Growing fodder for chickens

[dolfi]

Mine too! One tray feeds all my birds (21 birds - 4 peafowl, 10 ducks, 1 chicken, 1 guinea, 4 turkeys and 1 gander). They love the stuff!

Is it getting any contact with sunlight?

Blessings -

~ Aspen

Yes, it's getting the morning sun

 

[tillyita]

So I've been experimenting with smaller amounts of seeds for fodder to make sure I could grow it and my chickens would eat it, etc. All went well. So, I got the 50 lb bag of plotspike forage oats and set it up and it is not sprouting at all. Not a bit. I soaked the first batch I set up for 8 hours and the next for about 15 hours. Nothing.

Any suggestions?

Some "crops" are very sensitive to temperatures and wont spout unless everything is just right. Too hot or too cold and they just won't sprout. Also, if the oats are designed for feed they may have been "clipped" where they cut the end off the oat so that it is less bulky. If this has been done - they wont sprout at all.

 

[pdholbrook]

I did not use oats initiallt. The day after I posted they did start to sprout, they are just appallingly slow. I have a 50lb bag, so I'm going to use them, I'm just going to have to refigure out the schedule

 

[NotAFarm]

So I've been experimenting with smaller amounts of seeds for fodder to make sure I could grow it and my chickens would eat it, etc. All went well. So, I got the 50 lb bag of plotspike forage oats and set it up and it is not sprouting at all. Not a bit. I soaked the first batch I set up for 8 hours and the next for about 15 hours. Nothing.

Any suggestions?

Plotspike forage oats are intended to plant in an outside area to create deer grazing. If you have the oats indoors, they may be too warm. If you have an attached garage or basement, try putting your tray on the concrete floor. Also, you might try putting "weight" on the seeds. What ever type of tray/container you have, cover the seed/grain layer with something that puts a little bit of weight on them. I use a shoe box size container and as you can see in the picture below, I have two other containers on top of the one with the grains. Then I have a folded bath towel in the top container. It shouldn't be a lot of weight, think thin layer of soil covering the seed/grain.

 

[dolfi]

I have put this on water for overnight, put it outside for 4 days now and still nothing. I water it two or three times a day and nothing. Any ideas?

 

[Jensownzoo]

I have put this on water for overnight, put it outside for 4 days now and still nothing. I water it two or three times a day and nothing. Any ideas?

Looks like flax is a little different:

https://sproutpeople.org/growing-flax-sprouts/

 

[BOATMAN]

No, but I would like to learn how and what kind of greens grows beast.

 

[glib]

I grow 7 kinds of sprouts, through the winter for everyone, animals and humans, but I have always failed with flax. They need coir, my sprouter friends tell me. it i too much trouble when everything else grows just with water.

 

[dolfi]

I grow 7 kinds of sprouts, through the winter for everyone, animals and humans, but I have always failed with flax. They need coir, my sprouter friends tell me. it i too much trouble when everything else grows just with water.

I'm having such a hard time getting seeds. Flex and alfa was the only issue was able to find. I don't have mills here and the feed store have no idea what I'm talking about. I tried on line but too expensive.

 

[lynnehd]

I'm having such a hard time getting seeds. Flex and alfa was the only issue was able to find. I don't have mills here and the feed store have no idea what I'm talking about. I tried on line but too expensive.

I can't believe your feed store doesn't sell wheat seeds! Our does in bags or 5 gal jugs.