Growing fodder for chickens

[PetRock]

I bought wheat and oat sides in 1 lb packages online to try my hand at growing fodder for my "girls" and it turned out great. Unfortunately, I cannot find a place locally that sells seeds in bulk so I can do it on a continuing basis. I live in the high desert of So. California. Anyone out there know where I can buy bulk seeds for wheat, oats or barley that I don't have to have shipped? I am willing to drive approx. 75 miles to pick it up.

Have you checked at the feed stores? My whole grains come from King Feed and I buy them at the feed store. Perhaps your feed store could get some in for you. King Feed is somewhere down in S CA, I think.

http://king-brand.com/new/

 

[LindaB220]

One thing that doesn't quite add up to me is that the grain by itself is only 50% digestible. Once it sprouts it becomes almost 100% digestible. The daily nutrient requirement for your animals isn't based on weight but on the nutrients in the grain. Most of the weight of fodder is just water weight.

You may be able to get 6lbs of fodder from 1lb of grain but if your animal requires 1lb of grain to meet its nutritional daily value and the grain is only 50% digestible then you still have to feed that animal 3lb of fodder to equal what it would have got with 1lb of grain. You can cut your feed bill in half but you can't replace fodder with grain at a 1 to 1 ratio or your animal will be deficient.

You are so welcome. And you are correct. Bottom line is they have to have the correct amount of protein. Chickens also eat meat. I'd not assume that they are getting everything they need with the fodder. No matter what anybody says. lol People need to do a lot of research and trail and error to get it right.

 

[callen0912]

Finding this post has been incredibly helpful and informative, but also bad for my sleep! It's almost 2am and I'm awake reading about fodder!

 

[callen0912]

After reading deep into this thread (didn't finish it though!), that led me to research what grains had what nutritional value and whatnot. That led me to be curious as to what a complete nutrition would be for a laying hen. While I'm sure this isn't all that there is to nutritional value, it does say that B vitamins are crucial in nutrient utilization, while vitamin A helps with metabolic activity and high laying performance. There are quite a few others of course, so here's the link to the full article that includes a chart for those that are interested!

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publi...ok/3/optimum-vitamin-nutrition-of-laying-hens

Edited to add another helpful link I think many will enjoy!
http://www.poultryhub.org/nutrition...nutrient-requirements-of-egg-laying-chickens/

 

[RoseMarie1]

My chickens are loving the fodder. I have fed it to them 3 times so far and got another batch going now. I need to figure out how to do it to where they will have fodder each day until the next batch gets made and ready to feed out. I haven't stopped to really think that part through yet. So far I have done lentils and oats. Not being able to find barley around here. Don't want to have to order it offline all the time.

 

[evemfoster]

Try feed stores, places that sell feed to hobbyists or to larger livestock farms even horse farms and ranches. Baring that look for the farms. If you find a farm that raises livestock ask them where they get their feed. Even if they have it delivered by the Simi load you would at least know where they get it from. The local bulk supplier that delivers feed by the tun will still sell grain in bags as small as 50 pounds. If you think a 50 pound bag is still too large remember grain that is kept dry can sit about 20 years or more and still sprout.

 

[CATRYNA]

My chickens are loving the fodder. I have fed it to them 3 times so far and got another batch going now. I need to figure out how to do it to where they will have fodder each day until the next batch gets made and ready to feed out. I haven't stopped to really think that part through yet. So far I have done lentils and oats. Not being able to find barley around here. Don't want to have to order it offline all the time.

Barley for the past 6 months, here in SOCAL, has been a bust. It's readily available at feed stores, etc, but whether it's viable and will sprout is another matter. At at $16 for a 50# bag, it was a better price than anything else around, but not if it sits in the pan and molds without sprouting. We finally gave up on that score last Fall. I ended up ordering 400# of wheat berries. I have never had a problem sprouting it. We also sprout lentils, mung, black urad bean, etc. Finding these is easy, it's finding them at a decent price is the problem.

 

[lazy gardener]

I paid $25 each for barley and wheat last fall. No savings to be had here in Maine.

 

[Clucksandgiggle]

Here is a photo that I posted earlier in this thread. I can't remember if it is wheat or kamut that is growing in the containers.
I use clear plastic shoe box size containers. I have six with many holes drilled in the bottom. The bottoms are not level so most holes are in the lowest parts of the bottom so that drainage is easier. I have one that does not have holes. They sit above a green seedling tray (middle shelf) and the clear plastic dome top of the seedling tray (bottom shelf) to catch any drainage.
I soak seeds/grain (approx. 3/4 cup) in the glass dish (with a paper towel covering) that is one the top shelf. I soak for 6 - 8 hours, generally during the day so I can "swish them around" when I think about it. In the evening, I thoroughly rinse, drain and place the seeds/grains in the one container without holes. I place a second container on top of the seeds/grain and put a cotton dish towel inside the second container (bottom shelf, far left container). I find that the weight of the container and dish towel put "pressure" on the grain and the dish towel makes it "darker" which I think helps them germinate better. YMMV. The next evening, that container is rinsed thoroughly and poured into the container with holes that was providing the pressure. They are rinsed and a damp paper towel placed on top of them (bottom shelf, middle container). The next evening, that container is rinsed thoroughly and the paper towel removed (by now they are getting roots and some greening-bottom shelf, right container). Repeat same procedure until feeding. I don't move the containers to a different spot on the shelves, I just put the "newest" container in the empty spot left by the one taken to be fed. The "wheat/kamut grass" in the containers on the middle shelf, middle and far right are longer than I normally feed. When it gets that long, I take the scissors and cut it before giving to the chickens.
I only grow fodder when there isn't anything outside for forage for my flock. I'm in far north central Illinois so inside is my only choice in winter since I don't have a heated greenhouse. We have gas forced air heat so humidity is not a problem during my "growing season".
Tips:
Don't make the seed mat too thick....one or two seeds thick is perfect.
Air circulation is key to prevent mold and rot from too much moisture.
Rinsing the seed well before soaking will help get rid of debris/dirt that could harbor mold later.
Start small, get a system/routine going and then fine tune to fit your lifestyle and flock.

This is a great picture showing your fodder system. My question is: approx. how much seed do you put in each bucket?

Thanks a bunch for the info!

 

[NotAFarm]

This is a great picture showing your fodder system. My question is: approx. how much seed do you put in each bucket?

Thanks a bunch for the info!

I start with between 3/4 and 1 cup of dry wheat, kamut or barley. They swell when soaked and seem to form a perfect layer to sprout in my shoe box size containers. I use a full to rounded cup of black oil sunflower seeds when I use them and make sure to rinse them a couple of times during their soak.
My flock is loving their fresh sprouts and greens in this cold weather!