Sprouting Mix and other grains/beans?

[Smokin Silkies]

Great ideas! I plan on doing this after I get more info. I like the black tub/hardware cloth idea BUT the only thing is that my house is in a location where I don't get alot of sun through my windows. The back of my house is more or less all built against a hill, so only windows in one bedroom upstairs on that side...the other side has plenty of windows, but lots of trees so it blocks all the sunlight. Do they need alot of sunlight? Also what about the other way in a jar....does that need sunlight? Thanks!

 

[sommrluv]

At my local bulk foods store, they sell sprouting jar tops. They are $1 and fit on a wide mouth canning jar. It just has wire over the top, to rinse easier. You fill the jar with 1 or 2 teaspoons, don't get overeager, it makes a lot of sprounts! Let it soak overnight, and rinse it with lukewarm or room temp water. I find the temperature of the water is very important in winter when the room temp is lower than in Summer.

Usually it takes three days for sprouts to get big enough to than set in sun to develop chlorophyll. But every day, rinse at least in the morning and evening, if not once more. Also, around day 3 I put in a dash of ground citric acid to prevent mold.

That works for most seeds. Chia, you'll need to set on dirt, or in a terra cotta saucer, which is setting in water, with another plate or saucer over top.

Of course, all this work....my chickens won't eat sprouts. So I might try the posters idea with a pot and hardware cloth. I have BIG planter boxes (think 4 foot by 2 foot high, seven foot by 3 feet) that hubby built for me. I'm thinking about growing things in there in winter/summer for days they can't free range, which is most of the week

 

[juliect]

http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/kit/birdkit.html Interesting video!! Granted they are talking about sprouting for birds like parrots and cockatiels...but it should be the same in theory.

 

[CityChicker]

We don't regularly feed sprouts to our chickens, but we fed them to our parrots for years. We used the sprout towers, jars/lids, and sprout mixes from China Prairie. We used grapefruit seed extract to inhibit mold. I have never done it on a regular basis for the chickens mostly because of the expense. You can buy sprouting mixes at a lot of natural food stores too.

 

[juliect]

Here is an article written specifically about sprouting for chickens.... http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Sprouting.html

Yay! Another obsession!

This all started with me starting a garden...then I decided I needed chickens to help work up the garden soil in fall & winter to help make gardening EASIER...then I started growing crops just for the chickens...then I started baking for the chickens...then I started raising mealworms for the chickens...now I am planning on sprouting for the chickens...so much for cutting down on labor!!

 

[Organics North]

Quote:
Good article.. Thanks,
On sprouts:
IMO, just buy your whole grains at the feed store. Easy to find whole oats, and Black Oil Sunflower seeds. It can be a little harder to find wheat. One could sprout bird seed too. (Not the thistle though, I believe that is heat treated so it does not sprout!)
My pullets LOVE sprouts and oat, wheat and clover grass too!
I mix 2 parts oats, 2 parts BOSS 1 part wheat, and a handfull of clover seeds on gardening flats and moisten, I stir at least once a day and rinse in a fine strainer maybe once or twice.. No mold.
Oh Yes, I think too much wheat sprouts or wheat grass gives my chickens the runs.. Oats, BOSS or clover do not seem to, so I limit the amount of wheat I give them.

On juliect's post I can relate. We have a indoor garden were where we grow Orchids, and grow lettuce in winter, and start our plants for the garden in spring. Well I feel like it is the KITCHEN for the chickens! Trays of sprouts,,, trays of wheat grass. No room for our salad greens!.. Oh yes the chickens love the lettuce plants once we are done with them....dirt, roots, the whole works gone in seconds flat! (100% organic grown lettuce of course.)

ON

 

[redhen]

I bought a sprouting jar..i cant wait to try it..