Growing fodder for chickens

[Elizabethan]

Although this all sounds good and I'll look into lentils or peas, we have already been doing sunflower (as well as compost) on top of our wheat fodder. I'm not totally convinced that vitamins and minerals is the reason they have stopped laying. Vitamins maybe, but our hens must already be getting a fair dose of minerals just drinking our well water. I live near the area that many in the east get "Canadian spring" bottled water.
Next time I'm down in the states I'll try to get some Fertrell's, but unfortunately I can't stock up on it as the vitamins fade after 6 months. I'll ask at the feed mill if they have something like it. Also I was lurking around other sites and came across a cheap source of rock dust. Any company that makes granite counter tops will have a whole backyard of rock slurry, dry that out and you have free rock dust.

My big questions are:
What is a good amount of fodder to be feeding hens (pounds of fodder per hen per day)?
What additional feed (pounds of feed per hen per day) should I use?

 

[Don P]

I agree that vitamins may not be the main reason they are not laying, but they are a part of it and you want to make sure they have plenty.

The protein is what I think may be the main reason. Unless they all went into moult at the same time. so more lentils or peas etc. foddered, fermented or raw if they will eat them. My pullets don't like peas. Many of my hens won't eat raw dried split green peas, some will eat fermented yellow peas or foddered, but its not their favorite. so you may have to underfeed them a bit to get them to clean up the peas.

I would feed Fodder at the dry weight of the grain used to make it. In other words if you feed 1/4 lb of feed per hen per day, I would give them the amount of Fodder that came from 1/4 lb of grain.
Because remember the leaf and root at mainly water at this point and a little carb.

So 5 hens would get 1 1/4 lbs of grain grown to fodder each day. You can determine how many lbs = how many cups of your feed and do it by cups.
I use giant 3 lb plastic coffee containers. 1/2 full is about 3# and top full is about 6 lbs of feed which apparently weighs more than coffee grounds in the same space

I would also provide a little fermented feed or dry feed or pellets free choice along with fodder.
This way some hens may eat more fodder some may eat more dry but they all have access to both.

When you ferment feed, if it had the vitamins and minerals added on to it, they may have washed off in the fermenting, this is why some vitamins sprinkled on to the damp fodder or fermented feed right when you go to feed it so it sticks to it is a good idea.

Or buy a dry feed with vitamins, minerals and probiotics added to it for their free choice.

Most recommend just under 1/4 lb to 1/3 lb total feed per hen per day. If they free pasture you may get by with less feed.

As a natural physician I work daily with people who have not taken enough or high enough quality supplements and their health is impaired in a variety of ways because our soils are depleted in nutrients, so the foods grown in them are as well. We would need to eat 10 to 50 servings of different fruits and vegetables to get the same nutrient content they had in the 1950s. Its amazing we are as healthy as we are.
And now GMO crops are really messing people up. Say no to GMO!! Many European countries and Russia have banned GMO.

So I am acutely aware of the need for good nutritional supplementation. 20 years ago our hens produced near daily eggs up to age 5 and then slowed down. Now even with better feeding practices, organic feed and fodder and ferment, they slow after 2-3 years.

Now this could be greatly due to inbreeding as well and some better genetic strains of hens may lay longer. But we are what we eat ate.
And that goes for your hens too.
Giving them some of your own home grown foods from a composted garden full of worms, and pasture grass with lots of minerals added and no chemicals used would be best.

 

[LindaB220]

I agree that vitamins may not be the main reason they are not laying, but they are a part of it and you want to make sure they have plenty.

The protein is what I think may be the main reason. Unless they all went into moult at the same time. so more lentils or peas etc. foddered, fermented or raw if they will eat them. My pullets don't like peas. Many of my hens won't eat raw dried split green peas, some will eat fermented yellow peas or foddered, but its not their favorite. so you may have to underfeed them a bit to get them to clean up the peas.

