Growing fodder for chickens

[lynnehd]

I went and got some wheat a little bit ago. I am using a fodder system with 5 gallon buckets. I'm putting 18oz of wheat in the buckets. Does that sound like to much or do I need to add more?

I think if you're trying to grow fodder, rather than just sprouting the seeds, you something with a more tray-like shape. Over a pound of wheat in the bottom of a 5 gal bucket sounds like way too much. When I seed my trays I really just shotot for a layer thick enough I can't see the bottom.

Agreed. A flatter tray, more width than height, will allow more air flow, and you should get better germination. The seeds need to be more spread out; they need air.
Something like this: https://www.tigerchef.com/thunder-g...--wgoVgfuLCmGSfvfhL7seB85quUCOk2FwaAoCL8P8HAQ

 

[ShanandGem]

I can say with certainty that fodder is the first food little birds will try and love. I make a soft food with either pumpkin or lentils and spinach and eggs and the little guys still won't even try it. They will eat yogurt and fodder like there's no tomorrow though.

 

[Nous Defions]

Sprouting a seed for a few days in a soil free environment with just water is soooo not the  same as planting an acorn in the ground and letting it grow for years.

There is more "mass" when the seed sprouts but since the seed  has nothing to draw from other than itself, the nutrition available is not increased. This is why if you feed one cup of seed or take a cup of seed and sprout it, your basic nutrition is the same.....not the mass/quantity that you feed....but the nutrition. Sprouting makes the seed more digestible so your flock may be able to absorb more nutrition from the sprouts but the nutrition itself is not increased. 

This is a flawed argument.

Let's take these two points as fact-

1. All a plant needs to create glucose is sunlight, carbon dioxide , and water.
2. Animal cells need glucose for cellular respiration. They have mechanisms for creating glucose out of complex carbs, fat, and protein, but these are less efficient.

Given those two points-

A sprouted seed with green leaves (blades of grass) probably has significantly more glucose than the unsprouted seed. The feed now contains all three macronutrients, which means the chickens cells don't need to render glucose from the fat and protein. This means they are free to go to other process (growing, storing energy, etc).

 

[NotAFarm]

Quote: Okay

 

[beginnergirl]

Great information!

Thanks.

This is a flawed argument.

Let's take these two points as fact-

1. All a plant needs to create glucose is sunlight, carbon dioxide , and water.
2. Animal cells need glucose for cellular respiration. They have mechanisms for creating glucose out of complex carbs, fat, and protein, but these are less efficient.
Excellent! Just read this preparing for a gardening test.
Given those two points-

A sprouted seed with green leaves (blades of grass) probably has significantly more glucose than the unsprouted seed. The feed now contains all three macronutrients, which means the chickens cells don't need to render glucose from the fat and protein. This means they are free to go to other process (growing, storing energy, etc).

 

[Cage10]

I've been searching this thread but I can't find any answers.
I'm wondering if growing fodder is a cheap food supplement, our is it just a snack for the chickens. Has anyone figured out the cost compared to feed? Any answers are welcome.
Thanks

 

[Cheers2Ya]

How cool! I am going to do this when I get my set-up finished! Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[chickluvinfreak]

Does fodder or sprouts have the same benefits of having pastured poultry? Is their chlorophyll or omega 3s in fodder? The thread on sprouts said they weren't the same as feeding greens to chickens. Is fodder the same way?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It isn't the same because the fodder won't have access to the minerals that are in soil. All they have is water.

 

[Jmetevier]

Where do you get your poultry wheat for $8/ 50 pound bags. I am just getting started and trying to figure out where to get the seed.