Growing fodder for chickens

[PetRock]

I have been working hard to resolve the mold issues on my trays. So far, so good this week! I spray all of my trays with an oxine solution to disinfect them. I also put oxine in my 12 hour soak to make sure any mold spores are killed. I would rather use Oxine than bleach. It can be used as a mouth wash, put in your bird's water, etc. and breaks down into a salt. I know that we have chlorine in our public drinking water but I don't think that it is good for us. Oxine is also supposed to be more powerful than bleach. I have a spray bottle with my oxine solution that I spray any iffy spots as soon as I see them. What I do think has made the biggest difference for me in preventing mold is that I'm not putting as thick of a layer of seeds in the tray and I'm using a cold water spray to wash them 3 times a day for at least 1 min each time. I also drilled larger drainage holes so the seeds aren't sitting as long in the water.

Thank you, CrosStitching, for posting the link to the sproutpeople. It was very interesting to see how they grow wheat grass, etc. My trays are clear containers from the 99 cent store but yesterday, I ordered some black trays with and without holes to try growing fodder the way that they recommend. I will report back after they get here and I try it.

 

[fireflyhatchery]

Yep.  Vinegar works, as does GSE (grapefruit seed extract).  I've always used those two with soaking/sprouting, never used bleach.

If you have mold during growth, put peroxide in a bottle half water half peroxide and it kills only the mold without effecting the seed or animals when they eat it unlike bleach.

 

[PAchickensgalor]

If you have mold during growth, put peroxide in a bottle half water half peroxide and it kills only the mold without effecting the seed or animals when they eat it unlike bleach.

Thanks. I will try this. I've been having a little mold here and there, too, and hate throwing out the fodder.

 

[PetRock]

If you have mold during growth, put peroxide in a bottle half water half peroxide and it kills only the mold without effecting the seed or animals when they eat it unlike bleach.

I'm going to try that. Peroxide is probably less expensive than Oxine.

 

[TheCrazyChick]

I'm going to try that. Peroxide is probably less expensive than Oxine.

x2

 

[Jheem13]

I keep reading that walmart has wheat available in buckets. Does anyone have a sku? Or where in the store i can find it. Thanks

 

[PetRock]

Here is the link for 26 lb hard white wheat on walmart.com:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Augason-Farms-Hard-White-Wheat-26-lb/22001478

 

[UrbanMamaHen]

Here is the link for 26 lb hard white wheat on walmart.com:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Augason-Farms-Hard-White-Wheat-26-lb/22001478

.
This item was $14 when I bought it last month. It must be the members on this thread buying the item to drive up the price.

 

[nxb161]

I only have 6 chickens, and they are still babies. I got them from TSC last week. 4 of them look like they may have been a week old when I got them though, my looking at the feathers coming in. Anyhow I thought I'd try out some basic foddering (that's a real word, right)

This is what it working for me, probably very similar to what everyone else is doing, just on a tiny scale. 3 bucks got me 10lbs of feed wheat. I used to old butter containers (obviously cleaned well and not greasy at all) I used a nail to poke holes in the bottom of one container. I put the wheat in there, and then that container in a same size butter container w/o holes. I let them soak for 24hours, then once in the morning and at night I fill the container with water for a few minutes, and then remove the bottom one to let it drain. Actually the first two days I filled the bottom container, then slowly put hte wheat container into it. That way it didn't stir up the seeds and get them too disoriented. I didn't have any mold issues doing it this way. That being said the room I have the fodder in is only mid 60s. Being so small yet I didn't just give the chicks the whole patty of fodder. I am able to slowly pull them out one at a time, and give it to them. They grab them out of my hand as if they were mealworms, and chase each other. Such fun. Thanks to the thread starter, something I wanted to try, just didn't know it yet

 

[fishon]

thanks for the peroxide info, i'll try that