Hatching Eggs / Paypal CHAT Thread

[CelticOaksFarm]

watch the super high protein if you are feeding waterfowl. It can be very bad for them and is a leading cause for wing damage/issues in them.

 

[Bettacreek]

Thank you! I'm still reading, but wanted to come back to say thanks and to let you know I'm not ignoring your efforts, lol.

 

[pysankigirl]

Okay, I have to ask. What do the birds get from the sprouts that they don't get in their normal running around chicken day? And why keep them in the dark so they do photosynthesis? I'm not seeing the benefit behind this.

where I am, there isn't a whole lot of actual green stuff for them to eat right now, so that's why
I'm interested in trying this.. I think you are only supposed to keep them in the dark the first couple of days...like seeds would be under dirt. you can let them have light at the end. at least that's how I read it.

 

[cluckitall]

I have not done that kind of research. I really just go by what I read for the kidney damage. 40% seemed best to feed.... for most animals. Also, layer feed of years gone by had higher protein than they do now so my goal was to reduce my feed bill and up the protein to about 25%. That seemed in the safe range. They did great on it too. I still mix it in my pullet grower, but my new layer feed is 22% and they are doing well and I don't have to kill myself to keep up with spent grains and mixing feed. I do feed it wet when I get more than I can dry.

Can you imagine if we humans consistently got 25% of our calories from protein? We'd be a heck of a lot healthier, most of us Yeah, managing good nutrition with kidney disease has got to be an awful battle. I know a teeny little bit about it -- enough to know it's a real struggle. Big hugs to your mom!

I'm doing the same thing -- trying to find ways to up the protein to a good level while keeping the cost down... I have GOT to get some unfiltered ACV while I'm out tomorrow and try fermenting, too! I decided a long time ago it was way easier to feed everybody broiler mash and give the hens extra calcium/oyster shells, so that helps a bit. Plus I don't need to worry about which bag I'm reaching into

 

[Bettacreek]

Diabetes hurts the kidneys because kidneys are extremely vascular and high blood sugar damages the blood vessels. A low protein is necessary because those damaged kidneys cannot filter out the toxins created by the metabolism of proteins. Still reading though. One says "research has shown drop in production of layers fed more than 30% dbg, but claims that no changes in anything happened by feeding the lower amounts. I would like to see the actual results, instead of a one sentence summary by the third party.

 

[Sahwithchicks]

Okay, I have to ask. What do the birds get from the sprouts that they don't get in their normal running around chicken day? And why keep them in the dark so they do photosynthesis? I'm not seeing the benefit behind this.

I only do it in the dark because I don't have a better place to do it to keep a child's inquisitive hands off it. It is practical and it stays at a great temperature, not too cold not too hot. I also read, which may be different from others experience here, that sunlight/heat can worsen molding problems. I feed my fodder to birds that do not free range, which are only my quail and black Dutch bantams. My free rangers could care less about fodder. I assume when I start putting them in breeding cages and limit their free ranging, they will become more interested. I started fodder because I noticed a huge difference in food consumption from my locked up birds to my free ranging birds (obviously) an decided I needed to find something to supplement the feed of the quail with a pseudo range, if you will.
Sprouting seeds increases nutritional value and well as increasing food volume. Two shot glasses of seeds gives me a pound of grass that my Dutch bantams devour.

 

[bradselig]

So what's the difference between fodder and sprouting seeds? I would sprout seeds, beans, etc for my parrot and have some left over I'm going to try with for the chickens. Also, I've been seeing people feed BOSS (sadly I JUST figured out what it was!), but have a question, is it fed in the shell or shelled? Thanks for all the information on fodder! I'm definitely going to give it a try. Seems like a great thing to do, especially in the winter.

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Sprouts don't need sun.  It is like the seed in the ground, no sun.  Fodder does not need much if any sun, but it does not hurt.  The first 1/2 of fodder is the sprout stage once it would be above ground then the sun would come into play.  Think about when you remove something that has been sitting on the ground for a little while.  There is still pale grass under it, still green, just not as green as it would be if it had sun.

Yes, but since the sprout will do photosynthesis given the light, and that's energy conversion, I don't understand why inhibiting it is good. I assume some has figured out that it is, but I don't know!

Okay, I have to ask. What do the birds get from the sprouts that they don't get in their normal running around chicken day? And why keep them in the dark so they do photosynthesis? I'm not seeing the benefit behind this.

where I am, there isn't a whole lot of actual green stuff for them to eat right now, so that's why

I'm interested in trying this..  I think you are only supposed to keep them in the dark the first couple of days...like seeds would be under dirt.  you can let them have light at the end.  at least that's how I read it.

I hadn't thought of places with winter snow and no green stuff growing. A product of my geography! That would make much more sense than me doing it NC. There's almost always something out there for them to have fun with here.

I really hadn't thought about geographical differences. I should more. It affects lots of different things that we do for our livestock.

 

[Sahwithchicks]

I don't think it's necessarily good to keep them in the dark, it's just convenient for me, and since I get 3 inch sprouts, it doesn't hurt it. I am sure that given the opportunity in sun, my sprouts would be greener and more nutritious. I just haven't figured out where to set it up safely for it to work

 

[Sahwithchicks]

Personally I think sprouts are when the seeds just begin to emerge plants, whereas fodder you are growing a root mat and letting the plants grow more. I would guess your seeds would do just fine