I would feed Fodder at the dry weight of the grain used to make it. In other words if you feed 1/4 lb of feed per hen per day, I would give them the amount of Fodder that came from 1/4 lb of grain.
Because remember the leaf and root at mainly water at this point and a little carb.

So 5 hens would get 1 1/4 lbs of grain grown to fodder each day. You can determine how many lbs = how many cups of your feed and do it by cups.
I use giant 3 lb plastic coffee containers. 1/2 full is about 3# and top full is about 6 lbs of feed which apparently weighs more than coffee grounds in the same space

I would also provide a little fermented feed or dry feed or pellets free choice along with fodder.
This way some hens may eat more fodder some may eat more dry but they all have access to both.

When you ferment feed, if it had the vitamins and minerals added on to it, they may have washed off in the fermenting, this is why some vitamins sprinkled on to the damp fodder or fermented feed right when you go to feed it so it sticks to it is a good idea.

Or buy a dry feed with vitamins, minerals and probiotics added to it for their free choice.

Most recommend just under 1/4 lb to 1/3 lb total feed per hen per day. If they free pasture you may get by with less feed.

As a natural physician I work daily with people who have not taken enough or high enough quality supplements and their health is impaired in a variety of ways because our soils are depleted in nutrients, so the foods grown in them are as well. We would need to eat 10 to 50 servings of different fruits and vegetables to get the same nutrient content they had in the 1950s. Its amazing we are as healthy as we are.
And now GMO crops are really messing people up. Say no to GMO!! Many European countries and Russia have banned GMO.

So I am acutely aware of the need for good nutritional supplementation. 20 years ago our hens produced near daily eggs up to age 5 and then slowed down. Now even with better feeding practices, organic feed and fodder and ferment, they slow after 2-3 years.

Now this could be greatly due to inbreeding as well and some better genetic strains of hens may lay longer. But we are what we eat ate.
And that goes for your hens too.
Giving them some of your own home grown foods from a composted garden full of worms, and pasture grass with lots of minerals added and no chemicals used would be best.

Don P. This is an incredibly important post. The lack of nutrients in the soil is something nobody is talking about. Other than adding azomite or rock dust what can people do for their gardens? Cover crops or manure crops?

 

[Elizabethan]

I think we're underfeeding them then, for 25 hens we were giving them about 7lbs of finished fodder, plus compost and a bit of feed.
So we are just today upping the count to 55 hens. So by your scale we should be giving the 13.75 lb before sprouting, plus the daily compost and a bit of pellet. They are a poultry net free range set up with a large compost pile.

In fact we also have 60 meat birds just starting on fodder so double that right?
The 10 turkeys won't touch the fodder.


That would explain things and we will also check into a vitamin/mineral mix.
As to the rest of your post I agree and this is why we are doing this
Thank you

 

[LindaB220]

I think we're underfeeding them then, for 25 hens we were giving them about 7lbs of finished fodder, plus compost and a bit of feed.
So we are just today upping the count to 55 hens. So by your scale we should be giving the 13.75 lb before sprouting, plus the daily compost and a bit of pellet. They are a poultry net free range set up with a large compost pile.

In fact we also have 60 meat birds just starting on fodder so double that right?
The 10 turkeys won't touch the fodder.


That would explain things and we will also check into a vitamin/mineral mix.
As to the rest of your post I agree and this is why we are doing this
Thank you

Good, stay in touch and let us know how it's working.

 

[chickensfinally]

Ta ta ta ta ta ta! (Trumpeting) I *finally* got through this whole thread (all 3805 posts)!!! I have started some wheat and after 12 hrs of soaking and 15 or so hrs of sitting in a non-holed container, rinsed and drained twice, I already noticed the rootlet beginning to show! I will try to get some holes put into one of my containers today and want to start some barley too. I got 50 lbs of each grain at a local grainery for less than $20 each, I was happy enough with the price. I only have 6 chickens so I only have a 1/4 cup dry seed going currently. I wanted to start slow, in case I messed up for a bit at first, that way less seed is wasted Currently my girls, okay...and one boy!, do not get to range. So this was my compromise for that. If I get a tractor made up and they can get some grass time, then I will only do this in my iowa winter. I am also growing mealworms and want to get back to fermenting, I did it while they were brooding inside and they LOVED it! So far I don't have enough mealworms to feed out, but hope to by winter

