Question about using oxine on growing sprouts.

[Nicole01]

I just purchased a 4 tier grain and bean sprouter this morning to grow alfalfa sprouts for my chickens. I may try sprouting sunflower seeds, lentil, ect as a varity.

I've been reading that some people have problems with mold. The seeds are suppose to sprout in 3-4 days. My question is if I spray a weak dose of an oxine/water mixture would be necessary or lessen the molding?

I've never grown anything other then a bonsi tree and aloe plant.lol I'm hoping this will be a success and my girls will have greens over the winter for the vitamins and keeping their yolks orange. I've noticed that their yolks are yellow now they don't have the lushious green grass to graze on.

Would you mist the sprouts with oxine?

 

[Kassaundra]

I have never done that, but can't see where it would hurt anything at all. The chickens can eat drink oxine (diluted enough) so that wouldn't hurt them. I don't know if it would work for what you are wanting, but I would give it a try.

 

[Nicole01]

I've never sprouted before, but I've heard oxine eliminates fungus. I'll try a weak dose spray just in case. I'm excited to try growing sprouts. I'm sure my chickens will benefit from it now that there are no other greens available.

 

[galanie]

Keep those sprouts rinsed and wash off the sprouter when it's empty and you shouldn't have any problem with mold. The diluted (and NOT ACTIVATED) Oxine wont' hurt the chickens but it really shouldn't be needed.

 

[Nicole01]

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Thanks. I'd never activate the oxine. I've heard it is dangerous, so I never bought the crystals that activate it. I do love the oxine product! We use it once a week inside the coop to clean the roosts, nest boxes and walls. I've read that people had problem with mold, maybe they are letting their sprouts sit too long in the first place? I will keep an eye on them.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

The best way to prevent problems like that is to rinse your sprouts several times a day with cool water, make sure they get some fresh air and disinfect your sprouter between uses. Not rinsing the sprouts enough as they grow is the best way to have problems, along with not draining them enough after the rinse.

If you want to disinfect the seeds, it's usually done in the beginning. I don't think most people bother with it, but usually it's either with grapefruit seed extract or food quality peroxide. After the initial disinfection, the seeds are rinsed with cool clean water several times a day.

I've never known anyone that's sprayed the sprouts with a disinfectant later. These days, I'm sure there are people somewhere that do. People spray almost anything with disinfectant somewhere. If you're using something that's mostly non-toxic to the chickens and it isn't killing the sprouts, it should work.

 

[KenK]

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I grew sunflower sprouts for the birds this summer and they were crazy for them. I used nursery flats with soil. It's too cool to sprout outdoors now so I'm looking for something that will work indoors.

 

[Nicole01]

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Thank you very much!

 

[Nicole01]

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I grew sunflower sprouts for the birds this summer and they were crazy for them. I used nursery flats with soil. It's too cool to sprout outdoors now so I'm looking for something that will work indoors.

Maybe I'll throw some dirt in a plastic container and try this in our basement. I can actually start this today. Thanks!

 

[KenK]

The first ones I did I used a cardboard box. Spread the seeds out on top of the soil to completely cover the soil in a single layer. I think sunflowers must need fairly warm temps to germinate because mine just about gave up as the days started getting cooler.