Growing fodder for chickens

[Lacy Blues]

Please tell me no one is really using bleach? That is really scary!
Aspen- can you please explain the reasoning behind cleaning the grains? I'm new to this. Are they dirty? Is it hurtful to not clean them? I did soak them overnight.

The bleach is a 10% solution... not straight. It doesn't stay on/in the seeds.

 

[Amastacia]

sorry if this has already been answered, but 190 pages of posts is a lot to read through and not miss anything.

is there anything that should not be mixed in the fodder? i noticed that wheat and barley are the staples, and that BOSS, amaranth, alfalfa and clover are all mentioned being mixed in, but is there anything i need to stay away from?

thanks.

 

[OHhappychicks]

What is the bleach to water solution to clean the seeds? And after you soak in bleach water to you switch to just water? And how long do you soak?

I just mixed about 1 cup of vinegar to 3 quarts of water and rinsed mine when I found a little mold in my 2nd tray. I picked out the mold and rinsed as usual with vinegar/water. I haven't seen any more mold and that was 2 days ago. I used the vinegar/water solution just once. Rinsed with just water as usual.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

How do you mix the hydrogen peroxide and water, like how much. And signingchickens, it's to prevent mold

You take 1 cup of 35% food grade peroxide and mix with a gallon of water.

For the best deal on hydrogen peroxide check out the brand Guardian of Eden. There are a million uses for the peroxide. We use it a lot.

sorry if this has already been answered, but 190 pages of posts is a lot to read through and not miss anything.

is there anything that should not be mixed in the fodder? i noticed that wheat and barley are the staples, and that BOSS, amaranth, alfalfa and clover are all mentioned being mixed in, but is there anything i need to stay away from?

thanks.

Not that I can think of off the top of my head. : )

~ Aspen

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I have an old edition of the ROot Cellar book. I have an older book that is rather worn, and a newer one. I only read and did not act. THisyear I will act IF I can plant according to the recommendations. I need to store root crops planted later in the summer here apparently. THe earlier crops will not hold thru the winter.

One of the storage ideas is to build a room of bales of straw or hay. Perhaps if I could get cheap construction hay. Other wise I have other animals to feed thru the winter with hay.

One step at a time I'm figuring. I've read that beets can have the top greens removed and then it sends up more shoots. Probably slows down the root development though. But over produces more food. I'm planting a lot of beets!

Does anyone eat turnip greens ? Yes laugh, I have heard of "turnip greens" but are they the tops of any turnip or a specific turnip?

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Maybe this is why I was having trouble.

Quote: Really? Boy I was/am doing something wrong.

Dollar Tree sells some flat screens with a handle that are meant to cover pans when cooking. I'm thinking these might be great for growing fodder. I'm going to try tomorrow.
Can these be fed to replace feed? I would like to get as close to natural as possible.

WHen my girls freerange for more than about 4 hours, their eggs become too thin and just break upon laying. This fodder can easily replace a lot of feed that is higher in calcium which is needed to make hard shells.

Wow! Now I am feeling very inspired and quite foolish for not thinking of dong this earlier. Here in Western NSW Australia It is very dry and we haven't had rain for weeks and weeks. I have really felt sorry for my "girls" who love to get out and scratch around eating the grass and there is just none left. I am really keen to start this ASAP and it must be meant to be......I got a small hot house for tomorrow (Mothers Day) and it will be perfect for sprouting. Thanks everyone for your inspiration.

I feel the power . . . . . !

Quote: Hydrogen peroxide brand source. good to know.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Some of my current fodder that I have going.

3-4 Days


4-5

5-6



I think I have all my days right...? These pics were two days ago, so all the fodder is bigger now..but you get the general idea.

~ Aspen

 

[Arielle]

THanks for the pics aspen, helps me visualize what is NOT happening around here! lol Makes me want to keep trying to get it right.

 

[SigningChickens]

Aspen- where did you get the greenhouses like that? They are outdoors, right? Does sun help?

 

[SigningChickens]

I use peroxide as a mouthwash once a week so that doesn't bother me so much. Bleach just doesn't sound good at all for the chickens. Bleach is really bad for the environment so I don't use it at all in my home unless it is the Seventh Generation one which is also peroxide.