Growing fodder for chickens

[WHmarans]

I think most folks feed a portion of commercial feed in addition to fodder. My adult birds get commercial feed, poultry wheat, a special bread that I make for them, and fodder. The babies get only commercial feed because their gizzards need to work up to being able to handle food that takes more effort to digest. If I had a better feed mill I'd formulate the grains/nutrients myself and grind it up, but it's slim pickings in my area. 

how old do they typically need to be before they can make good use of fodder?

 

[WHmarans]

I think most folks feed a portion of commercial feed in addition to fodder. My adult birds get commercial feed, poultry wheat, a special bread that I make for them, and fodder. The babies get only commercial feed because their gizzards need to work up to being able to handle food that takes more effort to digest. If I had a better feed mill I'd formulate the grains/nutrients myself and grind it up, but it's slim pickings in my area. 

I feel like the article below is really critical information that I'm not sure is all that easy to understand.. I'm going to need to re-read a couple more times myself..

http://www.medwelljournals.com/fulltext/?doi=javaa.2010.2485.2492

I have been reading through this thread and have only really seen this concept touched on once when someone's significant other asked the question of how you get something from nothing.. Or how you get more feed by just adding water. (According to this study you don't really) you get something different but not more feed (not more energy value that is) and the way the nutritional information is reported sometimes makes it look like you do.

I still believe in greens and variety! I Just feel like this info is left out of the whole picture when there is fodder discussion.

Sorry if I'm repeating something. I wish this info could go at the *beginning* of fodder discussion together with info on how easy it is and the benefits.

 

[pawtraitart]

I think it's a matter of nutrient quality vs dry matter density. By sprouting grains, the inhibitors are removed. This makes the food more bio-available and is living as apposed to a dead dry meal. That being said, the overall calorie requirements need to be met as well and it's not always practical to accomplish this with living food. In a perfect world our chickens would have access to a wide variety of living food including meat protein.

 

[WHmarans]

I think it's a matter of nutrient quality vs dry matter density. By sprouting grains, the inhibitors are removed. This makes the food more bio-available and is living as apposed to a dead dry meal. That being said, the overall calorie requirements need to be met as well and it's not always practical to accomplish this with living food. In a perfect world our chickens would have access to a wide variety of living food including meat protein. 

That Sounds like a perfect summary of the benefits and issues to me.

 

[Kassaundra]

I think it's a matter of nutrient quality vs dry matter density. By sprouting grains, the inhibitors are removed. This makes the food more bio-available and is living as apposed to a dead dry meal. That being said, the overall calorie requirements need to be met as well and it's not always practical to accomplish this with living food. In a perfect world our chickens would have access to a wide variety of living food including meat protein.

I agree it's all about balance. Making the most of the foods you have available, but an omnivore can't live on sprouts alone.

 

[mamashomestead]

What are the best tips for getting the best quality fodder?

 

[Jeanette56]

how old do they typically need to be before they can make good use of fodder?

Others may disagree but I would say that as soon as they can be put on the ground with access to dirt/grit to help them digest it.

Jeanette

 

[WHmarans]

[COLOR=0000FF]Others may disagree but I would say that as soon as they can be put on the ground with access to dirt/grit to help them digest it.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=0000FF]Jeanette[/COLOR]

My little chicks get some more for entertainment value at about three or 4 weeks. I don't think they do too fantastic making use of it up through about 9 weeks though in my opinion. Hard to tell!

 

[Kassaundra]

Others may disagree but I would say that as soon as they can be put on the ground with access to dirt/grit to help them digest it.

Jeanette

A broody mom gives her chicks bugs and grass and all kinds of stuff after they dry off basically, after I saw a broody mom w/ her chicks I don't sweat about what I offer chicks. Mine get offered fermented whole grains, sprouts, insects whatever from the start.

 

[WHmarans]

You start with baby steps.

See where I am going with this?  YES, it is a L-O-N-G thread, but there is SO MUCH to learn that you can't just ask a simple question and expect to understand the

And along the way ... you'll be EDUCATED.  See how that works?

OK, I'll step down off this apple crate now, it IS getting a little wobbly anyway.

Skip

I disagree. This is not calculus. It's a simple collection of bits of information that can easily be learned in any order and it would be much faster and more efficient to learn it if it were presented more succinctly. I think the people who most quickly and efficiently pick up new information do it by asking people for the short answer. Asking the same people who followed a long convoluted path if blood sweat and tears to figure it out themselves and are then are so very kind and selfless as to package it up for someone else and just simply hand the information over.

Of course for the one receiving the information their job is definitely not done at that point.

Well that's just my opinion.