Growing fodder for chickens

[kwestley]

Thx! By the way, how long does it need to be soaked during the first day? 24 hours?

 

[AletaG]

Overnight usually works for me... smaller seeds like alfalfa/clover like we use for our table sprouts is an hour or two if you want to go that long. I'm currently experimenting with food grade peroxide for and initial 15 min wash on my fodder mix. I keep getting mold even when I rinse regularly. Bleach works well, but I'd rather not use that if I can figure out how.

 

[Chickens R Us]

Can you use oats?

 

[Groovynatureguy]

Can you use oats?

Yes you can. However, many report that they have problems with mold when they try. (Never tried myself)

 

[mstkseavey]

I was told that a good quality bird seed would be good to try as fodder. Any thoughts?

 

[Groovynatureguy]

I was told that a good quality bird seed would be good to try as fodder. Any thoughts?

never tried it. I know many add Black oil sunglower seed (BOSS) to their mixes. I would say if it will sprout after soaking for 24 hours give it a try.

 

[mstkseavey]

I'm going to give it a try. It is day three. It was good quality no corn birdseed. I soaked it for 24 hours. Rinsed it and laid it out. I have it checked on it today. But I will keep you posted.

 

[Steemroo]

I'm curious. Wheat is about 12 cents a pound this year (wheat is about $7 a bushel, and a bushel of wheat has about 60 lbs). The cheapest I can find wheat berries in my area is 99 cents a pound, about 8 times what the farmer gets. I do realize that 99 cent a pound wheat has been graded, shipped and somewhat processed (no bugs, dirt, leaves etc), and it's been marked up several times on its way to me. That's how business works.

However, for chickens , I don't need wheat that's that clean - I'd just like it to be non laboratory-GMO'd (all food is GMO in that we have, over the centuries, bred organisms for certain traits - arguably humans are GMOs in that most of our ancestors at various times in the past agreed to arranged marriages!) and "good enough for chickens."

Has anyone had luck buying wheat directly from farmers? I can't find a proper co-op anywhere near me (So Cal), and no Amish nearby. Wheat isn't grown here, either, at least not much.

 

[pawtraitart]

I'm curious. Wheat is about 12 cents a pound this year (wheat is about $7 a bushel, and a bushel of wheat has about 60 lbs). The cheapest I can find wheat berries in my area is 99 cents a pound, about 8 times what the farmer gets. I do realize that 99 cent a pound wheat has been graded, shipped and somewhat processed (no bugs, dirt, leaves etc), and it's been marked up several times on its way to me. That's how business works.

However, for chickens , I don't need wheat that's that clean - I'd just like it to be non laboratory-GMO'd (all food is GMO in that we have, over the centuries, bred organisms for certain traits - arguably humans are GMOs in that most of our ancestors at various times in the past agreed to arranged marriages!) and "good enough for chickens."

Has anyone had luck buying wheat directly from farmers? I can't find a proper co-op anywhere near me (So Cal), and no Amish nearby. Wheat isn't grown here, either, at least not much.

GMO is different from selective breeding. GMO seed has been genetically modified with the DNA sequences of bacteria, viruses, or other DNA material foreign to the organisms natural genome. It's kinda like sci-fi gene splicing to create a seed with un-natural properties. Unless it has been contaminated with GMO pollen like what happened in Oregon I don't think that GMO wheat is widespread.....yet. Have you tried a feed mill? I get 50 pound bags of wheat screenings for around 8 dollars. It has a mix of broken pieces in it, but enough whole seed to make it usable for sprouting.

 

[OHhappychicks]

Overnight usually works for me... smaller seeds like alfalfa/clover like we use for our table sprouts is an hour or two if you want to go that long. I'm currently experimenting with food grade peroxide for and initial 15 min wash on my fodder mix. I keep getting mold even when I rinse regularly. Bleach works well, but I'd rather not use that if I can figure out how.

Keep us posted on the peroxide. BTW, where do you get food grade peroxide? I tried fodder back in May as an experiment and I had a little mold. I would pick it out, but still I don't want mold. I had it in the basement, so not sure if it was too damp there. I rinsed it about 2 - 3x a day. Was thinking that was not enough, but I work an that is the best I could do. If I do it this winter, I may try to do the timed/self rinsing method and see how that goes.