Growing fodder for chickens

[FrogEggs]

I know I can order organic seeds in bulk via Azure Standard (a food Co-op we order from out of Oregon), but it's pretty expensive. However, my thinking is that if I start feeding everyone organic feed, fodder, etc then I can market their eggs as Organic and get a higher price for them, and pay for my feed that way. As far as changing the taste, if it's changed I haven't noticed. Mainly just the drastic change in yolk color is what I noticed most of all, that and bigger yolks.

Tell me about it..I have a list a mile long of stuff that needs to be done outside..but then if I did that none of the house chores would get done. LOL
Do you have a feed mill in your area? That is where I like to get mine, plus they have much better prices.

~ Aspen

In order to market something as "Organic", you have to go through a certification process. You can't just make the claim, legally. From the little I know of the process, there are a lot of hoops to jump through. But you could simply say you feed them only organic foods, etc..... Just don't label them as "Organic".

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Is there a link to this "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead?"

Two of those sound like me...

http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/

~ Aspen

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

In order to market something as "Organic", you have to go through a certification process. You can't just make the claim, legally. From the little I know of the process, there are a lot of hoops to jump through. But you could simply say you feed them only organic foods, etc..... Just don't label them as "Organic".

Yes, that is what I meant to do. I know there is a whole bunch of **** stuff the government and state make you go through.

I just think that people would go crazy for something like that, if they knew your birds were eating good, wholesome, organic fodder and good whole grains. Certificate or no. : )

~ Aspen

 

[BlueMouse]

Now, my Peafowl and Guineas don't like the fodder as much as the waterfowl and poultry..but they will nibble on it. I'm also feeding the Fermented Feed to everyone, and everybody LOVES it...so I may switch over to fermenting just whole grains (whole oats, whole barely, etc). I am so sick and tired of the nasty, dry, dusty, expensive commercial feed that is full of corn syrup and all kind of junk, that my birds (and myself) don't even like.

Anyone else thinking about switching over to just fodder, or doing all organic feed? I

~ Aspen

I feed fermented whole grains to my kids, as well as fodder. The fermenting whole grains is SO easy. as far as mixing your own, Harvey Ussery has severy EXCELLENT articles about it. Although he says that oats and barley should not in combineation exceed 15% of the diet, because they cause loose stools, I have not found this to be so. It is my guess that the fermentation predigests the grains, as well as populating the digestive tract with good bacterias, and alleviates this problem. also, I have found this site to be very helpful https://homesteadapps.com/app/free/feedcalc/pearsonsquare.php they list the protien percentage of most of the available grains/supplements, and give you a calculator to help calculate portions of addatives. remember, that fermenting makes 12% more protien available, so it will actually increase the protien of your feed. My feed (corn and soy free) works out to 18% protein, but because it's fermented it's a little more than that. I give this to all the birds, and then in winter supplement with a morning feeding of fodder. I'm giving the fodder to my meat birds year round, since they don't have as much acess to free choice of greens in the tractor, we'll see how that goes. I don't think I'll go to all fodder for the chickens. More because I think it's good for them to have a variety of kinds of foods in their diets than because I think it would be nutritionally bankrupt. In the wild they eat seeds, grasses, and sources of animal protien. I would like to replicate that for them the best I can. I'm hoping to raise black soldier fly larva this summer, and I want to start a dubia roach colony as well.... I think both will be cost efficient ways to supplement feed protien. the BSF really mostlly for the meat chickens in the summer since they have limited forage, and the roaches for the layers in the winter when good animal protien is scarce (and/or expensive).

I actually am trying to plan enough veg crops to feed more to the birds. Looking at how to turn wood lands into more growing are. For alfalfa and the like. I would like to try sprouting the oats one more time now that warmer weather is here; and I am still tring to get hte hang of FF.

Looking at heritage corns and squash. Beets-- for leaves and root.

I'm growing heritage corn 3 sisters style this year for the chickens! We'll eat the dried beans, but the majority of the corn and squash will go to the birds. We'll see how it works!! I'm super excited about it. Harvey ussery grows mangel (sp?) or feed beets for his chickens, stores them in a cold storage (basically a pit in the ground from what I understand) and throws them in whole during the winter, he says his chickens go nuts over them. I may try this next year..... too many options and not enough time or land! I was also thinking I could grate some beets or whiz them in my blender and add them to the my fermented feed. the chickens like broccoli stems and other hard veggie leftovers that way. I've even chopped up dandilion roots and added them to the ferment when I weed my graden. They're a mineral and vitamin powerhouse, and the chickens eat them right up fermented.

So does this really save money? I've been meaning to do this anyway for juicing purposes.

And does the grain type matter much?

well, for every one pound of feed you get six pounds of fodder! seems like a good return on money to me! and you can't beat the nutritional benefits of a good green superfood in the winter or any other time greens are not available. also I think it gives the chickens something to do in the winter. Mine seem to really enjoy scratching the fodder apart and running around with bits of it!

