Growing fodder for chickens

[Papas Chickens]

Right. Cleanliness is the key factor when growing fodder.  Ooops, maybe you were not corresponding with me.

It is and I was

 

[blackstone]

Well, my feed store doesn't have barley.
I'm going to have to hunt around

I forgot to ask about rye

Made a couple more calls and struck out on barley.
Must not be grown around me.

Looked online and it becomes cost prohibitive.

Looks like I'll either stick with wheat and they'll learn to like it or starve or drop the whole idea

 

[Kassaundra]

What is it you don't understand?

I don't understand why using the fish water to grow fodder for the chickens wouldn't be a good thing?

The extra nutrients could only help the young fodder plants. A great way to recycle the water.

As far as fish poop goes, my chickens gladly dig through much worse things and eat dirt and rocks and bugs and happily dig through the mulch bin w/ all sorts of stuff I wouldn't eat. And many people grow their own food in fish poop water (aquaponics) and eat the veggies from the grow bed including lettuce, greens and herbs.

If the fish poop water thing bothered someone that much they could just rinse the fodder mat w/ fresh water before feed out.

 

[Kassaundra]

Dirty warm water from a fish tank = moldy, smelly, slimy and bad growth in fodder. Clean cool water is the way to go.

Many, many people use aquaponics to grow food for themselves. Obviously you haven't used a f/t, g/b set up if that is what you think the water would be like.

 

[CATRYNA]

I don't understand why using the fish water to grow fodder for the chickens wouldn't be a good thing?

The extra nutrients could only help the young fodder plants. A great way to recycle the water.

As far as fish poop goes, my chickens gladly dig through much worse things and eat dirt and rocks and bugs and happily dig through the mulch bin w/ all sorts of stuff I wouldn't eat. And many people grow their own food in fish poop water (aquaponics) and eat the veggies from the grow bed including lettuce, greens and herbs.

If the fish poop water thing bothered someone that much they could just rinse the fodder mat w/ fresh water before feed out.

I fully understand what you are saying. Our chickens, too, dig through piles of goat, cow and horse manure before we compost it. And, actually sometimes they do a pretty good job of composting those piles for us. But, when it comes to growing fodder, basically what we are doing, here, is sprouting the grain to the point where it would not be able to continue growing without some kind of growing medium via whether it's the ground, hydroponics or aquaponics. Sprouting requires no more nutrients other than what the grain itself provides for a short priod of time, but beyond that it will die. As far as the water, is concerned, directing it into a garden or trees or as drinking water for animals, is a great way to recycle it, as it is nutrient dense. I have been sprouting for around 45 years and believe me when I say clean water is important or there will be an overgrowth of bacteria or fungus, which you don't want. Also, the increase in gnats will be exponential. Growing fodder and how it is done is entirely different than with advanced plants.

 

[CATRYNA]

It is and I was

 

[CATRYNA]

Well, my feed store doesn't have barley.
I'm going to have to hunt around

I forgot to ask about rye

Made a couple more calls and struck out on barley.
Must not be grown around me.

Looked online and it becomes cost prohibitive.

Looks like I'll either stick with wheat and they'll learn to like it or starve or drop the whole idea

I have found online searches for Barley to be too expensive, what with the shipping and all. We used to be able to buy here in town, a 50# bag of recleaned Barley for $16. But, since Spring the Barley has been grossly full of other types of feed which contaminates the fodder or it didn't grow at all. We have switched to Wheat primarily. I found this website:
http://www.augasonfarms.com/#, to be the best ,so far. Yes, their shipping takes the price of a 50# bag of wheat up to $40, but recently they had a 35% sale along with free shipping on an order $200 or more. I was able to order (9) 50# bags and it ended up bringing the price down to a decent $25 per bag. I hope this helps.

 

[LindaB220]

I don't understand why using the fish water to grow fodder for the chickens wouldn't be a good thing?

The extra nutrients could only help the young fodder plants. A great way to recycle the water.

As far as fish poop goes, my chickens gladly dig through much worse things and eat dirt and rocks and bugs and happily dig through the mulch bin w/ all sorts of stuff I wouldn't eat. And many people grow their own food in fish poop water (aquaponics) and eat the veggies from the grow bed including lettuce, greens and herbs.

If the fish poop water thing bothered someone that much they could just rinse the fodder mat w/ fresh water before feed out.

Yeah, I wondered about that. I know nothing so this is a way to learn.

 

[blackstone]

Thanks, CATRYNA.
I get wheat for under $10/bushel from the local feed store.
Of course, it's not organic and, hopefully mot GMO.

At $40 delivered, it gets harder for me to justify foddering.
I buy Dumoors feed for $15.

I don't have a lot of room but may look at growing some barley next year.

 

[LindaB220]

Thanks, CATRYNA.
I get wheat for under $10/bushel from the local feed store.
Of course, it's not organic and, hopefully mot GMO.

At $40 delivered, it gets harder for me to justify foddering.
I buy Dumoors feed for $15.

I don't have a lot of room but may look at growing some barley next year.

Make sure it's not treated for planting. You can't use it otherwise. That's all I can get at my feed store so I buy the Emergency food buckets of it from Walmarts

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Augason-Farms-Emergency-Food-Hard-White-Wheat-26-lb/22001478

Shipping is free with $50 so I just order coffee and stuff to cover it.