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valleychicks said:
Do you just put the seed in the bottom of a shallow pan and keep water in the pan or water them a little each day?
Click to expand...

NO, all the pans have drain holes. Here is what I wrote so far.

Growing Fodder for your Animals

What is Fodder?
Fodder is growing greenery, usually barley, wheat, BOSS, and other grasses without soil to feed to your livestock.

Why grow fodder?
  1. You can feed it to any livestock
  2. Saves on feed bill.One pound of seed = 5-8 pounds of fodder feed
  3. Healthy for your animals

    What you need to grow fodder:
  4. A container to soak your seeds in
  5. A strainer
  6. Fodder trays. (7-10) You can buy fodder trays online or you can make your own from whatever you may have at home. Don’t let the trays be too deep as the air can’t circulate and may contribute to mold.Your trays will need to have drain holes in the bottom.You want your seeds to stay damp, but not soaking. Google fodder systems and choose your favorite trays and set-up.
    How to grow fodder:
  7. Put your seed in your soak container and add water so that you have 2” of water over the top of your seeds.If you are using wheat, you may need to rinse the seeds several times to get the glue like substance rinsed away.Wheat can mold easily if this is not rinsed well.Soak the seeds at least 5 hours but not longer than 24 hours.
  8. Use your strainer to help you rinse the seeds again.REMOVE ANY SEEDS THAT ARE FLOATING AS THESE ARE DEAD AND WON’T SPROUT AND WILL ONLY CONTRIBUTE TO MOLD.
  9. Place your seeds into your trays.Don’t have more seeds than ½” deep.The seeds will continue to swell and if your seeds are deeper than this, you may get mold.
  10. Mist your fodder at least twice a day.The goal is to keep the seeds damp.Fodder grows best in temperatures between 60-70 degrees.It does not require a lot of light.
  11. The fodder should be ready on day 7, so I make one tray a day and feed my chickens one tray a day.That keeps the cycle going.
What seeds are best to use:
*Barley
*Wheat
*BOSS - Black Oiled Sunflower Seeds

Useful Websites
*BYC – Growing fodder for chickens thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/713334/growing-fodder-for-chickens/4120#post_14630890

My set up is made so you can water the top trays and they drip into the trays under them.

I don't use these type of trays anymore. They are too high and too flimsy. I use fodder trays with holes that I got from amazon, but you can use cheap plastic, litter pans, etc. You just need to put the holes in the bottom. You tube has some great homemade ideas! So easy!
 
carcar80 said:
I think you just have to be sure it's not treated seed.

Valley, any reason you don't give it to your grown birds much? Mine of course tear anything up that doesn't bite back. Not that I cook for them often, just curious if there's something I should know.
Click to expand...
Are you talking about my only giving the adult chickens scrambled eggs every once in awhile? Because they love it and I love selling my eggs. LOL! They would eat all the eggs if I let them.
 
Flowerbh said:
NO, all the pans have drain holes. Here is what I wrote so far.

Growing Fodder for your Animals

What is Fodder?
Fodder is growing greenery, usually barley, wheat, BOSS, and other grasses without soil to feed to your livestock.

Why grow fodder?
  1. You can feed it to any livestock
  2. Saves on feed bill.One pound of seed = 5-8 pounds of fodder feed
  3. Healthy for your animals

    What you need to grow fodder:
  4. A container to soak your seeds in
  5. A strainer
  6. Fodder trays. (7-10) You can buy fodder trays online or you can make your own from whatever you may have at home. Don’t let the trays be too deep as the air can’t circulate and may contribute to mold.Your trays will need to have drain holes in the bottom.You want your seeds to stay damp, but not soaking. Google fodder systems and choose your favorite trays and set-up.
    How to grow fodder:
  7. Put your seed in your soak container and add water so that you have 2” of water over the top of your seeds.If you are using wheat, you may need to rinse the seeds several times to get the glue like substance rinsed away.Wheat can mold easily if this is not rinsed well.Soak the seeds at least 5 hours but not longer than 24 hours.
  8. Use your strainer to help you rinse the seeds again.REMOVE ANY SEEDS THAT ARE FLOATING AS THESE ARE DEAD AND WON’T SPROUT AND WILL ONLY CONTRIBUTE TO MOLD.
  9. Place your seeds into your trays.Don’t have more seeds than ½” deep.The seeds will continue to swell and if your seeds are deeper than this, you may get mold.
  10. Mist your fodder at least twice a day.The goal is to keep the seeds damp.Fodder grows best in temperatures between 60-70 degrees.It does not require a lot of light.
  11. The fodder should be ready on day 7, so I make one tray a day and feed my chickens one tray a day.That keeps the cycle going.
What seeds are best to use:
*Barley
*Wheat
*BOSS - Black Oiled Sunflower Seeds

Useful Websites
*BYC – Growing fodder for chickens thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/713334/growing-fodder-for-chickens/4120#post_14630890

My set up is made so you can water the top trays and they drip into the trays under them.

I don't use these type of trays anymore. They are too high and too flimsy. I use fodder trays with holes that I got from amazon, but you can use cheap plastic, litter pans, etc. You just need to put the holes in the bottom. You tube has some great homemade ideas! So easy!
Click to expand...
Thank you, Flower! I keep Boss on hand so I will try my hand at that first. I will be going to our Farmers Market today at 1pm to hopefully sell eggs so I can go to a couple of dollar stores and see what I find for trays. We keep the temperature at 68 inside our home during winter and I have a long bar in my kitchen that I can set the trays on to grow. I sure hope I get this right.
 

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