Growing fodder for chickens

[tillyita]

We have all acquired a taste for salt. In the states they have started the ' salt revolution '. It is said to be doing far more damage than sugar. Yet it is added to everything we eat. The calcium level should be between 2.5 - 4% . Too much calcium can be as detrimental as too little ! IMHO the calcium levels in chia are a little too high for chooks.

You don't need to feed a lot of chia, it is a supplement rather than the base portion of the feed.

 

[tillyita]

LOL!  I never thought of that (feed/pellets having something added that the chickens get addicted to).   It would not surprise me, in the least!   During the really cold spell, I often just put some dry pellets out in the pen for them instead of wet food because it was freezing immediately.  Now that it is warmer, wet food is fed twice a day and I am back to fermenting it.  They REALLY go nuts over it when it is fermented!  They usually eat every bite (two cups of it for six chickens).  When it is not fermented, they get bored with it rather quickly and go back to foraging.  When I put out scratch or cracked corn, with some BOSS (threw in their pen to encourage them to scratch in the straw, because we had almost a foot of snow and they refused to go out in it---not much point in it when it is that deep, anyway).  They really went after the sunflower seeds, picking them out.  So maybe sunflower seeds are to chickens like chocolate chips are to us, if they were mixed in with soybean or wheatberry snacks, lol!  I know ONE thing my girls are addicted to:  dried meal worms!  It's like crack to them!

They will be looking for the high oil levels in the BOSS as it will help them keep warm.

 

[cockoftherock]

T

You don't need to feed a lot of chia, it is a supplement rather than the base portion of the feed.

This is where people get confused and many give up and say it cant be done. Their is a science or shall we say a balance to feed just like in humans poor diet leads to chronic diseases and minor problems as well you cant just feed barely and expect them to thrive live yes thrive no and they make starter egg finisher ect.for a reason too different needs at different stages of growth so sayeth chicken biology svience is fun ppl

 

[cockoftherock]

Im hen pecking on a smart phone I know how to spill ha really I do. I just have big finders lol

 

[lauranickerson]

Brought my fodder tray upstairs from the basement like I said I was going to do and it grew more today than it has in the last week. I'm thinking it's just too cold in the basement.

 

[cockoftherock]

70° is best dont get to warm or sprouts tend to get spindly or thin. Has anyone tried growing weighted sprouts to make them beefier? If so howd it work and by what method?

 

[cockoftherock]

How is ur grow coming along Im curious Let us know the ups and downs ins and out.

I just started growing fodder about two weeks ago.  I'm loving it so far!  I'm alternating BOSS and wheat.  Unfortunately, barley is pretty impossible to find in my area.  The chickens still aren't real sure about it, but they seem to be eating more and more.

I just started growing fodder about two weeks ago.  I'm loving it so far!  I'm alternating BOSS and wheat.  Unfortunately, barley is pretty impossible to find in my area.  The chickens still aren't real sure about it, but they seem to be eating more and more.

 

[Laurieks]

Ugh I just found two banana slugs in my fodder trays
Putting them up at night now!

 

[Fancychooklady]

Ugh I just found two banana slugs in my fodder trays
Putting them up at night now!

I find a lot of midges flying around inside my trays, but I figure that they just add to the protein levels.

 

[Putney Farm]

We have started growing fodder as well. We have shelves set up over our spare bath tub for convenience. The chickens love it, but so far it is more labor intensive than I want, as I am having trouble keeping the 4 day and up sprouts free of mold/bacteria, and don't want to use bleach. We started using GSE in the water today and are hopeful for good results.
We rinse every 8 hours with well water. Any suggestions?