 

[chrissyr]

I take the tray and put a sprinkle of oyster shell fine grind in the bottom of the tray next spread the seed , wet out and stack the trays one atop the other for root development , they thrive in the dark and under pressure from above after they are set a few days we seperate them out under low light and water with a vitamin b complex solution with a kelp extract, this vit b/kelp  solution adds potassium and vit b to the fodder the seeds experience accelerated growth under the lights, adjusting the ph of the water with an acidifier to ph 5.8 promotes strong growth, Seems contrived but the extra encouragement is extra nutrition, calcium,(oyster shell) potassium vit b. The growth takes the same amount of time but adding effort pays off.The oyster shell adds a matrix for the roots binding the slab together, less wastage from flinging the sprouts around. The pressure on the emerging seeds is an old Chinese trick for making mung bean sprouts that's how they get those long fat sprouts the stress of pressure  from above strengthens elongates and creates fat roots that can support lush growth when exposed to light. I also learned this from producers of micro greens,  they use it to keep the harvest all at the same height of growth. Adding the supplements to the process is nutrition for the bird as well, the hens need the calcium. All it involves is stacking the trays in the dark for early root development.
 A rinse solution of 1 ounce 3% hydrogen peroxide in 2 cups of water (30 ml in 500 ml water) is effective in controlling any sign of molding or bad bacterial smells ,  it doesn't harm the sprouts only sanitizes the bacteria, mold condition, can save a batch from being rejected.  Its safe to  rinse the seeds ahead of time in the same solution as it prevents any surface borne bacteria on the seeds from becoming incubated. Hydrogen peroxide in a weak solution will not affect live plant tissue but will oxidize and break down into oxygen and hydrogen when in contact with mold and bacteria. You can see it bubble and fizz as it destroys the pathogens.   Just saying , cheers to y'all it is -30degreesC  here today and sunny. twice as cold as your normal home freezer.

Great info!
I had mold in some aluminum trays so I will try these ideas .
I added even more holes but I like the oyster shell in the bottom.
Maybe it'll add more air flow.
And I Definately want to add h202 to the everyday rinse water.
A lot of waiting for nothing on a few trays with mold coming out.
Thank you again

 

[Aphrael]

I'm finally caught back up!

I'm just now getting back to sprouting. I had so much going on I didn't have time or space for it for awhile, but I'm back on the bus now. I'll have the first bucket ready to feed out tomorrow. I know my boys and girls will be THRILLED. They have felt so neglected not getting their "special goodies".

They are so spoiled. Wheat season has been going in full swing here, so I am finally able to scoop up some free wheat at the elevator again. That saves me SO much money on feed. I got 2 5 gallon buckets full today. Probably about 45 - 48 pounds each.

What do y'all think seems to work the best to inhibit the mold growth; bleach, peroxide, or acv? I have all 3 and could easily use any of them. I'm just wondering if anyone has noticed one working a little more effectively than the others. Or are they all about equal?

 

[momofthehouse]

I am on day 6 of my first fodder and it is so easy! I will def be doing it all the time

Questions:

How much fodder does one grown bird usually eat? (I have 60-70 birds so was curious so I can get a large enough bin)

What do you guys do during winter months? Does it smell if kept in the house or garage (Garage doesnt get light so that probably wouldn't work huh?)

How low can the temps be for the fodder to still grow? (Thinking I could keep it on my deck if it can handle below 32F temps, I am in WA)

Some of the growth is uneven, taller in some areas and shorter in others. How do I keep it more level?

Thanks!

 

[chrissyr]

I had some issues with mold and am happy to say adding peroxide to the rinse water has helped trendously!
I do have oyster shell on the bottom of the pan, but grit would work well too. Seems to be working well for me now