger non-grass-type seeds and they tend to eat the seeds and roots while leaving a surprising amount of grass behind as waste.
Mixing the two sizes/types tends to result in barely sprouting big seeds with overgrown matted and starting to mold small seeds.

Everyone will have their own two cents on what works best for them but this is how it panned out for me.

This is very helpful, thank you!

if you're serious on raising those chicks, I highly recommend Prairie's Choice Non-GMO Backyard Chicken Feed. or Small Pet Select Chicken layer feed (MyTop Pick)

I’m in Canada so not sure if that’s available to me but I will look it up thanks.

 

[featheredplanets]

Thank you. I have used grower before but I find they waste it so much more than the pellets..

Grower is sold as pellets in England. Do they not sell it as pellets in Canada? If there’s no all flock, flock raiser, chick crumb or grower that fits the bill then there’s not really much else out there that I know of

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I've sprouted several grains and other seeds. Barley is my favorite because it sprouts well and fairly quickly. A tray several inches tall in under a week. Wheat is ok, oats don't sprout as well for some reason. Sunflower seed also sprouts quickly. I've done peas and buckwheat as well as alfalfa and radish.
Almost anything can be fermented.
The way I do barley that sprouts quickly is to use seed starting flats with no growing medium. Soak the seed for two hours and then rinse about 6 times the first day. Then spread the seed in the flat about 1/2" deep or so. Then rinse 2 or 3 times a day thereafter. Putting a fan over it helps prevent mold but frequent rinsing works better.
If the first soak is 8 hours or longer, it will slow sprouting because the seed becomes bloated and some may not sprout at all.
The best temperature to keep it at is about 70F.

 

[Canuck88]

Grower is sold as pellets in England. Do they not sell it as pellets in Canada? If there’s no all flock, flock raiser, chick crumb or grower that fits the bill then there’s not really much else out there that I know of

I will ask around at the feed stores, I’m hoping that they do and I just don’t know about it!

 

[Canuck88]

I've sprouted several grains and other seeds. Barley is my favorite because it sprouts well and fairly quickly. A tray several inches tall in under a week. Wheat is ok, oats don't sprout as well for some reason. Sunflower seed also sprouts quickly. I've done peas and buckwheat as well as alfalfa and radish.
Almost anything can be fermented.
The way I do barley that sprouts quickly is to use seed starting flats with no growing medium. Soak the seed for two hours and then rinse about 6 times the first day. Then spread the seed in the flat about 1/2" deep or so. Then rinse 2 or 3 times a day thereafter. Putting a fan over it helps prevent mold but frequent rinsing works better.
If the first soak is 8 hours or longer, it will slow sprouting because the seed becomes bloated and some may not sprout at all.
The best temperature to keep it at is about 70F.

Wonderful thank you!

 

[Acre4Me]

I will ask around at the feed stores, I’m hoping that they do and I just don’t know about it!

Ask them protein content if their pellets. That will help you know what they carry. They can point you to “Bob” or whomever is the person that works in the feed area, if they still have a blank stare. Ask about any poultry feed, even gamebird if they have it. Often they will have a binder somewhere with feed labels you can look at. If not, you can look up label online once you have the brand and name. FWIW, a nutritionally *ideal* feed that sits on the shelf and ages is less beneficial than a decent to almost ideal feed that moves off the shelf and is fresher.

fermenting feed and sprouting seeds are different things. Many threads on fermenting feeds, including the whole grain feeds (like scratch and peck brand). Sprouting is mainly for fresh greens for the birds, and there have been some good discussions recently in this, and a recent article. Both fermenting and sprouting require more time and effort on the keepers part, so you need to be willing and able to do the extra work in a timely manner. In the case of sprouting, you need a warm enough and bright enough location for success.

Good luck.