Official BYC Poll: Do You Grow Fodder For Your Chickens?

[BYC Project Manager]

Fodder is the process of germinating seeds and feeding the resulting sprouts (and remaining seeds) to your chickens. They will also enjoy eating some fresh greenery especially during the cold months, when nothing fresh grows outside and foraging. What's great about growing fodder is you don't need any soil, any fertilizer or any chemicals.

So we would like to find out: Do Your Grow Fodder For Your Chickens?

Feel free to tell us your experiences in the comments section.

Further Reading:

Its FODDER Season!
Creating Your Own Fodder System
$10 Inexpensive DIY Fodder Tower with Dollar Tree Dish Bins

(Check out more Official BYC Polls HERE!)

 

[rjohns39]

I don't have a place warm enough to grow it. One day I'd like to.

 

[SulkyBantam]

I don't have a place warm enough to grow it. One day I'd like to.

same here.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I just don't have time or space to do it. My girls free range daily as long as there's no snow on the ground. Maybe some day.

 

[BYC Project Manager]

I don't have a place warm enough to grow it. One day I'd like to.

Thanks @rjohns39 - I'll add that to the poll options.

 

[Wolfie2]

I'm in an area where I can grow stuff year round. I have a treats box for them, 3x6' frame made of 2x4s with hardware cloth covering the top . In the summer I will rake whatever seeds left over from planting the garden into the soil under the box. In the fall it is usually cereal Rye seed. Grows all winter here and chickens love it. These plants try to grow through the HC but the birds keep it eaten below this level.
Since I have plenty of birds I am thinking about building another, bigger, to add even more greenery to their diet.

 

[RLockhart68]

Just got chickens this spring. So started my first batch of fodder last week. Using deer plot seed and starter grow trays with a couple holes punched in the bottom. Had tried a different brand in the spring in smaller quantities to introduce them to greens. Wasn't impressed with the results. Really liking the results with this.
What I'm using

Root mat on day 5 (not counting the 24 hour soak)

 

[alwaystj9]

Mine free range over 5 acres. They don't need any more greens.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I have grazing greens growing in their pens covered with hardware cloth, but in colder months & winter I use shallow plastic bins to Sprout grains from my pigeon feed. I have 2 mealworm bins, too. I need to build a type of ladder to get these bins vertical. Right now they're in a bathroom that needs remodeling. The house temp. is abt 70 degrees but there's a skylight in the bathroom so my sprouts do well.

 

[AntiqueB]

I only have 2 chickens, so I can sprout wheat seed on the windowsill. I usually have 2 tiny "flats" going, each about the size of my hand. I grow it, but they don't always eat it -- it isn't their favorite food by far. They seem to eat the younger sprouts before the older ones that have more green. If I give them some every 2 or 3 days, they eat it better than if I try to feed every day.