Growing fodder for chickens

[LeslieDJoyce]

Here is what we do and our trays average 13lbs each.

1200lb Horse: 1 tray/day + hay (a quarter of a flake) + 2 scoops of horse pellets (she is a hard keeper in the winter)
150lb Buck Goats (2): 1/4 tray/day + hay (just enough for them to snack)
Pilgrim Geese (3) + Muscovies (8): 1/2 tray/day + they free range
Chickens Delawares and Jersey Giants (30): 1 tray/day + they free range
American Guinea Hogs (1 boar, 1 pregnant sow, 1 gilt): 1/2 tray/day + scraps + some grass hay

Hope this helps!!

Cool! Thanks!

Two questions: Sprouted fodder is all you're feeding your chickens? What are you sprouting?

 

[juliecarkhuff]

Thank you everyone for your help

 

[smoothmule]

Here is my Barley, I'll be feeding it to my chickens this weekend. I read the peak nutrition is at 6 days.
I did this as a trial to see if I could grow it and wow O wow! My dining room is the cooler room in the house, 65 to 70 degrees in general. Lots of diffuse light, it's got a bay window on the south and another window on the west. Seems to be a good place for it so I'm planning to get some shelving and more pans. The pans I used were those 2 for $1 foil pans. The top pan I put holes a little smaller than pencil size all over the bottom. Then I used a couple of wide mouth rings from canning jars to hold the top pan up off of the bottom so it wasn't flat into the bottom pan. The bottom pan is just to catch the drips. I soaked the barley 12 hours, rinsed well and put 3/4 inch into the pan. The first 2 days, I rinsed morning, evening and bedtime, then just evening and bed time after that and it's been plenty. At 4 days, it's amazing how it's grown. It wasn't as green yesterday as it is today. The growth rate is phenomenal

 

[greenmimama]

Inspired by this thread, I started some BOSS 7 days ago, and just today I fed it to my chickens and rabbits and none of them liked it. Not one, I was so disappointed, I felt like I worked hard for them now, I have all of this started all over my kitchen, what am I doing wrong?

Also do you have holes in all of your "trays" or whatever you use to grow them? I have been putting water in my 9x13 pans and then draining them in a collander and putting them back in? id that my issue, I was so excited about this, felt like I was doing something really good for them.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

if you free range, they may be getting enough greens to satisfy them.. What state are you in? if its still fairly warm.. that may be the reason.
Mine weren't that interested but i still have a lot of green out there. I plan to wait till the snow comes and try again.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I have been Fermenting feed for my birds but not tried sprouting any. Can I use reclaimed oats? I get them at the feed store for $12 for a 50# bag. It is what I have been fermenting. If not what kind of grains specifically do I ask for. My feed store already thinks I am a crazy chicken lady so I have to know exactly what I need or I will get that look as if I have 3 heads. LOL

Maybe if you asked for "recleaned oats" they might not look that way at you quite so long. My store thinks I'm bonkers too!

I was just recently directed to this thread. I've been fermenting grain for them but it's still really pricey when you have approximately 150 birds! I can handle $40 a ton though!

I'm actually posting so I can find my spot again.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Good question! In my opinion, I'd wait until they are nearly grown. The long strand fiber in the grass might be a bit difficult for a baby. Their gizzards are small and not as tough. So.....maybe 14+ weeks old? A little once in awhile won't hurt a 7 week old youngster in my opinion, but I'd be careful with birds that have a lot of growing to do. Anybody else have an answer? I admit, that question hasn't come to mind as I only grow fodder in the winter when I don't usually have babies around. Thanks for bringing it up, Tarps!

I would just take a pair of scissors and snip the grass off in very short sections when they are small. As they get bigger, the grass lengths could get longer. As long as the grass is not dry and tough, there shouldn't be a problem with it becoming binding. However, if they eat a LOT of it (long) it can get all wrapped around itself in the crop and make a big mess. Then you'll have trouble.

I think a hen breaks off pieces of the grass to feed to the babies.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Tarps....I've asked a few poultry breeder friends of mine and the general consensus is that it is okay to have the fodder there for baby chicks to eat, but only if their regular baby appropriate rations are there so they don't fill their small crops with large grains and fiber that will take a long time to digest. As small as their crops are, they will grow better if they get maximum nutrition in every bite. Also, there was some talk about crop impactions. If the chicks have appropriately sized grit in their gizzards beforehand, this will lessen the chance for a blockage. Interesting question.

The stones in the gizzard grind the food once it gets there. First the food is held in the crop. Stones in the gizzard will not grind up long grass in the crop. As stated in the previous post, I believe the hen will tear bits of grass off the plant to feed the chick... just like she will break up grains or pelleted feed.

 

[Lacy Blues]

No, I haven't, but I'm continuing a line of research. I'm starting by breaking down the nutritional profile of the complete layer ration available at my local feed supplier. The details on the tag are less than.....inspiring. It reads as follows:

Grain products, processed grain byproducts, plant protein products, calcium carbonate, roughage products...and then goes down to list the various vitamins and minerals plus the binders, amino acids, and preservatives. I got to reading that one day, and I said...."What the heck am I feeding my chickens????" LOL For one thing, I know there has got to be GMO corn in there. I can see the corn flecks in the pellet and unless I pay the big bucks for certified organic feed, chances are it's GMO feed corn. The other grains and plant proteins....who knows? The tag also lists percentage levels for protein, crude fat, crude fiber, lysine, etc. I figure that there has got to be a way that I can provide what my birds need in a more natural way without all the chemicals and "mystery" grains. I'm not at the point where I can put aside the commercial feed completely, though. For example, I first have to nail down the alternative to synthetic dl-Methionine which is an amino acid that helps in the digestion of protein. From my initial research, there could be an herbal solution but one step at a time. It's on my to-do list. LOL

I believe this is just animal protein. Bugs fill this, as do worms and perhaps some meat in your freezer that has been there for a few years. Or you can get feeder goldfish or some kind of minnow (I'm planning on fathead minnows) cans of mackerel on sale... etc.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I wish I had a source for rye grain. I can't find any in my area.

www.groworganic.com

I believe they have rye. They have quite an assortment of certified organic grains and others that aren't certified but are raised organic.