ok this thread has become quite large. I am going to try this this weekend. I will be trying to simple storage container way. I just dont know how long to soak the seeds, and do i rinse and drain or leave in water? Then once in the containers how often do i water and how much? I know to poke holes so that they drain so I am assuming not to water too much. but how often?
Put the seeds in a bowl/bucket with enough water to make non-seed stuff float to the top. Skim this stuff off. Rinse and drain the seeds until the water looks clean. Some seeds are cleaner than others, but a few rinses is a good idea.
With seeds in bucket/bowl/jar, add enough water to cover them. Maybe add a little unscented household bleach or other food-grade agent to deter mold.
Soak for 8 to 24 hours. You can drain and rinse and refill during this period if you like ... that's what the people who sprout for humans do, though it isn't so important for the animals. I like to keep the soaking container dark but well ventilated.
After the soak, drain well. Rinse. Drain well. You'll probably see the water go from starchy/cloudy to clear. This is good. Leave the seeds to sprout in any container. Shield them from light. At this point, the seeds can go into their growing container if they aren't already in it ... the container should be perforated to allow for good drainage. Or you can let them sprout a bit in the bucket/bowl/jar. Rinse them enough so they don't dry out. Don't damage the sprouts with vigorous handling.
When the seeds start to send out shoots and roots, they should be in their perforated growing container. A great way to keep them moist is to set the growing container in a container of water so just the seeds get wet. Maybe let them sit for a few moments, then drain. When they start to form nice roots, only the roots need to get wet during watering. This supposedly discourages mold from growing in the seed bed and/or up the shoots. I find things go better if the bottoms of the containers don't sit flat on a surface ... you don't want water to get trapped there and cause problems like slime or mold or fermentation. Alternatively, rinse the seeds from above in a spot where they can drain well. Like your kitchen sink using the spray nozzle.
Water them as often as they seem to need it. Some people manage to give them a good soaking once a day with good results. Other people do a light mist, but more often. In my opinion, a good flood-and-drain is probably a good way to get rid or any excess starches or developing mold. I do this twice per day at the maximum -- I've got other things to do, too.
Let them have light when you want to see the "grass" getting green. Sitting them by a window will do, even in winter. I gather that a regular lightbulb also works.
Maybe reviewing the nutrient content of your seeds vs. those seeds sprouted vs. your seeds grown to the "fodder" stage to determine at what stage you want to give them to your birds. At a certain point they go from being "grains" to being "greens," and that makes a difference in your flock's nutrition.
Note that some types of seeds are very starchy, like oats and flax, so it is more difficult to sprout them to the fodder stage without getting mold or fermentation. Many people here are using barley or wheat. I'm using rye. Some people use a mixture of different things, sometimes adding the tiny seeds to the top once the root mat has started to form ...
I havent looked around to see what seeds i can find. What seem to be the easiest?
