Growing sprouts or fodder? C'mon in!

[thecatumbrella]

Tell me all about it! Post pics, even.

Which variety do your chickens seem to enjoy the most? Which do YOU enjoy the most? Do you grow in jars or trays? Any tips, tricks, or hacks?

My chickens seem to uniformly prefer wheatgrass. I think alfalfa is the tastiest, but it's also the biggest pain to grow with the super tiny seeds. I'm experimenting with radish this week. Stuff smells nasty! Makes me think of the guy growing mung beans at his desk in The Office.

I started growing with large trays, then moved to jars with straining lids. I have some tiny trays coming in the mail today, so I'll update if those are successful. It's always a balance between ease of use and ease of cleaning.

If anyone's new to sprouts, this is the guide I used to get me started.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I don't grow anything for mine as we free range and they can get their own stuff. I'm curious enough to follow along being a gardener. I used to sprout seeds to breed budgies. That's about as close I ever got. I just used their seed mix. I would assume chickens would love that too. I occasionally treat mine with bird seed in the winter. Too cold to mess with sprouts in the winter here.

 

[ChickenChick46]

I used to grow sprouts all the time for myself. I haven't in a while, but I used mason jars with strainer lids. I do grow kale in a Letpot countertop hydroponic garden. My chickens love that. It used to be grown for us, but ya know, chickens.

 

[thecatumbrella]

I don't grow anything for mine as we free range and they can get their own stuff. I'm curious enough to follow along being a gardener. I used to sprout seeds to breed budgies. That's about as close I ever got. I just used their seed mix. I would assume chickens would love that too. I occasionally treat mine with bird seed in the winter. Too cold to mess with sprouts in the winter here.

I can understand not going through the trouble for free range birds. It's been a nice source of greens for ours (that are confined), but it does require a little counter space. Never thought to try sprouting a seed mix... hmmm. You've got me intrigued!

 

[thecatumbrella]

I used to grow sprouts all the time for myself. I haven't in a while, but I used mason jars with strainer lids. I do grow kale in a Letpot countertop hydroponic garden. My chickens love that. It used to be grown for us, but ya know, chickens.

Oh man, I got a hydroponic garden during covid, and the thing is so bright that it's like a spaceship! Ended up banishing it to the basement. I very much appreciate that the sprouts seem to grow with just a little humidity.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Oh man, I got a hydroponic garden during covid, and the thing is so bright that it's like a spaceship! Ended up banishing it to the basement. I very much appreciate that the sprouts seem to grow with just a little humidity.

Did you grow anything with it? I was tempted to buy one to grow lettuce all winter long, but didn't know if it was worth it.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Did you grow anything with it? I was tempted to buy one to grow lettuce all winter long, but didn't know if it was worth it.

The salad greens do really well with the cut and come again method. And I'm very greedy on the "cut". They all bounce back. The worst part is the light and having the clean it. They just get super scummy and need to be washed out between batches. You're also supposed to change the water in the tank weekly or biweekly.

If you lived closer, I would give you one of mine. It's just collecting dust.

 

[thecatumbrella]

It's Sproutopia over here. Got my wheatgrass and radish jars, plus new tiny trays of wheatgrass and radish in the soaking phase. Trying to compare the two methods to see if there's a clear winner.

And yes, that's the chickens' Scratch & Peck mash container next to the bread box. And my chickens' b-vitamin foods IN the bread box. Not much room for actual bread.

 

[ChickenChick46]

Oh man, I got a hydroponic garden during covid, and the thing is so bright that it's like a spaceship! Ended up banishing it to the basement. I very much appreciate that the sprouts seem to grow with just a little humidity.

Yes!! Ours were on the kitchen counter. But the living room and kitchen are a big open space. That's one of my favorite pairs of this house, lol. But at night, they were so bright. They got banished to the hallway! My husband built them a special shelf, lol. I've got 2.