Growing fodder for chickens

[Jensownzoo]

Funny stuff. When I read your posts I can't help but giggle. Who knew that 2 ounce acorn I planted as a kid that grew into a 100 foot oak weights 10,000 lbs now but is the same mass and only water plus the 2 ounces. Not sure how the 2 ounces was created originally but I digress.

"I grow fodder but you don't get 6 or 7 pounds of feed from 1 lb as many wrongly claim. You still have 1 lb of feed and 5-6 lbs of water."

"That unscientific article is misleading. 1st of all, you cannot create matter from nothing. If you have a pound of seed you have a pound of matter. There is nothing else to work with. Sunlight eventually triggers photosynthesis but does not add nutrients or mass."

All I can say is...where did you get a TWO OUNCE acorn?!?!

 

[NotAFarm]

Funny stuff. When I read your posts I can't help but giggle. Who knew that 2 ounce acorn I planted as a kid that grew into a 100 foot oak weights 10,000 lbs now but is the same mass and only water plus the 2 ounces. Not sure how the 2 ounces was created originally but I digress.

"I grow fodder but you don't get 6 or 7 pounds of feed from 1 lb as many wrongly claim. You still have 1 lb of feed and 5-6 lbs of water."

"That unscientific article is misleading. 1st of all, you cannot create matter from nothing. If you have a pound of seed you have a pound of matter. There is nothing else to work with. Sunlight eventually triggers photosynthesis but does not add nutrients or mass."

Sprouting a seed for a few days in a soil free environment with just water is soooo not the same as planting an acorn in the ground and letting it grow for years.

There is more "mass" when the seed sprouts but since the seed has nothing to draw from other than itself, the nutrition available is not increased. This is why if you feed one cup of seed or take a cup of seed and sprout it, your basic nutrition is the same.....not the mass/quantity that you feed....but the nutrition. Sprouting makes the seed more digestible so your flock may be able to absorb more nutrition from the sprouts but the nutrition itself is not increased.

 

[Camille2t]

This from US News: "Due to the loss of some of the grain's starch, the other nutrients, like proteins, vitamins, and minerals, will increase slightly as a percentage of the total unit of grain. Some studies also suggest that certain minerals—namely iron and zinc—may become more "bioavailable", or more easily absorbed, after sprouting. That's likely due to a reduction in the content of natural compounds called phytates, which normally inhibit mineral absorption from many plant foods. For this reason, sprouted grains may offer the most promising nutritional benefits..." So...I don't know, but, the chickens love the sprouted barley and don't care about the barley seeds...they lay on the floor, untouched...maybe it is the sugar in the greens attracting them. Either way, we get tons of eggs, only feed them sprouted barley and chia...they have access to regular feed, but they hardly touch it.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I wonder if humans can eat sprouts? Going by you US article

 

[greenfeathers]

I wonder if humans can eat sprouts? Going by you US article

Um, wheat grass and bean sprouts jump to mind right away.

 

[Kusanar]

I wonder if humans can eat sprouts? Going by you US article

Yes, they can, wheat grass smoothies and jucing wheat grass are all the rage these days, I don't do it, but people in general do... and usually the health nuts.

 

[Camille2t]

Hi, Yes, humans can eat sprouted barley and chia...

 

[ShrekDawg]

Um, wheat grass and bean sprouts jump to mind right away.

Yes, they can, wheat grass smoothies and jucing wheat grass are all the rage these days, I don't do it, but people in general do... and usually the health nuts.

Hi, Yes, humans can eat sprouted barley and chia...

Thank you all! That's good to know

 

[Klay]

I went and got some wheat a little bit ago. I am using a fodder system with 5 gallon buckets. I'm putting 18oz of wheat in the buckets. Does that sound like to much or do I need to add more?

 

[ShanandGem]

I went and got some wheat a little bit ago. I am using a fodder system with 5 gallon buckets. I'm putting 18oz of wheat in the buckets. Does that sound like to much or do I need to add more?

I think if you're trying to grow fodder, rather than just sprouting the seeds, you something with a more tray-like shape. Over a pound of wheat in the bottom of a 5 gal bucket sounds like way too much. When I seed my trays I really just shotot for a layer thick enough I can't see the bottom.