Growing fodder for chickens

[Gategitter]

I dont know..... maybe my girls are snobs... They are very unimpressed with my efforts. I have put two dishpan size of fodder out for them so far and they are just not excited.. Hmmmm well anyway, wont be long and I will be throwing them weeds from the yard anyway.

 

[Jo Mamas chick]

Recipe??

 

[gabejb]

I can only talk from my own experience. I have 6 dominique ladies who are just 6 months and are just starting to lay. I have been feeding them sprouted fodder as their main feed for around 3 months now, they also get a small amount of commercial pellets, and calcium and grit. I am now doing equal parts barley, wheat, and milo(sorghum). I use about 2.5 lbs dry seed each day. I grow mine for 3 days and feed it to the ladies on the 4th day.

 

[Laurieks]

Recipe??

one of the first ones I watched...

@Gategitter there is definitely a learning curve, some will pounce on it, some will walk away; but once they learn what it is they will all be waiting for it. Some days my goats can't get it fast enough, some they let it sit a while. Six days old seems to be their favorite. The chickens love it at any stage. Vitamin content is said to be maxed at 7 days.

 

[Laurieks]

@brahmabreeder I haven't grown wheat or flax yet.
I tried Chia...the recipe I found via google said to mist them since they get little gel coats & won't drain. It was right! I soaked them, and could never get all the water out. I'm back to soaking chia to add to smoothies & juice for us, but none for the animals yet.
Oats-grow too slow, better just to feed after soaking 2 days.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I've crunched the numbers on chia and while I have it daily myself it's not cost effective to feed to chickens. The nutrition charts quoted are based on 100 g and a 500 g bag at the supermarket is
$19 . I can buy a 20 k bag of barley for $10 , so I'm sticking with the barley. Yeah I know I could get it cheaper on ebay but I prefer to buy Australian grown even though our selenium levels are low.

 

[michaelf]

I have a question. How many days does it take for wheat seeds to be harvestable? Flax seed?

I let my wheat fodder grow to about day 6-8. That's when I give it to them . I do occasionally, when I find it , give them flaxseed. I have a mini blender I use to grind it, to break it open to make the oils and nutrients a little more accessible. There was a dollar store that use to carry flax seed for?? You guessed a dollar. Lol . It was a 16oz package. They hardly ever have it :/ but when they do it's like a jackpot for me. I know, I know but I love a good deal!

 

[michaelf]

Oh yea !! Happy Tuesday !!

 

[cockoftherock]

Michaelf is happy
Michaelf owns chickens
equals
chickens make U happy!

 

[brahmabreeder]

I let my wheat fodder grow to about day 6-8. That's when I give it to them . I do occasionally, when I find it , give them flaxseed. I have a mini blender I use to grind it, to break it open to make the oils and nutrients a little more accessible. There was a dollar store that use to carry flax seed for?? You guessed a dollar. Lol . It was a 16oz package. They hardly ever have it

but when they do it's like a jackpot for me. I know, I know but I love a good deal!

Thank you! I was actually growing to grow the flax seed...