Sprouting? Help...

[EggWalrus]

I have no idea! I haven't ever heard of a Golden Salmon Marans, they sound beautiful. Are they dark egg layers?

Yes, the Scratch and Peck feeds are expensive. It is possible to buy the 40lb bag for the same price approx as the 25lb. which is what I do and I use it as a supplement to my regular crumble feed. I wish my local store would keep the whole grain scratch in stock so I could sprout it but I am going to try the bird seed.

I guess I'm lucky. I have a feed mill only 25 minutes away from me. If I wanted to, I could buy 50lbs bags of millet, alfalfa, oats, and all kinds of other whole grains they make the feed out of. I'm thinking about getting a bag of alfalfa when they start to molt. it's supposed to help them all molt about the same time and quickly without starving them for 2 weeks. I just couldn't starve my babies like they do in a full on forced molt.
It's middle of summer here and a bunch of my girls that weren't quite old enough to molt last fall are already starting to shed feathers. And most all my hens are bareback, it'll be nice to see them in there new clothes! Good luck with the sprouting.

 

[Bryant Redhawk]

I raise Black Copper Marans, and have two blue hens, would love to get some Golden Salmons later on.

 

[oregonkat]

I raise Black Copper Marans, and have two blue hens, would love to get some Golden Salmons later on.

I looked the Golden Salmons up and of course Bev Davis has them. They look like Welsummers to me. I have had BCM's for a long time too, absolutely love them. I might try to get some Golden Salmons if there is a hidden breeder near me! My husband is going to pitch a fit!

 

[newchickenmom33]

I tried sprouting in a mason jar with a coffee filter and put a few extra holes and it seems to be working... no mold... I won’t attempt longer than 3 days until winter.

 

[lazy gardener]

Picked up 50# of whole oats for $10.50 yesterday!!!! This will be the back bone of my sprouting effort for Fall/Winter/Spring 2018/'19. I've not done oats before, so hope it goes well. I have some left over barley, BOSS, and millet. This should see me through quite nicely. Might need to add some whole corn, as that can be found on sale for $8.50.

 

[newchickenmom33]

Picked up 50# of whole oats for $10.50 yesterday!!!! This will be the back bone of my sprouting effort for Fall/Winter/Spring 2018/'19. I've not done oats before, so hope it goes well. I have some left over barley, BOSS, and millet. This should see me through quite nicely. Might need to add some whole corn, as that can be found on sale for $8.50.

Sweet!!! I’m still on an all organic kick with these chickens... I’m not sure if it’ll pass or not... where did you score this hot deal?

 

[oregonkat]

I managed to find the 3 grain organic scratch from SandP at my sort of local feed store. I bought 2 bags and am trying an experimental sprouting technique in the chicken run. I also am trying the wild bird seed.
@lazy gardener how many chickens are you sprouting for? I have probably asked you this in the past but I cant remember

 

[lazy gardener]

Sweet!!! I’m still on an all organic kick with these chickens... I’m not sure if it’ll pass or not... where did you score this hot deal?

My local Blue Seal store. I've heard folks say that oats is a bit harder to sprout due to it being a bit more "gummy". Any one have experience sprouting oats? Of course, if it's not satisfactory as sprouts, I can just feed it or ferment it.

I managed to find the 3 grain organic scratch from SandP at my sort of local feed store. I bought 2 bags and am trying an experimental sprouting technique in the chicken run. I also am trying the wild bird seed.
@lazy gardener how many chickens are you sprouting for? I have probably asked you this in the past but I cant remember

A year or more ago, there was a video by a guy who was sprouting in a sheltered area by his coop. His winter weather was warmer than mine. He had piles of damp leaves, and just tossed the grains into the leaves. The biological action in the leaf pile kept things from freezing, so the grains sprouted and the chooks would forage for the sprouts in the leaf piles while adding their own nutrients to the leaves. It was a win/win situation. I would think that it would be necessary to run 2 piles. Seed one pile and keep the birds off it till it had the chance to sprout, then seed the second pile, alternating back and forth.

My winter flock has consisted of 17 - 25 birds. I have a hard time making culling decisions, especially when the birds are productive. If I was disciplined, my winter flock would be around 15, even though I have the sq.ft. for twice that.

 

[oregonkat]

My winter flock has consisted of 17 - 25 birds. I have a hard time making culling decisions, especially when the birds are productive. If I was disciplined, my winter flock would be around 15, even though I have the sq.ft. for twice that.

I have pretty much the same size at 27 hens/pullets right now. I cant bring myself to get rid of my older hens. They've managed to survive this long while hatch mates have been harvested by any number of predators, I reckon they earned their place with me. Some of them are still laying a couple of times a week. I am heading for a laying flock of 30 as my waiting list for eggs keeps growing. Got to love that right?

 

[lazy gardener]

My egg count out paced my customers, so I removed 8, simply to make more room for replacements, and better match supply and demand. Wouldn't you know it, I picked up about 50% more egg customers within 2 weeks of that well thought out plan. Now, people are beating a path to my door, and tackling my egg bag when I take it with me. (I set it down, and folks help themselves... first come, first serve.) Hubby is under strict orders to never sell the last dozen! I keep it in the back of my mind that a predator could easily wipe out my flock, or take my roo, then... I'd be starting out from scratch. So... gotta keep extra eggs "just in case".