 

[CrosStitching]

Still figuring out my setup and what is going to work for me. The heat in humidity in my garage in central Florida are extreme at times, so I've had some initial mold problems. I'm using BOSS and the chicks really like it once it's good and sprouted. I'm starting them inside in large yogurt containers and only soaking for 12 hours instead of 24 (the shorter time prevents the water from souring and seeds from splitting open), then switching to another container with drainage holes where I can rinse them multiple times a day. Once they are ready to put out leaves, I'm going to move them outside to the garage to green up and will to try keeping the seeds in a single layer to allow for more air circulation once they are in the trays. I've also been picking out as much of the chaff and broken seeds as I can in about a minute and when I see it between switching containers.

Here are a couple things that I learned from my aquarium days about mold/algae growth that have been applicable to growing the fodder that may help you too:
1. Mold grows in the presence of excess nutrients that are not being used up by the plants
Such as: too much standing water, not enough air/water circulation, dead materials like unsprouted seeds and pieces of chaff, too much heat from sunlight or ambient room temperatures
2. In a balanced plant to nutrient ratio, the sprouts will be using up all of the nutrients available to them and will not leave extra for mold
3. Periodic cleanings of all surfaces with chemicals that don't leave a residue (bleach or vinegar for example) are necessary to keep mold from gaining a foothold in your setup. Dawn dish detergent and many soaps leave residues that can be harmful to living things.

This is by no means a comprehensive list and I'm not an expert, but maybe it will be helpful to you

 

[OHhappychicks]

I'm with you CrosStitching! I'm not sure what system I'm using yet. Went and bought my supplies today. Everything except the BOSS. I'm going to pick it up tomorrow and get started. The trays I purchased are the kind that hold water. I will put the holes in one end and tip it so water drains to next one. I just don't know what I'm going to set them on yet. I'm going to try it in my basement first. It is cooler than the rest of my house and has concrete floors, so it won't hurt if water spills. Not sure of air circulation though. May have to add a fan. But those are the things I have to work out. I'm starting small, to experiment first. Bought 5 lbs of wheat today, just to practice with. Looking forward to getting started!!

 

[OHhappychicks]

These questions may have been answered before, but I didn't find them. How much of a tilt is there to the trays to drain, and how much water do you use with each rinse? I'm going to be doing this by hand for now. I think I recall someone mentioning 1 1/2 gallons per rinse. Does this sound about right. I may just sit my trays over a packer tub for now and let them drain. I'm going to start with 3 trays, and tilt them over the tub. I read where someone sets their timer for 12 minutes so many x's a day, someone else for 15 min. I guess I'm asking, what is a good rinse? Going to go soak my wheat & boss now!!

Happy "foddering" everyone!!

 

[FrogEggs]

Quick question - do the chickens eat the BOSS shells??

(Noob question)

 

[OHhappychicks]

Quick question - do the chickens eat the BOSS shells??

(Noob question)

This winter we threw our flock boss as a treat and they ate them. Actually, they loved them!

 

[wormrun]

These questions may have been answered before, but I didn't find them. How much of a tilt is there to the trays to drain, and how much water do you use with each rinse? I'm going to be doing this by hand for now. I think I recall someone mentioning 1 1/2 gallons per rinse. Does this sound about right. I may just sit my trays over a packer tub for now and let them drain. I'm going to start with 3 trays, and tilt them over the tub. I read where someone sets their timer for 12 minutes so many x's a day, someone else for 15 min. I guess I'm asking, what is a good rinse? Going to go soak my wheat & boss now!!

Happy "foddering" everyone!!

Well let me take a stab at this for you, and I'm no expert on tilts, I rig everything as easy as possible. However, my engineering side tells me that you will need just a tiny tilt like a shim to achieve enough for the water to leave the trays. If the water drains too fast (like my tuna cans that I used to prop up the trays) then you won't get great results with seed germination.

I'm reducing my tuna cans to a thin piece of wood so the seeds have more fun in the water!

I do mine by hand, so I can certainly field this one. I have been using about 1.5 gallons for 4 trays 6" by 41" length twice a day. Yes that sounds good! Each of my trays holds 3 to 4 cups of dry seeds before starting the sprouting process. I'm still negotiating the quantity of seeds on these trays, one is currently hold 6 cups and that would be too much!!

Drain location - OK, I have 7 trays to take to the sink, yep, the sink. It does take a bit longer but it does a great job. I simply spray with my handy dandy water thingy that is located next to my faucet. Voila! I don't let my water sit in the trays I just spray them and drain them. It works too. Pretty forgiving process. As to the other trays, I flood them using the watering can, see I'm improving!

As to the starting process for the dry seeds, I rinse them until I no longer see floaters and dirt, then I let them soak for 30 minutes, drain and stick them in an opaque container like a Folgers can. I do not let them soak 24 hours. You get more nutrition with less soak time and the odds are you won't forget it!!!

Have fun with wheat boss, but remember add the boss after you clean the wheat cuz it's a foater!