Growing fodder for chickens

[Cynthia12]

Would the BOSS we buy as bird seed work?

It has to be the Black "Oil" Sunflower Seed. I think..at least that's what I used.

 

[pawtraitart]

For those who are seeing mold in their fodder, some things to check based on my own experiments. Other folks might have different ways of doing it, and if so, please share. Anyway, here's what I do:

1) Start with clean seed. I can't emphasize this enough. Rinse, rinse, rinse, and THEN set to soak. If you are still getting mold issues, it is safe to add a bit of bleach to your soak water. It will be gone by the time you feed out your fodder.

2) Temperature. If your average temperature is above 65F, you will have more of a challenge avoiding mold. I find that with temps around 55 to 60F, I have no issues if my seed has been properly cleaned.

3) Seed quality. Old, dehydrated seed won't work as well and could be porous enough to hide mold spores. Fresh seed is plump and more "lively".

4) Light - Extra sunshine is okay for a day before feeding out, but keep in mind that you will be raising the temperature of your flat by exposing it to sunlight with this method of growing. Fluorescent light and "indirect" light from a window is all you need.

5) Rinse and/or soak your fodder very well. This will keep bacteria from layering onto your sprouting seed. Detritus and bacteria film is not your friend. Misting is not adequate as it doesn't do anything to remove bacteria film.

6) Give your fodder tray an extra good rinse before feeding. Mold is not safe to feed to your birds. A tiny speck won't kill them, but better safe than sorry.

Hope that helps!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

For those who are seeing mold in their fodder, some things to check based on my own experiments. Other folks might have different ways of doing it, and if so, please share. Anyway, here's what I do:

1) Start with clean seed. I can't emphasize this enough. Rinse, rinse, rinse, and THEN set to soak. If you are still getting mold issues, it is safe to add a bit of bleach to your soak water. It will be gone by the time you feed out your fodder.

2) Temperature. If your average temperature is above 65F, you will have more of a challenge avoiding mold. I find that with temps around 55 to 60F, I have no issues if my seed has been properly cleaned.

3) Seed quality. Old, dehydrated seed won't work as well and could be porous enough to hide mold spores. Fresh seed is plump and more "lively".

4) Light - Extra sunshine is okay for a day before feeding out, but keep in mind that you will be raising the temperature of your flat by exposing it to sunlight with this method of growing. Fluorescent light and "indirect" light from a window is all you need.

5) Rinse and/or soak your fodder very well. This will keep bacteria from layering onto your sprouting seed. Detritus and bacteria film is not your friend. Misting is not adequate as it doesn't do anything to remove bacteria film.

6) Give your fodder tray an extra good rinse before feeding. Mold is not safe to feed to your birds. A tiny speck won't kill them, but better safe than sorry.

Hope that helps!

Thanks! I know my seed wasn't "clean" because it was straight from harvest. I will try a bit more rinsing next time, AND I'll add a bit of bleach to the soak water. I will also use less seed per tray, and I'll be sure to rinse it very well each time I rinse it.

 

[pigeonguy]

Here's my idea on rinsing the seed. I am going to get one of those wire mesh trash cans from walmart and wrap it with window screen and put a metal rod threw the center length ways and fashion some kind of a lid.. I will then put a gear or pulley on the rod and submerge the can half way in water. Then I will attach a small electric motor to it and tumble the seeds in it for 24 hours. Time is subject to change.
That should clean them real nice. Then I will soak them or put in trays depends on what they look like. Going to try this with oats since they are hard to do.

I put this here to document it for my self and just in case it sparks idea's in others.

 

[juliecarkhuff]

I know this has been asked and answered but I can't find it in the post. How much fodder do you feed your chickens, a horse and cow?

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Here's my idea on rinsing the seed. I am going to get one of those wire mesh trash cans from walmart and wrap it with window screen and put a metal rod threw the center length ways and fashion some kind of a lid.. I will then put a gear or pulley on the rod and submerge the can half way in water. Then I will attach a small electric motor to it and tumble the seeds in it for 24 hours. Time is subject to change.
That should clean them real nice. Then I will soak them or put in trays depends on what they look like. Going to try this with oats since they are hard to do.

I put this here to document it for my self and just in case it sparks idea's in others.

i will have to do a larger setup like you... i finally got all my seed, and grain and started. am on day 3 and waiting for the good sprouts. smells wonderful! 2 pigs, 2 Alpaca, 14 CX left to process, and 6 regular chickens, 6 geese 4 ducks 4 guineas. i let them all taste today, and its a HUGE hit. its not even fully sprouted yet and the CX about knocked me over! the lentils did not go over nearly as well, this had white wheat, barley and corn.

 

[kjt135]

I started mine Sunday and it looks and smells great. Make sure you rinse rinse rinse. Not a good idea to soak too much seed though. Thought I would soak enough at one time to fill trays on 3 different days. By today my seed really smelled that was soaking hope it does alright. Have been rinsing and changing the water each day but still fermented. Anyone for wheat wine. lol

 

[pawtraitart]

I know this has been asked and answered but I can't find it in the post. How much fodder do you feed your chickens, a horse and cow?

Most folks feed fodder as an addition to their regular rations, so the amount of fodder depends on the entire feeding program. For chickens, you can "almost" feed just fodder, but there are some nutrients missing in straight wheat/barley. In my program, I make up for this by making them a type of bread that I give them 5 days a week. I also give them 4th crop alfalfa and toss in BOSS as a scratch treat. Over the weekend, I give them store bought layer pellet instead of bread. I base the amount of fodder per pen on how fast it is consumed.

For horses and cows, the fodder is a replacement for grain and an addition to the fiber they need. They also need clean barley straw or hay to keep their guts active. I don't have a large enough system to feed my horses fodder other than a taste treat, but from what I've read you would go with a 2% of their weight plus offer some straw or hay. You can use lower quality hay if you are feeding fodder as the fodder is more or less the nutrient package and the hay is for digestion.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I know this has been asked and answered but I can't find it in the post. How much fodder do you feed your chickens, a horse and cow?

This has been a big question for me, too. For chickens, one source I read suggested 1 cubic inch per bird. I'm not sure if that was grain fodder or green fodder, though, so that answer isn't very helpful, is it?

 

[pawtraitart]

Chickens like to have a full crop, especially during the winter. The amount of feed they are happy with is going to vary based on the size of the chicken, in some cases the breed as some are more greedy than others, and the food availability throughout the day. Birds that don't have free access to food will gorge and stretch out their crops. Birds that always have something to nibble on will have a more normal sized crop and better digestion. In my runs, I use 4th crop alfalfa hay as their 24/7 source of food. This time of year, they also get pumpkins and other large squash. I've done that for years and it works well for my birds. Of course I work out of the house so I can feed them their other food during the day. Not everyone can do that. Anyway, you can get a good idea of how much food your birds need by feeling their crops. If they are full, the bird is happy. If it is overlarge, your bird is gorging. (A birds crop is like a balloon) Observing natural behavior will give you another clue. Your birds will tell you how much they need.