Growing fodder for chickens

[JodyDI]

I had been buying birdseed from Walmart for years and years. I tried to avoid mixes that had a lot of milo in it. Seems the cheap stuff has a lot of it and birds that I've fed eat milo as a last resort. When I threw scratch out to my hens, they went for the corn, mostly and left the milo. Then sparrows came in and pecked at the milo. In the last couple of years, I've noticed the bird seed NOW has a lot of what appears to be wheat (I really do not know what barley seed looks like or how to tell the difference between barley and wheat). I was still feeding wild birds last winter, before I got chickens. I had noticed that something appears to germinate under the feeders every year. It is the wheat. The birds throw it out! Instead of mowing it, this year, and getting a patch of yellowing, dying "grass", I talked hubby into letting it grow. Sure enough, it got tall and grew heads. The chickens started eating the wheat heads before they had even fully ripened. They absolutely LOVED it. Wish I had an area that was easily sown with it. It would be a gamble since I wouldn't be able to water it. I'd have to depend on Mother Nature. Good luck with the bird seed. I am thinking of ordering wheat from Walmart, online. But it is $20 for 26 pounds. So if you thought BIRDSEED was expensive.....lol! Copied from their website: (looks like it is meant for human consumption. But this is all I can find. They sell white wheat like this, in a bucket, too. A fifty pound bag was sixty-two dollars!)
Augason Farms Emergency Food Hard Red Wheat, 26 lb

[TR]

• • 256 servings
  • Easy to prepare
  • No refrigeration needed

[/TR]

Online
[COLOR=CC0000]$20.83[/COLOR]​

I think you should google feed stores all around and call them. surely there are feed stores that carry whole grains for feed. If they don't ask if they can order it.

 

[MaPa26]

Quote: I know you're right. It just hasn't been high on my priority list. There are a couple of "feed and seeds" I could check with and a nearby town that has a Co-Op. Special trips anywhere are just hard for me to manage, at present time. I've only checked with the three places that I regularly shop. Everything else is kinda "out of the way" and I just have not had the time, since I babysit every day.

 

[kile529]

I started a small batch 4 days ago of wheat fodder. I got the wheat from my feed store and they said it would sprout except it's BARELY starting to sprout. Maybe 15 seeds in the whole thing has any white coming out of it. They soaked for over 12 hours...with a smidge of vinegar because I didn't have any bleach....rinsing 2-3 times a day. The other thing is that they were out in the garage before soaking and we've had freezing temps up here in Michigan since I got the seeds a couple weeks ago. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[ChristineR]

Can anyone tell me where to get duck weed to grow for my waterfowl? I know I've seen it mentioned somewhere on BYC, but now I can't find it.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I started a small batch 4 days ago of wheat fodder. I got the wheat from my feed store and they said it would sprout except it's BARELY starting to sprout. Maybe 15 seeds in the whole thing has any white coming out of it. They soaked for over 12 hours...with a smidge of vinegar because I didn't have any bleach....rinsing 2-3 times a day. The other thing is that they were out in the garage before soaking and we've had freezing temps up here in Michigan since I got the seeds a couple weeks ago. Am I doing something wrong?

I use a watering can 3 times a day. The first couple of days I run my fingers through it while I'm watering. Seems to help get it started.

 

[chixmix]

I started a small batch 4 days ago of wheat fodder. I got the wheat from my feed store and they said it would sprout except it's BARELY starting to sprout. Maybe 15 seeds in the whole thing has any white coming out of it. They soaked for over 12 hours...with a smidge of vinegar because I didn't have any bleach....rinsing 2-3 times a day. The other thing is that they were out in the garage before soaking and we've had freezing temps up here in Michigan since I got the seeds a couple weeks ago. Am I doing something wrong?

~~I don't use bleach or anything. I soak for 24 house and then I keep it in a drained bucket for 48 more hours rinsing about 2 times per day, THEN I transfer it to a tray, I have found that this is the best way for me to get great root growth and when I add it to my tray stand, I don't have to worry about the seeds moving around when I water them. At day 9 I have this. I only water 2 times a day, no bleach, no nothing, only water and seeds.

 

[kile529]

I didn't think about keeping it in a bucket until after it starts sprouting - I'll definitely give that a try. My seeds float everywhere when I water and it drives me nuts. Lol

 

[WindStep]

I want to do this too!

 

[UrbanFarming]

I saw somewhere in the beginning of this thread that one can find grains at a brew shop. My father in law brews beer and I'm wondering if I could feed the spent grains to my chickens? I realize I could not use them to grow fodder, but would they be ok to feed?

 

[craw54]

Do you sow this directly or plant in a plant flat? Please tell us your method; my girls starve for greens