Using Sunflower seeds in the chick mix

[mooSa]

Hi, I am making my own feed for my new born chicks. After doing thorough research, I decided to put sunflower seeds as one of the ingredients.
Now i have 2 questions:

1. Does it have to be just the kernel without the shell or can I put the shell in the mix as well? ( I have a machine that will grind it for me)

2. Can sunflower seeds be fed raw or does it have to be cooked like soyabeans?

Thanks for your time.

 

[Katy]

I feed raw sunflower seed in the shell to my adult and juvenile birds, but I don't think just hatched chicks could handle it in the shell very well.

 

[sherrydeanne]

I've heard of adult birds getting an impacted crop from too many shells; I would go with shelled for sure.

 

[Bantimna]

Maybe un-shelled will work?

 

[mooSa]

so i guess un shelled. Is there a machine that will remove the shell fast?

 

[Organics North]

Quote:
Where did you hear that? Did the birds have access to grit?

Shelled are quite expensive, and I believe they can go rancid pretty easy.

BOSS is less than 15% of my birds diet.

I wonder what a sunflower de-hulling machine looks like too?

ON

 

[Bantimna]

This might be able to help those peeps intersted in Sunflowers:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/oilpress.html


Sorry for hijacking a little.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

wow super interesting article!

moosa i am interested in what grains you are feeding.