Growing fodder for chickens

[Indigosands]

Thinner seed, I tried that and got a lot more root dry out and poor germination. Plus, because I am hand rinsing the seed mats were weak and more likely to fall apart. I'm currently spreading about 1/2in thick on day1. I'm rinsing twice a day in the kitchen sink with a hand sprayer with fairly high pressure. I could feed on day 6, but a large part of the reason I do fodder is for the cost-effectiveness and there's a significant amount of growth in that 24hours. Besides that, my turkey hens would be very upset if it wasn't tall green grass. They love it, the taller the better. I have the trays loosely covered from days 1-3 until the sprouts emerge. After that they are open to the air. The trays are approx 3" tall and the house temperature is around 70. If anyone has suggestions on how to improve airflow I'd love to hear them. Oh, and I do sterilize the seeds during the soak with bleach. Shoot, I'd hoped this would be an easy problem to fix. LOL

 

[Lacy Blues]

Maybe you could get one of those little desk fans and point it right at them? Or a bigger fan, depending on the size of your operation.

 

[Pent]

Just in case anyone's doing it for a small group, like I am, I find it works well to use those plastic trays store baked cookies come from, with the two sides. Rinse, poke a zillion holes, add seeds. You can use the lid as a perfectly fitted soak tray. Also works for low budget trying it out. They have low sides, the the air circulation is excellent, and the shape facilitates drainage.

 

[Aphrael]

Just in case anyone's doing it for a small group, like I am, I find it works well to use those plastic trays store baked cookies come from, with the two sides. Rinse, poke a zillion holes, add seeds. You can use the lid as a perfectly fitted soak tray. Also works for low budget trying it out. They have low sides, the the air circulation is excellent, and the shape facilitates drainage.

Oh, that's a great idea!

 

[buckhuntr2427]

woah this is cool can you feed your chickens this like all the time? year around 24/7

 

[WHmarans]

woah this is cool can you feed your chickens this like all the time? year around 24/7

My opinion is no. It's not an adequate diet all by itself. And I've seen chickens (not mine) basically die from malnutrition with people who have tried to feed only fodder. Ive seen chickens very developmentally Delayed as a result of an all fodder diet as well.

You've got to round out the diet and by that I mean with more protein and nutrient dense food.

 

[Lacy Blues]

woah this is cool can you feed your chickens this like all the time? year around 24/7

If you can grow it year round, then yes, but like WHmarans said, it's not a balanced diet so you need to feed some lay pellets or the equivalent. Fodder is a supplement.

 

[Groovynatureguy]

My opinion is no. It's not an adequate diet all by itself. And I've seen chickens (not mine) basically die from malnutrition with people who have tried to feed only fodder. Ive seen chickens very developmentally Delayed as a result of an all fodder diet as well.

You've got to round out the diet and by that I mean with more protein and nutrient dense food.

woah this is cool can you feed your chickens this like all the time? year around 24/7

Playing Devils advocate here. Yes you can feed you chickens fodder all the time. Should you supplement with other things as well? I would say yes. I would never recommend feeding only one item.... Regardless of what it is.

 

[Dreyadin]

Some might find this interesting. (PDF regarding the amino acid methionine & a bit on feed needs.)

 

[Indigosands]

For those that have fed fodder from day 1, how old were your chicks when you observed them eating the fodder well? I have chicks due in less than a week and though their mama will still be eating fodder, I need to get an idea of when I should start accounting for the chicks appetite for it in the amount I add to the pen.