What is Fodder?

[Sally PB]

The roots just tangle up into a matted mess. So when you pull it out of the container, it's just a mat of roots and greens.

There are a couple of other threads on BYC that have a lot more info and pictures of people's set ups for growing. Here's one:

Guess what season it is in the Northern Hemisphere?! - Its FODDER Season!

 

[RebelEgger]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...thern-hemisphere-its-fodder-season-🍀.1429474/

although I only grow 1/3 cup at a time in a mason jar, I don’t have space for anything else and the girls loves their sprouts!

 

[RebelEgger]

Here’s a pic of my set up. I just took the center lid out of the mason jar, used plastic mesh for the center for draining. I leave it upside down in my dish rack all the time and rinse them several times a day. I offer them to my 3 girls (and boy) on day 4 or 5! I use barley, as that seems to be all I can find at my local feed store.

 

[black_cat]

Here’s a pic of my set up. I just took the center lid out of the mason jar, used plastic mesh for the center for draining. I leave it upside down in my dish rack all the time and rinse them several times a day. I offer them to my 3 girls (and boy) on day 4 or 5! I use barley, as that seems to be all I can find at my local feed store.

View attachment 2434736View attachment 2434737

Does it really grow that fast?

 

[Sally PB]

I'm working on trying to grow chia (yes, ch-ch-ch-chia) fodder. Mostly because I have 3 pounds of it that I got at Costco. So far it's not working very well. Chia is mucilaginous, ie, it forms a goo. That goo starts to get icky, then everything rots. I'm trying it in a terra cotta dish. That's what the Chia Pets are made out of. The idea is the dish sits in a plate of water, and its porousness soaks up the water to sprout the seeds.

I have sprouted chia in dirt, but then it molded.

The sprout in a jar thing works very well, but that isn't technically fodder, it's sprouts. It's still great for the chickens, so doing it that fantastic too. And, yup! It takes a LOT less space. I do alfalfa sprouts that way. For me and the chickens.

 

[RebelEgger]

Does it really grow that fast?

It does! The jar pictures I started Sunday night

 

[RebelEgger]

I'm working on trying to grow chia (yes, ch-ch-ch-chia) fodder. Mostly because I have 3 pounds of it that I got at Costco. So far it's not working very well. Chia is mucilaginous, ie, it forms a goo. That goo starts to get icky, then everything rots. I'm trying it in a terra cotta dish. That's what the Chia Pets are made out of. The idea is the dish sits in a plate of water, and its porousness soaks up the water to sprout the seeds.

I have sprouted chia in dirt, but then it molded.

The sprout in a jar thing works very well, but that isn't technically fodder, it's sprouts. It's still great for the chickens, so doing it that fantastic too. And, yup! It takes a LOT less space. I do alfalfa sprouts that way. For me and the chickens.

Is it not fodder because it’s not forming a ‘pelt’ of grass? Or because it’s barley? Here this whole time I thought I was part of the fodder club oh well as long as they like it is all that matters to me ☺
My girls aren’t crazy about alfalfa! I bought them sprouts if it a couple times and they left most of it! But they love their barley sprouts!

 

[Sally PB]

Is it not fodder because it’s not forming a ‘pelt’ of grass?

That's my understanding of what fodder is, and "pelt of grass" is an excellent description! Where are you finding barley to sprout? I've looked (briefly) and not found any. Well, I didn't look online... What can I say? I'm old. Well, old-ish. I like to see things and pick them up before I buy them.

 

[RebelEgger]

That's my understanding of what fodder is, and "pelt of grass" is an excellent description! Where are you finding barley to sprout? I've looked (briefly) and not found any. Well, I didn't look online... What can I say? I'm old. Well, old-ish. I like to see things and pick them up before I buy them.

I found it at my local feed store. They sell it on 3lb bags. I consider myself old-ish too lol I like to see and hold things before I buy too!! Lol

 

[cherrynberry]

Fodder in my idea is grass that is grown without soil and so the roots of whatever you grow (I like to do barley) start to connect and bind together. So that holds the grass together and once it is about 2 inches tall, I feed it. I have not grown it in a while though